S.8.12.C | TEKS Guide

SCIENCE.8.12.C — Vertical Alignment

Vertical alignment shows student expectations in the same subject area at different grade levels that are related to or build upon one another.

Previous grade

S.3.12.C

describe how natural changes to the environment such as floods and droughts cause some organisms to thrive and others to perish or move to new locations; and

S.6.13.C

describe how variations within a population can be an advantage or disadvantage to the survival of a population as environments change.

S.8.11.C

describe the carbon cycle.

S.8.12.B

describe how primary and secondary ecological succession affect populations and species diversity after ecosystems are disrupted by natural events or human activity; and

S.8.12.C

describe how biodiversity contributes to the stability and sustainability of an ecosystem and the health of the organisms within the ecosystem.

BIO.13.A

investigate and evaluate how ecological relationships, including predation, parasitism, commensalism, mutualism, and competition, influence ecosystem stability;

BIO.13.C

explain the significance of the carbon and nitrogen cycles to ecosystem stability and analyze the consequences of disrupting these cycles; and

BIO.13.D

explain how environmental change, including change due to human activity, affects biodiversity and analyze how changes in biodiversity impact ecosystem stability.

AQUA.9.A

identify the role of carbon, nitrogen, water, and nutrient cycles in an aquatic environment, including upwellings and turnovers;

ENVIR.6.D

identify how changes in limiting resources such as water, food, and energy affect local ecosystems;

ENVIR.8.A

compare exponential and logistical population growth using graphical representations;

ENVIR.8.B

identify factors that may alter carrying capacity such as disease; natural disaster; available food, water, and livable space; habitat fragmentation; and periodic changes in weather;

ENVIR.8.C

calculate changes in population size in ecosystems; and

ENVIR.9.A

analyze and describe how natural events such as tectonic movement, volcanic events, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and tsunamis affect natural populations;

ENVIR.9.C

examine how natural processes such as succession and feedback loops can restore habitats and ecosystems;

Next grade

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.

Cause-and-effect relationships

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.

When an ecosystem is diverse (cause), the food web can sustain disruptions and return to stability (effect).

Model the interdependence and parts of a system

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.

The relationships among organisms (parts) in an ecosystem can be modeled using a food web. A more biodiverse ecosystem will be more stable and sustainable.

Flow of energy and cycling of matter through systems

Matter and energy are conserved, changing forms but maintaining quantities. Energy flows within a system or between systems through transfers and transformations. Matter is cycled within systems through physical and chemical processes.

A food web models how energy flows between and among the organisms in an ecosystem. Increased biodiversity causes the ecosystem to be more sustainable, which also stabilizes the flow of energy through the environment.

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.

A biodiverse ecosystem will be more sustainable because there will be multiple pathways in the food web through which energy flows and matter is cycled.

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

English Language Arts and Reading

Science.8.12.C

SCIENCE.8.12.C — Vertical Alignment

Recurring themes and concepts — Connections to the content

Cross-curricular Connections