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.”
Vertical alignment shows student expectations in the same subject area at different grade levels that are related to or build upon one another.
compare the properties of puddles, ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, including color, clarity, size, shape, and whether it is freshwater or saltwater; and
describe and illustrate the continuous movement of water above and on the surface of Earth through the water cycle and explain the role of the Sun as a major source of energy in this process;
Cause-and-effect relationships are relationships between two or more variables or phenomena whereby one variable or event leads to a predictable response. Events have causes—sometimes simple, sometimes multi-faceted.
Human activity such as building roads (cause) can be beneficial when storm drains are used to divert water into retention ponds (effect) and can be harmful when runoff carries oil into the watershed (effect).
It is important to consider how changes in scale, proportion, or quantity affect a system’s structure or performance. Scale refers to the size of an object in relation to another object or its environment. Proportion is the ratio of one quantity to another. Quantity is a count of a set of objects or a measurement of a substance.
The quality of groundwater in a watershed is described by the quantity of contaminants measured in parts per million (ppm). The amount of impervious cover in an area is inversely proportional to the amount of rain that becomes groundwater.
A system is a whole made of parts that work together. It has components and boundaries. It can interact with or be part of other systems.
A watershed (system) comprises landforms, surface water, and groundwater (parts).
Math.7.1.D communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate
Math.7.12.A compare two groups of numeric data using comparative dot plots or box plots by comparing their shapes, centers, and spreads
SS.7.8.C analyze the effects of physical and human factors such as climate, weather, landforms, irrigation, transportation, and communication on major events in Texas
SS.7.9.A identify ways in which Texans have adapted to and modified the environment and explain the positive and negative consequences of the modifications
SS.7.9.B explain ways in which geographic factors such as the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the Dust Bowl, limited water resources, and alternative energy sources have affected the political, economic, and social development of Texas
ELAR.7.5.F make inferences and use evidence to support understanding
ELAR.7.5.G evaluate details read to determine key ideas
ELAR.7.5.H synthesize information to create new understanding
TA.7.4.A explain how changes in technology throughout history have impacted various areas of study