7th Grade Science TEKS

(7.1)  Scientific and Engineering Practices (Investigations)

The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to: 

(A) ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;

(B) use scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive, comparative, and experimental investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problems;

(C) use appropriate safety equipment and practices during laboratory, classroom, and field investigations as outlined in Texas Education Agency-approved safety standards;

(D) use appropriate tools such as graduated cylinders, metric rulers, periodic tables, balances, scales, thermometers, temperature probes, laboratory ware, timing devices, pH indicators, hot plates, models, microscopes, slides, life science models, petri dishes, dissecting kits, magnets, spring scales or force sensors, tools that model wave behavior, satellite images, hand lenses, and lab notebooks or journals;

(E) collect quantitative data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative data as evidence;

(F) construct appropriate tables, graphs, maps, and charts using repeated trials and means to organize data;

(G) develop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problems;

(H) distinguish between scientific hypotheses, theories, and laws.

(7.3) Scientific and Engineering Practices (Explanations)

The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:

(A) develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models and consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories;

(B) communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats;

(C) engage respectfully in scientific argumentation using applied scientific explanations and empirical evidence.

(7.5) Recurring Themes and Concepts

The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:

(A) identify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;7

(B) identify and investigate cause-and-effect relationships to explain scientific phenomena or analyze problems;7

(C) analyze how differences in scale, proportion, or quantity affect a system's structure or performance;7

(D) examine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;7

(E) analyze and explain how energy flows and matter cycles through systems and how energy and matter are conserved through a variety of systems;7

(F) analyze and explain the complementary relationship between structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; 

(G) analyze and explain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.

(7.7) Force, Motion, and Energy (Speed, Velocity, Balanced / Unbalanced Forces)

The student describes the cause-and-effect relationship between force and motion. The student is expected to:

(A) calculate average speed using distance and time measurements from investigations;

(B) distinguish between speed and velocity in linear motion in terms of distance, displacement, and direction;

(C) measure, record, and interpret an object's motion using distance-time graphs; 

(D) analyze the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on the state of motion of an object using Newton's First Law of Motion.

(7.9) Earth and Space (Solar System, Gravity, Characteristics for Life on Earth)

The student understands the patterns of movement, organization, and characteristics of components of our solar system. The student is expected to:

(A) describe the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, moons, meteors, asteroids, comets, Kuiper belt, and Oort cloud;

(B) describe how gravity governs motion within Earth's solar system; 

(C) analyze the characteristics of Earth that allow life to exist such as the proximity of the Sun, presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere.

(7.11) Earth and Space.  (Hydrosphere)

The student understands how human activity can impact the hydrosphere. The student is expected to:

(A) analyze the beneficial and harmful influences of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed; 

(B) describe human dependence and influence on ocean systems and explain how human activities impact these systems.

(7.13) Organisms and Environments  (Human Body Systems, Reproduction, Traits)

The student knows how systems are organized and function to support the health of an organism and how traits are inherited. The student is expected to:

(A) identify and model the main functions of the systems of the human organism, including the circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular, digestive, urinary, reproductive, integumentary, nervous, immune, and endocrine systems;

(B) describe the hierarchical organization of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems within plants and animals;

(C) compare the results of asexual and sexual reproduction of plants and animals in relation to the diversity of offspring and the changes in the population over time; 

(D) describe and give examples of how natural and artificial selection change the occurrence of traits in a population over generations.