KISD Secondary Science Newsletter

Happy 2026, Science Team!

New year, new beginnings—and the start of the second half of our school year.
We know our students. We are family. And we remain committed to doing what is best for them—always.

Each year, I choose one word to guide my actions and mindset. My word this year is JOY. I want to feel joy in the work I do with you and in the work we do for our students. Please know that I am here to support science instruction and student learning across KISD.

As I reflect on the first half of the school year, one word stands out to describe our KISD science classrooms: ENGAGE.

According to Merriam-Webster, engage means:

• to attract and hold by influence or power

• to interlock with

• to hold the attention of

• to induce participation

Each of these definitions points to a common theme: building positive relationships with students and actively bringing them into the learning process.

Engagement doesn’t always mean something flashy or new. In science, engagement shows up when:

• lessons begin with a phenomenon that sparks curiosity and gets students wondering why or how

• students are given time to talk, argue, and explain their thinking with peers

• hands-on investigations allow students to collect evidence before concepts are explained

• questions push students to think beyond recall and make sense of what they observe

• learning feels connected to the real world students experience every day

You bring deep science knowledge, creativity, and enthusiasm into your classrooms—let your students experience it. Students learn best from teachers they trust, respect, and enjoy learning from.

As we move into the second half of the year, let’s commit to engaging our students every day and show them that science is not just something we teach—it is something they experience, question, and see all around them.

Sandra

Middle School Science: March 11, 2026

High School Science (Biology, Chemistry, IPC, Physics): March 11-12, 2026-UNDER REVIEW

TEKS in Focus highlights key concepts and student expectations to assist educators in implementing the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). A clear understanding of the changes taking place in science TEKS for the 2024 school year can directly impact student success. TEKS in Focus will highlight those changes along a vertical continuum from elementary school to high school for specific key concepts.

Middle School Science

The 8th Grade Science STAAR is now called the Middle School (6-8) STAAR and it is administered in Grade 8. The test will include 28-30 questions and feature new question types such as: match table grid, inline choice and cluster items.

Additional Resources for 2025-2026:

Middle School Science Assessment-Eligible TEKS (Assessed Curriculum document)

Middle School Science Assessment STAAR Blueprint

Middle School Science Assessment STAAR Reference Materials (all MS students should keep a copy in their science notebooks).

Biology

The Biology EOC now reports across 4 strands instead of 5 reporting categories. The test has been reduced to 33-35. The Assessed Curriculum document outlines which student expectations are eligible to be assessed. Students will see a variety of question types: Drag and drop, hot spot, inline choice, match table grid, multipart, multiple choice, multiselect, short constructed response (SCR), text entry, and cluster question sets. Cluster question sets are composed of a stimulus (scenario with a graphic and/or data display) and 3–5 questions, each scored separately on the blueprint. Additional resource: Biology STAAR Blueprint

For additional information please visit: TEA Science Resources

Why Intentional Reteach Planning Matters

Benchmark data tells us what students struggled with; effective reteach planning determines how we respond. The Leverage Leadership reteach model reminds us that reteaching is not repeating the lesson, but strategically addressing the specific thinking gaps revealed by data. High-stakes, low-performing standards require precision—teachers must decide whether students need knowledge activation, targeted modeling, guided discourse, or tighter academic monitoring, and then respond in real time based on student work.

Teachers are expected to use the provided reteach planning templates to intentionally plan how they will reteach the high-stakes priority standards assessed on STAAR/EOC. These templates, along with sample reteach videos, are designed to support teachers in selecting the appropriate reteach structure, anticipating student misconceptions, and planning explicit teacher and student actions aligned to the data.

By planning reteach using the cycle—Activate Knowledge → Monitor → Respond with Modeling or Discourse—instruction becomes targeted, efficient, and focused on the exact misconception or skill gap rather than surface-level review. This approach maximizes instructional time and leads to deeper conceptual understanding and improved assessment performance.

Below Is a Brief Description of Each Reteach Model

Activate Knowledge
Used when students are missing prerequisite understanding. Teachers quickly surface and retrieve essential prior knowledge through focused prompts, knowledge organizers, or short application tasks to prepare students for new or reteach learning.

Academic Monitoring
Occurs continuously during reteach. Teachers circulate with a clear purpose, provide immediate written or verbal feedback, identify trends in student thinking, and decide whether to stop and respond with modeling or discourse.

Modeling (Fewer Than ⅓ of Students Are Correct)
Used when widespread misunderstanding is present. Teachers explicitly model the thinking process, not just the steps, making their reasoning visible and replicable before students try again independently.

Guided Discourse (Some Students Struggle; Trending Error)
Used when partial understanding exists. Teachers leverage student work to facilitate structured discussion, helping students identify misconceptions, refine reasoning, and articulate key takeaways in their own words.

Science-Specific Reteach Example (STAAR/EOC Aligned)

Standard: 8th Grade Science – Forces and Motion (Unbalanced Forces)
Data Insight: Less than ⅓ of students correctly identified how unbalanced forces change an object’s motion.

• Activate Knowledge:
  Students respond to: “What happens when forces are balanced vs. unbalanced?” using force diagrams from a knowledge organizer.

• Academic Monitoring:
  Teacher circulates looking for correct identification of net force and direction, noting a trend that students list forces but do not calculate net force.

• Modeling:
  Teacher models identifying forces, calculating net force, and linking it to motion change, verbalizing the reasoning process.

• Guided Discourse:
  Students analyze an exemplar and non-exemplar STAAR-style response, discuss the misconception, and revise their own answers using CER language.

