Interlude: minor changes to Middle School

Although there were no amendments to grades 6, 7, and 8 yesterday, at some point late in the evening, a couple of science teachers bent Barbara Cargill's (R-The Faction, The Woodlands) ear about some clarifications. Others also have minor changes this morning as well...

• Grade 6, 5D “identify formation of a new substance” (not “compounds”) passes on voice vote with only Berlanga (D-Corpus Christi) voting no. (Says she can’t be sure science experts agree, but Chairman McElroy says it’s time to vote, not to have testimony.)
• Grade 6, 8B “changes in position, direction and speed” (instead of “direction, motion, and speed.”) passes on voice vote with only Berlanga voting no.
• Grade 6: Ken Mercer (R-The Faction, San Antonio) TEKS 2A “Plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations…” Claims adding "comparative" is for higher-order thinking. Passes on voice vote. Only Berlanga votes against.
• Grade 7, 7B new language to read: “investigate the transformation of energy within an organism such as the transfer from chemical energy to heat and thermal energy in digestion…“ (in place of “relate the amount of work done during an everyday activity to energy transformations.”) Rationale: better life science focus in 7th grade. Passes on voice vote. Record vote: 11-4 Knight (D-Dallas), Craig (R-Lubbock, NOT The Faction), Berlanga, and Lowe (R-The Faction, Lampasas) against. (First time I remember Lowe not voting with the bloc).
• Grade 7, 12A, insert “organisms have adaptations that allow…” instead of “are adapted to perform…” voice vote: Berlanga and Knight vote against.
• Mercer makes TEKS 2A change to 7th grade as well (“comparative and descriptive investigations”). Passes on voice vote. Only Berlanga and Knight opposed.
• Grade 8, 7B “relate the position of the moon and sun to their effect on ocean tides” instead of “lunar cycles.” Passes on voice vote. Only Berlanga and Knight vote against.
• Mercer makes 8th grade TEKS 2A and 2B contain his language (“comparative and descriptive investigations”) well. Berlanga and Knight, as usual, oppose.