Of all the subtests that make up Praxis’s suite of Elementary Education (5001) Subtests, Science (5005) is possibly the most challenging, especially for students without a strong science background. As a gateway exam to a career in teaching, the pressure is on you to pass, which is exactly why you’ve come here: to unearth the secrets to crushing this exam the first time around!

(And if you’re a repeat test-taker, this advice is especially important for you.)

Within the virtual pages of this Praxis Science 5005 study guide, you’ll discover advice from educators who themselves have run the gauntlet of the Elementary Education Science Subtest, with input from none other than Praxis itself. You’ll also discover a game-changing study tool—a certified collection of Praxis Science 5005 flashcards—that makes the task of studying for this exam as fast and painless as humanly possible. (More on that in tip # 6.)

So, if you need a fast, convenient solution to studying for this exam—without the hassle of diving back into a mountain of science textbooks and lecture notes—you’ve stumbled across the Holy Grail of study advice!

By the way, for advice on Praxis's other exams, check out the following guides and flashcard packs:

Okay, let’s get started with our first tip: a word of caution…

Tip # 1: Take Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest seriously!

Praxis Elementary Education: Science (5005) tests an enormous volume of content from multiple disciplines, including Earth science, life science, physical science, and the impact of science on technology and society. The mistake a lot of students make is underestimating the time it takes to brush up on all of this science content, or even learn it from scratch.

Moreover, it’s not enough to just know the facts, you should understand the underlying concepts and be able to apply them to various scenarios or problems. Needless to say, if you haven’t taken many science subjects throughout your education, you can quickly end up more confused than a goat on astroturf.

All of this is compounded by the fact that Praxis Elementary Education Science (5005) is a high-stakes exam that tends to cause students quite a bit of anxiety.

The point we want to make from the outset is not to underestimate the Praxis Science (5005) Subtest; it is a challenging exam that requires preparation. Don’t “wing it” by relying too heavily on your memory of what you’ve already learned in college. You will need to study and if you keep reading, you’ll learn how to do that in a smart and efficient way.

Oh, and you should totally check out this video by someone who has hiked the same path you're currently on!

Tip # 2: Know what to expect from Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005)

Praxis Elementary Education study companion for Science Subtest 5005.
Screenshot from Praxis’s Elementary Education study companion showing the content categories, number of questions, and mark allocation in the Science Subtest 5005.

Know the nature of the beast with which you intend to do battle! Praxis has created a detailed Elementary Education study companion (study guide) for the various subtests in the 5001 bouquet, including the Science Subtest (5005), so you’ll find everything you need to know about the exam in there. Pay attention to:

  • What specific science topics are covered (you should be able to handle the listed “discussion questions” confidently);
  • The mark allocation per topic area (so that you know how to divvy up your study time, assuming you’re equally knowledgeable across all three science areas); and
  • The exam format and amount of time you’ll have to answer each question (which you should emulate when you take their practice exams).

Our tip here is to read Praxis’s Elementary Education study companion, understand what is expected of you, and use it as a beacon throughout your preparation.

Concurrently, you could use Brainscape’s study guide to learn how to, well, LEARN more efficiently. (Seriously, they should have taught us this in school but since they didn’t, we put together this seminal study guide on how to study more efficiently.)

Tip # 3: Create a detailed study plan

Our next tip is to draw up a battle strategy!

What’s your plan for getting through all the content you need to review before you set foot inside the examination room? If you don’t have one, now is the time to plot your course so that you get through everything in time. (This will also send you into your exam feeling calm and confident.)

Start by breaking down the course material you need to review into daily, weekly, or even monthly goals using these study planner and exam countdown templates, which we’ve put together for you. (They’re completely free: no strings attached. Just follow the instructions laid out, choose the template you like, create a copy of it, and then fill it out to meet your own study goals.)

Importantly…

Tip # 4: Attack your knowledge weaknesses

When designing your study schedule, devote more time to the subject areas you struggle with. You may be tempted to focus more on what you’re naturally good at or find more enjoyable, when in fact you should do the opposite. You’ll start enjoying those topics more anyway once you’ve smoothed out your knowledge gaps.

(Shortly, I’ll tell you about Praxis’s Science 5005 flashcards, which automate and systematize the review of the topics/concepts you find harder, thereby drilling you on your weaknesses and turning them into strengths!)

Tip # 5: Practice, practice, practice (and preferably early on in your prep)

One of the best ways to prepare for the Praxis Elementary Education: Science Subtest is to practice answering the kind of questions you’ll see on exam day. Taking practice exams provides an invaluable preview of what to expect, what content is tested, how the questions are phrased, and how having a time limit affects your performance.

Thankfully, Praxis’s Science (5005) test comes with a free practice test, and another two, which are available for purchase. Check them out here:

Praxis Elementary Education Science Practice Test 1

Praxis Elementary Education Science Practice Test 2

Our advice is to take their free practice test early on in your prep so that you can go into your studies knowing what you’re studying for. 

