Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12 for test #238

218 Pages·5·10.418 MB·English

by  Saba Sadiq, M.S

Pass the
TExES
Life
Science
7-12
EXCELLENT CONTENT, WORKSHEETS, FOR TEXAS TEACHERS.
A test prep manual for the TExES
EXERCISES, STUDY TECHNIQUES AND
Life Science 7-12 #238
INTERACTIVE STUDY MODULE
Sixth Edition
by Saba Sadiq, M.S.

Also
with Vickie Hester, Ph.D., Cody Prine, B.A. available from
Ed Publishing:
and Mark Mentze, M. Ed., M.A.
Pass the TExES PPR
www.passthetexes.com
Pass the TExES
Life Science
7-12
FOR TEXAS TEACHERS
A test prep manual for the TExES Life Science
exam #238 for grades 7-12
Sixth Edition
by Saba Sadiq, M.S.

with Vickie Hester, Ph.D., Cody Prine, B.A.
and Mark Mentze, M. Ed., M.A.
Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12
Sixth Edition Copyright © October 8, 2020 by Ed Publishing and Consulting
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced (except those pages marked copyable) or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system,
except as may be expressly permitted by the Publisher.
Manufactured in the United States of America

Published by
Ed Publishing and Consulting
Dallas, Texas
888-978-1922
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.passthetexes.com
Content Writers: Saba Sadiq, M.S.
Vickie Hester, Ph.D., Cody Prine, B.A.
Program Designer: Mark J. Mentze, M.Ed., M.A.
Designer/Program Manager: Lori Mentze
Assistant Designer: Karen Esperanza
Designed using an Apple Macintosh iMac™ using InDesign™. Fonts: Adobe® Garamond, Bodega Sans, Matrix Tall,
Wingdings. PowerPoint® is a registered trademark of Microsoft® Corp.
Dedication
For Sadiq, without whose constant encouragement and “gentle” nagging
this book would not be complete. For my kids Zaid and Sana, thanks for
tiptoeing around me when I was so caught up in my writing. For my
parents and sisters who always believed I could do it.
And finally, thank you Lori Mentze for the
continued patience and rock solid support.

4
Contents
Preface 7
Introduction 8-9
Steps for Success 10-11

I Scientific Inquiry and Processes
(Domain One - Competencies 1-3) 13
Competency 1- Safety and Procedures 14
Competency 2 - Understanding Science 20
Competency 3 - Science in our World 30

II Cell Structure and Processes
(Domain Two - Competencies 4-7) 37
Competency 4 - Biomolecules 38
Competency 5 - Cell Structure 44
Competency 6 - Cell Processes 48
Competency 7 - Growth and Development 54
III Heredity and Evolution of Life
(Domain Three - Competencies 8-11) 59
Competency 8 - Nucleic Acids and the Mechanics of Genetics 60
Competency 9 - Traits 66
Competency 10 - Theory of Biological Evolution 72
Competency 11 - Evidence for Evolutionary Change 78
IV Diversity of Life (Domain Four - Competencies 12-15) 85
Competency 12 - Living Organisms and Taxonomic Systems 86
Competency 13 - Living Systems 92
Competency 14 - Homeostasis 100
Competency 15 - Biology and Behavior 106

V Interdependence of Life and Environmental Systems
(Domain Five - Competencies 16-18) 111
Competency 16 - Ecosystems, Habitats and Biomes 112
Competency 17 - Interdependence and Interactions in Ecosystems 120
Competency 18 - Populations in Ecosystems 128
VI Science Learning, Instruction and Assessment
(Domain Six - Competencies 19-20) 135
Competency 19 - Science Learning and Instruction 136
Competency 20 - Assessment 144
Appendix I Tips and Study Aids 151
Appendix II Resources and References 167
Appendix III Seminar Student Packet/Practice Question 173
P owerPoint® Study Module instructrions on the last page of this manual.

5
Pass the TExES Life Science 8-12 Contents

Preface
Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ~John Dewey

Dear Teachers:
“Each TExES test is a cri-
terion-referenced exam- I used Mark Mentze’s strategies to prepare for the ExCET and the TExES Examinations,
iritnation designed to and I passed both on my first attempt. These methods really do work. Pass the TExES Life
measure the knowledge Science 7-12 uses the same methods to identify the standards required in the examination
and skills delineated in as Pass the TExES PPR from Ed Publishing.
the corresponding TExES
test framework. Each The sixth edition of Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12 will help you to reinforce the basic
concepts, apply what you learned in college, and use that wealth of knowledge to your
test framework is based
advantage in passing the certification examination. This study guide covers the standards,
on standards that were
domains, and competencies required of 7-12th grade Life Science teachers in Texas. It is
developed by Texas edu-
closely aligned with the science TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills).
cators and other educa-
tion stakeholders. Each
I hope you are able to use this book to not only successfully pass the certification examina-
newly developed TExES
tion, but also as a handy reference during your teaching career.
test is designed to mea-
sure the requisite knowl- - Saba Sadiq
edge and skills that an
entry-level educator in Dear Teachers:
Texas public schools
must possess. The tests This sixth edition of Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12 not only addresses the issue of
include both individual, memorization and its importance in taking the TExES exam, but also includes a helpful
or stand-alone, test guide to identifying the all-important Competencies.
items (questions) and
items that are arranged For my certification exams, I used my graduate school study strategies. I gathered and
abbreviated important information, outlined it, and created acronyms to help me
in clustered sets based
memorize and recall information.
on real-world situations
faced by educators.”
I expanded my materials in 1999 so that other teachers could benefit from my study
system. Illustrations, worksheets, an interactive computer module, etc., were added.
-From the materials pub-
The design of the Pass the TExES books provides well-organized effective review material
lished by SBEC (State
that is easy to study and internalize. The study methods are designed to strengthen one's
Board for Educator
analysis and synthesis skills—skills necessary for success on the exam. Since 1999 the Pass
Certification) on the
the ExCET and now Pass the TExES series of test prep books has helped hundreds of
TExES, 2002. teachers prepare effectively and efficiently for Texas teacher certification exams. If you are
interested in seminars or tutoring contact us at [email protected].

- Mark Mentze
Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12 7 Preface
Introduction
WHAT IS THE TEXES?
 TExES stands for the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards. Legislation was passed in
1981 that mandates all public elementary and secondary teachers be tested and pass at least
This program is two certification tests.
designed to help you
understand all the WHERE CAN I REGISTER FOR THE TEXES?
Competency material Registration information is found at www.tx.nesinc.com. Important contact information:
for the TExES exam
in the shortest Texas Educator Certification Examination Program SBEC/TEA
amount of time possi- Pearson Education (State Board for Teacher Certification/Texas
ble. If you successfully Phone: [phone] Education Agency)
complete the assigned www.tx.nesinc.com and 1701 North Congress Ave. WBT 5-100
Austin, TX 78701-1494
work in this program https://home.pearsonvue.com/tea
Phone: [phone] or 512-463-9734
you will likely pass
www.tea.texas.gov
the test. We have
received hundreds of
testimonials over the CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EXAM
past several years The TExES program is designed to assess subject matter knowledge and professional knowl-
from teachers who edge required of an entry-level educator in Texas public schools. All the exams in the TExES
have enjoyed using program are criterion referenced; that is, they are designed to measure your knowledge in rela-
our programs and tion to an established competence (criterion) rather than in relation to the performance of
who have passed their other candidates.
tests successfully.
HOW SHOULD I STUDY FOR THE EXAM?
Of course you should review the preparation manual provided by NES/SBEC,
NOTE: Tests are no
(see www.tx.nesinc.com) and carefully read instructions about the exam process, what to expect
fun, but a benefit to
at the testing center and types of exam question on the information page about your exam.
taking this test is that
Need additional resources? Under “Test Content and Sample Questions” on the NES website
the information is
page for your exam, you will find “Preparation Resources” which lists reference journals, books
very valuable to
and online resources to review if you have time. Some of these resources may be available at
teachers. The better
your local university or community college library. However, time is likely limited, so we
you know this mate-
encourage you to use this book in conjunction with the NES/SBEC manual and you will have
rial, and the more
a complete test preparation package. Additional practice test questions may be available
you apply it, the bet-
online or in books from other publishers, but use our approach in this manual for prepar-
ter teacher you will
ing for the exam. Follow our Steps for Success on p. 10-11.
be.
WHEN ARE THE EXAMS GIVEN AND HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?
All the information you need regarding test dates, site locations, fees, registration procedures,
and policies can be found at www.tx.nesinc.com, where you can also register online.
8
Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12 Introduction
Introduction, cont’d.
EXPLAIN THE PASS THE TEXES PROGRAM...WHY DO I NEED IT?
This study program is designed in such a way to make preparing for the exam more efficient for the learner, and
more effective. The program is all about TOOLS...we give you several tools which will help you prepare for the
exam like no other program. The exercises presented in our program encourage methods of study that will help
you retain more information in a shorter amount of time. The program exercises were designed to naturally
strengthen the analysis and synthesis skills of the learner, which is key when choosing the best answers to the test
questions. Our program addresses several learning styles and preferences.
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM?
It is essential to be knowledgeable about the subject matter, but these tests consist of many subjective questions.
The following features will help you organize the content information. The Acronym Exercise in Appendix I is
designed to help you recall the Competency Key Titles (see Competency 1’s Key Title at the top of p. 14-15).
The Key Titles are designed to recall the Competency content. The Key Words (see p. 14), reference the content
for each Competency. All of these features should help you recall information more efficiently.
The official NES/SBEC TExES framework contains lettered descriptive statements for each Competency. Our
Descriptor Exercise described in the Steps for Success, p. 10, (and in each Competency study section) asks you to
condense these descriptive statements into short phrases. This exercise will help you analyze and synthesize the
NES/SBEC descriptive statements instead of just passively reading them, thus helping you understand what the
state wants you to know. Their descriptive statements are actually difficult to study as they are written in academic
language, and feature long sentences and content in parentheses so our Descriptor Exercise makes the framework
content more concise understandable and also helps you begin to memorize key concepts.
The Worksheets in Appendix I help you understand the framework of the material. You may copy these pages and
complete them a few times to test your recall. The Practice Test Method explained in Appendix I will help you
choose the BEST answer to the exam questions. There is also a Practice Test Worksheet and Practice Questions
in Appendix III in this manual. Please follow the directions on the Practice Test Method page in Appendix I to
answer these questions and any other practice test questions available from various sources.
®
The PowerPoint Interactive Study Module is the icing on the cake. The module is a unique way to study the
framework of the content. It breaks down the Competency definitions into phrasing for better understanding. See
instructions for use on the last page in this manual.
TWO KEYS TO THIS PROGRAM
#1
UNDERSTANDING IMPORTANT CONCEPTS FOR EACH
COMPETENCY.
#2
UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CONNECT TEST QUESTIONS TO THE
CORRECT COMPETENCY AND CHOOSING ANSWERS BASED UPON
THE SBEC POINT OF VIEW.
GOOD LUCK! After you receive your scores, send your success stories and comments to us to edpublishing@
passthetexes.com. We would love to hear from you. Visit www.passthetexes.com and read the many testimonials
we have received from Texas teachers like you.
Pass the TExES Life Science 7-12 99 Introduction