8th Grade Science EOG Diagnostic Assessment
NC DPI 2023 Science Standards / NCPAT Edition 3 Blueprint
Description
Comprehensive 30-item diagnostic mirroring the NC Grade 8 End-of-Grade (EOG) Science Test blueprint: Physical Science ~22%, Life Science ~37%, Earth and Space Science ~42%. Item difficulty distribution follows the NCSBE-adopted Range Achievement Level Descriptors (RALD): approximately 25% Not Proficient to Level 3, 50% Level 4, 25% Level 5. Science and Engineering Practice emphasis reflects the operational blueprint with higher frequency on Analyze and Interpret Data, Use Models, and Construct an Explanation. Results identify individual student readiness and class-wide instructional priorities for the final four weeks of EOG preparation.
Learning Objectives
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Demonstrate understanding of matter structure, the periodic table, and conservation of mass in physical and chemical changes.
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Differentiate types of pathogens and analyze the spread of disease at epidemic and pandemic scales.
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Explain ecosystem interactions, symbiotic relationships, and the flow of energy and cycling of matter through food webs.
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Interpret fossil and anatomical evidence and apply natural selection to explain biological evolution.
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Use rock layers, index fossils, and geologic features as evidence for the relative age and history of Earth.
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Explain the structure of the hydrosphere and how temperature and salinity drive ocean currents that affect climate and ecosystems.
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Evaluate water quality data to make predictions about potability and defend practices of water monitoring and stewardship.
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Classify renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, weigh environmental consequences of energy use, and interpret data linking human activity to global temperature change.
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# 8th Grade Science EOG Diagnostic Assessment
This diagnostic is designed to mirror the structure, content distribution, and cognitive demand of the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) Science Test you will take in a few weeks. It covers all 22 grade-level objectives from the 2023 NC Standard Course of Study for Science.
Your results on this diagnostic will help your teacher understand what you already know well and what topics we should focus on during our remaining time together. Do your best work. If you are not sure of an answer, eliminate the choices you know are wrong, then make your best reasoned choice.
Total items: 30 questions across three parts.
Suggested pacing: Part 1 (Physical Science) 20 minutes, Part 2 (Life Science) 30 minutes, Part 3 (Earth and Space Science) 35 minutes. Use the final 5 minutes to review and check your work.
Tools allowed: Your teacher will provide the NC DPI Grade 8 EOG Periodic Table reference sheet. You may use scratch paper. A calculator is not required.
Format notes: Most items are four-option multiple choice. Some items ask you to select all correct answers, match terms, or place steps in order. Two item sets share a common passage or data table — read the shared stimulus carefully before answering.
## Item Set 1: Water Quality in a North Carolina Stream
Use the data table below to answer the next two questions. A science team tested water quality at four sites along a North Carolina river over one summer week. They collected the following data.
| Site | Temperature (°C) | Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) | pH | Nitrates (mg/L) | Turbidity (NTU) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 (upstream, forested) | 18 | 9.2 | 7.0 | 0.3 | 2 | | 2 (near farmland) | 22 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 12 | | 3 (downstream of runoff) | 26 | 3.4 | 6.4 | 7.2 | 28 | | 4 (wetland outflow) | 23 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 1.1 | 6 |
Healthy range reference: Dissolved oxygen above 6 mg/L, pH between 6.5 and 8.5, nitrates below 10 mg/L, turbidity below 10 NTU.
## Item Set 2: Galápagos Finch Beaks
Use the passage below to answer the next two questions.
A population of ground finches lives on a small island in the Galápagos. The island has both large, hard seeds and small, soft seeds. Finches vary in beak size: some have small beaks, some have medium beaks, and some have large, strong beaks. In a typical year, small and soft seeds are plentiful, and all beak sizes survive and reproduce at similar rates.
One year, a severe drought hit the island. Small, soft seeds became very rare. Only the large, hard seeds remained available in large numbers. Scientists tracked the finch population for several years after the drought and recorded how the average beak size in the population changed.
Great work. Hand in your responses. Your teacher will review your answers by domain (Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science) and by science and engineering practice (analyzing data, using models, constructing explanations) to identify what to focus on during our final weeks before the EOG.
Assessment Questions
30 questionsA scientist examines three samples under a microscope. Sample X contains only gold atoms. Sample Y contains water molecules, each made of hydrogen and oxygen atoms bonded together. Sample Z contains a uniform blend of salt and water molecules that can be separated by evaporation. Which classification best describes each sample?
Refer to the atomic structure diagram. Which statement best describes the location, charge, and relative size of the particles shown?
Sodium (Na) is in Group 1 on the Periodic Table, and potassium (K) is directly below sodium in the same group. Based on the organization of the Periodic Table, what can you predict about potassium's reactivity?
A student observes four events. In which event has a chemical change taken place?
Which of the following are evidence that a chemical change has occurred? Select all that apply.
Standards Alignment
Resource Details
- Subject
- Science
- Language
- EN-US
- Author
- Kris Edwards
- PRISM ID
- grade-8-science-eog-diagnostic-2026