• Independent Practice:
  Students apply the strategy to a new STAAR-aligned question and explain their reasoning.

Biology EOC Reteach Example

Standard: Biology – Cellular Respiration (Energy Transformation)
Data Insight: Many students correctly recall the equation but cannot explain how energy is transformed and used by the cell.

• Activate Knowledge:
  Students answer: “Where does energy in food go after we eat?” using a simple flow diagram (glucose → ATP → cellular work).

• Academic Monitoring:
  Teacher circulates looking for evidence that students connect cellular respiration to ATP production rather than just memorizing the equation.

• Modeling (Widespread Gap):
  Teacher models the thinking process: “This question is asking about energy transfer, not location. I need to track energy, not matter.” The teacher annotates a diagram showing how energy stored in glucose is transferred to ATP.

• Guided Discourse:
  Students analyze a non-exemplar response that focuses only on organelles and revise it to explain energy transformation, using sentence stems aligned to STAAR expectations.

• Independent At-Bats:
  Students answer a new Biology EOC–style question and justify how cellular respiration supports organism survival using cause-and-effect reasoning.

Why it matters

• Talk makes learning stick. When students verbalize their thinking, they internalize concepts more deeply.

• Classrooms with structured academic talk feel safe, energetic, and collaborative—students focus on thinking, not just getting the “right” answer.

• Works across all grade levels and content areas with little to no prep.

What is QSSSA?
A simple, high-impact structured conversation routine that ensures 100% student participation.

How it works

1. Question – Pose an open-ended, thought-provoking question and post it for students to reference.

2. Sentence Stem – Provide and rehearse a sentence stem to support academic language.

3. Signal – Students signal (stand, thumbs up, thinkers’ chin, etc.) when they’re ready to share → ensures everyone is prepared.

4. Share – Students share with a partner or group using clear expectations for turn-taking.

5. Assess – Randomly call on students to share with the whole class to hold all learners accountable.

Instructional benefits

• Promotes equitable participation (no more calling on the same few students).

• Builds student confidence and classroom community.

• Supports ELs and reluctant speakers while balancing dominant voices.

• Gives teachers real-time insight into student thinking to guide next steps.

Pro tip
Avoid feedback like “Good job” during partner talk—it can stop thinking. Try:

• “Can you say more?”

• “What else are you thinking?”

Bottom line
If you implement one talk strategy this year, make it Q³SA. Simple. Powerful. Transformative.

Adapted from Seidlitz & Perryman (2011), 7 Steps to a Language-Rich Interactive Classroom.

Phenomenon Discussion (Explore / Engage)

• Question: Why does the metal spoon feel colder than the plastic spoon when both are in the same room?

• Sentence Stem: I think the spoon feels colder because…

• Signal: Students show a thumbs-up when ready to explain.

• Share: Partner A explains while Partner B listens and asks one follow-up question.

• Assess: Teacher randomly calls on students to share and presses for reasoning.
  Result: Students activate prior knowledge and begin making sense of the phenomenon before formal instruction.

CER (Claim–Evidence–Reasoning)

• Question: Based on the data, which substance transferred heat the fastest?

• Sentence Stem: My claim is… My evidence is… This shows…

• Signal: Students stand when they can complete the stem.

• Share: Students share with an elbow partner and refine their reasoning.

• Assess: Random students share; peers listen for strong evidence and reasoning.
  Result: Stronger scientific explanations and clearer connections between data and concepts.

Lab Debrief / Sensemaking

• Question: What patterns did you notice in today’s investigation, and what might explain them?

• Sentence Stem: One pattern I observed was… I think this happened because…

• Signal: Thinker’s chin when ready.

• Share: Small-group discussion with clear talk roles.

• Assess: Whole-class share to surface patterns and misconceptions.
  Result: Students focus on making sense of results, not just completing procedures.

Why This Matters in Science

QSSSA supports 3-Dimensional Science Instruction by helping students:

• Explain phenomena

• Use evidence from investigations

• Make reasoning visible through talk

What other ideas come to mind?🙂

8th Grade Science and Biology teachers are encouraged to attend the Level UP STAAR Review professional learning focused on STAAR/EOC-aligned review strategies and hands-on instruction.

This training has been successfully used at Killeen High School for the past three years to support Biology retesters, resulting in consistent student growth. Campus leadership has already received this information, and teachers are encouraged to talk with their principals and curriculum leaders about attending.

📎 For more information, please see the flyers attached. Space is limited.

📅 Dates

• February 25 – Biology

• February 27 – 8th Grade Science

⭐ Why Attend?

• Receive full access to ready-to-use STAAR/EOC review materials

• Learn hands-on, student-engaging review strategies aligned to tested TEKS

• Gain resources that support STAAR review days and Biology retesters

• Collaborate with science teachers across KISD, Belton ISD, Temple ISD, and Pflugerville ISD

January 2025: https://secure.smore.com/n/fp1uq

February 2025: https://secure.smore.com/n/z5pn7

March 2025: https://secure.smore.com/n/audpr

April 2025: https://secure.smore.com/n/5pxsq

September 2025: https://secure.smore.com/n/vhcfwp

October 2025: https://secure.smore.com/n/ac5rp

November/December 2025: https://app.smore.com/n/djaqr

Hello, I am Sandra Marcussen the District Instructional Specialist for Secondary Science. I'm excited to help you in any way that you need. You can reach me at sandra.marcussen@killeenisd.org, text at 254-371-9692 or call my desk phone at 254-336-0300.