Category:

Curricular Standards

6-8 ELAR TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets

The Middle School ELAR TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets

by Emily Horn February 22, 2024

written by Emily Horn

We’re back with more editable TEKS! I’m working my way through the K-12 content areas, and if there’s a set of TEKS you’d like to see published, send me an email at ehorn@tcea.org or leave a comment, and I’ll add them to my running list. Today, we’ll be exploring the Middle School ELAR TEKS. Who’s with me? Anybody? Bueller? Let’s go!

What Are the TEKS?

In short, the TEKS are the curricular standards adopted by the Texas State Board of Education. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in each content area for each grade level. State-mandated tests are aligned with these standards to measure student achievement and skills acquisition.

About the Middle School ELAR TEKS

The current Middle School ELAR TEKS were adopted in 2017 and amended to be effective in 2019. The introduction for the 6-8 grade ELAR TEKS is almost identical to its K-5 counterpart. Let’s take a look at how middle school knowledge and skills build upon the foundation of the K-5 ELAR TEKS.

Like the K-5 ELAR TEKS, grades 6-8 focus on the four domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Additionally, the seven strands started within the K-5 TEKS continue through grades 6-8:
- Strand 1: Developing and sustaining foundational language
- Strand 2: Comprehension
- Strand 3: Response
- Strand 4: Multiple texts
- Strand 5: Author’s purpose and craft
- Strand 6: Composition
- Strand 7: Inquiry and research
The focus on oral language (expression and comprehension) continues to weave through these grade 6-8 ELAR TEKS as a focal point for literacy as well as authentic reading and reflective writing.
As in K-5, it is clearly stated within the 6-8 ELAR TEKS that each strand is of equal value, although some strands may require more instructional time than others. The strands can be presented in any order but they should be integrated throughout the instructional year.
References to encoding and decoding have been removed from this intro, as would be expected.
The goal remains for students to become “self-directed, critical learners who work collaboratively while continuously using metacognitive skills.”
As in K-5, there should be daily opportunities for students to read, write, engage in academic discussions, and be read to.
English Language Learners (ELLs) are expected to meet standards in a second language, and their language development affects their ability to demonstrate mastery of skills in English. Therefore, they should be provided scaffolding for text comprehension and linguistic accommodations to help ensure mastery.
ELLs should also be encouraged to use their first language to help them develop and build English vocabulary. Making connections between a native language and English is important to English language development (affective, cognitive, and academic).
Within the standards, “such as” is used to illustrate examples, whereas “including” alludes to content that must be mastered.

Helpful TEKS Documents

TEA TEKS Documents
K-12 Vertical Alignment TEKS Documents
lead4ward TEKS Resources
TEKS Guide by TEA

6-8 Grade ELAR TEKS Freebies from TCEA

Ready for some editable freebies? Snag spreadsheets for grades 6-8 ELAR below. Each spreadsheet contains one tab with the TEKS and a second tab with “I can” statements. I hope you find these useful and that they save you a little time somehow.

English Language Arts Free and Editable TEKS Spreadsheets

Grade 8 ELAR TEKS Spreadsheet — **Click to make a copy of the Grade 6 ELAR TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to make a copy of the Grade 7 ELAR TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to make a copy of the Grade 8 ELAR TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Additional STAAR and TEKS Articles You May Find Useful

February 22, 2024 0 comment

An infographic with K-5 Editable Science TEKS Spreadsheets shown.

Science Science TEKS

The NEW K-5 Science TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets

by Emily Horn February 14, 2024

written by Emily Horn

I’m back again with more info on Texas teachers’ most beloved topic: the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). This time, we’ll look at some information on the new K-5 Science TEKS. How new are they? So new, they’ll be implemented next school year. You may have seen my posts about the K-5 ELAR TEKS (which contains information on how the TEKS are reviewed and revised) and the K-5 math TEKS. But today, we have long-awaited and highly anticipated editable spreadsheets with the new science TEKS and coordinating “I Can” statements for grades K-5. Who’s excited? Just me? Ok.

What Are the TEKS?

About the Science TEKS

In 2021, the SBOE approved the new K-12 Science TEKS, which will be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year. Here are some top things to know (from the 2021 Science TEKS introduction) and a few notable differences between the 2017 Science TEKS and the updated 2021 TEKS:

1. Within the Science TEKS introductions for each grade level, there is a brief overview of the concepts covered. This is helpful for understanding the overarching science content covered in each grade and how prior knowledge is built upon year after year in vertical alignment.

2. Previously, the science standards focused on 1) scientific investigation and reasoning, 2) matter and energy, 3) force, motion, and energy, 4) earth and space, and 5) organisms and environments. However, these were not formally called “strands.” The new TEKS content officially has five “strands.” The only change is that 2017’s “scientific investigation and reasoning” was updated to “scientific and engineering practices” in 2021. Here are the current strands for the Science TEKS:

Scientific and engineering practices.
Matter and its properties.
Force, motion, and energy.
Earth and space.
Organisms and environment.

3. The updated TEKS intro goes further to explain scientific inquiry and describe and define the three methods of investigation that should be employed:

Descriptive: This has no hypothesis, answers a research question, and involves collecting and recording data without comparing.
Correlative and comparative: These have a hypothesis, predict a relationship, involve collecting and recording data, comparing results, etc.
Experimental: Similar to comparative, this involves testing a hypothesis by comparing “a treatment with a control.”

4. As part of the scientific and engineering practices, the new TEKS introduction defines scientific practices and engineering practices. Additionally, like the 2017 Science TEKS, there is a minimum percentage of instructional time recommended for each grade level to spend integrating scientific and engineering practices. The suggested percentages for each grade level did not change between the 2017 and 2021 Science TEKS.

5. The 2021 Science TEKS introduction kept the same definition of science from the National Academy of Sciences but expanded upon it. The new TEKS acknowledge that science is changing, stating that students should be aware that some phenomena aren’t currently able to be tested, so some questions may go unanswered.

6. Additionally, the new Science TEKS intro clearly defines scientific observations, inferences, hypotheses, and scientific theories, whereas the 2017 introduction did not.

7. Another new addition to the 2021 TEKS is the inclusion of a statement on “science and social ethics.” This statement basically says that science has ethics for conducting research. Students should know the difference between scientific ethics and broader ethics involving science.

8. Like the 2017 introduction, the 2021 TEKS includes a section on “recurring themes and concepts.” However, the 2021 version is more robust, further defining structure and function, systems, models, patterns, change, and constancy.

9. As in the 2017 version, within the standards, “such as” is used to illustrate examples, whereas “including” alludes to content that must be mastered.

Helpful TEKS Documents

Science TEKS Freebies from TCEA

Ok. That’s done! Now let’s get to the freebies. Click the links to make a copy of the editable TEKS spreadsheets for your grade level(s). Each spreadsheet has a tab with the TEKS and a tab with correlating “I can” statements. Is there something else TEKS-related that would be helpful? If so, let me know in the comments or send me an email (ehorn@tcea.org). I’d love to hear from you!

A blue, gold, and white infographic with the title "Free and Editable Science TEKS Grades K-5 Spreadsheets:

K Science TEKS Spreadsheet image — **Click to make a copy of the Kindergarten Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Grade 1 Science TEKS Spreadsheet — **Click to make a copy of the Grade 1 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Grade 2 Science TEKS Spreadsheet — **Click to make a copy of the Grade 2 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Grade 3 Science TEKS Spreadsheet — **Click to make a copy of the Grade 3 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Grade 4 Science TEKS Spreadsheet — **Click to make a copy of the Grade 4 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to make a copy of the Grade 5 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Additional STAAR and TEKS Articles You May Find Useful

February 14, 2024 9 comments

TA-TEKS Technology Applications and Computer Science Standards

Coding/Computer Science Technology Applications TEKS

What the New TA-TEKS Mean for Texas

by Kelli Erwin, Ed.D. December 20, 2023

written by Kelli Erwin, Ed.D.

In the ever-evolving world of education, staying ahead of the curve is crucial, especially when it comes to preparing our students for the future. With the 2022 adoption of the TA-TEKS, there is a shift on the horizon for computer science and technology applications education in Texas. Let’s explore what the new Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TA-TEKS) mean for educators, students, and the entire educational landscape.

Understanding Proclamation 2024

The Proclamation 2024 instructional materials adoption marks a significant milestone in Texas education, ushering in a wave of changes that will reshape how computer science and technology applications are taught in schools. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has worked to create a forward-thinking framework of standards that align with the demands of the 21st century.

What’s New in the TA-TEKS

The new TA-TEKS, adopted in 2022, reflect a focus on equipping students with the skills needed to thrive in our increasingly digital world. By emphasizing problem-solving, critical thinking, higher-order thinking, and hands-on experiences, these standards aim to produce students who are not just consumers of technology but innovators and creators.

Broadened Curriculum

The revised TA-TEKS encompass a broader spectrum of topics within computer science. From coding and programming to data analysis and cybersecurity, the curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding, preparing students for a diverse array of future careers. By embedding communication and collaboration skills across the strands, it becomes more evident to teachers and students the importance of these concepts across all subjects and environments.

Real-world Applications

The TA-TEKS strongly emphasize connecting theoretical knowledge with practical, real-world applications. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate projects and activities that mirror the challenges students may face in college or future careers, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the subject matter. With the changes in the standards, teachers need additional support to ensure students have not only the knowledge and skills but also the experience to solidify their learning.

Inclusion of Emerging Technologies

Recognizing the rapid pace of technological advancement, the new TA-TEKS standards incorporate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things. This ensures that students are not only familiar with current technologies but are also prepared for the innovations of tomorrow.

Preparing Teachers for the Change

As Texas educators gear up for this transformative shift, there are several steps they can take to ensure a smooth transition and successful implementation of the new TA-TEKS.

