A student expectation is directly related to the knowledge and skills statement, is more specific about how students demonstrate their learning, and always begins with a verb. Student expectations are further broken down into their component parts, often referred to as “breakouts.”
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analyze and evaluate how evidence of common ancestry among groups is provided by the fossil record, biogeography, and homologies, including anatomical, molecular, and developmental; and
analyze data from rock and fossil succession to evaluate the evidence for and significance of mass extinctions, major climatic changes, and tectonic events.
Breakouts are the component parts that make up a student expectation. A breakout shows a distinct concept a student should know or a distinct skill that a student should be able to demonstrate.
The student is expected to
identify fossils as evidence of past
environments, including common Texas fossils
living organisms, including common Texas fossils
Recurring themes and concepts — Connections to the content
Recurring themes and concepts provide a connective structure for scientific ideas across disciplines. The connection(s) below show some ways that teachers can help students understand how the content they are learning fits into the broader understanding of science. These connections do not represent all possible connections that might be made but highlight some that are appropriate for this grade level.
Patterns
Patterns are regular sequences that can be found throughout nature.
Patterns exist in the structures of fossilized organisms that lived in different environments.
Relationship between structure and function
A structure is an organized arrangement of particles, parts, or elements in a substance, body, or entity. A function is the purpose or reason for something to exist in a system. The function of a structure depends on the shapes of and relationships among its essential parts.
The structures visible in a fossil indicate how an organism functioned at the time the organism lived. For example, the type of teeth (structure) on an animal indicates whether it was an herbivore or a carnivore (function).
Stability and change
Stability describes a system that does not change at the observed scale. In a stable system, a small disturbance will die out and the system will return to a stable state. Change in the system can come from modifying a factor or condition.
Environments can remain stable for long periods. The presence of different fossils in new rock layers are evidence of environmental change.
Cross-curricular Connections
The cross-curricular connections are designed to help educators make content connections between the science TEKS and math, English language arts and reading, social studies, and technology applications. The standards below illustrate alignment between grade level content areas which may help educators develop cross-curricular lessons. These connections do not represent all possible connections that might be made.
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English Language Arts and Reading
ELAR.3.6.E make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society