Instructions
- This worksheet contains original STAAR-style practice questions for a student around Grade 6. It is not an official STAAR exam.
- Read each question carefully. For multiple-choice questions, circle the best answer.
- Show your work for math problems. Use the hints if you need support.
- For written responses, answer in complete sentences and support your ideas with evidence.
- Complete the challenge questions only after finishing the core questions.
Mission: Plan the Perfect School Garden
Your class is planning a small school garden. You will use math and reading skills to help make decisions, solve problems, and explain your ideas.
Part 1: Mathematics
1. Comparing Garden Areas
A rectangular garden is 8 feet long and 5 feet wide. What is the area of the garden?
A. 13 square feet
B. 26 square feet
C. 40 square feet
D. 80 square feet
2. Fractions in Action
The class planted vegetables in 3/8 of the garden and flowers in 1/4 of the garden. What fraction of the garden was planted altogether?
A. 1/2
B. 5/8
C. 4/12
D. 7/8
Hint: Rewrite 1/4 with a denominator of 8 before adding.
3. Shopping for Supplies
The class has $60 to spend. They buy seeds for $18.75 and gardening gloves for $12.40. How much money remains?
Show your work.
Answer: $____
4. Finding a Rate
A water container holds 24 liters. The class uses 6 liters every 2 days. At this rate, how many days will the full container last?
A. 4 days
B. 6 days
C. 8 days
D. 12 days
5. Understanding a Data Set
The number of tomatoes picked over five days was:
6, 8, 5, 9, 7
What was the mean number of tomatoes picked per day?
A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9
Show your work.
6. Multi-Step Garden Problem
Each row of the garden holds 12 plants. There are 5 rows. The class wants to replace 1/5 of the plants with herbs.
How many herb plants will there be?
A. 3
B. 10
C. 12
D. 60
Explain how you found your answer.
7. Challenge: Designing a Border
The garden is 10 feet long and 6 feet wide. A border will be placed around the entire outside edge of the garden.
How many feet of border are needed?
Answer: __ feet
Explain the operation or formula you used.
Part 2: Reading
Read the Passage
A Garden That Gives Back
When Maya's science teacher announced that the school would build a garden, Maya immediately volunteered to help. She imagined rows of bright vegetables and flowers attracting butterflies. However, the first planning meeting did not go as smoothly as she expected.
Some students wanted to plant only vegetables because vegetables could be used in the cafeteria. Other students wanted only flowers because flowers would make the school entrance more beautiful. The students argued until their teacher asked them to list the needs of the whole school.
Maya suggested a compromise. The garden could include vegetables, flowers, and herbs. The vegetables could be shared with the cafeteria. The flowers could attract pollinators and make the entrance colorful. The herbs could be used during cooking lessons. Everyone agreed that this plan allowed the garden to serve several purposes.
The students then divided the work. One group measured the garden area. Another group researched which plants grew well in their climate. Maya's group created signs explaining how to save water. They decided to use collected rainwater whenever possible instead of using water from a hose.
After several weeks, the garden began to grow. It did not look perfect. Some plants were smaller than expected, and a few signs fell over during a storm. Still, the students were proud. They had learned that solving a problem did not always mean choosing one idea over another. Sometimes the best solution combined several good ideas.
8. Main Idea
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Maya prefers flowers to vegetables. B. The students learn to solve a problem by combining ideas and sharing responsibilities. C. Rainwater is always better than water from a hose. D. School gardens are difficult to maintain.
9. Vocabulary in Context
In the passage, the word compromise most nearly means—
A. a plan that combines different ideas B. a reason to stop working C. a tool used to measure plants D. a competition between groups
10. Text Evidence
Which detail best supports the idea that the garden served several purposes?
A. Some signs fell over during a storm. B. Maya volunteered to help immediately. C. The garden included vegetables, flowers, and herbs. D. The students measured the garden area.
11. Cause and Effect
Why did the students research which plants grew well in their climate?
A. They wanted the plants to have a better chance of growing. B. They wanted to make the garden entrance more colorful. C. They wanted to avoid sharing vegetables with the cafeteria. D. They wanted to replace all the garden signs.
12. Short Constructed Response
How did the students demonstrate teamwork? Use at least two details from the passage in your response.
13. Author's Message
What lesson does the author most likely want readers to understand?
A. Every project must look perfect to be successful. B. People should always choose the first idea they hear. C. Cooperation and flexible thinking can help solve problems. D. Only adults can make good decisions about school projects.
14. Challenge: Written Response
Do you think the students' compromise was better than choosing only vegetables or only flowers? Explain your answer using evidence from the passage.
Optional Extension Activity
Plan your own small school or neighborhood garden. Include:
- Two types of plants you would grow
- One reason for each choice
- One way you would conserve water
- One job that each team member could complete
Answer Key
Mathematics
- C. 40 square feet — Area = length × width = 8 × 5 = 40 square feet.
- B.
5/8—1/4 = 2/8;3/8 + 2/8 = 5/8. - $28.85 — $60.00 − $18.75 = $41.25; $41.25 − $12.40 = $28.85.
- C. 8 days — 24 liters ÷ 6 liters = 4 groups; 4 groups × 2 days = 8 days.
- B. 7 —
(6 + 8 + 5 + 9 + 7) ÷ 5 = 35 ÷ 5 = 7. - C. 12 — 12 plants × 5 rows = 60 plants;
1/5of 60 = 12. - 32 feet — Perimeter = 2 × (10 + 6) = 32 feet.
Reading
- B. The students learn to solve a problem by combining ideas and sharing responsibilities.
- A. A compromise is a plan that combines different ideas.
- C. The garden included vegetables, flowers, and herbs.
- A. Researching the climate helped the students choose plants that had a better chance of growing.
- Sample answer: The students demonstrated teamwork by dividing the work into groups. One group measured the garden, another researched plants, and Maya's group created signs about saving water. These actions show that the students shared responsibilities.
- C. Cooperation and flexible thinking can help solve problems.
- Sample answer: The compromise was better because it allowed the garden to serve several purposes. Vegetables could be shared with the cafeteria, flowers could attract pollinators, and herbs could be used in cooking lessons. The students were able to use several good ideas instead of choosing only one.
Short-Response Scoring Guide:
- 2 points: Gives a clear answer and supports it with at least two accurate details from the passage.
- 1 point: Gives a partly correct answer with one detail or limited explanation.
- 0 points: Does not answer the question or gives information unrelated to the passage.