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North Carolina Grade 4 Science
North Carolina Grade 4 Science: explore science lessons, skill quizzes, practice tests, and standards references. Use evidence and answer explanations to guide review.
State resources · Focused study · Clear next steps
Standards source: Standard Course of Study, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Science Lessons and Related Quizzes
Read a short lesson, work through its example, and try a related science-area quiz. These are common Grade 4 ideas; use the state standards below to choose what matches your class.
Physical Science
Life Science
North Carolina Science by Grade
Every North Carolina science center, grade 1 through grade 8.
Start With a Practice Test
Six full, timed grade 4 science practice tests, 30 questions each, instant scoring, and a written explanation for every question. North Carolina does not test science this year, so use these to find gaps early. Each one opens right here.
North Carolina Grade 4 Science Practice Test 1
A full diagnostic across every science area for this grade.
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North Carolina Grade 4 Science Practice Test 2
Fresh questions and new phenomena to build accuracy.
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North Carolina Grade 4 Science Practice Test 3
New problems that push reading of data, models, and evidence.
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North Carolina Grade 4 Science Practice Test 4
Another complete, timed exam to build pacing and stamina.
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North Carolina Grade 4 Science Practice Test 5
A brand-new mixed set to test how ready you are.
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North Carolina Grade 4 Science Practice Test 6
A final full-length simulation to confirm you are ready.
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Grade 4 Science Skill Quizzes
Pick one science area, answer 10 questions, and see exactly where the idea broke down. Each quiz opens right here.
Matter and Its Properties
A quick 10-question check on matter and its properties, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Forces and Motion
A quick 10-question check on forces and motion, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Energy
A quick 10-question check on energy, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Waves and Information
A quick 10-question check on waves and information, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Cells, Structures and Life Processes
A quick 10-question check on cells, structures and life processes, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Ecosystems and Heredity
A quick 10-question check on ecosystems and heredity, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Evolution, Fossils and Adaptation
A quick 10-question check on evolution, fossils and adaptation, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Earth and Space Systems
A quick 10-question check on earth and space systems, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Earth, Human Activity and Engineering
A quick 10-question check on earth, human activity and engineering, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Grade 4 Science Study Tools
A few minutes of review between practice tests. Both open right here.
Grade 4 Science Flashcards
All 145 terms this grade is expected to know. Search the deck, filter by science area, star the hard ones, and mark off what you have down.
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Grade 4 Science Quick Review
Every must-know idea for this grade on one page, grouped by science area, with the vocabulary for each one.
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North Carolina Grade 4 Science Snapshot
North Carolina Grade 4 Science Topics
These are the 17 science standards North Carolina sets for grade 4, from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Science, grouped by the science domains this grade covers. Reference codes help you compare the listed expectations with the source. Confirm the current state edition and grade placement before using them as classroom requirements.
PS3 · Energy
- 4-PS3-1Speed and Energy
- 4-PS3-2Energy Transfer by Sound, Light, Heat, and Currents
- 4-PS3-3Energy Changes in Collisions
- 4-PS3-4Designing Energy-Converting Devices
PS4 · Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
- 4-PS4-1Wave Patterns and Movement
- 4-PS4-2Reflected Light and Vision
- 4-PS4-3Patterns for Transferring Information
LS1 · From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
- 4-LS1-14-LS1-2Organism Needs, Structures, and Life Cycles
ESS1 · Earth's Place in the Universe
- 4-ESS1-1Rock Layers and Fossil Evidence
ESS2 · Earth's Systems
- 4-ESS2-1Weathering and Erosion
- 4-ESS2-2Patterns in Earth's Features
ESS3 · Earth and Human Activity
- 4-ESS3-14-ESS3-2Natural Resources and Human Impacts
ETS1 · Engineering Design
- 3-5-ETS1-13-5-ETS1-2Engineering Design and Solution Evaluation
- 3-5-ETS1-3Fair Tests and Design Improvements
Grouped by the science domains this grade covers.
