Essential Science Concepts for
Exit-Level TAKS: Hands-On
Activities for Supporting
Student Success
Jim Collins
Science program coordinator
CAST
November 2007
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
1
Diamond Reflection
Please fill out the
upper left portion—
I came expecting…
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
2
What are the Essential Science Concepts for
Exit-Level TAKS (ESCET) modules?
The ESCET program consists of an Integrated Physics and
Chemistry module and a Biology module. Each module
• reviews the science concepts tested on exit-level TAKS
• engages students in hands-on investigations
• integrates scientific process skills into each activity
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
3
Are the Essential Science Concepts a
teaching tool?
The Essential Science Concepts
modules are designed as tool for content
review and reinforcement. They are not
intended as teaching materials for
students unfamiliar with the concepts
covered in the activities.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
4
Who should use the modules?
ESCET modules can be used by school
districts searching for an alternative
method to prepare students for success on
the exit-level TAKS.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
5
How are the modules structured?
Each module
• contains a series of station activities
focused on science concepts that are
tested on the exit-level TAKS.
• provides a sufficient number of activities
for four class periods.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
6
TAKS science objectives and TEKS student
expectations addressed in the modules
TA KS
Objective
Objective
1*
Integrated Physics
and Chemistry
1(A)
2(A)(B)(C)(D)
3(A)(B)
Biology
1(A)
2(A)(B)(C)(D)
Objective 2
4(B)
6(A)(B)(C)
8(C)
10(A)(B)
Objective 3
4(C)(D)
7(A)(B)
9(D)
12(B)(E)
13(A)
Objective 4
Objective 5
7(A)(D)
8(A)(C)
9(A)(B)(D)
4(A)(B)(D)
5(B)
6(A)(B)(D)
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
*Objective 1: The student
will demonstrate an
understanding of the
nature of science. These
student expectations will
be included in the
station activities and not
addressed in isolation.
7
How is each station activity structured?
Each activity is divided into…
• Teacher pages
• Blackline masters
• Student pages
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
8
Teacher Pages
The teacher pages include…
• Station activity title
• Purpose
• Correlations to the TEKS
• Teacher Notes About the TEKS
• Background Information for the Teacher
• Resources
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
9
Teacher Pages (continued)
The teacher pages include…
• Materials
• Advance Preparation
• Station Setup
• Procedures
• Guide to Student Responses
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
10
Blackline Masters
The pages provided in the blackline masters
vary with each activity. Generally, the blackline
masters include…
•Station information sheet
•Station mat (not included in every activity)
•Other materials such as cards, data tables,
images, photographs, etc.
•Student pages
•Glossary
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
11
Student Pages
The student pages include…
• Before You Begin…
• Materials
• Procedures
• Questions
• Question Card
• I Need to Remember
• Glossary
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
12
How should the modules be implemented?
You have choices. One is to administer the modules
separately.
The ESCET modules can be
administered separately (all Biology
activities together and all IPC activities
together).
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
13
How should the modules be implemented?
Administering modules separately
Example with
selected
stations; in
practice you
could use a
larger mix of
stations.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
14
How should the modules be implemented?
Administering integrated modules
Alternatively, you can implement one
IPC activity followed by one Biology
activity, and so on, so that the
activities are integrated in the same
way the TAKS integrates the Biology
and IPC questions.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
15
How should the modules be implemented?
Administering integrated modules
Example with
selected stations; in
practice you could
use a larger mix of
stations.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
16
Moving through the station activities
Students should work in small groups—preferably
teams of two. Once students have received a study
folder they are to begin the station activities. They will
 examine the station information sheet at the
table and verify the setup,
 read and answer the Focus Question,
 follow the procedures in the student pages to
work through the activity
 answer the TAKS question on the Question Card
 post their answer on the diagnostic wall chart
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
17
How should the diagnostic wall chart be used?
The diagnostic wall chart will contain each
student team’s answers to the TAKS
question card for each station.
The diagnostic chart is designed to help
the teacher quickly assess the concepts
that students are successful with and the
concepts that need further review.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
18
Overview of the Activities
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
19
Biology Station 4(B), Part II: Cell Functions
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the structures and
functions of plant
and animal cell
parts.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
20
IPC Station 4(A): Speed and Momentum
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
speed and
momentum.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
21
Biology Station 4(C): Structure and Infectious
Behavior of Viruses
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce
students’
understanding of
the structure of a
virus and how
viruses cause
diseases.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
22
IPC Station 4(B): Newton’s Laws of Motion
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
Newton’s laws of
motion.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
23
Biology Station 4(D), Part I: Bacteria and
Health
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce
students’
understanding of
the role of
bacteria in
maintaining
health.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
24
IPC Station 4(D): Efficiency in Machines
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
how the efficiency
of a machine can
change.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
25
Biology Station 4(D), Part II: Bacteria and
Disease
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
role of bacteria in
maintaining health in
living organisms and
in causing disease.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
26
IPC Station 5(B), Part I: Reflection and
Refraction
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of
ways that waves
interact with their
surroundings through
reflection and
refraction.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
27
Biology Station 6(A): DNA
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
structure of DNA
and protein
synthesis
(transcription and
translation).
