Science Field Test Materials Collections

Spring 2026 Assessment Window - Field Test Materials 

Download the Science Field Test Materials Collections List (pdf) 

Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) testlets sometimes call for the use of specific materials. The Testlet Information Page (TIP) for each testlet identifies these materials. Sometimes materials are required and cannot be substituted, but substitutes are allowed in most cases. If a testlet requires materials, the TIP will state the specific materials mentioned in the testlet and describe their attributes so that test administrators can find appropriate substitutions. For more information about substituting materials, see the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL sections titled Teacher-Administered Testlets and Retrieve the Testlet Information Page and Gather Materials.

Since the DLM system uses adaptive delivery to assign a linkage level for each testlet, the system provides the TIP when each testlet is assigned. Therefore, the exact materials needed to assess each student are unknown prior to the opening of the spring assessment window.

The following list contains materials commonly needed in science testlets and gives test administrators more opportunity to prepare for the science alternate assessment prior to the opening of the assessment window. The lists in this document summarize the materials per grade band for general testlets and, where appropriate, for students who are blind or have visual impairments.

Materials may be substituted unless the TIP specifically states, “No substitutions allowed.”

 

Hints for using this list

  • Look at the whole list for each grade band and find materials that can meet multiple purposes. Note the types of materials mentioned more than once.
  • Find materials that already exist in the classroom or are easily found in the school building.
  • Pick materials that are familiar to the student and have been used in instruction.
  • Remember that in most cases, materials can be substituted as long as they have the same attributes as those on the list. Examples of possible substitutions are found in Table 1.
  • Materials substitutions are listed for individual testlets on the corresponding TIP.
  • The student’s safety should be the primary concern when choosing materials or substitutions.

Example Materials Description

Possible Solution

Five small objects that are easy to move.

A pencil, crayon, glue stick, sticky notes, and paperclip.

Three sets of two identical objects that can be physically changed during the administration of the testlet

Two pieces of paper, one of which can be crumpled or cut Two glue sticks, one of which can be opened Two paperclips, one of which can be bent

The tactile materials you use in instruction to represent four suns and five moons in alternating patterns.

Four large foam circles, five small foam crescents

 


The following information is contained in the accordions below:
  • Lists by grade band of materials commonly used in science testlets.
  • Lists by grade band of materials that may be used to administer testlets to students who are blind or have visual impairments. In many instances, the test administrator will be asked to gather tactile materials that have been used in instruction for specific science concepts.

 

Grade Band – Elementary (Grades 3–5)

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets
1 balloon filled with air  
1 block  
1 box to use as a visual barrier  
1 cardboard tube  
1 checker  
1 closed box  
1 coin  
1 cotton ball  
1 crayon  
1 cup  
1 dry-erase marker  
1 envelope  
1 eraser  
1 fork  
1 large book  
1 long piece of string  
1 marker  
1 notebook  
1 paintbrush  
1 paper clip  
1 paper towel  
1 pen  
1 pencil-top eraser (about the same size as the cotton ball)  
1 piece of yarn  
1 plastic cube  
1 rough rock  
1 short piece of string  
1 small, smooth ball that can be hidden behind a visual barrier  
1 smooth rock  
1 sponge  
1 spoon  
1 stapler  
1 sticky note  
1 toothbrush  
1 towel  
1 toy car  
12-inch ruler  
2 balls with texture  
2 identical balls  
2 identical glue sticks  
2 identical pencils  
2 identical pieces of paper  
2 identical plastic cups  
2 identical rubber bands  
2 identical, small books  
2 identical, small index cards  
2 identical socks  
2 identical straws  
backpack unfamiliar to student  
photograph of familiar teacher (who is not administering test)  
photograph of student's school  
photograph of student's teacher  
student's backpack  
picture cards are included in the TIP for teacher-administered testlets that require them  
 

Grade Band – Elementary (Grades 3–5) for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments
1 ball  
1 balloon filled with air  
1 block  
1 book  
1 box  
1 cardboard tube  
1 cotton ball  
1 envelope  
1 glue stick  
1 index card  
1 liquid dish soap and a bar of soap  
1 map of the United States  
1 marker  
1 notebook  
1 paper clip  
1 pen  
1 soccer ball  
1 sticky note  
1 straw  
1 toy car  
1 toy car on a string  