North Carolina Grade 4 Science Standards
A science standards reference for grade 4, with codes and learning expectations from North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Science. If your North Carolina classroom or report card mentions a code, you will find it here.
PS3 · Energy
- 4-PS3-1Speed and EnergyUse evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object
- 4-PS3-2Energy Transfer by Sound, Light, Heat, and CurrentsMake observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents
- 4-PS3-3Energy Changes in CollisionsAsk questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide
- 4-PS3-4Designing Energy-Converting DevicesApply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another
PS4 · Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
- 4-PS4-1Wave Patterns and MovementDevelop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move
- 4-PS4-2Reflected Light and VisionDevelop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen
- 4-PS4-3Patterns for Transferring InformationGenerate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information
LS1 · From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
- 4-LS1-1Structures That Support Survival and GrowthConstruct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction
- 4-LS1-2Senses, Information, and ResponsesUse a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways
ESS1 · Earth's Place in the Universe
- 4-ESS1-1Rock Layers and Fossil EvidenceIdentify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time
ESS2 · Earth's Systems
- 4-ESS2-1Weathering and ErosionMake observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation
- 4-ESS2-2Patterns in Earth's FeaturesAnalyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features
ESS3 · Earth and Human Activity
- 4-ESS3-1Natural Resources and Environmental EffectsObtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment
- 4-ESS3-2Reducing Impacts of Natural HazardsGenerate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans
ETS1 · Engineering Design
- 3-5-ETS1-1Design Problems, Criteria, and ConstraintsDefine a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost
- 3-5-ETS1-2Comparing Possible Design SolutionsGenerate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem
- 3-5-ETS1-3Fair Tests and Design ImprovementsPlan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved
Source: North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Science. Always check the current official document before relying on a code for placement or reporting.
North Carolina Grade 4: Math and English Too
Science is one of three North Carolina grade 4 centers. Same format, same standards-first approach, for the other two subjects.
North Carolina Grade 4 Math
Six full practice tests, printable worksheets, step-by-step lessons, and every North Carolina grade 4 math standard.
Open the math center →North Carolina Grade 4 English
Reading, writing, and language standards for North Carolina grade 4, broken into short skill targets with practice for each one.
Open the English center →North Carolina Grade 4 Science FAQ
Does North Carolina test science in grade 4?
No. North Carolina gives EOG Science in grades 5 and 8, so grade 4 students do not sit a state science test this year. North Carolina also gives a high school biology end-of-course test. The standards on this page are still the ones grade 4 teachers teach, and they are what the next science test builds on.
Which standards does grade 4 science in North Carolina follow?
North Carolina follows the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Science, published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. All 17 of this grade's standards are listed further down the page with their official codes.
How long are the practice tests?
Each of the six practice tests has 30 questions and a 55-minute timer. The timer auto-submits at zero and you get your score, a breakdown by science area, and a written explanation for every question.
Is any of this free?
Yes, every practice test, quiz, and flashcard set on this page is free and needs no login. Your progress is saved in your own browser and nowhere else.
What is the fastest way to use this page?
Take practice test 1 cold. Look at the topic breakdown, pick the weakest science area, and do that skill quiz. Then read the quick review for that area and come back for practice test 2.
Grade 4 Science in Other States
Standards, practice tests, and quizzes for grade 4 science in every state and Washington, D.C.
Start With One Practice Test
Grade 4 is a building year for science in North Carolina. Take a timed test, see which area is thinnest, and fix that one before it compounds.
Start a practice testA USEFUL NEXT STEP
North Carolina Grade 4 Science: study questions
How should I choose a Grade 4 science study target?
Start with the course or standards reference for this state. Explain one idea before doing its related practice, then use the feedback to decide what needs another example.
Official source ↗Are these activities official state assessments?
These are independently published learning resources. A practice score does not predict or replace an official state score. Use the directions in each activity and consult your school for official testing and accommodation rules.
Resources from Effortless Math · Editorial standards