Communication in Space
Students will work in cooperative groups to create an accurate arrangement of mirrors that work together to relay a laser beam from a Mars space station to Earth’s Mission Control, which will model utilizing satellites in space for communication, an accommodation necessary for manned space exploration.
Circuit Designers
Students will work in small groups of two to three on a structured challenge around circuits which includes requirements such as including using a switch or a conductor. They will then use that knowledge to work on a collaborative challenge to solve a relevant problem related to elephant poaching. Students will create a containment system that will have an alarm system, a lighting system, and a way to pass through. Finally, they will review the other projects and discuss similarities and differences in the design.
Stages of Ecological Succession
Students will collaborate on a electronic slideshow presentation and observe, record, and describe the role of ecological succession including both primary and secondary succession.
Earth’s Movements
Students will work in small collaborative groups to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth as it revolves around the Sun which creates a day and night cycle.
Building a Watershed
Students will model the effects of human activity on watersheds.
Uses of Energy Lab
Students will rotate through lab stations equipped with objects and videos as they explore the uses and conversion of five different types of energy.
Going on an Expedition
Students observe how dunes and canyons are created through agents of erosion by weathering and erosion.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectation(s) is the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.
Modeling the Path of Digestion
Students model the path of digestion using household items.
Stop, Collaborate, and Rotate
Students will explore the Earth's rotation and its relation to the Sun and the Moon. Then, students will create a visual representation of this relationship and present it to the rest of the class.
Push Back, Pull Forward
Students will conduct an experiment to demonstrate force such as pushes and pulls.
Energy Transfer Through Food Chains
A Tier I life science instructional resource for grade 1.
Investigating and Comparing Life Cycles
A Tier I life science instructional resource for grade 3
Weathering and Decomposition
A Tier 1 earth science instructional resource for grade 3
Soil
A Tier 1 earth science instructional resource for grade 1.
Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids
This resource provides flexible alternate or additional learning opportunities for students to diagram the flow of energy through living systems, Seventh Grade Science TEKS (7)(5)(C).
Sedimentary Rocks and Fossil Fuels
A Tier 1 earth science instructional resource for grade 5.
Light: Reflection and Refraction
This is a tier I instructional resource to provide a scaffolded learning experience for TEKS (5)(6)(C).
Introduction to Plate Tectonics
This resource is intended to use for Tier I classroom instruction.
Human Impact
This resource can be used, in conjunction with best practices, for Tier I classroom instruction.
Dichotomous Keys Murder Mystery
A resource for the instruction of (7)(11)(A) involving the use of dichotomous keys for identification.