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
28
IPC Station 5(B), Part II: Diffraction and
Resonance
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of
waves in everyday
life and how waves
can be diffracted
and resonated.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
29
Biology Station 6(B): Protein Synthesis
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
structure of DNA
and protein
synthesis
(transcription and
translation).
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
30
IPC Station 6(B): Heat Transfer
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding that
heat can move
through solids,
liquids, and gases
by various means.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
31
Biology Station 7(B): Natural Selection
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the results of
change in species.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
32
IPC Station 6(D): Energy Sources and Their
Impact
Purpose: The
purpose of this station
is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
impact that energy
transformations have
on economic and
environmental aspects
of everyday life.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
33
Biology Station 10(B): Interrelationships
Among Organ Systems
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
how organ systems
in living organisms
interrelate with one
another.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
34
IPC/Biology Station 1(A): Laboratory Safety
Purpose: The purpose
of this station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
safety procedures and
equipment that
must be used during
laboratory investigations.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
35
IPC Station 6(A): Conservation of Energy
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
energy
transformations.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
36
Biology Station 4(B): Cellular Processes
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce
students’
understanding of
osmosis as a
cellular process.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
37
IPC Station 7(A): Density, Viscosity and
Buoyancy
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
density, viscosity,
and buoyancy.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
38
Biology Station 4(B) III: Photosynthesis and
Cell Respiration
Purpose: The purpose
of this station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of energy
production in
photosynthesis and
cell respiration.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
39
IPC Station 7(D): Chemical Behavior and the
Periodic Table
Purpose: The
purpose of this station
is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
relationships that exist
between the chemical
behavior of an
element and its
position on the
periodic table.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
40
Biology Station 7(A): Evidence of Change
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the evidence of
change in species.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
41
IPC Station 8(A): Physical and Chemical
Changes
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
difference between
physical and
chemical changes in
everyday examples.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
42
Biology Station 8(C): Classification and
Taxonomy
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of a
biological
classification
system.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
43
IPC Station 8(C): Conservation of Mass
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the law of
conservation of
mass.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
44
Biology Station 9(D): Energy Flow Within
Ecosystems
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
flow of energy and
matter through
organisms and their
environment.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
45
IPC Station 9(A): Structure and Function of
Water
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the structure of
water and its
function as the
universal solvent.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
46
Biology Station 10(A): Systems in Organisms
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the functions of
systems found in
living organisms.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
47
IPC Station 9(B): Concentration of Ions in
Solution
Purpose: The purpose
of this station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of how
certain chemical and
physical properties are
related to the
concentration of ions in
solution.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
48
Biology Station 12(B): Interdependence and
Interactions
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
interactions that
occur among
organisms in an
ecosystem.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
49
IPC Station 9(D): Factors Influencing Solubility
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
how various factors
influence solubility.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
50
Biology Station 12(E): Food Chains, Food
Webs, and Energy Pyramids
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to
reinforce students’
understanding of
the interactions that
can occur between
a variety of
organisms in an
ecosystem.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
51
Biology Station 13(A): Plant Adaptations
Purpose: The
purpose of this
station is to reinforce
students’
understanding of the
importance of
structural and
physiological
adaptations of plants.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
52
Day 1 Rotation
Follow these steps at each station…
 3 minutes: Read over the activity.
 10 minutes: Work through the student
pages and answer all the questions.
 2 minutes: Discuss the prior
knowledge a student needs to be
successful at the station.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
53
Discuss the activity at your station
As a table, make a poster that includes
the following…
• Title the poster with the name and TEKS
number of the activity at your station.
• List what prior knowledge students will need
to be successful at this station.
• List the vocabulary (science and nonscience)
that students will need to understand the
activity.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
54
Day 2 Rotation
Follow these steps at each station…
 3 minutes: Read over the activity.
 10 minutes: Work through the student
pages and answer all the questions.
 2 minutes: Add to the poster for your
table.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
55
Diamond Reflection
Please complete the other sections of
your Diamond Reflection and leave them
on your table at the end of the session.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
56
Contact Information
Jim Collins
jwcollins@mail.utexas.edu
www.utdanacenter.org
www.sciencetekstoolkit.org
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
57