Comparing Organisms Complete Science Lesson - New TEKS 6.13B

This complete unit provides middle school teachers with everything needed to teach students how to identify and compare the basic characteristics of organisms. Students investigate and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, unicellular and multicellular organisms, and autotrophic versus heterotrophic nutrition. The resource includes editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, a differentiated station lab, and assessments. Built for multiday use with minimal prep, this lesson emphasizes student-led, differentiated learning so teachers can focus on facilitating deeper understanding.

Essential Question for Students

• How do the terms in each pair of characteristics compare to one another: prokaryote and eukaryote, multicellular and unicellular, and autotroph and heterotroph?

Standards Alignment: Meets 2021 TEKS standard 6.13B.

Key Features

• Differentiated materials for students who need extra support or enrichment

• Multimodal learning activities to keep students engaged and accountable

• Flexible delivery in both printable and digital formats

• Editable PowerPoints for classroom customization

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, a station lab passage, and interactive notebook pages

Instructional Framework: The 5E Model

This lesson is built on the 5E instructional model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—providing a balance of inquiry, practice, and assessment.

Engage

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher file with class discussion prompts, activity suggestions, and notes on misconceptions

Explore

• A nine-station, student-led lab guiding students to compare organisms by cell type, structure, and energy acquisition

Input Stations:

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated reading passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension questions

• Research It! – Online activity with tasks and guided questions

• Watch It! – Short video followed by discussion and reflection

Output Stations:

• Organize It! – Printable/digital card sorts for classification and categorization

• Write It! – Open-ended written responses in complete sentences

• Illustrate It! – Sketching/drawing to reinforce concepts visually

• Assess It! – Task cards and vocabulary-in-context questions

Bonus Station:

• Challenge It! – Crosswords, puzzles, or mini-projects for enrichment and early finishers

Explain

• Editable PowerPoints in standard and interactive versions

• Interactive Notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Note-taking organizers to support guided instruction

Elaborate

• Student-choice projects to extend learning by applying classification concepts

Evaluate

• Assessments updated for STAAR 2.0, with standard and modified versions

• Review questions and worksheets for practice, homework, or test prep

Flexible Learning Options

This lesson is designed for both in-class and virtual instruction. The digital station lab and interactive notebook activities are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making it simple to use in blended or online environments.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.