Professional Development Opportunities

Learning.com provides TechApps for Texas, a SBOE-approved curriculum for the updated TA-TEKS. — Screenshot by Emily Horn: Learning.com **TechApps for Texa**s Page

Teachers should actively seek professional development opportunities to familiarize themselves with the updated standards, curriculum, and teaching methodologies. Workshops, webinars, and resources designed specifically to support educators in adapting to the changes are a good place to start. Learning.com, a Platinum Partner to TCEA, will be offering a webinar series that walks educators through our newest solution, TechApps for Texas. TechApps for Texas is a computer science and technology applications curriculum that has been adopted by the Texas SBOE (State Board of Education).

Collaboration and Networking

Building a supportive community of fellow educators is invaluable during times of change. Collaborating with colleagues, attending conferences, and participating in online forums enable teachers to share insights, strategies, and best practices for integrating the new TA-TEKS into their classrooms. TCEA’s annual convention and exposition will be held in Austin in February. It’s a great way to meet fellow educators and build deeper levels of support.

Access to Updated Resources

The Texas State Board of Education has released its official list of adopted instructional materials to support teachers in implementing the new TA-TEKS beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. As the only state-adopted curriculum meeting 100% of the TA-TEKS for all grades K-8, Learning.com is committed to providing educators with the tools they need for success. Take advantage of the available resources, like this guide created by the TEA, to understand the newest TA-TEKS.

Access TEA’s Guide

The TA-TEKS adopted in 2022, and the instructional materials adopted as part of Proclamation 2024 herald an exciting era for computer science and technology applications education in Texas. The new standards reinforce the high value that educators have in shaping the future of their students. By embracing the changes introduced in the new TA-TEKS, teachers can empower their students to become proficient problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and leaders in the digital age. Through collaboration, professional development, and access to cutting-edge resources, Texas educators are well-positioned to navigate this transformative journey and prepare their students for success in the ever-evolving world of technology.

December 20, 2023 4 comments

4 Reading Comprehension Strategies of CSR: Preview, Click & Clunk, Get the Gist, and Wrap up. Adaptable for any grade level.

Common Core State Standards Content Areas ELAR English Language Arts History Reading Science Science Social Studies Social Studies TEKS

The Four Reading Comprehension Strategies of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR)

by Emily Horn November 2, 2023

written by Emily Horn

What is CSR?

CSR is a cooperative learning approach that can be used in any grade level and with students of varied reading levels and abilities. It’s meant to primarily boost reading comprehension when it comes to expository and nonfiction texts, like for science and social studies. However, it can be used for narrative texts as well. CSR is an evidence-based approach where students work through the text together in small groups using four reading comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading:

Preview (before reading)
Click and Clunk (during reading)
Get the Gist (during reading)
Wrap It Up (after reading)

Explanations of 4 Reading Strategies of CSR from IRIS Center — Screenshot by the author: The Iris Center, **Overview of the CSR Reading Strategies**

Getting Started with CSR

It’s important to note that before students begin using the CSR process in a group, they will need to learn and practice the four strategies on their own. Using a Gradual Release of Responsibility approach, you can introduce each reading comprehension strategy in a separate mini-lesson, modeling it for the class. Then, students can practice the strategy with a partner or in a small group. Once they’ve got the strategy with guided support, they can begin to practice it on their own until they are ready to use the strategy cooperatively.

Materials Needed for CSR:

Learning Log: A graphic organizer where students make notes throughout the process.
Cue Cards: Prompts for the different roles in the groups to use.
Clunk Cards: Four “fix-up” strategies for students to use if they reach a roadblock.
Timer (optional)

Here are some great free CSR materials, complete with cue cards, clunk cards, and a learning log, available for download from IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University. Also, they provide role cards with explanations for each student’s role in the group.

IRIS Center Leader Cue Card for CSR tasks — Screenshot by the author: Example Leader Cue Cards from IRIS Center’s Free **Materials for CSR**

Student Roles:

Each group member is given a specific role, so all students in the group are responsible for a task. Potential student roles (depending on group sizes) are:

Leader
Gist Expert
Announcer
Timekeeper
Clunk Expert
Encourager
Reporter

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the four reading comprehension strategies that make up this approach!

The Four Reading Comprehension Strategies

1. Preview

Example Preview section of the CSR Learning Log created by the author (provided at the end of the article).

During the text preview, students work together for a short period to look at important text features like headings, subheadings, bolded words, charts, graphs, images, etc. The purpose of the preview is to activate students’ prior knowledge and get them to ask questions, make predictions, and boost their curiosity on the topic. During this time, the teacher can walk around and ask each group about their observations, predictions, and questions regarding the text. Helpful prompts for students (that can be included in a learning log graphic organizer) might be:

What knowledge do you already have on this topic?
What do you expect or hope to learn?
What questions do you have on this topic?

IRIS Center suggests giving students 12 minutes for this reading comprehension strategy. Once they’ve shared with the group and completed the “Preview” section of the learning log, it’s time to share with the class.

2. Click and Clunk

CSR Clunks & Gists Strategy - Learning Log — Example Clunks and Gists section of the CSR Learning Log created by the author (provided at the end of the article).

During this part of CSR, students begin reading a section of the text and monitoring their comprehension. This means students are using metacognition (thinking about thinking) to check their understanding as they move through the text. “Clicks” are parts of the text that the readers understand. “Clunks” are aspects of the text that readers find to be roadblocks to understanding, like unknown words or concepts.

