Texas TEKS 3.16

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

• 3.16.A

  use democratic procedures to simulate making decisions on school, local, or state issues

• 3.16.B

  use problem-solving and decision-making processes to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, c...

01

What Students Need to Do

Students identify a shared problem, gather facts, compare possible solutions, and choose an action. They use discussion, proposals, and voting to make group decisions, then judge whether the solution worked.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students can explain each option’s benefits and drawbacks using relevant facts. They follow agreed voting rules, carry out the selected solution, and name evidence showing whether it helped.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think voting means everyone gets their first choice or that the most popular option is always the fairest. They may skip fact gathering, ignore drawbacks, or forget to check results after acting.

04

How to Assess It

Give this exit ticket: “Our playground has too much litter. List two solutions, one benefit and drawback for each, your choice, and how you would check it.”

1. 01

   Give groups a cafeteria noise problem, fact cards, and solution cards, then have them sort evidence, debate options, and vote.

2. 02

   Ask students to write: “Should our class change its indoor recess rules?” Require a claim, one benefit, and one drawback.

3. 03

   Use scenario cards in a relay where teams arrange problem-solving step cards in order and explain the next action.

4. 04

   Read a local council agenda item, then have students identify the problem, compare two options, and conduct a class vote.

• 1.18

  The 1st Grade version of this standard.

• 5.26

  The 5th Grade version of this standard.

• 2.17

  The 2nd Grade version of this standard.

• 4.22

  The 4th Grade version of this standard.