The Praxis Middle School Science (5442) exam measures the science knowledge and competencies needed for beginning middle school science teachers. The current test contains 125 selected-response questions covering science and engineering, physical science, life science, and Earth and space science.
Praxis Middle School Science test code 5440 is no longer administered. ETS replaced 5440 with the current Middle School Science test, code 5442. If you are preparing to take the exam now, make sure your study materials are for Praxis 5442.
QUESTIONS
125
TIME LIMIT
150 Minutes
EXAM FEE
$130
FORMAT
Selected Response
What Is the Praxis Middle School Science Exam?
Praxis Middle School Science (5442) is designed to measure the knowledge and competencies important for safe and effective beginning practice as a middle school science teacher.
ETS states that candidates have typically completed a bachelor’s degree program with appropriate coursework in science and education. The test reflects science content and practices drawn from state and national standards, including concepts associated with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Whether you need this particular Praxis exam and what score you must earn depend on the requirements of your state or other certifying agency.
What’s on the Praxis Middle School Science Exam?
The current 5442 exam is divided into four major content categories.
I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering — 14%
Approximately 17 questions
This category addresses how science and engineering work and how they affect society and the environment.
- Nature of scientific knowledge
- Scientific models, laws, theories, and evidence
- Engineering design
- Laboratory and field safety
- Proper use of scientific equipment
- Measurement and data
- Science, technology, and engineering
- Environmental impacts
- Energy resources
- Natural-resource management
- Applications of science and technology in daily life
II. Physical Science — 30%
Approximately 38 questions
Physical Science is one of the two largest content areas on the exam.
- Atomic structure
- Properties and states of matter
- Elements and the periodic table
- Chemical bonding
- Chemical reactions
- Acids and bases
- Forces and motion
- Newton’s laws
- Electricity and magnetism
- Energy and energy transformations
- Waves
- Light and sound
III. Life Science — 30%
Approximately 38 questions
Life Science makes up another 30% of the examination.
- Cell structure and function
- Cellular processes
- Organism structure and function
- Growth and development
- Photosynthesis and cellular respiration
- Ecosystems
- Food webs and energy flow
- Cycles of matter
- Population and ecosystem interactions
- Genetics and heredity
- Variation of traits
- Evolution and natural selection
IV. Earth and Space Science — 26%
Approximately 32 questions
This section assesses your understanding of Earth systems, weather and climate, geology, and astronomy.
- Earth and the solar system
- Stars and the universe
- Earth’s history
- Rocks and minerals
- Plate tectonics
- Earth’s internal and surface processes
- The water cycle
- Oceans and other bodies of water
- Weather
- Climate
- Atmospheric processes
- Interactions among Earth’s major systems
Science and Engineering Practices
The current Praxis exam does more than test whether you can recall scientific facts. ETS states that more than 40% of the questions integrate science content with one or more Science and Engineering Practices.
These practices include skills such as:
- Asking scientific questions and defining engineering problems
- Developing and using models
- Planning and evaluating investigations
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Using mathematics and computational thinking
- Constructing explanations
- Designing solutions
- Evaluating scientific information and arguments
- Communicating scientific information
Do not prepare for Praxis 5442 by memorizing isolated definitions alone. Be prepared to interpret experiments, analyze data, evaluate explanations, use models, and apply science concepts to classroom situations.
Teaching-Scenario Questions
The current test also includes questions that place science content within situations a teacher may encounter while working with students, curriculum, laboratory activities, and instruction.
These questions may ask you to:
- Identify a student’s scientific misconception
- Select an appropriate demonstration or investigation
- Interpret student-generated data
- Evaluate a scientific explanation
- Select safe laboratory practices
- Determine how a model could help explain a concept
- Connect scientific evidence to an instructional objective
This means your preparation should include both science content knowledge and practice applying that knowledge in a middle school teaching context.
What Types of Questions Are on the Exam?
All 125 questions are selected-response questions, but selected-response does not always mean a traditional question with only one answer choice.
Depending on the question, you may be asked to:
- Select one answer
- Select more than one answer
- Interpret graphs, diagrams, tables, or experimental data
- Analyze scientific scenarios
- Apply a concept to a teaching situation
The exam may also contain questions that do not count toward your score. ETS does not identify those questions during testing.
Do You Need a Calculator?
No calculator is needed for Praxis Middle School Science. ETS provides a periodic table through the testing software, along with a table containing selected physical constants and SI conversion information.
When a question requires another physical constant or value, the necessary information is provided with the question.
What Score Do You Need to Pass?
There is no single Praxis Middle School Science passing score that applies nationwide. Each state or certifying agency determines the score required for its certification or licensure pathway.
For example, a score of 152 is used by a number of jurisdictions, but requirements are not identical everywhere.
Check the current ETS requirements for your state before deciding what score you need. Do not rely on an old Praxis 5440 passing score, because states changed their requirements when they adopted 5442.
How Do You Register?
You can register through your Praxis account on the ETS website. Before registering:
- Check your state’s requirements. Confirm that Praxis Middle School Science 5442 is the test you need.
- Create or sign in to your Praxis account.
- Select Middle School Science (5442).
- Choose how you want to test. ETS currently offers this exam at home or at a test center.
- Schedule your appointment and pay the $130 test fee.
At-Home or Test-Center Testing
Praxis Middle School Science can currently be taken either at home through online proctoring or at an approved test center.
If you choose at-home testing, review the current ETS equipment, room, identification, and check-in requirements before test day. If you choose a testing center, confirm the center location and arrive according to the instructions provided with your appointment.
Testing policies can change, so use the current Praxis Information Bulletin rather than an old list of permitted and prohibited items from the former 5440 exam.
Can You Retake Praxis Middle School Science?
Yes. If you want or need to take the exam again, ETS requires your new test date to be at least 28 days after your previous test date.
The waiting period applies even if you canceled your scores from the earlier attempt.
How to Prepare for Praxis Middle School Science
Start with the current 5442 blueprint. The discontinued 5440 exam used a different six-category content outline, so old materials can give you the wrong idea about how the current test is organized.
Praxis 5442 Study Checklist
- Review the official ETS Study Companion and current test blueprint.
- Give Physical Science and Life Science substantial study time because each represents about 30% of the exam.
- Review Earth and Space Science thoroughly; it accounts for about one-quarter of the test.
- Study laboratory safety and appropriate use of scientific equipment.
- Practice interpreting graphs, tables, experimental results, and scientific models.
- Review the Science and Engineering Practices.
- Practice applying science concepts to teaching scenarios.
- Review explanations for missed practice questions rather than memorizing answers.
- Complete timed practice so you become comfortable answering 125 questions within 150 minutes.
Praxis Middle School Science Practice Test
A full-length practice test can help you identify weak areas, practice pacing, and become familiar with the types of science problems and teaching scenarios you may encounter.
Make sure any practice material you use is written for Praxis Middle School Science 5442, not the discontinued 5440 test.
Praxis Middle School Science Resources
Official Praxis Middle School Science (5442) Page — Check the current fee, test format, testing options, and official preparation materials.
Official Praxis 5442 Study Companion — Review the detailed content outline, Science and Engineering Practices, sample questions, and answer explanations.
Praxis State Requirements — Confirm which Praxis tests and qualifying scores your state requires.
Free Praxis Middle School Science Practice Test — Practice current 5442 content and review detailed answer explanations.
Praxis Middle School Science Study Guide — Find review material and additional practice for Praxis 5442.