Scholar Tests · Set 3
Iowa practice test, Grade 3
Name ______________________ Date ____________
Reading
Circle the letter of the best answer. About 15 minutes.
Make a Pinecone Bird Feeder
In winter, birds have a harder time finding food. You can help them with a simple feeder.
Materials
a large, open pinecone
a piece of string about 2 feet long
vegetable shortening or peanut butter
birdseed
a paper plate and a butter knifeSteps
1. Tie the string tightly around the top of the pinecone. Leave a long tail for hanging.
2. Use the butter knife to spread shortening or peanut butter into the gaps of the pinecone.
3. Pour birdseed onto the plate. Roll the pinecone in the seeds until it is covered.
4. Hang your feeder from a tree branch that you can see from a window.
Tip: If anyone in your home has a peanut allergy, use vegetable shortening instead of peanut butter.
Then watch closely. Birds may take a day or two to find your feeder.
1.What should you do right after you spread shortening or peanut butter on the pinecone?
- ARoll the pinecone in birdseed.
- BWatch for birds from a window.
- CFind a large, open pinecone.
- DHang the feeder from a branch.
- 2.
Why does the author number the steps?
- ATo show the order in which to do them
- BTo show how long each step takes
- CTo tell how much birdseed to use
- DTo show how many birds will come
- 3.
Why does the author include the tip?
- ATo tell where to hang the feeder
- BTo list all the materials you need
- CTo show how to tie a strong knot
- DTo give a safe choice for homes where someone has a peanut allergy
Sharks and Dolphins
Text 1: Sharks
Sharks are fish. They breathe underwater using gills on the sides of their heads. Most sharks have rows of sharp teeth. When a tooth falls out, a new one moves up to take its place.
Text 2: Dolphins
Dolphins live in the ocean, but they are not fish. They are mammals, like people. Dolphins breathe air through a blowhole on top of their heads. They must swim up to the top of the water to take a breath.
4.According to Text 1, what happens when a shark loses a tooth?
- AThe shark grows a blowhole.
- BA new tooth moves up to take its place.
- CThe shark stops eating.
- DThe shark swims to the top of the water.
- 5.
According to Text 2, why must dolphins swim up to the top of the water?
- AThey need to find sharks.
- BThey need to look for fish.
- CThey need to clean their gills.
- DThey need to breathe air.
Puddle Day
After the rain, the sidewalk is a map of tiny lakes. I jump in one. It splashes up and shivers when it shakes. One puddle holds a piece of sky, one holds a passing cloud, one holds a robin taking a bath and singing very loud. I float a leaf across a lake, a boat without a mast. I blow, and off it goes to sea, so slowly, then so fast! I lean above the biggest one. A face looks up at me, with muddy boots and messy hair, as happy as can be. My mother calls me in at last. My socks are soaking through. But if the rain comes back tomorrow, I'll know just what to do.
6.The speaker says the sidewalk is "a map of tiny lakes." What does this mean?
- AThere are many puddles on the sidewalk.
- BThe speaker is lost and needs a map.
- CThe sidewalk is next to a real lake.
- DThe sidewalk is cracked and broken.
- 7.
Whose face looks up at the speaker from the biggest puddle?
- AA friend hiding under the water
- BThe robin taking a bath
- CA face painted on the sidewalk
- DThe speaker's own reflection
- 8.
Which idea best fits the poem?
- ARobins sing only after it rains.
- BRain spoils a day of play.
- CWet socks are the worst part of the day.
- DA rainy day can be full of fun and wonder.
The Lunch Box Mix-Up
CHARACTERS: AVA; JAMAL; MS. LEE, the lunch helper
(The school lunchroom. AVA and JAMAL sit across from each other. They have the same green lunch box.)
AVA: (opening her box) Hey! Where is my orange? This has a pickle!
JAMAL: (opening his box) And where is my pickle? This has an orange!