Importantly, don’t feel discouraged if you don’t do particularly well. You might not because at this point you haven’t done much preparation. The point, however, isn’t to ace the practice test. It’s to understand how Praxis will be testing you when your exam date rolls around. This will be invaluable to your preparation.

Then, closer to exam day, retake Praxis’s Science (5005) practice test (the one you did early on) followed by the other practice test(s). Don’t forget to do them under timed conditions so that you learn to manage your time properly!

Tip # 6: Use Praxis’s Science (5005) flashcards to review the content really quickly

Praxis Science (5005) flashcard app
Brainscape has distilled the entire Praxis Elementary Education: Science 5005 curriculum into a collection of 1,500+ smart, digital flashcards. These are shown to you via a spaced repetition algorithm that is optimized to help you learn and retain the facts as fast and painlessly as humanly possible. 

Check them out here.

As we said right at the outset, Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest covers an impressive volume of content, some of which you: 

  • Might know extremely well because you spent the past several years studying it in college; 
  • Don’t know at all because you didn’t take any science classes in college; and/or 
  • Have long forgotten because you’ve decided to switch careers and pursue your calling as a teacher. 

Either way, reviewing this volume of science content in a systematic way that is efficient and focussed on your weaknesses (while saving you time on your strengths) is virtually impossible using traditional study methods. Imagine disinterring old lecture notes and flipping back and forth through multiple textbooks. It’s a mess and a nightmare.

Digital flashcards (especially the apps that use spaced repetition as a delivery system) solve this problem. Praxis knows this, which is why they partnered with Brainscape, a flashcard app, to build a certified collection of flashcards for the Elementary Education Science (5005) Subtest.

(They also have flashcards for the Elementary Education: Social Studies (5004) Subtest with more exams on the way.)

If there’s one tip you pay attention to in this entire Praxis study guide, it’s this: Use these Praxis Science (5005) flashcards to study for your exam!

Made in partnership with Praxis specifically for the Elementary Education: Science Subtest, this collection of 1,500+ adaptive flashcards covers the hundreds of fundamental environmental science, biology, and physics concepts you need to learn, from the structures and processes of Earth and its hydrosphere and atmosphere to the universe and its firmament of galaxies and stars.

Every topic you need to know has been neatly organized into decks that align with Praxis’s 5005 test outline, with study metrics provided so that you know how close you are to your goal of mastering 100% of the material.

Brainscape's progress meter
Frequent checkpoint stats allow you to keep a finger on your study progress, including how long it took you to complete a study round and the estimated time left until you reach 100% mastery of every flashcard in that collection.

With Brainscape’s Praxis 5005 Science flashcards, you can study online or via the app anytime, anywhere with a spaced repetition learning algorithm that is optimized for your retention of the key facts. If you’ve never heard of spaced repetition before, here’s how it works…

What is spaced repetition?

Brainscape's spaced repetition graph
The more frequently a concept is repeated, the longer you’re likely to retain it for and the more it becomes embedded in your permanent memory.

The brain is designed to learn things over time, with repetition. The more “hooks” you establish for a piece of knowledge, the more likely you are to remember it. That’s why you can pretty easily recall your phone number—a random sequence of 10 numbers—without much effort at all: because you use it all the time!

The problem is, learning by repetition—by reading, re-reading, and re-reading your notes over and over again—is a horribly inefficient and time-consuming way to study for Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005), not to mention terribly boring.

Flashcards, on the other hand, are the perfect vehicle for the spaced repetition of the facts you need to know to do well on this test. And digital flashcard apps like Brainscape have nailed down the perfect delivery system that is optimized for every individual’s unique pace of learning.

How does Brainscape use spaced repetition to help you learn faster?

Once you’ve added Praxis’s Science 5005 flashcards to your dashboard in Brainscape, hit the orange “Start studying” button and you will be shown your first flashcard question (see below). Attempt to answer it in your head or out loud, before tapping the “Reveal” button. 

Praxis Science 5005 flashcard question in Brainscape
Brainscape’s web studying experience shows you your progress (on the left) while you work through flashcard questions (on the right). Tapping the “Reveal answer” button will flip the flashcard over to show you the answer.

This will not only show you the correct answer to the question, but will also prompt you to rate how well you knew the answer on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “completely”.

Praxis Science 5005 flashcard answer in Brainscape
On the reverse side of the flashcard, you’ll be able to see the answer, and then rate how well you knew it on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “perfectly”. The lower you rate a card, the more frequently Brainscape’s study algorithm will show you that card again in future study rounds.

If you rate your confidence a ‘1’ or ‘2’, Brainscape’s spaced repetition algorithm will repeat that flashcard in a short amount of time, drilling you on that concept again and again until it becomes ingrained in your memory. 4’s And 5’s, on the other hand, get repeated much less frequently, essentially saving you time on the concepts you already know well.

