The student is expected to describe the taxonomic system that categorizes organisms based on similarities and differences shared among groups; and
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.”
identify and compare the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic, unicellular and multicellular, and autotrophic and heterotrophic; and
S.7.14.A
describe the taxonomic system that categorizes organisms based on similarities and differences shared among groups; and
describe the characteristics of the recognized kingdoms and their importance in ecosystems such as bacteria aiding digestion or fungi decomposing organic matter.
ENVIR.5.A
identify native plants and animals within a local ecosystem and compare their roles to those of plants and animals in other biomes, including aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra;
AQUA.13.A
compare different traits in aquatic organisms using tools such as dichotomous keys;
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.
The taxonomic system categorizes organisms is organized into successively smaller, exclusive groupings (patterns).
Scale, proportion, and quantity in systems
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 number (quantity) of species in each level of the taxonomic system increases as the specificity decreases (proportional relationship). The more similarities there are among organisms in the group, the more specific the level of the grouping. For example, families are more specific than phyla.
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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Math
Math.7.2.A extend previous knowledge of sets and subsets using a visual representation to describe relationships between sets of rational numbers
Math.7.4.B extend previous knowledge of sets and subsets using a visual representation to describe relationships between sets of rational numbers
English Language Arts and Reading
ELAR.7.5.F make inferences and use evidence to support understanding
ELAR.7.5.H synthesize information to create new understanding
ELAR.7.6.C use text evidence to support an appropriate response