Eighth graders take the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth test for grades 6+. Schools generally administer MAP three times per year: fall (benchmark), winter (progress), and spring (academic growth for year). It evaluates what students know and what they are ready to learn and may be used as a qualifier for gifted programs.
The MAP test is computerized and includes four sections: reading, language, math, and science. However, schools may not administer all four sections. It’s also adaptive, which means when students answer questions correctly, they are given more challenging questions. Inversely, when students answer questions incorrectly, they are given less challenging questions. This means some students may be answering questions above and/or below the grade 8 expectational skill level.
Contact your school for testing dates and which sections of the MAP tests will be administered.
MAP Reading for Grade 8
The MAP Growth Reading sub-test for 8th graders assesses their skills in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing. While this 40-43-question test is untimed, it should take your child approximately 45-60 minutes to complete.
Reading & Literacy Skills: MAP Growth Reading Subtest for Grade 8
| Skill Type | Content |
|---|---|
| Comprehend Literary & Informational Text | Cite Evidence to Support Text Analysis Make Reasonable Inferences Determine Theme (Literature) or Central Idea (Informational) & How it is Supported by Key & Supporting Details Summarize, Make Connections Describe Plot Elements in Literature & How they are Related, Interact & Affect Theme Informational Text: Explain How Events, Ideas & People are Introduced, Relate to Each Other & are Developed |
| Vocabulary Acquisition and Use | Determine Meaning of New Words in Context Understand Figurative & Connotative Meanings of Words & Phrases Analyze Effect of Word Choice on Meaning, Tone & Mood |
| Understand Text Structure | Compare & Contrast Text Structures Analyze Point of View, Characters’ Perspectives, the Audience/Reader and How these Affect Tone & Mood in Literature Analyze How Authors Handle Conflicting Evidence or Differing Points of View in Nonfiction Text Evaluate Advantages & Disadvantages of Presenting Texts in Different Forms (audio, video, stage, etc.) & Determine How Closely these Forms Remain True to Original Text Evaluate an Argument and Whether Claims Are Properly Supported by Relevant Reasons & Evidence |
MAP Reading Test Practice for 8th Grade
Below are practice test questions that highlight what your child may encounter while taking the MAP Reading subtest. Become a TestingMom.com member today to access more resources and over 180 8th grade MAP reading test practice questions to help your child prepare for their MAP Reading Test!
Directions: Read the following passage.
DNA sequencing has given us a map of genetic connections between peoples, but even before that, anthropologists had found a link between people from Asia and Native Americans. They both share several distinctive features in their bite or the shape and pattern of their teeth. That led to suggestions that Native Americans must—thousands of years ago—have been able to cross from one continent to the other. Geologists considered it feasible because in the last Ice Age some 70-100,000 years ago, sea levels were much lower than they are today: millions of cubic meters of water were locked up in ice sheets. That meant that for 30,000 years, it was possible to walk across a land bridge they called “Beringia” from Siberia to Alaska. It was a 750-mile tract of grassland, with mild summers and dry, virtually snow-free winters instead of a dangerous shipping lane called the Bering Strait. Now, the sequencing of the human genome confirms the hypothesis: people from Russia share the same genes as Native Americans. In some cases, there may be physical similarities, and these are explained by the fact that thousands of years ago, some intrepid explorers made the long trek east and south to populate what is now the United States.
1. Prior to DNA testing, what clue suggested a relationship between Native Americans and Asians?
A. genetic connections
B. dental evidence
C. geological records
D. similar appearance
Answer: B
2. As it is used in this passage, the word “tract” most nearly means:
A. area
B. strip
C. path
D. arrangement
Answer: A
MAP Math for Grade 8
Students in grade eight take the MAP Math Growth test for grades 6+. It assesses a child’s skills in the Number System; Expressions, Equations & Inequalities; Functions; Geometry; and Statistics & Probability. Like the other subtests, the math section is adaptive, so students will be given more or less challenging questions based on their performance. It contains approximately 50-53 questions, pulling questions from the Map Growth Math question bank. Although the test is untimed, it should take your child around 45-60 minutes to complete.
Below is a list of skills your child may encounter while taking their Math sub-test. However, it’s important to check your district and state standards, as the exact content on the test will be dependent on where your child goes to school.
| Concept | Skills |
|---|---|
| The Number System | Understand Rational & Irrational Numbers Use Rational Approximations of Irrational Numbers in Problems |
| Expressions, Equations & Inequalities | Apply Knowledge of Exponent Properties in Numerical Expressions Understand & Apply Square Root & Cube Root Symbols in Equations Understand & Compute using Scientific Notation to Estimate & Compare Understand & Compare Proportional Relationships Graph & Solve Linear Equations Create & Solve Systems of Equations both Graphically & Algebraically |
| Functions | Understand, Compare & Describe Functions Interpret Linear vs. Nonlinear Functions Construct & Interpret Linear Functions |
| Geometry | Verify the Properties of Rotations, Reflections & Translations of Lines, Segments, Parallel Lines, & Angles of Same Measures Understand Congruence of 2D Figures and the Properties & Effects of Transformations Understand Similarity of 2D Figures Understand & Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to Right Triangles & on the Coordinate Plane Calculate the Volume of Cones, Cylinders & Spheres |
| Statistics & Probability | Construct & Interpret Scatter Plots Understand, Use & Interpret Line of Best Fit |
MAP Math Test Practice for 8th Grade
Ceck out some possible questions your child may run across on their MAP Growth Math 8th grade subtest! We have a library of resources and over 300 eighth grade MAP math test practice questions for you and your child to prepare with, so make sure to become a TestingMom.com member today!
