STAAR Grade 8 Science Assessment Page 8 of 10
Texas Education Agency
Student Assessment Division
May 2018
(C) identify some changes in genetic traits that have occurred over
several generations through natural selection and selective breeding
such as the Galapagos Medium Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) or
domestic animals and hybrid plants. Supporting Standard
(7.12) Organisms and environments. The student knows that living systems at all
levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and
function. The student is expected to
(B) identify the main functions of the systems of the human organism,
including the circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular, digestive,
excretory, reproductive, integumentary, nervous, and endocrine
systems; Supporting Standard
(D) differentiate between structure and function in plant and animal cell
organelles, including cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, cytoplasm,
mitochondrion, chloroplast, and vacuole; and Supporting Standard
(F) recognize the components of cell theory. Supporting Standard
(7.14) Organisms and environments. The student knows that reproduction is a
characteristic of living organisms and that the instructions for traits are
governed in the genetic material. The student is expected to
(B) compare the results of uniform or diverse offspring from asexual or
sexual reproduction; and Supporting Standard
(C) recognize that inherited traits of individuals are governed in the
genetic material found in the genes within chromosomes in the
nucleus. Supporting Standard
Grade 6
(6.12) Organisms and environments. The student knows all organisms are
classified into domains and kingdoms. Organisms within these taxonomic
groups share similar characteristics that allow them to interact with the living
and nonliving parts of their ecosystem. The student is expected to
(D) identify the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic
or eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, autotrophic or
heterotrophic, and mode of reproduction, that further classify them
in the currently recognized kingdoms. Supporting Standard