Freshwater Ecology Explanation of TEKS Credits
In this class, we will look at the ecology of our local freshwater waterfront here at Mo-Ranch, and study where water comes from, how it sustains life, its importance to us and more. Students will also learn about and handle live macro-invertebrates that call the water their home and practice hands-on scientific methods of discovering water quality.
Select a grade
| Third Grade | Sixth Grade |
| Fourth Grade | Seventh Grade |
| Fifth Grade | Eighth Grade |
Third Grade
| TEKS | Explanation of Credits |
| 112.14 3.3.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows that information, critical thinking, scientific problem solving, and the contributions of scientists are used in making decisions. The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing. |
| 112.14 3.9.C | Organisms and environments. The student knows and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the environments. The student is expected to describe environmental changes such as floods and droughts where some organisms thrive and others perish or move to new locations. |
| 112.14 3.4.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system models; timing devices; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums. |
Fourth Grade
| TEKS | Explanation of Credits |
| 112.15 4.2.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking well defined questions, making inferences, and selecting and using appropriate equipment or technology to answer his/her questions. |
| 112.15 4.3.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions. The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing. |
| 112.15 4.3.B | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions. The student is expected to represent the natural world using models such as the water cycle and stream tables and identify their limitations, including accuracy and size |
| 112.15 4.4.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools, materials, equipment, and models to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including calculators, microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, mirrors, spring scales, balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums. |
| 112.15 4.8.A | Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among the Sun, Earth, and Moon system. The student is expected to measure, record, and predict changes in weather. |
Fifth Grade
| TEKS | Explanation of Credits |
| 112.16 5.2.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to describe, plan, and implement simple experimental investigations testing one variable. |
| 112.16 5.2.B | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to ask well defined questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and select and use appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.16 5.2.C | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to collect and record information using detailed observations and accurate measuring. |
| 112.16 5.3.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions. The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing. |
| 112.16 5.4.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to collect, record and analyze information using tools, including calculators, microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, prisms, mirrors, pan balances, triple beam balances, spring scales, graduated cylinders, beakers, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observations of habitats or organisms such as terrariums and aquariums. |
Sixth Grade
| TEKS | Explanation of Credits |
| 112.18 6.2.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and field investigations. The student is expected to plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking well defined questions, and using appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.18 6.2.B | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and field investigations. The student is expected to design and implement experimental investigations by making observations, asking well defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and using appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.18 6.3.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the contributions of relevant scientists. The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student. |
| 112.18 6.4.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and safety equipment to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to use appropriate tools, including journals/notebooks, beakers, Petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, hot plates, test tubes, balances, microscopes, thermometers, calculators, computers, timing devices, and other necessary equipment to collect, record, and analyze information. |
| 112.18 6.12.E | Organisms and environments. The student knows all organisms are classified into domains and kingdoms. Organisms within these taxonomic groups share similar characteristics that allow them to interact with the living and nonliving parts of their ecosystem. The student is expected to describe biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem in which organisms interact. |
| 112.18 6.12.F | Organisms and environments. The student knows all organisms are classified into domains and kingdoms. Organisms within these taxonomic groups share similar characteristics that allow them to interact with the living and nonliving parts of their ecosystem. The student is expected to diagram the levels of organization within an ecosystem, including organism, population, community and ecosystem. |
Seventh Grade
| TEKS | Explanation of Credits |
| 112.19 7.2.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and field investigations. The student is expected to plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking well defined questions, and using appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.19 7.2.B | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and field investigations. The student is expected to design and implement experimental investigations by making observations, asking well defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and using appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.19 7.3.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the contributions of relevant scientists. The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student. |
| 112.19 7.4.A | Science investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and safety equipment to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to use appropriate tools, including life science models, hand lenses, stereoscopes, microscopes, beakers, Petri dishes, microscope slides, graduated cylinders, test tubes, meter sticks, metric rulers, metric tape measures, timing devices, hot plates, balances, thermometers, calculators, water test kits, computers, temperature and pH probes, collecting nets, insect traps, globes, digital cameras, journals/notebooks, and other necessary equipment to collect, record, and analyze information. |
| 112.19 7.10.A | Organisms and environments. The student knows that there is a relationship between organisms and the environment. The student is expected to observe and describe how different environments, including microhabitats in schoolyards and biomes, support different varieties of organisms. |
| 112.19 7.10.B | Organisms and environments. The student knows that there is a relationship between organisms and the environment. The student is expected to describe how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem. |
Eighth Grade
| TEKS | Explanation of Credits |
| 112.20 8.2.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and field investigations. The student is expected to plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking well defined questions, and using appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.20 8.2.B | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and field investigations. The student is expected to design and implement experimental investigations by making observations, asking well defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and using appropriate equipment and technology. |
| 112.20 8.3.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the contributions of relevant scientists. The student is expected to analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student. |
| 112.20 8.4.A | Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and safety equipment to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to use appropriate tools, including lab journals/notebooks, beakers, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, anemometers, psychrometers, hot plates, test tubes, spring scales, balances, microscopes, thermometers, calculators, computers, spectroscopes, timing devices, and other necessary equipment to collect, record, and analyze information. |