Monitoring comprehension builds confidence and independence when it comes to reading. Working on this in a group can push students who may not usually stop to explore “clunks” to do so, resulting in increased reading comprehension. After reading a pre-determined section (a paragraph, a few paragraphs, or a page, for example), the students go over clicks and clunks. After identifying the “clunks”, the Clunk Expert can guide the group in the following reading comprehension strategies:

Reread the sentence with the clunk and look for key ideas to help you figure out the word. Think about what makes sense.

Reread the sentences before and after the clunk, looking for clues.

Look for a prefix, root word, or suffix that might help.

Break the word apart and look for smaller words that you know.

“Toward a Humanistic Instruction: Collaborative Strategic Reading Approach and EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension”

3. Get the Gist

After previewing the text, identifying clicks and clunks, and working through clunks, students begin to identify the main ideas of the predetermined sections of text together to demonstrate reading comprehension. This is a summarizing activity that gets students to restate what they read in their own words (IRIS Center suggests 10 or fewer words) without getting too detailed. CALIReads suggests students follow three steps:

Name the who or the what.
Tell the most important thing about the who or the what.
Say it in about 10 words.

Get the Gist is a great retelling reading comprehension strategy that allows students to recall important information from the text and summarize it, which solidifies their learning.

4. Wrap Up

Example Wrap Up section of the CSR Learning Log created by the author (provided at the end of the article).

In this final step, students work with their group to come up with questions and correlating answers about the reading. They can think about “who, what, where, when, why, and how,” and they can speculate as to what questions a teacher might ask about the text. If needed, question stems can help prompt students to form deeper questions. After noting questions in their learning logs, they share them with their group and answer the questions together, writing down and reviewing what they learned.

CSR Learning Log Editable Template — Created by the author: Access the **editable template**.

This cooperative learning approach to content-based reading can boost comprehension of everything from textbook chapters to nonfiction articles and more. Can you picture using CSR in your classroom? If you introduce these strategies to your students, let us know how it goes! We’d love to hear about your results.

November 2, 2023 0 comment

Chromebooks Content Areas Curricular Standards ELAR English Language Arts Foreign Language Math Mathematics Music Reading Spanish TEKS

ANTON: Free Digital Activities and Games for K-8 Students

by Miguel Guhlin April 27, 2023

written by Miguel Guhlin

ANTON is at first glance, a German-based free learning app now available in the United States. The system works on a variety of devices, including Chromebooks. With over 200 interactive exercises for students in grades K-8, you can make your free account now.

“As a teacher, this app is excellent! Easy to use with scaffolded exercises to progress students through a variety of standards and skills. Visually it is not overwhelming while still engaging and has games. I love the multiple response types and organization of content. I highly recommend this app for continued support across learning standards.”
– U.S. Teacher

That’s 200+ exercises for each school subject, from math to language arts to science, and more. Plus, there is multi-language content aligned to state standards, including Texas.

Let’s dig a little into Anton to learn more about it.

ANTON login processes — Overview of New Account Creation Process for a Teacher

Wait, What About Student Privacy?

Worried about creating an account and compromising student privacy? No worries, teachers and students can create accounts without giving out personal information. If you’re a teacher, you can create a classroom and assign exercises to your class. You can even check student progress. It also appears that Anton does not use login authorization through popular services. Those services include Google, Facebook, etc.

What’s more, ANTON meets the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). It also adheres to European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). And, more important for some, it is free from advertising. All data is deleted after 12 months of no use (unless you have an ANTON-Plus school contract).

ANTON getting started quick guide for teachers

When I signed up for an account, I provided an email and a password. I did not see an option to skip providing my email address or school location. Students would be asked to provide a nickname, a school, and at which subject they would like to start. Students who are at least 16 years of age may enter their email address or mobile phone number in the Settings of the app.

Screenshot by author with permission of publisher

Aligned to Texas Standards

ANTON is also aligned to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Here’s a quick example as an animated GIF:

Here’s a short video overview (updated):

A Short Introduction

“This app has everything. For a free app, it teaches and lets your student practice and then test what they learned,” said one teacher. You can get started with a free teacher account, choosing from human or monster avatars. Once you create your class, students can connect and start to work inside ANTON. It works as a learning management system, allowing teachers to track student progress. These features make grading and offering feedback easy. This video provides a quick overview of the login process:

You can find more relevant videos about how to use and navigate ANTON online. Here are a few you can explore right away:

Don’t be afraid to explore. Get started now.

Anton grade 1 math activity with subject menu

Grades and Subjects Available

“I like the way ANTON breaks down a lesson into very small steps but builds the lesson back up with more info with each step taken making it easier to understand the concept,” said a classroom teacher. There are a lot of amazing subjects you can access in Anton. Each is replete with instructional activities that include images and sound, like this science activity for grades 3-5:

Here’s a quick video tutorial:

Subjects addressed for K-8 include:

English/Language Arts: reading, phonics, the alphabet, grammar, and more.
Math: numbers, counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and geometry.
Science: plants, animals, the solar system, and more.
Music: instruments, melody, rhythm, and reading music.

