Texas TEKS 7.3.C
The Standard
engage respectfully in scientific argumentation using applied scientific explanations and empirical evidence.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students make a scientific claim and support it with observations, measurements, or reliable data. They explain how the evidence supports the claim. They listen to competing ideas, question reasoning, and respond without attacking the speaker.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student selects relevant evidence, connects it logically to a claim, and identifies limits in the evidence. During disagreement, the student asks specific questions, addresses counterclaims, and revises an explanation when stronger evidence appears.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat opinions, repeated claims, or personal experience as sufficient evidence. They may list data without explaining how it supports the claim. Some attack the person, dismiss disagreement, or assume changing a claim means losing the argument.
How to Assess It
- Give students two claims and a small data table about plant growth under different light colors. Ask them to choose one claim, cite two data points, explain the link, and write one respectful response to the other claim.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Teams test three paper towel brands, record absorbed water, then defend a best-brand claim using measurements while classmates challenge the method.
Use the prompt, “Should our class accept this explanation?” and require each response to name evidence and address one opposing idea.
Play Evidence Sort: groups match evidence cards to claims, reject irrelevant cards, and earn points for explaining each choice respectfully.
Compare two local weather forecasts with later observations, then write which forecast was better supported and why.
Free download
Printable 7.3.C Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 7.3.C, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- 8.3.C
engage respectfully in scientific argumentation using applied scientific explanations and empirical evidence
- 3.3.C
listen actively to others' explanations to identify relevant evidence and engage respectfully in scientific discussion.
- 6.3.C
The 6th Grade version of this standard.
- 5.3.C
listen actively to others' explanations to identify relevant evidence and engage respectfully in scientific discussion.
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson