TEKS Correlations

Grades 4-7

Science

 1. Scientific processes. The student conducts field and laboratory investigations following home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations

2. Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:
(B) collect information by observing and measuring;

Grade 4 & 5: (E) construct simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts to organize, examine, and evaluate information.

 Grade 6& 7: (E) construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data.

4. Scientific processes. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to:

Grade 4: (A) collect and analyze information using tools including calculators, safety goggles, microscopes, cameras, sound recorders, computers, hand lenses, rulers, thermometers, meter sticks, timing devices, balances, and compasses.

Grade 5: (A) collect and analyze information using tools including calculators, microscopes, cameras,
sound recorders, computers, hand lenses, rulers, thermometers, compasses, balances, hot plates, meter sticks, timing devices, magnets, collecting nets, and safety goggles.

Grade 6: (A) collect, analyze, and record information using tools including beakers, petri dishes, meter
sticks, graduated cylinders, weather instruments, timing devices, hot plates, test tubes, safety goggles, spring scales, magnets, balances, microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, calculators, field equipment, compasses, computers, and computer probes; and (B) identify patterns in collected information using percent, average, range, and frequency.

Grade 7: (A) collect, analyze, and record information to explain a phenomenon using tools including
beakers, petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, weather instruments, hot plates, dissecting equipment, test tubes, safety goggles, spring scales, balances, microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, calculators, field equipment, computers, computer probes, timing devices, magnets, and compasses; and (B) collect and analyze information to recognize patterns such as rates of change.

Mathematics

Grade 4: (4.14) Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student applies Grade 4 mathematics to solve problems connected to everyday experiences and activities in and outside of school. The student is expected to:
(D) use tools such as real objects, manipulatives,and technology to solve problems.

(4.15) Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student communicates about Grade 4 mathematics using informal language. The student is expected to:
(A) explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Grade 5: (5.5)Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student makes generalizations based on observed patterns and relationships. The student is expected to:
(A) use concrete objects or pictures to make generalizations about determining all possible combinations; (B) use lists, tables, charts, and diagrams to find patterns and make generalizations such as a procedure for determining equivalent fractions.

(5.9) Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student recognizes the connection between ordered pairs of numbers and locations of points on a plane. The student is expected to locate and name points on a coordinate grid using ordered pairs of whole numbers.

(5.14) Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student applies Grade 5 mathematics to solve problems connected to everyday experiences and activities in and outside of school. The student is expected to:
(D) use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

(5.15) Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student communicates about Grade 5 mathematics using informal language. The student is expected to:
(A) explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Grade 6: (6.7) Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses coordinate geometry to identify location in two dimensions. The student is expected to locate and name points on a coordinate plane using ordered pairs of non-negative rational numbers.

(6.9)Probability and statistics. The student uses experimental and theoretical probability to make predictions. The student is expected to:
(B) find the probabilities of a simple event and its complement and describe the relationship between the two.

Grade 7: (7.7)Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses coordinate geometry to describe location on a plane. The student is expected to:
(A) locate and name points on a coordinate plane using ordered pairs of integers; and (B) graph translations on a coordinate plane.

(7.8)Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses geometry to model and describe the physical world. The student is expected to:
(A) sketch a solid when given the top, side, and front views.
 
 

Step 3: Excavate the Site

Goal: to instruct students in the methodology used in data collection for archaeological research, develop an understanding of how cultural traits are reflected in artifacts and features, and develop an awareness of their interrelatedness.

Objective: students will conduct a field excavation of a simulated archaeological site using scientific methodologies. (Materials excavated will be used for later related exercises.)

Materials Needed: (Print Directions) (Print Forms)
Teachers will need to plan the sites to be excavated. Artifacts can be of your choosing, but the groupings should be designed to tell a story of what may have happened at that site. Significant preparation time and many materials are required to put the excavation sites together, however, materials can be very inexpensive or of no cost to compile.

Activity Description:

Activity One:

  • Prepare two flat surfaces, a table or floor will do. Mark off an area about one meter square with masking tape or string.
  • Select no more than ten common objects to place in each square. They can be everyday items used in your classroom or home, such as pencils, paper, cups, erasers, etc.
  • Have students create a map of their square, using techniques learned in the Survey Activity.
  • In their groups, have students discuss the objects in each square, asking them to observe the objects and their relationships to each other. Consider the following questions:
    • If you were an archaeologist uncovering this site in the future, what inferences might you make about the people and the place in which these artifacts were found?
    • What additional questions would you have?
    • What if some of the items were missing?
    • How would that affect your original conclusions about the site?
  • Remove the objects from the area. Ask students to switch sites and replace the objects using the map created by the other group.
  • Have students consider the same questions with their new site.
  • Discussion:
    • Were students able to recreate the sites?
    • Archaeology is a destructive process. Once information (in the form of artifacts) is removed, it cannot be replaced.
    • Archaeologists preserve the context of artifacts they recover from sites by recording the location of everything they find. The artifact and its context provide more information to the archaeologist than could the artifact alone. When context is lost, information is lost.

Activity Two: Archaeological Processes - Excavation
(Print Directions) (Print Forms)
This activity requires a minimum of one class period, if not two. Students should be divided into groups of three or four and share in all tasks to complete the project. Tasks include careful excavation, mapping, measuring, and recording; the screening activity described on the next page may also be completed concurrently.