Of course, Spanish and other languages are included, as is social studies.

ANTON Games

Love to share games with your students? ANTON offers quite a few. Every time students finish a lesson, they earn a gold coin. These coins can “buy” games that students can play. A few games from the long list include:

Hidden
Sports: Long Jump
Astro Bang
Avatar Superstar
Bat Cave
Block Puzzle

There are many more games in ANTON that students can play. Of course, they can only do so after completing an exercise.

Is It ALL Free?

While ANTON appears to offer a lot of value at no cost, you can choose to use ANTON-Plus, a paid service. This paid service offers additional functions. In the Terms of Service, you can read:

2.8 Schools can purchase an ANTON school license and thus unlock additional functions that improve their use in school. In addition to the ANTON school license, schools can also activate ANTON-Plus for all school students and teachers.

A teacher could adapt the use of the free activities for the classroom, as well as assign them to students. Given that the activities range from K-6, the content is easy to work through.

“Intuitive app, easy to use, and creative exercises for easy understanding and learning,” reported one educator. ANTON is also available via the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and/or Amazon Appstore. If you need a cross-platform app that works in the browser, ANTON meets your needs there as well.

Try it for yourself and then watch the fun and learning begin!

This blog entry was updated with new content on 10/14/2024.

April 27, 2023 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science TEKS

Leveling Up with TA-TEKS: Computational Thinking, Coding, and Python

by Rachel Minton March 29, 2023

written by Rachel Minton

One of the significant shifts in the updated Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, or TA-TEKS, is a focus on teaching computer science skills. In fact, the revised TA-TEKS require foundational computational thinking skills to be taught as early as kindergarten.

This focus on computer science isn’t unique to us here in Texas. Already, 42 states have adopted computer science education standards, and 27 states, including Texas, require high schools to offer computer science to students.

Quote block "This focus on computer science isn’t unique to us here in Texas. Already, 42 states have adopted computer science education standards, and 27 states, including Texas, require high schools to offer computer science to students."

“Across the country, there’s a growing movement to provide computer science education to every student, in every school, at every grade level,” says Keith Oelrich, CEO of Learning.com.

Focus on Computational Thinking and Coding

Within the revised TA-TEKS, Computational Thinking is a new strand. You may be left wondering, what exactly is computational thinking, and why is it important for students?

Computational thinking encompasses skills such as pattern recognition, decomposition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking, all of which are powerful tools for real-world problem solving as well as foundational skills for coding.

Students can begin to develop essential computational thinking skills at the earliest grades in school, without even using a computer, and gradually build toward learning the coding and computer programming languages that allow them to create their own projects.

Programming with Python

Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world, opening doors to in-demand careers in data analysis, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and app development. Hundreds of thousands of companies, including some of the most well-known brands of our era – Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Etsy, Tesla – are powered by Python.

At Learning.com, we’re very excited about our recent acquisition of Codesters, after years of partnership with the company. With the acquisition, Learning.com can offer even more of Codesters’ popular interactive, web-based Python coding curriculum to schools through our existing comprehensive EasyTech digital literacy curriculum and EasyCode computer programming curriculum.

Screenshot of linked blog article about Learning.com's acquisition of Codesters, a web-based Python coding curriculum. — **Read more** about Learning.com and Codesters.

Codesters helps students learn key coding principles using Python. In each lesson, students complete a project through a series of activities that include coding challenges, debugging practice, and quizzes. Each lesson ends with an additional coding exercise in which students create their own project applying the skills learned.

Our high-school level offering includes advanced Python lessons and even prepares students for certifications that can directly lead to jobs.

Breaking Barriers with Python Webinar

Join us on April 6, 2023 for the TCEA webinar, Breaking Barriers with Python to learn more about this powerful coding language and how you can prepare your students for the new TA-TEKS, and equip them to excel in the digital world. Click here to register.

March 29, 2023 0 comment

Content Areas Curricular Standards Math TEKS

The K-5 Math TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets

by Emily Horn September 14, 2022

written by Emily Horn

I’m back with more on your favorite topic: the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). This time, we’ll look at information on the K-5 Math TEKS, and you can download some freebies! You may have seen my post about The K-5 ELAR TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets. You can find information in that article about how the TEKS are reviewed, revised, and streamlined. Today, we have the long-awaited and highly anticipated editable spreadsheets with the Mathematics TEKS and coordinating “I Can” statements for grades K-5!

What Are the TEKS?

In short, the TEKS are the curricular standards adopted by the Texas State Board of Education. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in each content area for each grade level. State-mandated tests are aligned with these standards to measure student achievement and skills acquisition.

About the Mathematics TEKS

In 2012, the SBOE adopted revised K-12 Mathematics TEKS, which were implemented in the 2014-2015 school year. Here are the top seven things to know (from the Mathematics TEKS introduction):

1. It is clearly written that the purpose behind the Math TEKS is college and career readiness and preparation for 21st-century challenges.