The tactile materials you use in instruction to represent the following concepts:

1 glass, more liquid than fits in the glass, 2 objects that can be broken or torn into smaller pieces, 2 identical containers  
1 object that can be pushed, 1 object that can be pulled  
12 plants: 4 small, 2 medium, 2 large, 2 dying, 2 dead  
2 bar graphs  
2 sprouts, 2 flowers, 2 fruits  
3 boxes  
3 plants at different stages of growth at different times  
3 sleds and 1 hill  
4 of the same animal of different weights: 2 thin, 1 very thin, 1 fat  
4 of the same animal: 2 small, 1 medium, 1 large  
4 picture graphs  
4 push cars, 6 figures to push the cars  
4 suns, 5 moons  
5 seeds, 1 plant with leaves, 1 seed with roots, 1 seed with roots and unhealthy leaves  
8 plants: 5 small, 1 medium, 1 large, 1 very large  
a ball, an object that can be pushed and pulled  
a glass of ice cubes, a glass of water  
a healthy plant, an unhealthy plant, a very healthy plant  
a map of the United States showing different bodies of water  
a rope with a white cloth tied in the middle, 7 small objects  
a stream habitat with beavers and a dam  
a yes/no table with 4 columns and 4 rows  
different landforms and bodies of water on Earth  
different levels of sunlight in the ocean and animals at different depths in the ocean  
picture graph, bar graph, chart, tally chart  
 

Grade Band – Middle (Grades 6–8)

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets
1 backpack  
1 block  
1 checker  
1 coin  
1 cotton ball  
1 counter chip  
1 cup filled with long pencils  
1 domino  
1 empty balloon  
1 empty crayon box  
1 empty cup  
1 eraser  
1 flashlight  
1 foam ball (soft)  
1 folder  
1 fork  
1 full crayon box  
1 glue stick  
1 golf ball  
1 heavy book  
1 index card  
1 large book  
1 large piece of paper  
1 large plate  
1 large, smooth ball  
1 long string (same length as long pencil)  
1 marble  
1 marker  
1 notebook  
1 number cube  
1 paper towel  
1 piece of string, 12 inches long (same length as ruler)  
1 quarter  
1 rubber band  
1 ruler  
1 short pencil  
1 short string (same length as short pencil)  
1 small piece of paper  
1 small, textured ball  
1 textbook  
1 toothbrush  
photograph of a different familiar teacher  
photograph of familiar art teacher  
photograph of familiar classroom  
photograph of familiar library  
scissors  
student's backpack or photograph of the backpack  
student's table or photograph of the table  
picture cards are included in the TIP for teacher-administered testlets that require them  
 

Grade Band – Middle (Grades 6–8) for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments
1 ball  
1 bat  
1 book  
1 coin  
1 crayon  
1 cup  
1 fork  
1 glove  
1 glue stick  
1 item unique to the classroom  
1 item unique to the library  
1 milk jug  
1 model using a flashlight and globe  
1 pencil  
1 plant bulb  
1 ramp  
1 soccer ball and a net  
1 table  
2 marbles  
2 toy cars  
a block and a spring scale  
audio recordings of 2 familiar teachers  
dirt  
fully grown plant  
sandbox  
seeds  

The tactile materials you use in instruction to represent the following concepts:

