Texas TEKS K.8

ScienceKindergartenForce, motion, and energy

TEKS Knowledge Statement (Expectation Cluster)

Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that energy is everywhere and can be observed in everyday life. The student is expected to:

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science

Cluster contents

K.8 is a TEKS knowledge and skills statement. These are the student expectations under it.

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify a light source as the reason an object is visible. They compare how objects look in bright and dim light. They test which materials let light pass and which make shadows.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can use a flashlight to make an object easier to see and explain why. The student can sort materials by whether light passes through them and predict where a shadow will form.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think eyes produce light or that objects can be seen in complete darkness. They may think every material blocks light completely. Some may believe a shadow is part of the object rather than an area where light is blocked.
How to Assess It: Give each student a flashlight, clear plastic, wax paper, and cardboard. Ask them to test each material, sort it by light passage, and explain which one makes the darkest shadow.

Lesson moves

Set up a dark box with a small toy, then let students add flashlight light and describe how the toy’s appearance changes.
Ask students to draw the same classroom object in bright light and dim light, then explain the differences to a partner.
Play Light Sort by having students predict and test whether a flashlight shines through plastic, paper, fabric, foil, and cardboard.
Trace playground shadows in the morning and afternoon, then compare their locations and connect each shadow to the Sun’s light.

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