2. Each grade level purposefully begins with mathematical process standards. since these connect knowledge and skills, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding through problem solving and application of skills to everyday life. These are the same for each grade level.

3. The introduction goes further to describe the problem-solving model in the mathematical process standards for how students can apply their mathematics skills by:

Analyzing given information
Formulating a plan or strategy
Determining a solution
Justifying the solution
Evaluating the problem-solving process and the reasonableness of the solution

4. In the introductory explanation of the mathematical process standards are examples of tools, techniques, and methods of communication students may choose from for problem solving and communicating (explaining, displaying, or justifying) their ideas.

Tools: real objects, manipulatives, algorithms, paper and pencil, and technology
Techniques: mental math, estimation, number sense, generalization, and abstraction
Communication: symbols, diagrams, graphs, computer programs, and language (written or oral)

5. There is an acknowledgment of the development of number sense as being necessary for developing fluency. That said, in order for students to develop procedural fluency, it is explicitly stated that students in grades K-5 should complete their work without calculators.

6. In addition to the mathematical process standards, each grade level has different “primary focal areas” within the strands of:

Number and operations
Algebraic reasoning
Geometry and measurement
Data analysis
Personal financial literacy

7. Within the standards, “such as” is used to illustrate examples, whereas “including” alludes to content that must be mastered.

Helpful TEKS Documents

TEA TEKS Documents
K-12 Vertical Alignment Charts for Math TEKs
lead4ward TEKS Resources
TEKS Guide by TEA

Freebies from TCEA

**Click to Make a Copy of the Grade K TEKS and**
**“I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to Make a Copy of the Grade 1 TEKS and**
**“I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to Make a Copy of the Grade 2 TEKS and**
**“I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to Make a Copy of the Grade 4 TEKS and**
**“I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to Make a Copy of the Grade 3 TEKS and**
**“I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

**Click to Make a Copy of the Grade 5 TEKS and**
**“I Can” Statement Spreadsheet**

Additional STAAR and TEKS Articles You May Find Useful

Reading Language Arts STAAR Test Resources

STAAR Prep: A K-5 Argumentative/Opinion Writing Strategy

STAAR Prep: Spelling Strategies, Resources, and Downloadable Posters

The K-5 ELAR TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets

A Practical Strategy for Teaching Editing Skills

A Powerful and Easy Strategy for Teaching Text Evidence

September 14, 2022 0 comment

Content Areas Curricular Standards Educational Trends Good Teaching

The Best YouTube Channels for Teachers

by Dr. Bruce Ellis August 31, 2022

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

There are numerous educational YouTube channels available for teachers. These videos and channels cover a range of subjects, from the Cold War to Ancient Egypt. There is a new video posted almost daily! There are plenty of topics and videos to choose from, so to help you decide which videos to watch, we’ve listed some of our favorite channels below.

Common Sense Education

Common Sense Education on YouTube is an excellent choice if you’re looking for educational videos to show in the classroom. This channel offers digital literacy content for students in grades K-12, including lessons on boundary-setting, online pressures, personal versus private information, and internet safety. There’s also a channel called Learn Bright that provides educational videos on basic subjects, best suited for students in grades 1-4.

TEDEd

If you’re looking for free educational videos, TEDEd is a good place to start. The channel uses incredible visuals and animation to demonstrate lessons for every subject and age group. There are over 1,000 videos available, including lesson ideas, professional development tools, and video series organized by theme. Each video is short, easy to follow, and provides enough information to incorporate into your existing lesson plans. TEDEd is great for bringing TED’s mission to life for educators.

Big Think

If you’re looking for a good education video, you’ve come to the right place. The Big Think YouTube channel has been supporting educators since 2006. It features interviews with top scientists, former presidents, and celebrities, and tackles big topics like robot-proofing jobs and fame as an illusion. Thought-provoking videos are available on the channel, and it engages with its 12 million subscribers and active community. Educators can take advantage of this resource to educate students in any subject.

Richard Byrne

Richard Byrne’s YouTube channel is a good place to start if you’re an educator looking to learn more about the latest educational technology. This writer and educator, who has over 14,000 subscribers, offers free directions and tips on using popular education websites and apps. His vlogs are also great for personal learning and professional development, so you’ll likely find something of interest there.

Socratica Kids

There are several different educational YouTube channels, but Socratica Kids stands out among them. This channel makes high-quality videos that cover a variety of subjects, including history, science, languages, and the arts. The videos range from basic explanations of concepts to demonstrations of complex ideas. And there are new videos released every day! Socratica Kids is a great place to start if you’re looking for high-quality videos for your students.

Homeschool Pop

For elementary school-aged children, Homeschool Pop, features videos about earth science, animals, history, and math. The channel is divided into playlists for each grade level, including preschool, first, and second grade. Many of these channels also have curriculum for younger children. While the content may not be aligned with the national curriculum, it is a great resource for those whose primary goal is to get their children interested in learning.

Your Chance to Give a Shout Out!

And here is your chance to give a shout out to your favorite YouTube channel for educators! Drop a comment below with a link to their channel so that others can explore it and find it as valuable as you do.

August 31, 2022 2 comments

Advocacy Coding/Computer Science Curricular Standards Professional Learning Technology Applications TEKS

Technology Standards Approved at June SBOE Meeting

by Jennifer Bergland June 20, 2022

written by Jennifer Bergland

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) met during the week of June 14-17. At this meeting, the board heard from the Commissioner of Education and dealt with several issues that pertain to technology in Texas schools.

Commissioner Update

At each meeting, the Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, updates the board on things pertaining to Texas schools. He usually provides the board with pertinent updates and then answers questions posed to him by individual board members.

He began the meeting by discussing the shooting in Uvalde. He acknowledged how difficult the past four weeks have been for all involved, including the agency that is dedicated to the well-being of all children in Texas. One of the ways the agency is responding is to create a team at TEA led by a Chief of School Safety and Security. This individual will report directly to the commissioner and will work to improve the safety of our schools.

The Commissioner then highlighted the agency’s work on improving the teacher pipeline. This discussion included the recruitment, retention, and preparation of Texas teachers. He also discussed the work of Teacher Vacancy Task Force that was launched on March 10.

I always find the commissioner’s update to be insightful. You can learn a lot about the agency’s priorities and the priorities of the SBOE members. His update was given on June 15 at the beginning of the SBOE’s agenda. It lasts about an hour and twenty minutes.

Technology Applications and Computer Science Standards Revised

On Friday, June 17 the board voted to approve on second reading the revised K-8 Technology Applications TEKS. For background on the revision process, see the blog post I wrote on May 16, 2022. A vote taken on second reading is the final vote which means these standards have been approved. However, because it takes several years for the instructional materials to be created and selected, they will not be used in Texas classrooms until the 2024-2025 school year.

The board also approved on second reading the revisions made in seven CTE computer science courses: Fundamentals of Computer Science, Computer Science I, Computer Science II, Computer Science III, Foundations of Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, and Cybersecurity Capstone.

A proclamation seeking instructional materials for each of these courses will be issued which means they, too, will be implemented in Texas classrooms in the 2024-2025 school year. This is the next step for most of the high school courses listed above. However, the changes made to Fundamentals of Computer Science and Computer Science III do not require new instructional materials, so they will be implemented in the 2022-2023 school year.

TEA Provided an Update on the Long Range Plan for Technology Update

At the April SBOE meeting, TEA gave an update on their progress on the Long Range Plan for Technology. At that meeting, the board provided TEA staff with some specific suggestions of things they wanted to see in the plan. During the June meeting, TEA provided a very brief update on their progress with the plan and their inclusion of the board’s recommendations.

The plan will change the device refresh cycle from a recommended seven years to a much shorter range of two to three years. During the pandemic most districts provided devices to their students that were taken home. Districts have reported that the wear and tear of devices that are used 24/7 prohibits their ability to extend their usage to seven years.

At the board’s request they added a stipulation that all districts must ensure compliance with CIPA. Currently, only districts that participate in the E-rate program are required to abide by the CIPA regulations. Very few districts do not participate in the E-rate program but there are a few that do not.

The plan will also include provisions that deal with cybersecurity. It will also address the need to ensure that students have access to high speed Internet both at school and home. And finally, the plan will address school safety, including the need to use technology to provide physical security to school facilities.

TEA indicated they would bring the final draft to the board for their approval at the September meeting.

In Conclusion

This the second consecutive SBOE meeting that has dealt with major issues that pertain to the use of technology. As always, TCEA is committed to monitoring these items as they make their way through the process. It is important to remember that issues that involve teaching and learning are not only decided by the Texas legislature but also the State Board of Education. I encourage each of you to identify who your board member is and reach out to them when you have questions or concerns. They work for you! If you don’t know which board member represents you, use this form to find out. Make sure you use your home address, not your school address.

June 20, 2022 0 comment

Advocacy Coding/Computer Science Curricular Standards Cybersecurity Digital Citizenship Digital Literacy STEM/STEAM Technology Applications TEKS

SBOE to Consider Tech TEKS and Computer Science Update

by Jennifer Bergland May 16, 2022

written by Jennifer Bergland

The Texas Education Agency, at the request of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE), has been working with various groups of educators to review and revise the K-8 Technology Applications TEKS and four high school computer science courses. At the April board meeting, the SBOE approved the revisions on first reading. This triggered a required period for the public to provide comments on the new TEKS. The board will vote to approve the revised standards at their June meeting. Below is a brief summary of their work with instructions on how you can provide feedback to the board. I have also included a link to the proposed TEKS at the bottom of this post.

Review of the Process

In order to facilitate the review and revision of a set of standards, the SBOE nominates educators, parents, business and industry representatives, and employers to serve on TEKS review work groups. Work groups make recommendations to the SBOE for revisions to the TEKS.

K-8 Technology Applications TEKS

The K-8 Technology Applications were last revised in 2011. Since then, several pieces of legislation have passed that have changed the scope and direction of the standards. In 2019, the passage of HB 2984 (86R) required the SBOE to include “coding, computer programming, computational thinking, and cybersecurity” into the K-8 Tech Apps curriculum. Also in 2019, SB 11 (86R) required the inclusion of digital citizenship and cyberbullying into the curriculum.