1. Television widths are measured diagonally. Mike wanted a new 80 inch TV. The store accidentally placed a sticker over the height of the TV. Mike knows the width is 70 inches. What is the height of the TV? Round your answer to the nearest tenth.
A. 10.4 inches
B. 20.8 inches
C. 34.2 inches
D. 38.7 inches
Answer: D
2. What is the measure of B?
A. 125°
B. 55°
C. 25°
D. 75°
Answer: B
MAP Language for Grade 8
The MAP Growth Language Usage test is for students in 2nd through 12th grades and covers topics such as Grammar (like parts of speech), Mechanics (like punctuation and capitalization); Usage (like using proper verb tenses), and the Writing Process. This adaptive test contains approximately 50-53 questions and is untimed like the other sections of the test. However, it should take your child about 45-60 minutes to complete.
Check out the table below for possible skills and content your child may see on the test! It is important to always check with your child’s school, because state and district standards vary depending on where your child goes to school.
| Skill | Content |
|---|---|
| Understand and Edit for Grammar and Language Usage | Pronouns, Verbs, Subject/Verb AgreementExplain the Function of Gerunds, Infinitives & Participles (Verbals) Using Verbs to Convey Active & Passive Voice to Convey Mood Use a Variety of Sentence Structures Explain Function of Phrases & Clauses in Sentences Recognize & Correct Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers Use Knowledge of Greek and Latin Roots & Affixes, as well Reference Materials, to Determine Word Meaning Understand Figurative Language, including Puns & Irony |
| Understand and Edit for Mechanics | Capitalization, Punctuation & Spelling |
| Understand Purpose for Writing and Writing Process | Identify & Implement appropriate Writing Structures & Craft for different Purposes: Informational, Argumentative, Narrative Conduct Research using Reference Materials & Take Notes Plan/Brainstorm for Writing Write Draft & Organize Provide Details & Evidence by Quoting, Paraphrasing & Citing Sources |
MAP Language Test Practice for 8th Grade
Below are some 8th grade level questions similar to what your child may see on their Language subtest! TestingMom.com has over 300 MAP language test practice questions and so much more, so be sure to become a member of TestingMom.com today!
1. Which of the following punctuation marks emphasizes the separation of ideas or lists OR is used to explain, summarize, or illustrate a thought?
A. quotation mark
B. commas
C. ellipsis
D. dash
Answer: D
2. Which sentence is an example of irony?
A. My gym membership expires at the end of this month.
B. The weathered rocking chair reminds me of my grandma.
C. The marriage counselor filed for divorce.
D. Time was ticking as she tried to set the table on time.
Answer: C
3. Which conjunction best completes the sentence below?
You need to raise your English grade; ___________, you’ll fail the class.
A. moreover
B. otherwise
C. instead
D. because
Answer: B
MAP Science for Grade 8
At the 8th grade level, students will be assessed for their knowledge and understanding of science standards through the MAP Growth Science sub-test. The test is computerized and given to students in grades 3 through 12. It is adaptive like the other sub-tests, so the question difficulty will depend on your child’s performance. This means that if your child answers grade 8-level questions incorrectly, he may be given less challenging questions. Inversely, if he performs above grade 8 level, he will see more challenging questions.
The test covers Earth & Space Science concepts in the areas of Scientific Inquiry and Application; Systems in Space; Earth’s History; Systems on Earth; Weather & Climate; and the Impact of Humans on Earth. The test will have approximately 45 questions, and a working time of 45-60 minutes, although the test is untimed.
Check out the table below for possible skills and content your child may see on the test! It is important to always check with your child’s school, because state and district standards vary depending on where your child goes to school.
| Knowledge Area | Content |
|---|---|
| Scientific Inquiry & Application | Conduct Scientific Investigations Understand the Use of Lab Tools & Implement Proper Safety Measures Interpret Data & Communicate Conclusions Understand Engineering Design |
| Systems in Space | Describe the Cyclic Patterns of Lunar Phases, Lunar & Solar Eclipses, and the Seasons Describe the Role of Gravity among Galaxies & Solar Systems Use Data to Determine Scale Properties of Objects in the Solar System |
| Earth’s History | Explain How Rock Strata is Used to Determine Earth’s History Use Distribution of Fossils & Rocks, the Shape of Continents, and Structures on the Seafloor as Evidence to Explain How Past Tectonic Shifts Changed the Earth’s Surface |
| Systems on Earth | Explain the Rock & Water Cycles Explain the Uneven Distribution of Natural Resources |
| Weather & Climate | Explain How the Motion and Interaction of Air Masses Affects Weather Conditions Explain How Atmospheric & Oceanic Convection Determines Regional Climates Understand Reasons for Global Climate Change |
| Impact of Humans on Earth | Use Data from Natural Hazards to Forecast Future Catastrophes & Develop Technologies to Diminish their Effects Design Models to Observe & Minimize Humans’ Impact on Earth’s Environment Make a Claim Regarding Human Impact on Earth’s Environment and Support that Claim with Evidence |
MAP Science Test Practice for 8th Grade
Below are examples of what questions may look like on your child’s test. Be sure to join TestingMom.com today as a member to access all of our resources and MAP science test practice questions for your child’s Science MAP Growth sub-test!
1. Which is the smallest?
A. Element
B. Atom
C. Compound
D. Molecule
Answer: B
2. What is the reason for meiosis in humans?
A. Cell development
B. Wound repair
C. Reproduction
D. Regeneration
Answer: C