1. Breaking Down Course Standards

2. TEKS – Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
Sometimes referred to as “Standards”
Last rewritten/revised for CTE in 2010
TEKS for all courses can be found at the following link:

3. Breaking down the TEKS
Knowledge and Skills statements can be broken down into three parts:
1. Concept
2. Context
3. Cognitive Level

4. Concept – an abstract or generic idea
What we often call “the topic”
It’s the generic ‘what’ we are going to teach
For example: place value, main idea
“The student is expected to practice equipment maintenance and sanitation procedures”

5. Context: the interrelated conditions in which something exists
The degree to which we will teach the concept
The conditions in which the concept is presented
For example, using pictures, numbers, words
“The student is expected to demonstrate personal fire prevention precautions while working in natural environments”

6. Cognitive Level – the verb
Performance Level
The skill level to which the student must be able to show mastery
For example ‘the verb’….use, describe, explore
The student is expected to identify plants poisonous to domestic livestock

7. Pair and Share
Pair up with another teacher who teaches the same subject as you
Go to the TEKS for a course you both teach
Find one Knowledge and Skill statement and identify the Concept, Context, and Cognitive Level
Be prepared to share you findings with the group!

8. Pair and Share
Go to the TEKS for a core academic subject (math, science, ELAR, SS)
Select a knowledge and skill statement that’s closely related to the CTE subject TEKS you broke down earlier
Identify the concept, context, and cognitive level for this core academic knowledge and skill statement
Determine how you could teach this core academic concept in your CTE subject instruction

9. Questions for thought, discussion & action
How can we teach breaking down CTE and Core Academic TEKS and make it appealing to the majority of BISD CTE Instructors?
What activities can we develop that will demonstrate and reinforce integration of Core Academic TEKS with CTE TEKS?
How can we motivate teachers to continually strive to integrate core academic TEKS with their CTE subject matter?