Overview of the K-8 TEKS Changes

From their inception, the K-5 Technology Applications standards were grouped into grade bands (K-2; 3-5). The reviewers have recommended that the K-5 standards be broken into single grades just as they are in other content areas. Each grade level has its own set of TEKS. The different work group documents for the K-8 TEKS can be found on this TEA web page.

The work groups also combined strands, added new ones, and even reduced the number of strands. There are now five strands instead of six. I have listed them below and provided the group’s rationale for their proposed changes.

The primary change is the direction and rigor of the standards. The former TEKS were primarily teaching students how to use technology. With the introduction of computational thinking, coding, computer programming, and cybersecurity the TEKS are substantially more focused on building the academic skills that are involved in computer science.

My advice to teachers and school districts is to begin reviewing and studying the standards now so you will be prepared for their implementation in the 2024-2025 school year. These standards will take a much more concerted effort to implement than the ones they are replacing.

Strand Changes for the K-8 TEKS

Below are the strands the work groups have recommended. I’ve inserted the comments from the work group documents that gave rationale for their recommendations. I have also included those strands that were recommended for elimination.

Computational Thinking – New

This strand aligns with the Computational Thinker strand in the ISTE Standards for Students and CSTA concepts for Algorithms and Programming in accordance with recommendations from the content advisors and Work Group A. Programming, coding, and computational thinking are also required to be included in the K– 8 technology applications TEKS by the Texas Education Code §28.002(c3).

Creativity and Innovation – Current

This strand promotes creating original works that showcase the knowledge students have acquired. It aligns with the Creative Communicator strand in the ISTE Standards for Students, CTE Programming and Software Development TEKS Work Group recommendations, and Work Group A recommendations. Creativity is the process and creation is the product

Data literacy, Management, and Representation (New)

This strand encourages students to use critical thinking skills and digital tools to create visual representations of gathered data or knowledge to display, analyze, and evaluate results. This strand vertically aligns with the CTE Programming and Software Development TEKS Work Group recommendations.

Digital Citizenship (Current)

Work Group B reviewed current law and determined that this strand was still necessary.

Practical Technology Concepts (New Name)

This strand was previously titled Technology Operations and Concepts. It addresses the fundamental skills that students will need to use or create with technology across the curriculum and future courses. These are transferable skills in school and life. Addressing computer systems and operating systems aligns with the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards.

Deleted Strands:

Communication and Collaboration:

Work Group D eliminated this strand because they didn’t feel that a stand-alone strand for Communication and Collaboration is necessary. Communication and collaboration are woven throughout the design process and there are explicit examples in other technology application strands.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

This strand was deleted by Work Group B because these skills are incorporated across the standards.

Creativity and Innovation

This strand was deleted by Work Group B because these skills are incorporated across the standards.

Research and Information Fluency

This strand was deleted by Work Group B because these skills are incorporated across the standards.:

9-12 Computer Science and Cybersecurity Standards

I asked John Owen to provide a brief review of the revisions that were made to the high school courses. He is the Computer Science Project Manager for We Teach_CS at the University of Texas. He was involved in the revision of the four high school computer science courses.

“The four high school level computer science courses now under the CTE umbrella, Fundamentals of Computer Science, Computer Science I, II and III, underwent a revision process this past year which included a slight modification to the strand structure and adjustments to several student expectations in each of the courses. For the most part each course retained its original structure with wording changes to several Student Expectations to provide better clarity, relocating and consolidating several Student Expectations to under the various strands to improve the clarity and flow of the course, and a few Student Expectations added that needed to be deleted for being no longer relevant or beyond the scope of the course, or consolidated with other Student Expectations due to some duplication instances.

A significant effort was made to provide a seamless transition through these four courses to make for a seamless and logical vertical progression for the student taking two or more of these courses in sequence. Also, several of the Student Expectations from the existing topics were too closely aligned with specific languages, particularly Java, and efforts were made to create more general language describing the student expectation. For example, there were several Student Expectations that alluded to the use of object reference variables, a particular aspect of Java not always common to other languages, and broader language was used instead to enable use of other language choices.”

The different work group documents for the high school courses can be found on this TEA web page.

Providing Feedback

The deadline to provide feedback on the revised K-8 Technology Applications TEKS and/or the high school computer science and cybersecurity courses is 5 p.m., June 10, 2022. You can provide your comments using this form.

My advice is to be very specific about what you propose. If you want to recommend the removal or insertion of text in the standards, you should create a document that can be uploaded. Copy and paste the text you want to change. Then, strike the language you want to be deleted and underline the new text you want to include.

Here are the revised standards for Chapter 126, the K-8 Technology Applications. Here are the revised standards for Chapter 127, Subchapter O, the high school computer science and cybersecurity courses

Photo Credits:

Photo of students pointing to laptop by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Photo of teacher helping student with coding by Mars Sector-6 on Unsplash

Photo of secure phone by Dan Nelson on Unsplash

May 16, 2022 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts