Praxis® Earth and
Space Sciences (5572)
Practice Test & Study Guide
Comprehensive preparation for prospective Earth and space sciences teachers — covering four content categories aligned to NGSS, NSTA standards, and the NRC Framework for K–12 Science Education. Half or more of questions integrate Science and Engineering Practices.
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Get Free Access →See Premium PlansEarth's Processes and Materials is by far the largest category at 45% (~56 questions) — nearly half the exam. It covers matter and energy principles, plate tectonics and internal Earth processes, minerals and rocks (the full rock cycle), surface processes, and Earth history including the fossil record and geologic time. No calculator is permitted, but the periodic table of elements and a physical constants/conversion table are provided as on-screen help screens throughout the test.
Half or more of all questions integrate a Science and Engineering Practice — and 25–33% include a teaching scenario. The eight SEPs from the NRC Framework for K–12 Science Education (asking questions, developing models, planning investigations, analyzing data, using mathematics, constructing explanations, arguing from evidence, and communicating information) are woven throughout all four content categories. Teaching scenario questions assess whether candidates can apply content knowledge to instructional decisions with students.
Source: All exam details are drawn from the official ETS Praxis Earth and Space Science (5572) Study Companion. The exam aligns to NSTA Preparation Standards for Earth and space sciences and the NRC Framework/NGSS. Passing scores vary by state — always confirm at ets.org/praxis/states.
Earth and Space Sciences (5572) — Test at a Glance
Key facts directly from the official ETS test specifications.
About the Praxis Earth and Space Sciences (5572)
What you need to know before you register.
The Praxis Earth and Space Sciences (5572) is designed to measure knowledge and competencies important for safe and effective beginning practice as a teacher of Earth and space sciences. Test takers have typically completed a bachelor's degree program with appropriate coursework in science and education. The test was developed through work with practicing Earth and space sciences teachers, teacher educators, and higher education content specialists.
The exam reflects the science knowledge teachers need to teach the Earth and space sciences curriculum and aligns to NSTA Preparation Standards for Earth and space sciences. Content and practices reflect the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) and Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) established by the National Research Council in A Framework for K–12 Science Education, as included in the Next Generation Science Standards.
Half or more of questions integrate one or more SEPs — these practices (asking questions, developing models, planning investigations, analyzing data, using mathematics, constructing explanations, arguing from evidence, and communicating) are woven throughout all four content categories. Approximately one-quarter to one-third of questions situate science content within a teaching scenario, requiring candidates to apply their knowledge to instructional decisions.
No calculator is permitted. The periodic table of elements is available as a help screen, along with a table of physical constants and SI unit conversions. Additional physical constant values are included with individual questions when necessary. Some questions may not count toward the score.
Official Exam Blueprint: 4 Content Categories
Earth's Processes and Materials dominates at 45%. All four categories integrate SEPs; many include Tasks of Teaching Science scenarios.
Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)
Half or more of all questions integrate one or more SEPs — these are not separate content but are woven into questions across all four categories. Know what each practice involves for both science and engineering contexts.
Reference Materials Provided During the Exam
These tools are available throughout the entire exam as on-screen help screens — no need to memorize them, but you do need to know how to use them.
Key Topics by Content Category
Specific competencies drawn directly from the official ETS Earth and Space Science (5572) Study Companion content specification.
Registration, Test Day & Scoring
Everything you need to know before and on exam day.
Registration
Scoring
Test Day — Tools Provided
Remote Testing
Passing Score Requirements by State
Passing scores are set individually by each state or licensing agency.
Your raw score (number of correct answers) is converted to a scaled score that accounts for minor difficulty differences between test editions. There is no penalty for incorrect answers — always answer every question. Some questions are unscored pretest items that you cannot identify, so treat every question equally.
How to Prepare for the Praxis Earth and Space Sciences Exam
Strategies for an exam that simultaneously tests deep content knowledge, science process skills (SEPs), and pedagogical application.
- Earth's Processes and Materials (45%) is nearly half the exam — master it first and most deeply. With approximately 56 questions, Category II covers matter and energy principles, plate tectonics (the complete framework from driving forces to evidence to resulting features), earthquake and volcano science, minerals and rocks (the full rock cycle with all rock types), biogeochemical cycles, surface processes, and the complete Earth history timeline from relative and absolute dating through the geologic time scale and the fossil record. No other content area comes close in question count — strong performance here is essential.
- Half or more of questions integrate an SEP — learn to recognize when a question is testing practice application. SEP-integrated questions don't just ask "what is" — they ask "how would you investigate," "what does this data suggest," "which model best explains," or "what is the strongest evidence for." Practicing with the discussion questions in the Study Companion is the best way to develop this skill: they explicitly require you to formulate explanations, evaluate evidence, and apply the scientific process to Earth and space science phenomena.
- Know plate tectonics comprehensively — it underlies questions across multiple categories. Plate tectonics appears in Category II (the theory itself), but the consequences appear across the exam: volcanic activity (Category II), earthquake distribution and seismic wave analysis (Category II), seafloor topography (Category III), climate effects of changing landmass positions (Category III), and the fossil/magnetic evidence for continental drift. A thorough understanding of the three boundary types (convergent, divergent, transform), their resulting features, and the evidence supporting the theory is essential across the entire exam.
- Practice interpreting data from geological maps, cross-sections, and seismograms without a calculator. No calculator is permitted, but the exam includes multiple quantitative reasoning tasks: reading topographic maps, interpreting seismograms to determine epicenter distance, applying relative age dating principles to cross-section diagrams, using the half-life concept for radiometric dating, and analyzing atmospheric data (dew point, isobars). Practice doing these with the provided periodic table and constants table, and develop facility with scientific notation and significant figures manually.
- Master the climate system holistically — Category III questions integrate multiple Earth systems. The Hydrosphere and Atmosphere category (22%, ~28 questions) tests not just isolated facts but the interplay between Earth's systems: how ocean currents drive atmospheric circulation, how the cryosphere affects sea level and albedo, how ENSO (El Niño) affects global weather patterns, how Milankovitch cycles drive glacial-interglacial cycles, and how the greenhouse effect is distinct from global warming. Questions often require you to trace the chain of effects across Earth systems — prepare with an integrative, systems-level perspective.
- Download the official ETS Study Companion and work through all discussion questions for all four categories. The Study Companion contains over 80 discussion questions spanning all four content categories — covering plate tectonics, seismology, rock identification, mineral properties, Earth history, ocean circulation, meteorology, and stellar evolution. These open-ended questions require you to explain, compare, apply, and evaluate — exactly the analytical depth tested by SEP-integrated questions on the exam. The 23 authentic sample questions with detailed answer explanations (pages 23–43) are the most valuable preparation tool available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers sourced directly from the official ETS Praxis Earth and Space Science (5572) Study Companion.
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Adaptive practice questions covering all four content categories — including SEP-integrated and teaching scenario questions aligned to the official NGSS and NSTA frameworks.
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