MS. LEE: (walking over) Look at the names on your lunch boxes.
(AVA and JAMAL turn the boxes over and gasp.)
AVA AND JAMAL: (together) We switched!
JAMAL: (laughing) Want to trade back?
AVA: Yes, please. I do not like pickles!
9.What does "(laughing)" tell you?
- AWhat Jamal eats for lunch
- BWho speaks next
- CWhere the play takes place
- DHow Jamal says his words
- 10.
How do Ava and Jamal feel about pickles?
- AThey both love pickles.
- BNeither of them has tasted a pickle.
- CAva wants a pickle, but Jamal does not.
- DJamal wants his pickle, but Ava does not like pickles.
Written Expression
Circle the letter of the best answer. About 11 minutes.
- 1.
On Saturday, Omar and his mom baked cookies. They mixed butter, sugar, and flour in a bowl. Next, they rolled the dough into little balls. The cookies baked in the oven for ten minutes. Omar shared the warm cookies with his neighbors.
What is the writer's main purpose in this paragraph?
- Ato explain how to do something, step by step
- Bto give facts about a topic
- Cto tell a story about something that happened
- Dto share an opinion and give reasons for it
- 2.
Which word is spelled correctly?
- Asleep
- Bslepe
- Csleap
- Dsleeep
- 3.
Last night, Dad ______ us to soccer practice.
Which word best completes the sentence?
- Adrived
- Bdrives
- Cdrove
- Ddriven
- 4.
Do you ______ where my shoes are?
Which word best completes the sentence?
- Aknow
- Bno
- Cnow
- Dknoe
- 5.
The mail carrier waved ______ to everyone on our street.
Which word or words best complete the sentence?
- Acheered
- Bcheerfully
- Ccheer
- Dcheerful
- 6.
Which sentence uses commas correctly?
- AThe Wright brothers had a bike shop in, Dayton, Ohio.
- BThe Wright brothers had a bike shop in Dayton, Ohio.
- CThe Wright brothers had a bike shop in Dayton Ohio.
- DThe Wright brothers had a bike shop in, Dayton Ohio.
- 7.
Hana is writing a story about a day at the campfire.
Which sentence adds a detail about what Hana smelled at the campfire?
- ASmoke and roasting marshmallows filled the air with a toasty smell.
- BOrange flames danced up toward the stars.
- CThe warm fire heated Hana's cold hands.
- DThe logs crackled and popped in the fire.
- 8.
Benjamin Franklin invented several useful things. He created a stove that heated rooms using less wood. Also, he invented bifocal glasses so people could see both near and far. ______
Which sentence would be the best concluding sentence for this paragraph?
- AMany of Franklin's ideas still help people today.
- BHis lightning rod helped protect buildings from fires caused by lightning.
- COur class is collecting cans for the food drive.
- DMy sister's soccer team practices on Tuesday nights.
- 9.
Which sentence uses capital letters correctly?
- AThe president of our club is my Sister.
- BThe president of our club is my sister.
- Cthe president of our club is my sister.
- DThe President of our club is my sister.
- 10.
Jamal rode his bike down the steep hill.
Which part of the sentence is a prepositional phrase?
- Adown the steep hill
- Brode
- CJamal
- Dhis bike
Mathematics
Circle the letter of the best answer. About 12 minutes.
- 1.
How many more leaves are 8 inches long than 5 inches long?
- A4 leaves
- B1 leaf
- C7 leaves
- D3 leaves
- 2.
Lucy had some shells. She gave 20 away and has 15 left. Which equation can be used to find how many shells Lucy had at first?
- A20 − 15 = ?
- B? + 15 = 20
- C20 − ? = 15
- D? − 20 = 15
- 3.
What number is 10 more than the number the blocks show?
- A728
- B718
- C719
- D818
- 4.
How long is the feather? Measure to the nearest half inch.
- A5 1/2 inches
- B5 inches
- C6 1/2 inches
- D6 inches
- 5.
