Tools and safe investigations
Students learn how scientists work. They ask questions, use simple tools like rulers and hand lenses, and practice safety habits while exploring the classroom and schoolyard.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science becomes hands-on. Students start asking real questions, testing them with simple tools, and writing or drawing what they found out. They look closely at the world around them: how objects move when pushed or pulled, what the weather is doing, and how animals and plants get what they need to live. By spring, students can run a small experiment, record what they saw, and explain the result in their own words.
- Asking questions
- Pushes and pulls
- Weather patterns
- Plants and animals
- Day and night sky
- Measuring with tools
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Sorting and describing matter
Students look closely at everyday objects and group them by what they can see and feel, such as color, size, shape, and weight. They notice how heat and light show up in daily life.
- 3
Pushes, pulls, and motion
Students roll, slide, and push objects to see what makes them speed up, slow down, or change direction. They look for patterns in how things move.
- 4
Earth, sky, and weather
Students explore land, water, and air around them. They track daily weather, notice the sun and moon in the sky, and talk about how people care for the places they live.
- 5
Living things and their homes
Students study plants and animals and the places they live. They notice the parts that help an animal eat or hide, and how baby animals and plants grow up to look like their parents.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Scientific and Engineering Practices
Scientific and Engineering Practices
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Scientific Investigation
Students plan and carry out simple science investigations to answer a question they can actually test. They choose the right tools, stay safe, and follow steps to find out what happens.
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Scientific and Engineering Practices
Students ask questions about things they notice, test simple ideas, and look at what the results show. This is the basic work of science and engineering, starting in first grade.
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Tools and Measurement
Students learn to measure and record numbers using rulers, thermometers, and other basic science tools. They practice reading those tools accurately and using what they find to answer a question.
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Communicate Findings
Students explain what they found in an investigation using drawings, words, or spoken descriptions. Their conclusion has to match the data they collected.
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Recurring Themes and Concepts
Students look for patterns and connections that show up across science topics. They notice how a cause leads to an effect, how models represent real things, and how parts work together as a system.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Investigation | Students plan and carry out simple science investigations to answer a question they can actually test. They choose the right tools, stay safe, and follow steps to find out what happens. | TX-SCI.PRAC.1.1 |
| Scientific and Engineering Practices | Students ask questions about things they notice, test simple ideas, and look at what the results show. This is the basic work of science and engineering, starting in first grade. | TX-SCI.PRAC.1.2 |
| Tools and Measurement | Students learn to measure and record numbers using rulers, thermometers, and other basic science tools. They practice reading those tools accurately and using what they find to answer a question. | TX-SCI.PRAC.1.3 |
| Communicate Findings | Students explain what they found in an investigation using drawings, words, or spoken descriptions. Their conclusion has to match the data they collected. | TX-SCI.PRAC.1.4 |
| Recurring Themes and Concepts | Students look for patterns and connections that show up across science topics. They notice how a cause leads to an effect, how models represent real things, and how parts work together as a system. | TX-SCI.PRAC.1.5 |
Matter and Energy
Matter and Energy
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Properties of Matter
Students learn that every object around them has physical properties, like color, shape, hardness, and whether it sinks or floats. Those properties determine how we sort, describe, and use the materials in everyday life.
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Energy Forms and Transfers
Energy makes things move, glow, or feel warm. Students explore how pushing a toy, turning on a light, or touching something hot shows that energy passes from one object to another.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Properties of Matter | Students learn that every object around them has physical properties, like color, shape, hardness, and whether it sinks or floats. Those properties determine how we sort, describe, and use the materials in everyday life. | TX-SCI.ME.1.1 |
| Energy Forms and Transfers | Energy makes things move, glow, or feel warm. Students explore how pushing a toy, turning on a light, or touching something hot shows that energy passes from one object to another. | TX-SCI.ME.1.2 |
Force, Motion, and Energy
Force, Motion, and Energy
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Forces and Motion
Students push or pull objects and notice what happens: heavier things are harder to move, and a stronger push makes something go faster or farther.