1 ball, billiards stick, table  
2 cars and kinetic energy transfer  
2 pairs of items grouped by shape only, 3 groups of 3 items grouped by similar tactile characteristic  
4 line graphs  
4 models: Earth rotating and revolving around Sun, Earth rotating only, Earth revolving only, Earth not moving  
5 Earth-Sun models, showing 2 locations, 1 bar graph  
9 particle models (3 solid, 3 liquid, 3 gas)  
a basketball, a pencil, a cup, a fork, a coin, and a book  
a drawer that opens, directional arrows  
3 producers, 7 consumers, 1 decomposer, 6 arrows  
ball, ramp, table, box  
block, spring scale  
Earth's surface: dirt, grass, rocks, water, moving water  
glacier, valley, moving water, rocks and dirt moved  
Grand Canyon over time, river, rock layers  
map of California showing San Diego, the ocean, and mountains  
map of United States showing 2 locations, and 2 line graphs  
map of world showing 4 labeled locations, elevation map with 3 different elevations labeled  
model of Earth with 2 locations labeled, Sun, Earth revolving and rotating  
plant bulb, grown plant  
sea cliff, ocean, ice, waves  
seeds, soil, container with lid  
soccer ball, net  
steep mountain, cliff, freezing and thawing water in crack in cliff  
tactile materials you use to represent a crayon, a block, a pencil, a book, and a glue stick  
tape measure, tree  

Grade Band – High School (Grades 9–12)

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets
1 bag  
1 ball with texture  
1 basic rectangular eraser  
1 binder clip  
1 clear container of water deep enough to show items floating or sinking  
1 coat  
1 crayon  
1 cube-shaped block  
1 cup  
1 desk with a drawer  
1 file cabinet with drawer or other drawer with handle  
1 folder  
1 glue stick  
1 ice cube  
1 large, heavy book  
1 mirror or other item with reflective surface  
1 mitten  
1 pad of sticky notes  
1 paper towel  
1 pen  
1 pencil  
1 rubber ball or other ball that will bounce on multiple surfaces  
1 small ramp made out of books or similar items  
1 smooth ball  
1 tennis ball or other ball that will bounce on multiple surfaces  
1 toy car  
1 toy truck  
1 whiteboard eraser  
1 wooden block or other item that is not reflective  
2 bendable straws  
2 boxes of any size that can be closed  
2 coins  
2 identical pieces of paper  
2 identical rubber bands  
2 markers  
2 paperclips  
2 pieces of aluminum foil  
2 pieces of string of any length  
2 pieces of tape  
4 identical pieces of paper  
scissors  
picture cards are included in the TIP for teacher-administered testlets that require them  

Grade Band – High School (Grades 9–12) for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

1 bag  
1 coat  
1 crayon  
1 cup  
1 flashlight  
1 folder  
1 globe  
1 glue stick  
1 ice cube  
1 large, heavy book  
1 marker  
1 paper towel  
1 paperclip  
1 pen  
1 pencil  
1 wooden block  
2 boxes  
2 identical items that can be changed in a tactile way  
2 identical rubber bands  
2 nails  
2 pieces of aluminum foil  
2 pieces of copy paper  
2 pieces of string of the same length  
2 rectangles  
2 straws  
2 test tubes: one filled with blue liquid, one filled with green liquid  
2 thermometers  
3 arrows  
4 addition signs  
5 circles  
5 squares  
5 triangles  
a board game and its pieces  
a familiar item that fits inside a box  
scissors  

The tactile materials you use in instruction to represent the following concepts:

1 line graph  
1 pie graph, 1 pictograph, 1 table of trait distribution  
19 total atoms of 7 different types in 5 combinations  
3 bar graphs, 2 double bar graphs  
3 food webs: 21 arrows, 2 Suns, 2 water, 2 air, 3 plants, 12 animals, 3 decomposers  
3 items to show heat transfer  
5 models of internal and external human body systems  
ball rolled 2 distances, 2 kicks (one higher than the other)  
calendar month showing moon cycle: 5 moons in moon cycle, 5 full moons  
cart experiment with 2 distances labeled, tug-of-war materials with labels  
Earth's spheres with labels  
Earth-Sun model, labels for 3 areas  
map of United states showing forests, rivers, mountains, farms  
materials to represent patterns: 2 objects with a pattern, 2 objects without a pattern, 3 stages of seed growing, 3 stages of ice melting, 3 stages of animal growth  
model of tongue and tastebuds  
molecular models with 4 carbon, 9 hydrogen, and 7 oxygen atoms  
tactile representations of 5 common objects  
volcano eruption, healthy and unhealthy plants