A sandwich is split into 4 equal parts. What fraction of the whole is one part?
- A4/1
- B4/4
- C1/3
- D1/4
- 6.
Which multiplication matches the picture?
- A3 × 5
- B2 + 5
- C2 × 6
- D2 × 5
- 7.
Which fraction is the greatest?
- A1/8
- B6/8
- C5/8
- D7/8
- 8.
What number is 33 tens?
- A3,300
- B330
- C303
- D33
- 9.
What kind of angle is angle JKL?
- Astraight angle
- Bright angle
- Cacute angle
- Dobtuse angle
- 10.
A teacher has 179 pencils to share equally among 3 tables, as many per table as possible. How many pencils are left over?
- A60
- B2
- C59
- D1
Vocabulary
Circle the letter of the best answer. About 5 minutes.
- 1.
The guide words on a dictionary page are pool and prey.
Which word would you find on that page?
- Ashimmer
- Bmarvel
- Cduck
- Dpredator
- 2.
Which word means the same as argue?
- Aagree
- Barrange
- Cquarrel
- Dborrow
- 3.
We set up our picnic at the foot of the hill.
Which meaning of foot is used in this sentence?
- Aa kind of shoe
- Ba unit of length equal to twelve inches
- Cthe bottom of something
- Dthe part of your leg you stand on
- 4.
What does the word retell mean?
- Atell
- Btell again
- Cnot tell
- Dtell badly
- 5.
Which word names the lightest rain?
- Adrizzle
- Bpuddle
- Cdownpour
- Dshower
- 6.
Which sentence uses words that do not mean exactly what they say?
- AGrandma had a lot of cooking to do before Thanksgiving dinner.
- BAfter soccer practice, I was as hungry as a bear.
- CThe math homework was simple tonight.
- DMy hands were freezing after building the snowman.
- 7.
It took me a few weeks to adapt to my new school.
This sentence is from a science book. What does adapt mean?
- Arefuse to change
- Bchange to fit a new place or situation
- Cfall asleep
- Dmove far away
- 8.
Which word means "a set of events that happen again and again in the same order"?
- Acycle
- Bdata
- Cgovernment
- Dgravity
- 9.
Feeding the class hamster is a privilege for students who finish their work.
What does the word privilege mean in this sentence?
- Aa hard chore
- Ba punishment
- Ca special right or chance that not everyone gets
- Da broken rule
- 10.
I had to rummage through my backpack to find my lunch money.
What does the word rummage mean in this sentence?
- Afill something to the top
- Bclose something tightly
- Cfold things neatly
- Dsearch through things by moving them around
Computation
Circle the letter of the best answer. About 8 minutes.
- 1.
1,609 + 2,770 =
- A4,389
- B4,279
- C4,379
- D4,479
- 2.
802 × 9 =
- A7,208
- B8,020
- C7,228
- D7,218
- 3.
212 + ? = 1,000
What is the missing number?
- A798
- B1,212
- C788
- D787
- 4.
There are 2 plates with 3 kites in each plate. How many kites are there in all?
- A3
- B9
- C5
- D6
- 5.
5,763 − 4,523 =
- A2,240
- B1,340
- C1,240
- D1,230
- 6.
A school library has 603 books. It gets 217 new books. How many books does it have now?
- A830
- B810
- C386
- D820
- 7.
265 + ? = 1,000
What is the missing number?
- A745
- B736
- C735
- D1,265
- 8.
1,796 + 4,099 =
- A5,905
- B5,895
- C5,795
- D5,885
- 9.
5,078 − 1,390 =
- A4,688
- B3,698
- C3,788
- D3,688
- 10.
Which multiplication matches the picture?
- A3 × 5
- B3 × 6
- C3 + 5
- D4 × 5
Written by Scholar Tests in the style of the published Iowa question types. Not a real Iowa test, and a practice score is not a real score.