In this way, Brainscape systematically and efficiently helps you build your knowledge from the ground up, relentlessly attacking any weaknesses, while progressing smoothly through the concepts you already understand well.

Are you starting to see why these Praxis Science (5005) flashcards are such an amazing study tool for your exam?

Tip # 8: Work out an exam day strategy to cope with anxiety

Now that you’ve got a plan, Praxis Science (5005) flashcards to study efficiently, and resources to practice your knowledge, you’re 90% of the way there. There’s just one final piece to the preparation puzzle: having a strategy for exam day.

Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest is a high-stakes exam, and while a little nervousness can hone your alertness and performance to a razor’s edge, too much of it can leave you feeling physically and mentally drained. Here are some hard-and-fast tips for minimizing stress and coping with exam anxiety:

  • Show up at the exam venue 30 minutes early. This gives you a comfortable cushion in case the traffic is particularly bad or your bus breaks down.
  • If you’ve never been to the exam venue before, look up the route on Google or Apple Maps the day before so you know where you’re headed.

At the venue:

  • Avoid other stressed-out students like they have the ebola virus. Stress is contagious, and no matter how well you’ve prepared, you’re better off staying in your headspace.
  • Work out a calming technique beforehand, whether it’s the 4-7-8 breathing technique or a fidget toy you can distract yourself with.

Once the exam has started:

  • Read the instructions carefully. Don’t leave points on the table because you didn't listen to the examiner or read their instructions.
  • Read the exam questions carefully. Multiple-choice questions can be notoriously tricky, throwing out several correct-sounding answers… with only one actually addressing the question.
  • If you don’t know the answer, guess! Praxis doesn’t penalize incorrect answers so you may as well! As Michael Jordan said: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Tip # 9: And finally: take care of your brain and it’ll take care of you

Our final tip is to give your brain what it needs to operate optimally. 

Too many students sacrifice sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition (opting instead for quick convenient meals) in the interests of spending more time studying, probably because they’ve run out of time.

The problem with this strategy is that sleep deprived brains don’t retain information very well; a lack of exercise negatively affects whole-body and mental health; and a fast food diet will mess with your energy and generally make you feel gross. 

Maintaining good, healthy habits even throughout your most stressed-out periods in college (and beyond) is crucial to helping your brain serve you as well as it possibly can. If you look after your brain, it’ll look after you.

This is why going into your exam prep with a plan and the right tools to learn efficiently is so important: it leaves you enough time for sleep, exercise, and healthy meal prep.

Check out our guide on how to maintain good brain health as a busy student.

A final note on passing Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005)

You made it! Let’s recap the key strategies that will help you conquer this exam and move forward in your teaching career:

Firstly, approach Praxis’s Science 5005 exam with the seriousness it demands. Recognize the breadth and depth of the content it covers and don’t underestimate the time and effort required to grasp these concepts thoroughly.

Understanding the exam format and content distribution is your next crucial step. Lean on Praxis’s Elementary Education 5001 study companion to get a clear picture of what to expect.

A well-structured study plan is essential. Break down your study material into manageable goals and stick to a consistent schedule. Focus on your weaknesses, dedicating more time to areas where you need improvement.

Engage with Praxis Science 5005 practice tests early and frequently to familiarize yourself with the exam format and types of questions. Praxis offers both free and paid practice tests that simulate the real exam experience, helping you build confidence and improve your time management skills.

Leverage the power of digital flashcards to supercharge your study efficiency. Praxis’s Science (5005) flashcards cover all the essential concepts using a spaced repetition algorithm. With the convenience of studying anytime, anywhere, these flashcards are a game-changer for your exam preparation.

Prepare for exam day with strategies to manage anxiety and ensure a smooth experience. Arrive early, avoid stress-inducing peers, and have a calming technique ready. During the exam, read instructions and questions carefully, and don’t hesitate to guess if you’re unsure—there’s no penalty for wrong answers.

Finally, look after your brain and it’ll look after you! No matter how busy you get, prioritize sleep, exercise, and the right nutrition so that when you commit yourself to learning, the knowledge will actually stick (because your brain is healthy).

The Praxis Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005) is a significant hurdle on your path to becoming an educator, but with the right preparation, tools, and mindset, you can and you will rise to the challenge!

You’ve got this: good luck!

Other study guides you’ll find super useful:

In the Brainscape Academy, we’ve got a whole library of advice on studying, taking exams, and just generally being an epic, lifelong learner, so take a look through some of the topics and frequently-asked questions there. Here are some of the guides I think will be particularly useful to you as you prepare to take Praxis’s Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005) and perhaps some of their other exams too:

Praxis and Brainscape have also released flashcards and study guides for the following Praxis exams (with more on the way):

Praxis Elementary Education: Social Studies (5004)

Praxis Biology (5236):

Praxis Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081)

More coming soon!