Texas TEKS 7.2

7.2 is a TEKS knowledge and skills statement. These are the student expectations under it.

• 7.2.A

  identify advantages and limitations of models such as their size, scale, properties, and materials

• 7.2.B

  analyze data by identifying any significant descriptive statistical features, patterns, sources of error, or limitations

• 7.2.C

  use mathematical calculations to assess quantitative relationships in data

• 7.2.D

  evaluate experimental and engineering designs.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students compare a model with the object, system, or process it represents and explain what its scale, size, properties, or materials leave out. They inspect tables and graphs for trends, clusters, outliers, variation, error sources, and limits, then use calculations to describe relationships. They use the results to judge an investigation or design and support a claim or improvement.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student selects and calculates a useful measure, such as mean, range, rate, ratio, or percent change, and explains what it shows. They point to specific values when describing patterns, outliers, and possible errors. They compare a model or design with its purpose, name limits, and propose an evidence-based improvement.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students often treat a model as an exact copy, or call every difference a flaw rather than a deliberate simplification. They may assume correlation proves cause, choose a calculation without explaining it, or ignore outliers and variation across trials. They also judge a design by appearance instead of criteria, test data, controlled variables, and constraints.

04

How to Assess It

Give students a five row data table from three bridge trials plus a sketch of the bridge model. Ask them to calculate the mean load, identify one pattern or error source, name one model limitation, and recommend one design change.

1. 01

   Build foil boat prototypes, record maximum washer loads, calculate load per gram of foil, then name one design limitation and revise.

2. 02

   Show a graph linking study time and quiz scores, then ask students to write what the correlation supports and cannot prove.

3. 03

   Run an Error Detective card sort where teams match flawed data sets to outliers, measurement error, small samples, or uncontrolled variables.

4. 04

   Compare a hurricane forecast cone with the storm’s actual path, then discuss model usefulness, uncertainty, scale, and decisions officials must make.

• 1.2

  The 1st Grade version of this standard.

• 3.2

  The 3rd Grade version of this standard.

• 2.2

  The 2nd Grade version of this standard.

• 5.2

  The 5th Grade version of this standard.