Knowledge and Skills Statement
Matter and its properties. The student knows that objects have physical properties that determine how they are described and classified.
Demonstrated Proficiency
Provide students with something like a construction toy system where students can build a working toy and take it apart. Have them select a toy, investigate its parts, and use a technical drawing to explain how the toy works. Students should be able to explain that the toy only works because each of the parts in the toy plays a role in making it work. They should be able to describe the toy as a system made up of pieces.
Supporting Information
Research
National Research Council. 2012. A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington: National Academies Press. doi.org/10.17226/13165.
Summary: Students should begin representing models by creating drawings or diagrams accompanied by oral or written descriptions of what they drew. These drawings or diagrams can represent organisms and their parts and how those parts help them function. Students should also practice coming up with instructions that other students can follow. This helps students understand the importance of representing their ideas. This chapter describes the crosscutting concepts (called recurring themes and concepts in Texas) that expand across multiple science disciplines. These themes help students understand the connections among the K-12 science concepts. These concepts are applied in science and engineering and provide students with a better conceptual understanding of both fields.