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Patterns of Motion
Students watch how objects move, like a rolling ball or a swinging pendulum, and look for patterns they can use to predict what the object will do next.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Forces and Motion | Students push or pull objects and notice what happens: heavier things are harder to move, and a stronger push makes something go faster or farther. | TX-SCI.FME.1.1 |
| Patterns of Motion | Students watch how objects move, like a rolling ball or a swinging pendulum, and look for patterns they can use to predict what the object will do next. | TX-SCI.FME.1.2 |
Earth and Space Sciences
Earth and Space Sciences
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Earth's Systems
Students learn that Earth is made of connected layers and parts: the ground beneath their feet, the water in oceans and rivers, the air around them, and the plants and animals that live here. They explore how these parts affect each other.
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Weather and Climate
Students learn to notice weather patterns, like why some seasons are warmer or rainier than others, and explore how human activity can affect the climate over time.
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Space and the Solar System
Students learn that the sun, moon, and planets follow predictable patterns as they move through the sky. Those patterns explain why we have days, nights, and changing seasons on Earth.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Earth's Systems | Students learn that Earth is made of connected layers and parts: the ground beneath their feet, the water in oceans and rivers, the air around them, and the plants and animals that live here. They explore how these parts affect each other. | TX-SCI.ESS.1.1 |
| Weather and Climate | Students learn to notice weather patterns, like why some seasons are warmer or rainier than others, and explore how human activity can affect the climate over time. | TX-SCI.ESS.1.2 |
| Space and the Solar System | Students learn that the sun, moon, and planets follow predictable patterns as they move through the sky. Those patterns explain why we have days, nights, and changing seasons on Earth. | TX-SCI.ESS.1.3 |
Organisms and Environments
Organisms and Environments
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Organisms and Environments
Students learn how living things, like plants and animals, are built for the place they live. A fish has gills; a cactus has thick stems. Those features help each organism survive where it does.
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Ecosystems
Students learn where plants and animals get their energy, how food and water move through a habitat, and what happens when one creature eats another.
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Heredity and Reproduction
Students learn that living things make offspring that look like them. A kitten comes from a cat, a seedling comes from a seed, and young animals or plants share traits with their parents.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Organisms and Environments | Students learn how living things, like plants and animals, are built for the place they live. A fish has gills; a cactus has thick stems. Those features help each organism survive where it does. | TX-SCI.ORG.1.1 |
| Ecosystems | Students learn where plants and animals get their energy, how food and water move through a habitat, and what happens when one creature eats another. | TX-SCI.ORG.1.2 |
| Heredity and Reproduction | Students learn that living things make offspring that look like them. A kitten comes from a cat, a seedling comes from a seed, and young animals or plants share traits with their parents. | TX-SCI.ORG.1.3 |
No state assessments at this grade
Students take their next one in Grade 4.
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, writing, and other subjects. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
- When given:
- biennial in winter
- Frequency:
- every two years
Common Questions
What does science look like this year?
Students explore the world around them by asking questions, sorting objects by what they look and feel like, watching how things move, tracking weather, and learning how plants and animals live. Most of the work happens through hands-on activities, not reading from a textbook.
How can families build science thinking at home?
Go outside and notice things together. Ask why ice melts in a cup, why shadows move during the day, or why a ball rolls farther on the sidewalk than on grass. Letting students guess, try, and check builds the same habits used in class.
Do students need to memorize a lot of science vocabulary?
Not really at this age. Students should use plain words to describe what they see, like heavy, rough, fast, or warm. A few key terms like push, pull, and weather come up often, but the focus is on noticing patterns, not memorizing definitions.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common path starts with safety and tools, then moves into properties of matter, then forces and motion. Earth topics like weather and the sky fit well in the middle, with plants, animals, and habitats toward spring when outdoor observation is easier.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Force and motion ideas trip students up because they mix up heavier with faster. Weather patterns also take repeated practice, since one rainy day is not a pattern. Plan to revisit these across the year instead of teaching them once.
What can families do in 10 minutes a week?
Pick one thing to watch on a regular schedule. Check the weather each morning, look at the moon a few nights in a row, or weigh fruit at the grocery store. Short, repeated noticing is more useful than one long science project.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By spring, students should be able to ask a testable question, use a simple tool like a ruler or thermometer, record what they see in a drawing or chart, and explain a pattern in their own words. Mastery shows up in their talk, not just on a quiz.