ORELA General Science: Practice & Study Guide

About This Course

The engaging video lessons in this course provide a fun and easy way to prepare for the National Evaluation Series (NES) General Science test. You can also use the NES General Science Study Guide to prepare. The chapters cover all the topics you need to pass the exam and earn your certification to teach science in Oregon. Subjects include:

• The history of science and the scientific method
• Basic chemistry and chemical equations
• Laws of energy and energy transfer
• Biology and evolution
• Geological sciences and plate tectonics
• Astronomy and the workings of the solar system

About the Exam

The NES General Science exam is a three-hour, computer-based test of 150 multiple-choice questions. This educator licensure exam is administered year-round at numerous locations. Pages with formulas, the periodic table, and an on-screen scientific calendar are provided for test-takers.

NES General Science Preparation & Registration

This study guide helps you review the topics covered in the NES General Science exam. The short, engaging video lessons in each chapter teach you what you need to know about lab safety, experimentation, and the history of science. You'll also cover anatomy and biological systems, genetics, and evolution. Other lessons focus on physics, chemistry, ecology and astronomy. After each lesson, you can test your comprehension of the material by using our quick, multiple-choice self-assessments, styled in a similar format to the NES General Science exam.

The NES General Science exam is offered year-round, and registration is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, you must create an account on the ORELA website and get pre-approval to register for the NES General Science exam. Once logged in, you'll indicate the exam you would like to take. From the NES General Science test page, click 'Check seat availability' to find available exam times and locations. Be sure to arrive thirty minutes early on the day of your exam and bring a current, government-issued photo identification bearing your signature. There are no bags, backpacks, calculators, hats or personal electronic communication devices allowed in the test room.

NES General Science Test Scoring

When you register for the NES General Science test, you may request to have your score emailed to you when it is available. Your score should be released on your account within two weeks of the test date, and copies of your score will be sent to any institution you indicate upon registration. A score of 220 is required to pass the exam. The NES General Science test is made up of four content domains, covering such topics as physical and life science, earth and space science and the nature of science.

Time to complete: 3 hours

Nature of Science

Approximate percentage of test score: 19%

Exam topics covered: Scientific history, lab equipment and procedures, data collection and analysis, current major theories of science, technology and ethics.

What you'll study: Our NES General Science study aid provides lessons on historic scientific breakthroughs, lab safety and best practices, experiment design, research methods, current scientific laws and theories, hazardous materials disposal, and OSHA regulations.

Physical Science

Approximate percentage of test score: 37%

Exam topics covered: Atomic structure, properties of energy and matter, basic chemistry, thermodynamics, electricity, waves, force, and motion.

What you'll study: This study guide covers subatomic particles, radioactive decay, types of energy, gas properties, molecular bonds, chemical compounds, reactions and formulas, mass, volume, metal properties, Newton's laws, speed and velocity, momentum, friction, pressure, force, circuits, conductors and electric currents.

Life Science

Approximate percentage of test score: 25%

Exam topics covered: Cellular biology, bodily systems, enzymes, reproduction, taxonomy, heredity, genetics, evolution, ecosystems and the effects of human activity on the environment.

What you'll study: This aid reviews cellular structure and processes, nuclei, mitochondria, plant cells, viruses, the genome, DNA, RNA, chromosomes, meiosis, mitosis, photosynthesis, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, evolution, fungi, angiosperms, bodily systems, infections, diseases, immunity, embryonic development, genetic disorders, biodiversity, ecology and conservation.

Earth and Space Science

Approximate percentage of test score: 19%

Exam topics covered: Structure and formation of Earth, plate tectonics, erosion, geology, weather, the hydrosphere, climate, the solar system, and astronomy.

What you'll study: This NES General Science study aid covers the rock cycle, geologic time scale, radiometric dating, weathering, erosion, wasting, the four spheres of the Earth, the internal layers of the Earth, plate movement, volcanic activity, sea floor spreading, earthquakes, groundwater and water systems, the water cycle, evaporation, oceans, glaciers, the atmosphere, cloud formation, storms, climate change, Earth's orbit, gravity, eclipses, the solar system, the origins of the universe, cosmic expansion and astronomic investigation.

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