3-LS3-1 | Inheritance and Variation · NYS standard · Grade 5 test questions

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Revision as of 08:32, 18 October 2026 by Conrad (talk | contribs) (PLD table: abbreviate question labels to match the questions-by-performance-level pages (e.g. "Aug 2026 · Q14"))
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Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.

Clarification statement: Patterns are the similarities and differences in traits shared between offspring and their parents, or among siblings. Emphasis is on organisms other than humans.

Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms of inheritance and prediction of traits. Assessment is limited to non-human examples.

Grade 5 Science Test Questions

Released New York State Grade 5 science test questions that assess 3-LS3-1 are listed here by test and question cluster. Each link opens the question with its answer key.

Exam Cluster Question
Spring 2026 Grade 5 Test Locust Trees Question 29
Spring 2025 Grade 5 Test Traits and Survival of Dogs Question 1
Traits and Survival of Dogs Question 2

Vocabulary

Terms from the Elementary Science Glossary that come from this standard or from the released Grade 5 Science Test questions that assess it.

From this standard
  • analyze and interpret data
  • data
  • evidence
  • genetic mechanism
  • group of similar organisms
  • inheritance
  • inherited
  • inherited trait
  • observable trait
  • offspring
  • parent
  • prediction of traits
  • sibling
  • trait
  • variation
  • variation of traits
From released test questions
Implied by this standard
  • heredity – implied by "traits inherited from parents"

Performance Level Descriptions

Every Grade 5 Science Test question on 3-LS3-1 is written to match one of the performance level descriptions (PLDs) below.

Level 1: Identify the evidence that an observable trait of a plant or animal was inherited from its parents or identify a variation in a trait that exists in a group of similar organisms. Spring 2026 · Q29 Spring 2025 · Q1 Spring 2025 · Q2
Level 2: Identify a pattern in the data to provide evidence that plants and/or animals have traits inherited from parents or that there is variation in these traits that exists in a group of similar organisms.
Level 3: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents, and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.
Level 4: Analyze and interpret similarities and differences in patterns of multiple data sets to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents, and that there is variation in these traits that exist in a group of similar organisms.
Notice: PLD levels!

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of 3-LS3-1.

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Page contributors: Conrad Richman
Grades 3–5 science standards | 3. Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
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