home » texas essential knowledge and skills » teks correlations with nses » grades 5 through 8, standard c

Grade 5

(5.6) Science concepts. The student knows that some change occurs in cycles.

The student is expected to:

1. identify events and describe changes that occur on a regular basis such as in daily, weekly, lunar, and seasonal cycles;
2. identify the significance of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles; and
3. describe and compare life cycles of plants and animals.

(5.9) Science concepts. The student knows that adaptations may increase the survival of members of a species.

The student is expected to:

1. compare the adaptive characteristics of species that improve their ability to survive and reproduce in an ecosystem;
2. analyze and describe adaptive characteristics that result in an organism's unique niche in an ecosystem; and
3. predict some adaptive characteristics required for survival and reproduction by an organism in an ecosystem.

(5.10) Science concepts. The student knows that likenesses between offspring and parents can be inherited or learned.

The student is expected to:

1. identify traits that are inherited from parent to offspring in plants and animals; and
2. give examples of learned characteristics that result from the influence of the environment.

Grade 6

(6.8) Science concepts. The student knows that complex interactions occur between matter and energy.

The student is expected to:

1. define matter and energy;
2. explain and illustrate the interactions between matter and energy in the water cycle and in the decay of biomass such as in a compost bin; and
3. describe energy flow in living systems including food chains and food webs.

(6.10) Science concepts. The student knows the relationship between structure and function in living systems.

The student is expected to:

1. differentiate between structure and function;
2. determine that all organisms are composed of cells that carry on functions to sustain life; and
3. identify how structure complements function at different levels of organization including organs, organ systems, organisms, and populations.

(6.11) Science concepts. The student knows that traits of species can change through generations and that the instructions for traits are contained in the genetic material of the organisms.

The student is expected to:

1. identify some changes in traits that can occur over several generations through natural occurrence and selective breeding;
2. identify cells as structures containing genetic material; and
3. interpret the role of genes in inheritance.

(6.12) Science concepts. The student knows that the responses of organisms are caused by internal or external stimuli.

The student is expected to:

1. identify responses in organisms to internal stimuli such as hunger or thirst;
2. identify responses in organisms to external stimuli such as the presence or absence of heat or light; and
3. identify components of an ecosystem to which organisms may respond.

Grade 7

(7.5) Science concepts. The student knows that an equilibrium of a system may change.

The student is expected to:

1. describe how systems may reach an equilibrium such as when a volcano erupts; and
2. observe and describe the role of ecological succession in maintaining an equilibrium in an ecosystem.

(7.6) Science concepts. The student knows that there is a relationship between force and motion.

The student is expected to:

1. demonstrate basic relationships between force and motion using simple machines including pulleys and levers;
2. demonstrate that an object will remain at rest or move at a constant speed and in a straight line if it is not being subjected to an unbalanced force; and
3. relate forces to basic processes in living organisms including the flow of blood and the emergence of seedlings.

(7.8) Science concepts. The student knows that complex interactions occur between matter and energy.

The student is expected to:

1. illustrate examples of potential and kinetic energy in everyday life such as objects at rest, movement of geologic faults, and falling water; and
2. identify that radiant energy from the Sun is transferred into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis.

(7.9) Science concepts. The student knows the relationship between structure and function in living systems.

The student is expected to:

1. identify the systems of the human organism and describe their functions; and
2. describe how organisms maintain stable internal conditions while living in changing external environments.

(7.10) Science concepts. The student knows that species can change through generations and that the instructions for traits are contained in the genetic material of the organisms.

The student is expected to:

1. identify that sexual reproduction results in more diverse offspring and asexual reproduction results in more uniform offspring;
2. compare traits of organisms of different species that enhance their survival and reproduction; and
3. distinguish between dominant and recessive traits and recognize that inherited traits of an individual are contained in genetic material.

(7.11) Science concepts. The student knows that the responses of organisms are caused by internal or external stimuli.

The student is expected to:

1. analyze changes in organisms such as a fever or vomiting that may result from internal stimuli; and
2. identify responses in organisms to external stimuli found in the environment such as the presence or absence of light.

(7.12) Science concepts. The student knows that there is a relationship between organisms and the environment.

The student is expected to:

1. identify components of an ecosystem;
2. observe and describe how organisms including producers, consumers, and decomposers live together in an environment and use existing resources;
3. describe how different environments support different varieties of organisms; and
4. observe and describe the role of ecological succession in ecosystems.

Grade 8

(8.6) Science concepts. The student knows that interdependence occurs among living systems.

The student is expected to:

1. describe interactions among systems in the human organism;
2. identify feedback mechanisms that maintain equilibrium of systems such as body temperature, turgor pressure, and chemical reactions; and
3. describe interactions within ecosystems.

(8.11) Science concepts. The student knows that traits of species can change through generations and that the instructions for traits are contained in the genetic material of the organisms.

The student is expected to:

1. identify that change in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individuals and of species;
2. distinguish between inherited traits and other characteristics that result from interactions with the environment; and
3. make predictions about possible outcomes of various genetic combinations of inherited characteristics.