Curriculum Information

Framework: TEKS – Grade 6 Science (Adopted 2021)

1. Scientific and Engineering Practices

Students spend about 40% of instructional time on scientific and engineering practices (SEPs)—these include:

• Asking questions and defining problems;
  
  

• Planning and conducting comparative, descriptive, and experimental investigations;
  
  

• Identifying and using appropriate tools and technology.
  
  

Students also learn to:

• Use SI units, collect qualitative and quantitative data, and construct tables, graphs, maps, and charts;
  
  

• Develop and use models, distinguish among scientific hypotheses, theories, and laws;
  
  

• Analyze data for patterns or limitations, perform calculations, and evaluate designs;
  
  

• Communicate explanations and solutions using evidence and models;
  
  

• Engage in scientific argumentation and appreciate contributions of diverse scientists. Texas Tea+1
  
  

2. Matter and Energy

• Classify matter as elements, compounds, or mixtures, and understand their properties.
  
  

• Use the Periodic Table to differentiate metals, nonmetals, and metalloids.
  
  

• Calculate density and recognize chemical changes.
  
  

• Explore energy resources—renewable vs nonrenewable—and discuss ethical/social implications of resource use. Texas Tea+2Texas Tea+2
  
  

3. Force, Motion, and Energy (Sound) 

• Investigate relationships between force and motion, including using Newton’s Third Law.
  
  

• Distinguish among forms of potential energy (gravitational, elastic, chemical) and kinetic energy.
  
  

• Study conservation of energy and its transformations in systems like circuits, food webs, amusement park rides, or photosynthesis. Texas Tea+2Texas Tea+2
  
  

4. Earth and Space Science

• Model how Earth’s tilt and orbit around the Sun result in seasons.
  
  

• Explain how gravitational interactions affect tides and celestial positions.
  
  

• Learn about Earth’s spheres (biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere) and model Earth’s layers (inner core, outer core, mantle, crust).
  
  

• Understand the rock cycle and classify rock types based on their formation processes.
  
  

• Discuss conservation and management of resources like air, water, soil, and energy using efficiency, technology, and conservation strategies. Texas Tea+1
  
  

5. Organisms and Environments

• Understand that cells are the basic units of life (cell theory), and identify levels of biological organization—cells, tissues, organs, organ systems.
  
  

• Classify organisms by characteristics such as prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, unicellular vs multicellular, autotrophic vs heterotrophic.
  
  

• Explore population variation, and how traits can confer advantages or disadvantages as environments change.
  
  

• Examine symbiotic relationships—mutualism, parasitism, commensalism—and understand how organisms interact with biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.
  
  

• Define the hierarchy of organization in ecosystems: organism → population → community. Texas Tea+1