UUS Practice Tests⌕ Search
Teacher Certification · 5036

Praxis STEM for the Elementary Grades Practice Test

Praxis STEM for the Elementary Grades practice draws on elementary-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts. Sample questions address measurement, data, physical and life science, Earth processes, and simple investigations, including how to identify variables, interpret observations, and explain everyday phenomena.

Exam overview

Exam providerETS Praxis
Exam code5036
CategoryTeacher Certification

About the Praxis STEM for the Elementary Grades Exam

The question vocabulary connects core ideas to classroom demonstrations and practical problem solving. In science, learners may explain heat transfer, electric circuits, photosynthesis, plant responses, acidity, and weathering. Mathematics tasks include calculating area and range, while data questions involve choosing graphs to compare counts. Investigation scenarios require recognizing evidence, designing fair comparisons, and distinguishing an observation from an explanation. These skills support elementary teaching tasks such as evaluating a proposed procedure, interpreting students’ recorded results, and connecting a hands-on activity to an underlying concept. The available bank samples these areas but does not establish official topic coverage or weighting.

Sample Practice Questions

Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.

Question 1

A student places a metal spoon and a wooden spoon in the same room overnight. The next morning, the metal spoon feels colder. Which explanation best accounts for this sensation?

  1. AThe metal spoon is at a lower temperature because metals create cold.
  2. BThe metal transfers heat away from the hand faster than the wood does.
  3. CThe wood spoon has gained heat from the room but the metal has not.
  4. DThe metal spoon contains less matter than the wooden spoon.
Show answerCorrect answer: B

When both spoons have been in the same room long enough, they are generally at similar temperatures. Metal conducts heat well, so it draws heat from the hand more quickly, making it feel colder than wood.

Question 2

A class records the daily high temperatures for five days: 18°C, 20°C, 17°C, 21°C, and 19°C. What is the range of these temperatures?

  1. A3°C
  2. B4°C
  3. C19°C
  4. D95°C
Show answerCorrect answer: B

The range is the greatest value minus the least value. The greatest temperature is 21°C and the least is 17°C, so the range is 4°C.

Question 3

Which observation provides the strongest evidence that a plant is producing oxygen during photosynthesis?

  1. ABubbles appear on the leaves of an aquatic plant under bright light.
  2. BThe plant's roots grow toward moist soil.
  3. CA dry seed becomes swollen after soaking in water.
  4. DA leaf bends toward a nearby window.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Photosynthesis releases oxygen. Bubbles emerging from an aquatic plant in light are consistent with oxygen gas being produced.

Question 4

A rectangular garden is 8 meters long and 5 meters wide. What is its area?

  1. A13 square meters
  2. B26 square meters
  3. C40 square meters
  4. D80 square meters
Show answerCorrect answer: C

The area of a rectangle is length multiplied by width. Eight meters times five meters is 40 square meters.

Question 5

A student connects a battery, a bulb, and wires in a complete loop. The bulb lights. What is the main role of the battery in this circuit?

  1. AIt provides electrical energy that drives charge through the circuit.
  2. BIt changes the bulb's light into electrical energy.
  3. CIt makes the wire act as an insulator.
  4. DIt opens the circuit so charge can collect in the bulb.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A battery provides a potential difference and transfers energy to charges in a complete circuit. The charges moving through the bulb transfer some of that energy as light and heat.

Question 6

A student records the number of seeds that sprout under different light conditions. Which graph is most appropriate for comparing the counts among the conditions?

  1. ABar graph
  2. BLine graph showing temperature over time
  3. CCircle diagram of seed parts
  4. DMap of the classroom
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A bar graph is well suited to comparing quantities across separate categories, such as different light conditions.

Question 7

A student wants to compare how quickly two materials absorb water. Which procedure best makes the comparison fair?

  1. AUse equal-sized pieces, add the same amount of water, and measure absorption after the same time.
  2. BUse a small piece of one material and a large piece of the other, then compare them.
  3. CGive one material more water because it looks less absorbent.
  4. DChange the observation time for each material until the results look clear.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A fair comparison controls relevant variables. Keeping sample size, water amount, and observation time the same makes the material type the main factor being compared.

How to use this practice test

Access is free. The practice session presents up to 20 random questions from the available bank of 50, then displays results after the session. Use missed or uncertain items to identify concepts to revisit, such as measurement, graph selection, fair testing, or scientific explanations.

Preparation tips

  • Practice calculating area and range, and check that you use the units and data values given in each problem.
  • For investigation scenarios, identify the variable being changed, the outcome being measured, and conditions that must stay constant for a fair comparison.
  • Connect observations to mechanisms: distinguish heat conduction from temperature, and explain how a complete circuit allows a bulb to light.
  • Compare evidence with claims in life science and Earth science examples, including photosynthesis, plant growth responses, and freeze-thaw weathering.
  • Choose graphs by data type; use a bar graph to compare counts across distinct conditions and label the categories and values clearly.
Official sourceOfficial exam page ↗