Texas TEKS 7.13.B

Science7th GradeOrganisms and environments

The Standard

describe the hierarchical organization of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems within plants and animals

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students order cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems from least to most complex. They explain how each level is built from the level before it, using plant and animal examples.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can correctly sequence a muscle cell, cardiac muscle tissue, heart, and circulatory system. They can also sequence a guard cell, epidermal tissue, leaf, and shoot system, then explain each connection.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think one cell becomes a tissue instead of many similar cells working together. They may confuse an organ with an organ system or assume plants lack organs and organ systems.
How to Assess It: Give students these terms: guard cell, epidermal tissue, leaf, shoot system. Ask them to order the terms and explain how each level forms the next.

Lesson moves

Have pairs arrange labeled picture cards of plant and animal structures into two organization chains, then justify each placement.
Ask students to write: How is a tissue different from an organ, and how does one help form the other?
Play four corners labeled cell, tissue, organ, and organ system, then call examples for students to classify.
Show a wilted leaf and ask students to trace how damaged cells can affect leaf tissue, the leaf, and the shoot system.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 7.13.B, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Keep exploring

Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.