Small Animal Management

Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining the TEKS, ELPS, concepts, and technical skills taught in the course.

The Small Animal Management instructional materials organize learning across eight units and provide detailed planning tools that identify the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), key concepts, and technical skills addressed within each unit. For example, in unit 1, students examine careers and services in the small-animal industry, including veterinary care and grooming, while building communication skills through collaborative discussions. Students also develop technical knowledge by identifying common small animal species and describing appropriate care practices.

The scope and sequence for unit 6 clearly identifies the TEKS addressed in the instructional materials and aligns them to specific concepts and technical skills taught during the unit. Students explore concepts related to rabbit and rodent classification, anatomy and physiology, animal welfare, breed characteristics, nutrition, housing, and health management, which align to the course TEKS. The scope and sequence also outlines the technical skills that students develop within the unit, including identifying rabbit breeds and rodent species, interpreting vital signs and health indicators, safely handling small mammals, and monitoring animal health and behavior. By identifying the TEKS, concepts, and technical skills associated with the unit’s learning objectives, the scope and sequence provides a clear roadmap for when and where these knowledge and skill expectations are taught throughout the course.

Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include suggested pacing to support effective implementation for various school models [e.g., traditional secondary schools, Early College High Schools (ECHS), Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)], schedules (e.g., block, modified block), and instructional calendars (e.g., varying number of instructional days).

The educator resources include the Pacing Guide for Texas Courses, which helps educators implement the curriculum in a variety of instructional settings. The guide provides scheduling recommendations for traditional campuses, block and modified block schedules, Early College High School (ECHS) programs, and Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) programs. Because schools operate on different instructional calendars, the guide offers flexible pacing options, recommended unit timelines, and planning considerations to support effective course implementation. For example, in the “Part 1: Blended Learning” section, the 18-week pacing plan for traditional secondary schools includes eight units, with two weeks (10 class periods) allocated to each unit. The overview also includes pacing notes with additional guidance (e.g., introduce course vocabulary at the beginning of the unit, review prior to assessing).

To further support planning, the “Blended Learning” section of the pacing guide provides suggested timelines and benchmarks that help educators guide student learning throughout the course. The pacing tables identify the expected duration of each unit and establish weekly goals aligned to the instructional sequence. The materials also include a “Sample Pacing Plan” section for unit 1 for each school model, demonstrating how educators can adapt instruction to different schedules. For example, the traditional secondary school pacing plan introduces unit objectives and course vocabulary on Monday, presents the core concept in lesson 1 on Tuesday, and engages students in station rotations on Wednesday that include educator-led instruction, guided practice, independent work, and collaborative skill application. The block schedule pacing plan illustrates how instruction shifts to accommodate longer class periods. Rather than organizing learning by day, the plan groups content into extended sessions that allow students to engage more deeply with lessons, activities, and discussions. In session 1, the educator introduces the unit and delivers lessons 1 and 2 through guided notes and group discussion. In session 2, students begin lesson 3 and conduct research on the history, domestication, and purpose of two small animal species.

Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include an explanation for the rationale of unit order as well as how concepts and technical skills to be learned connect throughout the course.

The educator resources include a “Scope and Sequence” document that describes how the course develops knowledge and skills across the instructional sequence. The resource explains how students progress from learning foundational concepts in the early units to applying those concepts in more complex and authentic contexts later in the course. For example, the “Rationale for Unit Order” section of the scope and sequence states that units 1–3 establish the core vocabulary, key concepts, and background knowledge that students need to establish a strong foundation in the content. Students move from theory to practice in units 4–6, as they apply what they have learned to hands-on projects that develop technical, analytical, and creative skills. In units 7–8, students synthesize their learning to showcase their knowledge and skills through comprehensive projects that demonstrate mastery and readiness for more advanced content or real-world tasks.

The “Connection Across Units” section illustrates how key concepts and technical skills recur throughout the course, providing students with multiple opportunities to reinforce learning, increase proficiency, and make meaningful real-world connections. For example, the lesson plan for unit 4 explains how the skills and care practices introduced in this unit prepare students to analyze and compare the health care, behavior, and housing needs of other small animal species. In units 5–7, the materials provide opportunities for students to apply and refine the hands-on technical skills introduced in unit 4, such as monitoring vital signs and preventing disease in dogs, as they work with additional small animal species.

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.

The educator resources include a “Teacher Internalization Guidance” section within the scope and sequence that provides a unit and lesson internalization protocol, along with corresponding implementation guidance. The unit internalization protocol outlines a six-step process that directs educators to begin with the end in mind by reviewing summative assessments and cumulative projects, analyzing the TEKS and ELPS, planning supports for language development and diverse learners, examining how the unit connects to prior and future learning, anticipating common misconceptions, and confirming materials, logistics, and safety requirements before instruction begins. This protocol helps educators develop a comprehensive understanding of unit objectives, standards, assessments, pacing considerations, instructional materials, and the overall arc of learning, ensuring that educators are prepared to deliver instruction aligned to the intended outcomes.

The materials also provide a lesson internalization protocol that guides educators through a structured process for preparing individual lessons. In addition to the lesson-level protocol found in the scope and sequence, the unit 1 lesson plan includes an “Internalization Protocols” section that directs educators to review lesson objectives, the TEKS, the ELPS, employability standards, assessments, prerequisite knowledge, vocabulary, and language supports before instruction. The materials further guide educators to examine instructional activities and homework, preview key vocabulary that may require pre-teaching, review differentiation and scaffolding supports, identify opportunities for formative feedback, and verify that materials and technology are prepared and accessible. Together, these protocols provide clear, actionable guidance that helps educators internalize lesson expectations, plan for diverse learner needs, and ensure alignment among standards, instruction, and assessment.

Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance for instructional leaders to support teachers with implementing the materials as designed.

The Instructional Leader Guide provides instructional leaders with both resources and observation guidance to support educators in implementing the materials as designed. The guide identifies key educator-facing resources, including the pacing guide, scope and sequence, lesson plans, and slide decks, and explains how leaders can use each resource to monitor instructional alignment, pacing, and fidelity of implementation. For example, the materials encourage leaders to use the pacing guide to calibrate expectations, review educator plans, and ensure consistent course coverage across scheduling models. The guide also includes detailed “Look-Fors in Observation” protocols tied to each resource, providing observable indicators that leaders can use during classroom walkthroughs and coaching conversations. These indicators include evidence that educators are following the intended instructional sequence, provide explicit instruction in academic vocabulary, and engage students in guided, collaborative, and independent practice. By pairing implementation resources with specific observation criteria, the materials equip instructional leaders to support and monitor effective curriculum implementation across classrooms.

The Instructional Leader Guide also provides explicit coaching guidance to help leaders strengthen educator practice and promote consistent use of the curriculum. The “Coaching Moves to Support Planning and Delivery” section outlines curriculum-aligned coaching strategies, such as facilitating reflective conversations grounded in classroom observations and student work, co-planning instruction using the educator resources, modeling instructional strategies embedded within the materials, and monitoring implementation over time using observation and performance data. In addition, the guide describes curriculum-specific professional development opportunities designed to build leaders’ capacity to coach educators on pacing, assessments, differentiation, and effective use of instructional resources. The accompanying observation look-fors help leaders identify whether educators are implementing lesson plans and slide decks as designed, incorporating formative checks and applied learning experiences, and aligning instruction to the curriculum’s pacing and scope and sequence. Together, these coaching protocols, professional learning supports, and observation tools provide clear guidance for instructional leaders to help educators implement the materials with fidelity.

Evaluation for 1.2a
Materials include comprehensive unit overviews that provide the background content knowledge and academic, professional, and technical vocabulary necessary to effectively teach the concepts and technical skills in the unit.

In the lesson plans, the “Pre-Teaching Guidance and Unit Overview” section provides educators with a structured overview of the background knowledge and technical skills required for instruction. This overview helps educators anticipate how content will be introduced, developed, and applied throughout the unit. For example, in unit 1, the “Unit Overview” identifies key concepts, such as professional behavior in the workplace and the economic impact of pets and small animals. This framing supports educator understanding of how students will build and apply knowledge across instruction. The “Prior Knowledge and Pre-Requisite Skills” section further strengthens instructional planning by clearly outlining what students are expected to know before beginning the unit, including an understanding of animals as part of a broader agricultural system.

Additionally, the “Vocabulary and Language Supports” section of the lesson plans enhances instructional preparation by directing educators to intentionally preview academic, professional, and technical vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to students. In unit 1, this section includes key terms, such as domestication, breeding, and animal welfare, each defined to support consistent instructional delivery and student access to content. These vocabulary supports promote students’ understanding and application of terminology in context. Although the lesson plan provides a limited set of explicitly listed terms, the “Teacher Resources” dashboard extends vocabulary support provided in unit slide decks. For example, the unit 1 slide deck reinforces and elaborates on key vocabulary through introductory slides that provide additional definitions and instructional context.

Evaluation for 1.2b
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English for each unit with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The educator resources provide “School Connections” letters for each unit in both English and Spanish to ensure that families can access consistent guidance across languages. These letters clearly communicate unit learning goals and student activities. For example, the unit 8 letter informs families that students will distinguish methods of medication administration for small animals and calculate dosage based on weight. The letters also encourage families to actively support learning by using tools, such as the literacy support toolbar to annotate passages with their students.

In addition, the “School Connections” letters provide structured opportunities for families to extend learning beyond the classroom. Each letter includes conversation starters designed to support meaningful discussion about unit concepts, along with at-home activities that reinforce instruction. For example, families engage students in mapping the education, training, and certifications required for careers in the small-animal industry. Each letter concludes with a glossary of key academic, professional, and technical vocabulary, supported by clear, accessible definitions to ensure usability for all families with varying levels of academic or professional experience.

Evaluation for 1.3a
Materials include comprehensive, structured, detailed lesson plans that include objectives, questions, tasks, materials, and instructional assessments required to meet the content and language standards of the lesson (aligned with the TEKS and the ELPS).

The educator resources include lesson plans for each unit and class period. The detailed lesson plans establish clear learning goals and identify the TEKS associated with instruction. In the lesson plans for unit 2, class 1, the “Objectives” section states that students are expected to classify small animal species using the principles of taxonomy. The lesson plan identifies TEKS 130.7d4A, which requires students to research and explain the history, domestication, and purpose of small animals. The lesson plan guides educators through a structured sequence of activities that build content knowledge and academic vocabulary while supporting student understanding of classification systems used in animal science.

The lesson plans include questions and instructional tasks that support the lesson objectives in the “Instructional Activities” section. For unit 2, class 1, students engage in vocabulary development, discussion, and direct instruction focused on classification systems and taxonomic levels. Questions such as “What do you already know about this subject?” and prompts requiring students to classify an animal and explain their reasoning encourage students to apply lesson concepts and communicate their understanding.

The instructional materials incorporate embedded opportunities to assess student understanding. For example, in the slide deck for unit 2, the “Let’s Connect” slide provides materials for students to select an animal and place it into appropriate classification levels. Then, the materials prompt students to explain and discuss their reasoning with a partner and the class. This task allows educators to observe student application of taxonomy concepts and monitor understanding of classification systems. These embedded assessment opportunities provide educators with informal checks for understanding connected to the lesson objectives and support ongoing monitoring of student learning throughout instruction.

Evaluation for 1.3b
Materials include a lesson overview listing the teacher and student materials necessary to effectively deliver the lesson (e.g., equipment, labs, technology, supplies, safety gear), and the suggested timing for each lesson component.

In the educator resources, the lesson plans provide educators with a clear overview of the resources needed to deliver instruction. In the unit 5 lesson plan, the “Materials and Resources” section identifies instructional supports available to educators, including slides, answer keys with rubrics, a pacing guide, and a scope and sequence document. The same section also specifies the materials students need to participate in learning activities, including graphic design software, presentation software, a video recording device, a stuffed animal, and household props. By identifying required materials for both educators and students, the lesson plan supports effective preparation and implementation of instructional activities.

The unit 5 lesson plan also provides pacing guidance within the “Instructional Activities” section. Each component of the lesson includes a suggested time allocation, including the introduction, vocabulary warm-up, prereading activity, group work, vocabulary development, direct instruction, individual work, and closure. Recommended durations range from 5 to 35 minutes, providing educators with a framework for organizing instruction and managing classroom time. These pacing recommendations support consistent implementation and help ensure that sufficient time is allocated for instruction, collaboration, practice, and reflection.

Evaluation for 1.3c
Materials include guidance on the effective use of lesson materials for extended practice (e.g., homework, extension, enrichment, work-based learning, Career and Technical Student Organizations, professional skills practice).

The materials include guidance for extending learning beyond the lessons. In the Implementation and Quality Guide, the “Instructional Activities” section directs educators to assign homework connected to the topics addressed during instruction. This guidance supports continued student engagement with lesson content outside of class.

Additional support for extended practice appears in the unit 1, class 3, lesson plan. The “Supports for All Learners: Enrichment & Extension” activity encourages students to create a visual chart connecting small-animal workplaces to required job skills and educational pathways. The lesson plan also provides extension activities for students who demonstrate mastery, including comparing workplace skill requirements and applying their understanding through career-focused scenarios. These activities extend learning while reinforcing professional skills and career exploration concepts.

Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include a variety of instructional assessments (e.g., skills demonstrations, portfolio evaluations, certification benchmarks) at the unit and lesson level (including diagnostic, formative, and summative) that vary in types of tasks and questions.

The materials include a variety of assessment opportunities, with different task types embedded throughout the course. In the educator resource dashboard, the unit 1 “Introduction to Small Animal Management” lesson plan identifies diagnostic assessment formats, including knowledge-check questions and reflection activities. Knowledge-check questions require students to respond to multiple-choice items, and the questions provide immediate feedback, while reflection activities ask students to examine prior knowledge and learning goals and connect the course content to their personal experiences. For example, in unit 1, students respond to a knowledge-check question about factors to consider before acquiring a pet, allowing students to gauge their understanding of foundational concepts of responsible pet ownership. These varied assessment types provide opportunities for students and educators to identify strengths, misconceptions, and areas requiring additional attention before moving forward with instruction.

The materials also include a variety of unit-level summative assessments that measure student learning through different activities. In the unit 1 lesson plan, the “Instructional Assessments” section states that each unit includes a multiple-choice quiz and activities that require students to demonstrate their understanding through authentic applications of course content. For example, in the course dashboard for unit 8, “Planning Your Future,” students create a comprehensive project in activity 3, “How Can I Demonstrate Appropriate Business Skills?” Students create a series of training videos for new employees in a veterinary office, write scenarios, demonstrate workplace skills, and communicate professional procedures through recorded role-play presentations. The combination of objective quiz questions and complex performance tasks provides multiple methods for students to demonstrate mastery of unit standards.

The materials include a variety of lesson-level formative assessments integrated throughout instruction and in varying formats. The lesson plans identify both critical-thinking and discussion questions as recurring formative assessment opportunities. These activities require students to analyze information, apply concepts, communicate ideas, and justify their reasoning. For example, in the unit course dashboard, discussion question 1 asks students to evaluate the use of small animals in various roles, such as military service and assistance work, requiring students to form and defend an opinion using course concepts. Because students engage with both written and verbal responses throughout lessons, the materials provide ongoing formative assessment opportunities that allow educators to monitor understanding and adjust instruction as needed.

Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the types of instructional assessments included.

Within the “Teacher Resources” dashboard, the Implementation and Quality Guide categorizes assessments as diagnostic, formative, or summative and explains the role each type of assessment plays in the learning process. The guide also provides individual definitions and purposes for multiple assessment types, including knowledge checks, critical-thinking and discussion questions, reflection activities, unit quizzes, and exams. For each assessment, the materials describe what the assessment entails, why it is used, and how it supports student learning or measures mastery of course content.

Additional evidence is found within the unit lesson plans, in which assessment activities are accompanied by descriptions of their instructional purpose. For example, in lesson plans for unit 4, “All About Dogs,” class 4 begins with a bell ringer asking students to consider whether a normally energetic dog that is suddenly hiding and refusing food is exhibiting normal behavior or a potential health concern. The lesson identifies this activity as a formative assessment designed to activate prior knowledge and reveal misconceptions before new content is introduced. The same lesson also includes check-for-understanding activities intended to gauge student comprehension during instruction and closure activities that encourage students to reflect on and connect key concepts at the end of the lesson. These descriptions clearly communicate both what the assessments are and how they are intended to support teaching and learning.

Evaluation for 2.1c
Materials include teacher guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

The materials provide educator guidance that supports the consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. Comprehensive guidance is available in the educator resources dashboard within the Implementation and Quality Guide and the unit 1 lesson plan, which outlines assessment procedures for each assessment type. The materials specify how assessments should be administered, whether students should work independently or collaboratively, and the educator’s role during the assessment process. For example, knowledge-check questions are completed independently with immediate feedback; discussion questions may be facilitated in whole-group, small-group, or partner settings; and summative unit activities may be completed individually or in small groups using educator-provided rubrics. The materials also identify the resources needed to administer assessments and note that all students are expected to participate in the assessment process.

Additional guidance is embedded throughout the lesson plans to promote implementation fidelity across classrooms. Instructional time blocks provide pacing expectations and clearly indicate when assessments should occur within the lesson sequence. The plans include educator-facing directions, facilitation notes, and assessment administration procedures that reduce ambiguity and help ensure that assessments are delivered consistently. In addition, quizzes and exams are administered through the digital platform, in which scoring procedures are standardized and results are automatically recorded. Together, these supports provide educators with clear expectations for administering assessments and collecting reliable evidence of student learning.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments are aligned to the TEKS and objectives of the course, unit, or lesson.

The educator resources provide a “Scope and Sequence” table that maps assessments and performance tasks to learning objectives, key concepts, and the TEKS for each unit. In the section of the table for unit 6, “A Look at Rabbits and Rodents,” the objectives focus on rabbit and rodent classification, care and management practices, and ethical issues. These objectives are directly connected to the TEKS, addressing animal anatomy, breeds and types, management practices, health maintenance, and animal welfare. The unit’s diagnostic knowledge-check questions assess these same concepts. For example, students answer questions about rabbit breed classification, rabbit care responsibilities, and selecting appropriate rodent species for specific situations. The diagnostic assessments align clearly with course expectations.

Additionally, the formative assessments align with the TEKS and lesson objectives. The scope and sequence resource identifies critical-thinking and discussion questions as formative assessment opportunities tied to the content and skills addressed in unit 6. For example, critical-thinking question 1 asks students to explain how to determine the sex of rabbits and rodents, aligning with objectives related to animal anatomy and management practices. Similarly, discussion question 1 asks students to compare animal rights and animal welfare perspectives, aligning directly with the TEKS regarding current issues in animal rights and welfare. These assessment tasks require students to apply and communicate their understanding of the same concepts identified in the unit objectives and standards.

The materials include summative assessments aligned with the TEKS and unit objectives. The scope and sequence lists multiple performance-based activities as summative measures of student learning. These assessments reflect the breadth of the unit objectives and the TEKS. For example, activity 1, “How Can I Make My Knowledge Picture Perfect?,” requires students to identify and compare rabbit and rodent breeds using photographs and captions, aligning to the TEKS related to breeds, types, physical characteristics, and management needs of rabbits and rodents. The unit 6 quiz provides an additional measure of mastery across the unit’s content. By directly assessing the knowledge and skills outlined in the unit objectives and the TEKS, the summative assessments demonstrate strong alignment with the intended learning outcomes.

Evaluation for 2.1e
Instructional assessments include TEKS-aligned items at varying levels of complexity.

The instructional assessments include TEKS-aligned items at varying levels of complexity. Because the course is organized into daily lesson plans, the progression of assessment rigor is clearly visible throughout each unit. For example, in the lesson plans for unit 4, “All About Dogs,” early lesson assessments focus on foundational knowledge and concept development. Students begin with bell-ringer prompts, recalling what they know about Canis familiaris and considering how selective breeding has been used to develop dogs with specific traits. As students build content knowledge, assessment tasks require increasingly sophisticated thinking. Early critical-thinking activities, such as critical-thinking question 2, ask students to analyze straightforward scenarios involving dog welfare and ownership decisions. Later in the unit, another critical-thinking question asks students to interpret animal behavior, compare normal and abnormal behaviors, explain what those behaviors communicate about a dog’s condition, and apply their understanding to teach others how to interact appropriately with dogs. The progression from recall and discussion to analysis, interpretation, and application reflects increasing levels of cognitive complexity aligned to the unit objectives and the TEKS.

The materials also include a variety of assessment item types. Throughout unit 4, students engage with bell ringers, class discussions, critical-thinking questions, and extended performance-based activities. For example, activity 4, “What Do I Need to Know Before Owning a Dog?,” requires students to conduct research, evaluate information from multiple sources, compare dog breeds, analyze ownership responsibilities, and create a product, such as a presentation, infographic, checklist, or written guide. This assessment differs significantly from the short-response and discussion-based tasks used earlier in the unit and provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate learning through authentic application and creation. The inclusion of multiple-choice questions, discussion prompts, written responses, research-based projects, and student-created products demonstrates that the course uses a variety of assessment formats to evaluate student understanding.

Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.

The materials include instructional assessments and scoring information that support the accurate evaluation and interpretation of student performance. The educator resources include a “Suggested Answers and Rubrics” section for each unit that provides exemplar responses, scoring criteria, and guidance for evaluating student work across multiple assessment types. For example, in unit 7, “Exploring Birds, Reptiles, and More,” the suggested answer for critical-thinking question 1 outlines the key understandings students should demonstrate when comparing normal and abnormal reptile behaviors. Rather than simply providing a correct answer, the resource explains the concepts and reasoning that should be present in a high-quality response. In addition, the associated grading rubrics for critical-thinking questions and discussions, as well as unit activities, provide explicit criteria for assigning full, partial, or minimal credit. These supports promote consistent scoring practices and help ensure that student work is evaluated according to clearly defined expectations.

The materials also provide guidance that helps educators interpret student performance and determine levels of mastery. The suggested answers identify the knowledge, skills, and misconceptions educators should look for when reviewing student responses, allowing educators to move beyond correctness and evaluate conceptual understanding. Across the course, the “Suggested Answer” boxes, exemplar responses, and assessment rubrics provide a framework for identifying strengths, gaps in understanding, and areas for which additional instruction may be needed. Together, these resources support informed instructional decisions and consistent interpretation of student performance across classrooms.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

In the educator resources, the Implementation and Quality Guide explains the purpose of the various assessment types and how assessment results can be used to inform instructional decisions. For example, knowledge-check questions are designed to help educators identify what students know at the beginning of a unit and monitor growth over time, while reflection activities help both students and educators recognize patterns in learning and understanding throughout the course. By identifying the intended use of each assessment type, the materials establish a framework for using assessment data to guide instruction and support student learning.

Additional guidance is provided within the lesson plans through the section titled “Instructional Response to Assessment Performance.” This section offers specific, content-based strategies for addressing both student misconceptions and advanced mastery. For example, the unit 7, class 2 lesson plans direct educators to revisit specific instructional slides and re-model the spread of zoonotic diseases using a transmission organizer when students struggle with the assessed concepts. Students then apply the organizer to explain disease transmission and revise their responses based on additional support. For students who demonstrate mastery, the lesson provides extension activities that require deeper evaluation and application of workplace safety concepts. These recommendations identify when to use targeted intervention or enrichment activities, provide facilitation guidance, and connect directly to the content and skills assessed, demonstrating clear support for responding to student performance trends.

Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for teachers to track student progress and growth and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

The materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth over time. In the educator resources, the Implementation and Quality Guide explains that the course platform provides educators with access to student performance data, grades, and assessment results through built-in reporting and gradebook features. Educators can monitor student performance across multiple assessments, including knowledge-check and critical-thinking questions, quizzes, and graded activities, allowing educators to identify patterns in achievement and track growth throughout the course rather than within a single lesson or unit. The guide also notes that assessment data can inform instructional adjustments, providing educators with ongoing insight into students’ mastery of course objectives.

The materials also include tools that enable students to track their own progress and growth. The Implementation and Quality Guide states that students have access to a personal gradebook and detailed assignment information within the course platform. This allows students to review scores, monitor performance across assessments, and identify areas that may require additional study or practice. Furthermore, the lesson plans for unit 1 identify assessments, such as critical-thinking questions and the unit quiz, that generate the performance data displayed in these tracking tools. As students complete assignments and receive feedback on the platform, they can monitor their progress over time and develop an understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement throughout the course.

Evaluation for 3.1a
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, activities, and paired (scaffolded) lessons for students who have not yet reached proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS.

Within the educator resources, the Implementation and Quality Guide establishes a comprehensive framework for supporting students who have not yet demonstrated proficiency in the course TEKS. The guide’s “Differentiation & Scaffolding Instruction” section directs educators to lesson-level supports that address learner variability through differentiated instruction, scaffolded activities, and intervention strategies. The guidance emphasizes adapting instruction through engagement, representation, and expression while also providing linguistic accommodations for emergent bilingual students and instructional supports for students who require additional assistance. Furthermore, the resource explains that each lesson plan includes dedicated differentiation components that respond to student performance trends, ensuring that scaffolding is embedded throughout the program rather than limited to isolated lessons. This consistent structure provides educators with actionable guidance for modifying content, process, and instructional delivery to help struggling learners access and master both content knowledge and technical skills.

The program’s commitment to differentiated support is evident in the unit 3, class 3 lesson plan within the “Differentiation & Scaffolding Instruction” section. Here, the lesson includes targeted intervention strategies, such as sentence starters, during lesson closure to help students explain how bleeding control, shock recognition, and proper bandaging techniques work to stabilize an injured animal. In addition, the lesson differentiates the learning process by breaking reading content into manageable sections, providing guiding questions, and offering varied response expectations based on language proficiency levels. Students are also supported through the literacy support toolbar, which allows them to access text, identify unfamiliar vocabulary, highlight key ideas, and document questions or summaries. These scaffolded supports reduce task complexity while maintaining alignment to lesson objectives and technical skill expectations. Collectively, the program-level guidance and lesson-specific interventions provide strong evidence that the materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction, activities, and scaffolded learning experiences for students who have not yet reached proficiency in the course TEKS.

Evaluation for 3.1b
Materials include pre-teaching or embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text (e.g., figurative language, idioms, academic, professional, and technical language).

The materials provide systematic support for unfamiliar vocabulary and language throughout the program. In the educator resources, the Implementation and Quality Guide explains in both the “Introductory Elements” and “Introduction” sections that each unit begins with an overview that includes the academic, professional, and technical vocabulary necessary for instruction. Additionally, the guide directs educators to review course vocabulary during lesson introductions, explicitly identifying this practice as a method for pre-teaching and reinforcing unfamiliar vocabulary and references found in instructional texts. By connecting vocabulary review to bell-ringer activities, prior knowledge, and ongoing lesson instruction, the materials ensure that language support is embedded across units rather than treated as a one-time activity. This guidance provides educators with a consistent structure for introducing, revisiting, and clarifying terminology so that students can access increasingly complex content and technical skills.

The program further demonstrates this support in the unit 4 lesson plan through the “Vocabulary and Language Supports” section. This resource directs educators to preview unfamiliar language before instruction and provides contextualized definitions for academic, professional, and technical terms students will encounter in the unit. For example, the term parturition is given and defined as “the process of giving birth; in this unit, when a pregnant dog begins labor and delivers puppies.” This language directly connects each term to the unit’s content and real-world applications. Rather than offering generic vocabulary strategies, the lesson provides explicit explanations that help students understand how the terms are used within the study of dogs and animal care. Because the materials embed vocabulary review within programwide instructional structures and provide lesson-specific supports for unfamiliar terminology and references, the evidence demonstrates pre-teaching and reinforcing academic, professional, and technical language throughout the course.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in content and technical skills in the course TEKS.

The materials establish a consistent structure for supporting differentiated instruction for students who have demonstrated proficiency in the course TEKS. In the educator resources, the Implementation and Quality Guide includes a “Differentiation & Scaffolding Instruction” section that clearly outlines how educators should extend learning for students who have mastered core content. Specifically, the guide explains that lesson plans include embedded enrichment and extension opportunities designed to increase rigor by deepening the application of skills and concepts, as well as cross-curricular connections in literacy, mathematics, and science. In addition, the guidance emphasizes that these extension tasks are intentionally designed to address student performance trends and provide opportunities for more advanced engagement with course content. This program-level structure ensures that differentiation is not isolated to individual lessons but is embedded across instructional design to consistently challenge proficient learners.

This programwide approach is further demonstrated in the unit 3, class 1 lesson plan within the “Enrichment & Extension” section that gives students who have mastered foundational knowledge of zoonotic diseases opportunities to engage in more complex, applied tasks. After direct instruction on disease transmission, prevention, and control, students participate in an outbreak-containment simulation in which they track the spread of a “mystery” zoonotic disease and determine appropriate intervention strategies. Throughout this activity, students must apply advanced reasoning to identify transmission routes and select appropriate responses, such as vaccination, quarantine, isolation, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and sanitation procedures. This extension task increases cognitive demand by requiring students to synthesize content knowledge and apply it in a dynamic, real-world scenario. Together, the Implementation and Quality Guide and the unit 3 plan demonstrate clear and intentional educator guidance for enrichment and extension activities that deepen learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency in both content and technical skills.

Evaluation for 3.1d
Materials include teacher guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

The materials provide consistent, educator-facing guidance for delivering specially designed instruction (SDI) in daily lessons. In the educator resources, the Implementation and Quality Guide includes a “Differentiation & Scaffolding Instruction” section in which the “Intervention (SDI Methods)” guidance explicitly directs that “lesson plans support educators in reaching all learners through engagement, representation, and expression for learner variability.” Furthermore, the section clarifies that educators should use the differentiation section in each lesson plan to implement “differentiated instruction, activities, paired (scaffolded) lessons, and specially designed instruction (SDI) for students who have not yet reached proficiency in content and technical skills and students receiving supports and services through special education.” This evidence demonstrates clear, program-level guidance embedded across lessons rather than in isolation, ensuring that educators understand how to adapt instruction through content access, instructional methodology, and delivery structures to support students receiving special education services while maintaining alignment with the TEKS.

This guidance is further reinforced and made actionable in the unit-level lesson materials, in which SDI is embedded directly into instructional routines and closure activities. For example, in unit 8, class 1, in the “Supports for All Learners: Differentiation & Scaffolding Instruction” section under “Intervention (SDI Methods)” directs educators during closure to allow students to “brainstorm with a partner” and support students in identifying a small-animal career of interest, recognizing transferable skills, and describing entrepreneurial applications in the pet care industry. Earlier in the lesson, structured prompts, such as having students identify steps toward certification or describe accessible entrepreneurial services, demonstrate how instruction is adapted through guided questioning, structured choice, and scaffolded discussion. Together, these SDI-specific adaptations illustrate how the materials provide concrete, lesson-embedded modifications to content engagement and instructional delivery for students receiving special education services. Overall, the evidence shows that SDI guidance is both systematically defined in program resources and meaningfully implemented within lesson structures, meeting the requirement for explicit, TEKS-aligned instructional support for diverse learners.

Evaluation for 3.2a
Materials include (explicit) direct prompts and guidance to support the teacher in modeling and explaining the concept(s) to be learned.

In the unit 3, class 2 lesson plan, the “Instructional Activities” section provides extensive educator-facing support for modeling and explaining key concepts through explicit explanations, scripted statements, and guided student prompts. During the direct instruction portion of the lesson, educators explain foundational concepts, including the purpose of PPE; the differences among cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting; and the safe handling of hazardous materials. These explanations are paired with specific state statements that clarify essential understandings, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for PPE use and the role of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in workplace safety. The lesson also includes targeted “Prompt” questions that require students to apply and explain their reasoning, such as selecting appropriate PPE for workplace scenarios or sequencing sanitation procedures. Beyond the slide-based instruction, the lesson further supports educator modeling through the unit 3, activity 2 “Instructional Approach” guidance, which directs educators to review safety procedures, facilitate scenario analysis, and emphasize connections between workplace safety, animal welfare, and industry expectations. These structured directions provide clear guidance for explaining concepts, modeling professional thinking, and supporting student meaning-making throughout the lesson.

A second example appears in the unit 8, class 4 lesson plan within the “Instructional Activities” section in which the direct instruction component again embeds explicit modeling guidance through a consistent explain–state–prompt structure. The materials direct educators to explain financial concepts, such as budgeting for pet ownership, managing expenses in a small-animal business, and evaluating profitability in animal-related enterprises, using concrete examples and real-world scenarios. Each concept is accompanied by educator-facing statements that reinforce the key learning objective and by prompts that require students to categorize expenses, analyze profits, calculate costs, and evaluate ethical decision-making. This guidance extends into the reading comprehension think-pair-share activity, in which educators facilitate written reflection, partner discussion, and formal presentation of ideas, further supporting students’ understanding of the concepts being modeled. The prevalence of these structured explanations, scripted statements, and application-focused prompts across multiple lessons demonstrates that explicit educator guidance for modeling and explaining concepts is embedded throughout the program rather than limited to isolated examples. The materials consistently provide both direct prompts and instructional guidance that support effective educator modeling and concept explanation.

Evaluation for 3.2b
Materials include teacher guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

In the Implementation and Quality Guide, the “Lesson Plans” section explains that the materials are intentionally designed to support effective lesson delivery through multiple instructional approaches that promote student discourse, collaboration, and performance-based learning. Across lessons and units, the materials consistently incorporate three or more instructional approaches and provide embedded implementation guidance to support educator facilitation. For example, the lesson plans for unit 2, lesson 4 include detailed educator directions and scripting for think-pair-share and essay-writing activities. After reading about the digestive system and nutrition of small animals, students develop a descriptive essay supported by evidence from the text. Students then exchange essays, read and discuss one another’s responses, and revise their writing based on peer feedback. The facilitation guidance included in the lesson plans ensures effective lesson delivery, student discourse and collaboration, and ultimately a deeper understanding of the content.

The lesson continues to incorporate additional instructional approaches in activity 2 in which students apply their learning by creating a chart or diagram illustrating the structure and function of the digestive and reproductive systems. This activity supports visualization and connection-making by requiring students to organize and represent content graphically. The materials also include explicit guidance for facilitating the performance task, including activity directions, pacing recommendations, expectations for individual work, and an assessment rubric. Together, these components demonstrate how the materials support effective lesson delivery through student discourse, collaborative learning, visual representations, and individual performance tasks.

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials support multiple types of practice (e.g., guided, independent, collaborative) and include guidance for teachers and recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

In the Implementation and Quality Guide, the “Lesson Plans” section demonstrates that the materials are intentionally designed to provide students with multiple types of practice and to offer educators clear implementation recommendations. The guide explains that the “Instructional Activities” section of each lesson plan includes instructional time blocks that support guided, collaborative, and independent learning and identifies recommended groupings, such as whole-group, small-group, and individual work. This structure is evident in the lesson plans for unit 5, class 5, which open with a bell-ringer discussion asking students, “What challenges do you think animal care professionals face when handling, examining, or treating cats compared to dogs?” The materials direct educators to facilitate both small-group and whole-class discussions before students transition into collaborative reading activities and guided instruction. The guide further explains that educators receive facilitation support, timing recommendations, and guidance for administering assessments throughout the lesson cycle. Together, these features ensure that students engage with content through varied learning experiences while educators receive explicit support for implementation.

The unit 5, class 5 lesson plan further demonstrates how the materials provide multiple opportunities for practice and application. Following collaborative reading and educator-guided instruction, students engage in independent practice through critical-thinking questions that require students to explain the importance of interpreting animal body language and identify appropriate responses to common feline behaviors. The lesson also incorporates performance-based applications through activity 2, in which students design an awareness campaign on shelter-cat care, and activity 3, in which students record themselves explaining parasite-testing procedures and proper animal-handling techniques. Finally, the lesson concludes with a think-pair-share activity that combines individual reflection, partner discussion, and whole-group sharing. These varied instructional experiences provide students with opportunities to practice and demonstrate their learning in multiple ways, while embedded educator guidance supports effective lesson facilitation.

Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include teacher guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic, professional, and technical language.

The materials provide comprehensive educator guidance for supporting emergent bilingual students through linguistic accommodations aligned with the ELPS and intentionally designed to increase students’ use of academic, professional, and technical language. In the Implementation and Quality Guide, the “Emergent Bilingual Students” section explains that lesson materials include accommodations for varying levels of language proficiency and are specifically designed to help students develop, apply, and expand academic, professional, and technical vocabulary through both oral and written discourse. The guide further emphasizes that implementation support is embedded throughout the program and provides practical, actionable strategies for educators in bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) settings. Rather than treating language development as a separate component, the materials integrate vocabulary development, comprehension supports, and opportunities for language production throughout lessons and units, ensuring that students repeatedly engage with discipline-specific language while building content knowledge.

An example of this support appears in the unit 2, class 2 lesson plan within the “Emergent Bilingual Students” section. Before students read the lesson content, educators review key vocabulary; conduct a text walk-through; skim titles, headings, and images; and provide graphic organizers and anticipation guides, such as know–want to know–learn (KWL) charts, to support comprehension. These accommodations directly support the lesson’s reading objectives while helping students access academic and technical content through multiple entry points. The materials provide explicit actions for educators to “monitor students to be sure they respond with accuracy to oral directions, instructions, and requests.” The supports are differentiated to address varying levels of language proficiency by combining visual supports, structured pre-reading activities, and guided vocabulary development, allowing emerging learners to build a foundational understanding while enabling more proficient students to engage with increasingly complex language and content. Because these ELPS-aligned accommodations are embedded within lesson plans throughout the course rather than appearing as isolated examples, the materials provide educators with consistent guidance for supporting students across multiple proficiency levels while promoting ongoing growth in academic, professional, and technical language use.

Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support teachers in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.

In the Implementation and Quality Guide, the “Emergent Bilingual Students” section explicitly states that the implementation guidance provides practical, actionable support and instructional strategies for state-approved bilingual and ESL programs. The lesson materials include accommodations for varying levels of language proficiency and are specifically designed to help students develop, apply, and expand academic, professional, and technical vocabulary through both oral and written discourse. The guide further emphasizes that implementation support is embedded throughout the program and provides practical, actionable strategies for educators in bilingual and ESL settings. Rather than treating language development as a separate component, the materials integrate vocabulary development, comprehension supports, and opportunities for language production throughout lessons and units, ensuring that students repeatedly engage with discipline-specific language while building content knowledge.

An example of this support appears in the unit 2, class 2 lesson plan within the “Emergent Bilingual Students” section. Before students read the lesson content, educators review key vocabulary; conduct a text walk-through; skim titles, headings, and images; and provide graphic organizers and anticipation guides, such as KWL charts, to support comprehension. These accommodations directly support the lesson’s reading objectives while helping students access academic and technical content through multiple entry points. The materials provide explicit actions for educators to “monitor students to be sure they respond with accuracy to oral directions, instructions, and requests.” Importantly, the supports are differentiated to address varying levels of language proficiency by combining visual supports, structured pre-reading activities, and guided vocabulary development, allowing emerging learners to build a foundational understanding while enabling more proficient students to engage with increasingly complex language and content.

Evaluation for 3.3c
Materials include embedded guidance for teachers to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic, professional, and technical vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.

The materials provide detailed, embedded daily guidance for supporting emergent bilingual students throughout the lesson plans. While the following examples are drawn from the unit 2 lesson plans, similar “Emergent Bilingual Students” sections appear throughout the course and provide ongoing support for the development of academic, professional, and technical language. The unit 2 lesson plans direct educators to monitor students’ responses to oral directions and adjust expectations based on proficiency level, progressing from gestures and single-word responses to complete sentences using unit vocabulary. The materials also recommend vocabulary review activities, such as bingo and charades, in which students progress from matching vocabulary with images and gestures to explaining technical terms using complete sentences. These embedded supports provide structured opportunities for students to develop and practice academic and discipline-specific vocabulary through oral discourse. The materials also support emergent bilingual students in building background knowledge and increasing comprehension through oral discourse. The unit 2 lesson plans also direct educators to use the provided literacy support toolbar and downloadable podcasts to reinforce content and language acquisition. Beginning students listen as they follow highlighted text; Intermediate students pause to summarize key points; and Advanced students paraphrase and explain the content in their own words. Additionally, the materials encourage educators to have students demonstrate comprehension by restating, responding, summarizing, and asking clarifying questions about what they hear. These supports help students build understanding of new concepts while strengthening listening and speaking skills.

The unit 2 lesson plans provide embedded guidance for developing academic and technical vocabulary and increasing comprehension through written discourse. During reading activities, the materials direct educators to have students use the literacy support toolbar to highlight unfamiliar words, identify main ideas, and note confusing concepts. Students then record notes, vocabulary meanings, clarifying questions, or summaries based on their proficiency level. The materials also encourage students to create bulleted lists or short written summaries as scaffolds before completing more extensive writing tasks. These structured supports help students develop content-specific vocabulary while improving comprehension of complex texts. The materials further support written discourse by helping students build background knowledge and make cross-linguistic connections. Educators use KWL charts and graphic organizers to have students record their prior knowledge before engaging with new content and write reflections that connect that knowledge to the lesson. Additionally, the materials direct educators to create a dual-language word wall and encourage students to explain vocabulary in their primary language before composing responses in English. These embedded supports help students leverage knowledge and language from multiple contexts as they develop increasingly sophisticated written communication.

Evaluation for 3.3d
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction on industry-specific knowledge and skills in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials provide a structured framework to support educators in delivering explicit instruction in industry-specific knowledge aligned with the course TEKS. As described in the Implementation and Quality Guide, the “Lesson Plans” section includes instructional time blocks with direct teaching prompts, explanatory guidance, and educator-facing supports designed to facilitate content delivery. In unit 3, class 3, the “Instructional Time: Direct Instruction (55 mins)” section provides step-by-step guidance for teaching animal first-aid concepts. For example, the lesson directs educators to explain the difference between arterial and venous bleeding, describe how direct pressure is used to control severe bleeding, and explain the causes and warning signs of shock in animals. Accompanying prompts require students to identify appropriate responses to injuries, apply concepts to animal-care scenarios, and describe how they would communicate treatment and monitoring procedures, thereby supporting the direct teaching of TEKS-aligned concepts related to animal health, emergency care, and veterinary safety practices.

The materials also provide explicit guidance for teaching industry-specific skills through modeled examples and applied practice. In the unit 8, class 2 lesson plan, the “Instructional Time: Direct Instruction (65 Mins)” section guides educators through instruction on the operational and professional practices used in small-animal businesses. The materials direct educators to explain and model skills, such as maintaining animal-care records, communicating professionally with clients, scheduling services, and managing inventory using First In, First Out (FIFO) and First Expired, First Out (FEFO) procedures. Students then apply these skills by creating sample record entries, revising client communications, developing appointment schedules, and selecting appropriate inventory-management methods for common workplace scenarios. By pairing educator explanations with authentic industry tasks, the materials support explicit instruction and application of technical skills commonly used in small-animal operations.

Evaluation for 4.1b
Materials consistently provide opportunities for students to develop, use, and apply industry-specific academic, professional, and technical vocabulary.

The materials consistently provide opportunities for students to develop industry-specific academic, professional, and technical vocabulary throughout the course. For example, the unit 6 lesson plans include multiple instructional components designed to build vocabulary knowledge before and during reading. In the “Instructional Time: Vocab Warm-Up (10 mins)” section, students listen to and repeat unit vocabulary, practice pronunciation, distinguish sounds and intonation patterns, and write words as they hear them. Additional support is provided through prereading activities that prompt students to analyze text features, connect to prior knowledge, and make predictions about upcoming content. Vocabulary development continues during the “Unit Vocabulary in Context (20 mins)” activity, in which students create personalized vocabulary lists and use context clues, cognates, roots, and visual supports to determine meaning. The lesson plans also direct students to use a literacy toolbar that includes features such as a visual dictionary, text-to-speech tools, word definitions, and translation supports. Together, these recurring instructional routines provide multiple strategies for helping students actively develop an understanding of industry-specific terminology rather than simply memorizing definitions.

The materials also consistently provide opportunities for students to use and apply industry-specific academic, professional, and technical vocabulary in authentic contexts. Throughout the course, students engage in critical-thinking questions, discussion questions, and activities that require students to explain concepts using precise industry language. For example, unit 4 includes critical-thinking question 3 that asks students to assume the role of a dog breeder, identify signs of parturition, explain appropriate newborn care practices, and discuss factors that affect reproductive health and fertility. To respond successfully, students must apply technical vocabulary, such as dams, parturition, fertility, reproductive health, socialization, and whelping, while explaining real-world animal management practices. The suggested answers and accompanying activities demonstrate that vocabulary is embedded in industry scenarios and problem-solving tasks, ensuring that students repeatedly use academic and technical language in meaningful, career-relevant contexts throughout the course.

Evaluation for 4.1c
Materials provide opportunities for students to develop and refine industry-specific knowledge and skills through activities and tasks that progressively increase in rigor and complexity across lessons and units within the course.

The materials provide opportunities for students to develop industry-specific knowledge and skills through activities and tasks across lessons and units within the course. This progression is explicitly described in the unit 5 “Cross-Unit Connections” section of the scope and sequence, which explains how students build on the species-management model introduced in unit 4 by applying concepts related to nutrition, health care, and behavior to the care and management of cats. The materials also connect learning from units 2 and 3, including reproduction, disease prevention, and parasite identification, to the analysis of feline health and behavior. These connections demonstrate how students use knowledge and skills developed in earlier units to examine management practices for a new companion animal species, extending their understanding of animal care and management.

The materials also provide opportunities for students to refine industry-specific knowledge and skills through activities that progressively increase in rigor and complexity. In unit 6, students begin with guided instruction in the lesson plan “Instructional Time: Direct Instruction (75 Mins)” section, in which they identify rabbit characteristics, anatomy, and health indicators and make basic connections between physical traits and care requirements. Students then apply this knowledge in critical-thinking question 2 by explaining health maintenance strategies for rabbits and rodents and justifying how those practices prevent disease and support animal well-being. The rigor increases further in activity 2, “How Can I Help Others Find the Right Pet?,” in which students independently gather information about rabbits and multiple rodent species; analyze housing, nutrition, grooming, and health requirements; compare species-specific management needs; and synthesize their findings into a product designed for prospective pet owners. This sequence moves students from identifying and explaining concepts to analyzing information, making comparisons, and communicating recommendations in an authentic context, providing repeated opportunities to refine industry-specific knowledge and skills throughout the unit.

Evaluation for 4.1d
Materials include activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate understanding of industry-specific knowledge and skills in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials include activities and tasks that require students to demonstrate understanding of industry-specific knowledge and skills aligned to the course TEKS. As described in the “Lesson Plans” section of the Implementation and Quality Guide, the materials provide intentionally structured activities with TEKS-aligned objectives, direct instruction, and formative assessments that require students to apply content knowledge through guided and independent practice. This design is evident in unit 5, critical-thinking question 4, in which students must define sex-linked traits and explain why breeders and small-animal professionals would use this genetic information in decision-making. The task requires students to apply genetics concepts (such as chromosome inheritance and trait prediction) and use industry-specific reasoning to justify their responses in a workplace-relevant context, demonstrating how lesson-level assessments are aligned to TEKS expectations for technical understanding rather than recall.

This alignment continues in more advanced, applied tasks that increase in complexity and require broader integration of knowledge and skills. For example, unit 8, activity 2, “How Can I Plan for My Future Business?,” requires students to integrate career development, employability skills, and business mathematics aligned with the TEKS related to entrepreneurship and financial planning. Students research career pathways, including education, certification, and internship requirements, then apply financial reasoning to project business income and expenses from an initial $10,000 investment. Students also synthesize their findings into two targeted presentations and an oral recording for different audiences, demonstrating communication skills alongside technical and employability competencies. Taken together, these tasks show a progression from applying discrete technical knowledge in unit 5 to integrating academic, technical, and employability skills in a complex, real-world simulation in unit 8.

Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials explicitly connect new knowledge and skills to prior learning across lessons and units within the course and across courses as applicable.

The materials explicitly connect new knowledge and skills to prior learning across lessons and units within the course. In the scope and sequence for unit 5, the “Cross-Unit Connections” section shows that the unit builds directly on the species-management model introduced in unit 4 by applying concepts of anatomy, genetics, health care, and behavior to cats, enabling students to compare management practices across companion animal species. This intentional sequencing is reinforced in the unit 5 lesson materials, in which critical-thinking question 4 requires students to define sex-linked traits and explain their relevance to breeders and small-animal professionals. To respond successfully, students must draw on prior learning from earlier units, specifically genetics, reproduction, and disease prevention concepts introduced in units 2 and 3, as students explain chromosome-based inheritance patterns and apply those ideas to breeding decisions. Taken together, the scope-and-sequence framing and embedded critical-thinking tasks provide consistent opportunities for students to activate and apply prior knowledge in increasingly complex, species-specific contexts.

The materials explicitly connect new knowledge and skills to prior learning across courses within the Animal Science program of study. For example, in the student dashboard for unit 6, the “Lesson 6: Ethical Issues: Animal Welfare, Animal Rights, and Rabbits” section builds on foundational concepts introduced in the preceding course, Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. The lesson revisits animal welfare and agricultural legislation, extending these concepts to the ethical considerations surrounding rabbit production and care. Additionally, the “Do Your Own Research” activity requires students to investigate individuals, organizations, and groups involved in the animal rights movement and evaluate their influence on society. These activities provide opportunities for students to apply foundational knowledge of agricultural regulations and ethical responsibilities to species-specific issues in small animal management. By building on concepts introduced in Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, the materials establish relevant connections between prior coursework and new knowledge and skills.

Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials are aligned with and provide relevant cross-curricular connections that support transferable academic knowledge and skills in literacy, math, social studies, and science.

The materials provide intentional, relevant cross-curricular connections that support transferable literacy and science skills in the context of small-animal management. As outlined in the unit 5 lesson plans’ “Cross-Curricular Connections” section, students apply science concepts related to anatomy, physiology, genetics, and parasitology to understand feline behavior, reproduction, and preventative care. Students additionally develop literacy skills by interpreting informational texts and using domain-specific veterinary terminology to communicate animal-care concepts. The materials embed connections directly into instruction and student tasks. For example, in critical-thinking question 5, students apply scientific knowledge of genetics by using Punnett squares to predict coat color and hair length outcomes in feline offspring and explain the reasoning behind their predictions. Additionally, the “Unit Vocabulary Review Activity (40 Mins)” section requires students to engage in speaking, listening, writing, and presenting tasks that require content-specific language and comprehension of technical concepts. These activities meaningfully connect literacy and science practices to authentic industry content, reinforcing both academic and technical learning.

The materials also provide relevant connections to mathematics and social studies that support students’ understanding of industry concepts and workplace decision-making. In the unit 6 lesson plans, the “Cross-Curricular Connections” section explicitly identifies opportunities for students to interpret numerical data on nutrition, enclosure requirements, and vital signs and to examine animal welfare, animal rights, and ethical issues. The materials reinforce connections through student-facing tasks. In unit 6, critical-thinking question 3, students analyze animal vital-sign data, compare measurements to healthy ranges, and determine which patients require intervention, applying mathematical reasoning in a veterinary context. Likewise, discussion questions 1 and 2 ask students to evaluate perspectives on animal rights and animal welfare, consider current ethical issues, and justify their viewpoints with evidence from the unit. Together, these activities demonstrate intentional integration of mathematical and social studies concepts that directly support the knowledge and skills being developed in the course.

Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials integrate academic, technical, and employability knowledge and skills in the context of the course and in alignment to the course TEKS.

The materials integrate academic, technical, and employability knowledge and skills in authentic small-animal management contexts aligned with the course TEKS. For example, in unit 7, activity 1, “How Can I Support Small Animal Ownership?,” students synthesize knowledge developed throughout the course to create and present a comprehensive ownership plan for a selected animal. Students research and apply technical concepts related to nutrition, health maintenance, disease prevention, reproduction, housing, identification methods, handling procedures, and grooming requirements before developing a formal plan and recording a 4–8-minute presentation. This activity requires students to apply academic research and organization skills, demonstrate industry-specific knowledge, and practice professional communication skills in a realistic scenario that mirrors the responsibilities of animal care professionals and educators.


Additionally, the materials reinforce the integration of academic, technical, and employability skills through workplace-based problem solving. In unit 7, critical-thinking question 1, students assume the role of a pet store employee advising a customer who has purchased a new pet lizard. To respond, students must interpret animal health indicators, distinguish between normal and abnormal behaviors, and communicate appropriate recommendations using industry-specific knowledge. This task combines technical understanding of reptile health and behavior with critical thinking, customer service, and communication skills essential to animal-related careers.

Evaluation for 5.1a
Materials provide opportunities for students to investigate career clusters and programs of study as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials provide opportunities for students to investigate career clusters and programs of study within the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career cluster and the Animal Science program of study through structured exploration of career pathways in small-animal management. In the unit 8, class 1 lesson plan and the accompanying unit 8 slide deck, the materials prompt students to analyze a tiered progression of careers ranging from entry-level roles, such as pet sitter and kennel assistant, to advanced and professional-level occupations, such as licensed veterinary technician and veterinarian. This structured progression enables students to compare required training, certifications, and education levels across roles and identify steps needed to advance within the field.

The materials further reinforce career investigation through structured research and applied reflection tasks that require students to connect careers to education requirements and workplace expectations. In the unit 8 activities, critical-thinking question 1 requires students to identify training, education, or certification opportunities tailored to careers in small-animal grooming. Collectively, these materials support students in exploring and analyzing career pathways aligned to the course cluster and program of study through introductory-level career awareness and application tasks.

Evaluation for 5.1b
Materials provide opportunities for students to analyze relevant regional or statewide Labor Market Information (LMI) or emerging market workforce data to support data-driven investigations of careers.

The materials provide opportunities for students to access and analyze relevant Texas Labor Market Information (LMI) to investigate regional workforce trends and support career decision-making. In the dashboard, unit 8, lesson 1, under “Analyzing Data to Investigate Careers,” the materials guide students to use the Texas LMI Workforce Development Area website to examine region-specific data and compare local workforce information with statewide trends. The investigation emphasizes the analysis of projected industry growth and employment patterns, supporting data-driven consideration of workforce needs and potential career opportunities.

The materials further reinforce the application of labor market data to individual career investigations in unit 8, activity 2, “How Can I Plan for My Future Business?” The activity directs students to evaluate current labor market information, including wages and local employment opportunities, and to consider whether the available data support the student’s chosen career as a viable fit for achieving their personal goals. The materials provide clear opportunities for students to use relevant LMI to support data-driven investigations into careers in the small-animal industry.

Evaluation for 5.1c
Materials include career investigation activities and tasks designed to support development of individual career goals (e.g., career interest inventories, career goals, post-secondary education requirements, post-secondary career plans).

The materials include career investigation activities designed to support the development of individual career goals through structured reflection and career planning. In the course dashboard, unit 8, lesson 5, the “Checking In” callout box prompts students to evaluate their interest in a small-animal career by considering the education, training, and certifications required to reach that goal. The callout box encourages students to reflect on their Supervised Agricultural Experience; explore additional hands-on opportunities through internships, job shadowing, and apprenticeships; and speak with a Future Farmers of America advisor or counselor to create a personalized career plan.

The materials further develop individual career goals through unit 8, activity 2, “How Can I Plan for My Future Business?,” which guides students in creating a financial plan for a small-animal business. The activity requires students to research a potential small-animal career and evaluate the education, training, credentialing, internship, apprenticeship, and entrepreneurship opportunities associated with that field. Students then apply this research to develop financial and career plans and communicate their goals to different audiences through tailored presentations. Collectively, these activities help students connect career interests to postsecondary requirements and long-term career planning.

Evaluation for 5.2a
Materials include guidance for teachers to provide explicit (direct) instruction on professional standards and employability skills relevant to career clusters and programs of study as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Skills Standards.

The materials provide explicit guidance for educators to deliver direct instruction on professional standards and employability skills relevant to the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career cluster and Animal Science program of study. In the unit 8, class 2 lesson plan, the “Instructional Time: Direct Instruction (65 Mins)” section includes educator-directed explanations, instructional scripts, and discussion prompts that explicitly teach professional expectations in authentic small-animal workplace contexts. For example, educators explain that “strong interpersonal skills, greeting clients, repeating key details, and using a respectful tone are as important as technical skills” and connect to business responsibilities, such as scheduling, inventory management, and client communication, to animal welfare, workplace safety, and professionalism. This guidance supports educators in modeling professional standards while reinforcing the employability skills identified in the course TEKS and the Texas CTE Employability Skills Standards.

The materials further reinforce professional standards through structured opportunities that require learners to apply employability skills in authentic workplace scenarios. In the unit 8, class 2 lesson plans, the “Enrichment & Extension” section directs educators to facilitate a mock clinic scenario in which learners complete records, client communications, appointment schedules, and inventory logs while explaining how accurate documentation and professional communication support efficiency, professionalism, and quality animal care. These embedded instructional supports extend explicit educator modeling into guided practice, reinforcing professional behaviors and workplace expectations within the small-animal industry.

Evaluation for 5.2b
Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in career development activities and tasks (e.g., mock interviews, resume writing, portfolio development) as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS and Texas CTE Employability Skills Standards.

The materials provide opportunities for students to engage in career development activities relevant to employment in the small-animal industry. In unit 1, activity 2, “How Can I Demonstrate Professional Workplace Behaviors?,” the materials require students to develop and apply skills in resume writing, interview preparation, and professional portfolio development. For example, the activity directs students to plan a professional portfolio by selecting items, such as a work sample or a certification, and to justify the skills each item demonstrates to an employer. These tasks connect course-specific workplace expectations to authentic career development activities and support preparation for the hiring process.

The materials further reinforce career development in the lesson plans for the unit 1, class 4, “Career Development Practice: Mock Interviews and Resume Writing” section. The materials provide guidance for a mock interview activity that requires students to role-play as an interviewer and job applicant for an entry-level career, such as a veterinary assistant or kennel technician. Students practice answering common interview questions, including “Why are you interested in this position?,” using an appropriate, professional tone. Together, these opportunities go beyond exposure, requiring students to practice career development tasks that demonstrate professional qualifications and prepare students for employment.

Evaluation for 5.2c
Materials emphasize the use of academic, professional, and technical vocabulary during career development opportunities.

The materials intentionally require students to use academic, professional, and technical vocabulary within career development tasks. In unit 1, activity 2, “How Can I Demonstrate Professional Workplace Behaviors?,” vocabulary expectations are embedded into resume writing, mock interview practice, and portfolio development, requiring students to correctly apply at least five terms from the unit, including a technical term related to a small-animal career. The vocabulary requirement is also incorporated into the activity’s grading rubric, intentionally integrating discipline-specific language into authentic career development opportunities.

The materials further emphasize vocabulary application through the unit 1, class 4 lesson plans under “Career Development Practice: Mock Interviews and Resume Writing.” The lesson plans provide examples of academic, professional, and technical vocabulary that students can incorporate into their resumes and mock interview responses, including animal welfare, preventive care, and client communication. The materials then state, “Encourage students to reference the vocabulary lists they created during the Unit Vocabulary in Context activity.” These supports intentionally reinforce the use of appropriate professional and technical terminology during authentic career development tasks.

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include experiential learning through classroom experiences (e.g., labs, workplace simulations, project-based learning) and/or work-based learning (e.g., job shadowing, internships, practicums) to develop or reinforce the real-world application of technical and employability skills in the context of the course and aligned to the appropriate level on the work-based learning continuum.

The materials include experiential learning through authentic work-based and classroom experiences that develop the real-world application of technical and employability skills aligned to the course. In unit 4, activity 2, “AFK: How Can I Grow My Dog Grooming Skills?,” students participate in a job-shadowing experience by observing a professional groomer in a grooming salon or pet store and, when possible, assisting with basic grooming tasks. Students then apply their observations to create a visual aid that demonstrates proper grooming procedures, equipment selection, and animal care practices. This activity supports career exploration by connecting classroom learning to authentic workplace practices while reinforcing technical knowledge, observation skills, and professional communication.

The materials also provide experiential learning through workplace simulations that mirror responsibilities encountered in veterinary settings. In unit 7, activity 2, “AFK: How Can I Compare Birds and Reptiles?,” students assume the role of an experienced veterinary technician responsible for training new staff on the identification, anatomy, and safe handling of exotic animals. The activity requires students to apply their knowledge by demonstrating technical procedures and terminology in an authentic workplace context while strengthening their communication and instructional skills. Together, these activities provide meaningful experiential learning aligned to the career exploration stage of the work-based learning continuum, which is appropriate for the course level.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials provide opportunities for students to use relevant industry-specific materials (e.g., technical texts/manuals, equipment, technology, supplies) during experiential learning.

The materials provide opportunities for students to use relevant industry-specific materials during experiential learning. In unit 2, activity 3, “How Can I Gather ‘Vital’ Information?,” students conduct a simulated veterinary assessment by demonstrating how to collect and interpret small-animal vital signs. The activity requires students to use industry-specific equipment and supplies, including a thermometer, a watch, and a stethoscope (or earbuds used as a simulated stethoscope), while recording a demonstration of procedures for measuring heart rate, temperature, and respiratory rate. Students then compare collected data to normal veterinary reference ranges, interpret the results, and explain possible causes of abnormal findings. By integrating veterinary equipment, technical reference tables, and authentic diagnostic procedures within a hands-on simulation, the activity provides meaningful opportunities for students to use industry-specific materials during experiential learning.

The materials further reinforce the use of industry-specific materials through workplace simulations that mirror common veterinary technician responsibilities. In unit 4, activity 4, “AFK: How Can I Demonstrate Dog Handling Skills?,” students create a professional training video demonstrating safe canine handling procedures. The activity requires students to use industry-relevant equipment and materials, including a floor scale, measuring tools, and a stuffed dog model, to perform clinical tasks, such as measuring height and weight and demonstrating proper lifting and restraint techniques. Students apply technical content as they narrate each procedure, using industry tools and equipment to replicate authentic veterinary workplace practices. This experiential learning opportunity integrates technical knowledge with the use of industry-specific materials in a realistic clinical context.

Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials emphasize the use of academic, professional, and technical vocabulary during experiential learning opportunities.

The materials intentionally require students to use academic, professional, and technical vocabulary during experiential learning opportunities. In unit 5, activity 3, “How Can I Play the Role of a Veterinary Technician?,” students assume the role of a veterinary technician and record instructional videos simulating common clinical responsibilities. As students explain and demonstrate procedures, they must accurately use veterinary terminology; explain disease and parasite prevention; discuss vaccination protocols; demonstrate parasite testing procedures, such as fecal examinations and ear cytology; and model appropriate cat restraint techniques, including the C-hold and scruff hold. The task is intentionally designed to require students to communicate technical concepts as they perform authentic veterinary procedures, ensuring that academic, professional, and technical vocabulary is applied within a realistic workplace simulation rather than practiced in isolation.

The materials further emphasize technical vocabulary through experiential communication tasks that mirror workplace training. In unit 3, activity 2, “How Can I Promote Protective Practices?,” students create a workplace safety training video and a supporting presentation for small-animal professionals. The activity requires students to accurately use and explain industry-specific terminology related to PPE, cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, surgical packs, OSHA guidelines, employee responsibilities, and workplace safety protocols while demonstrating occupational safety procedures. The activity also directs students to present both oral and written technical communication using correct pronunciation, appropriate professional language, and terminology suitable for multiple workplace audiences. By embedding technical vocabulary in authentic demonstrations and professional training materials, the task ensures that students actively use industry language as part of an experiential learning opportunity.

Evaluation for 6.2a
Materials include opportunities for students to apply academic and technical knowledge and skills to authentic, real-world, industry-specific problems and develop and evaluate viable solutions as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials include opportunities for students to apply academic and technical knowledge and skills to authentic, real-world, industry-specific problems and develop and evaluate viable solutions. In unit 3, activity 3, “AFK: How Can I Act Out an Animal Medical Emergency?,” students participate in a workplace simulation in which they assume the role of a veterinary professional responding to an injured animal during an emergency at a pet store. Students analyze the animal’s condition, perform a physical assessment and triage, determine appropriate first-aid procedures, identify and justify the selection of medical equipment and supplies, control bleeding, recognize and respond to signs of shock, apply appropriate bandaging techniques, and document patient information in a veterinary medical record. Throughout the simulation, students explain the reasoning behind each clinical decision and adapt their responses to the emergency scenario, requiring students to apply technical knowledge to develop and evaluate appropriate solutions in an authentic veterinary context aligned with the course TEKS.

The materials also provide opportunities for students to apply academic and technical knowledge to authentic industry scenarios by developing solutions for prospective pet owners. In unit 6, activity 2, “How Can I Help Others Find the Right Pet?,” students assume the role of an animal care professional tasked with helping customers select the most appropriate small animal based on its care requirements and the owner’s needs. Students evaluate species-specific characteristics, housing and habitat requirements, equipment needs, nutritional requirements, grooming procedures, and health maintenance considerations for rabbits and multiple rodent species before designing a customer-facing resource, such as an infographic, comparison chart, presentation, or decision guide. The activity requires students to synthesize technical information, compare multiple options, and develop evidence-based recommendations to help prospective owners make informed decisions about pet selection. By requiring students to evaluate alternatives and communicate a practical solution to a realistic customer need, the activity provides an authentic, industry-specific application of academic and technical knowledge.

Evaluation for 6.2b
Materials include opportunities for students to conduct industry-related data analysis to evaluate information, identify trends, and justify decisions using quantitative and qualitative reasoning as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials include opportunities for students to conduct industry-related data analysis to evaluate information and justify evidence-based decisions. In unit 2, activity 1, “AFK: How Can I Choose the Best Pet Food?,” students collect and analyze nutritional information from multiple commercial pet food products by examining guaranteed analysis data, ingredient lists, storage guidelines, and recommended serving sizes. Students compare each product against the six essential nutrient groups required for small animals, evaluate ingredient quality and nutritional value, determine whether each food adequately meets an animal’s dietary needs, and rank the products from best to worst based on nutrition, value, and quality. Students then synthesize their findings into a consumer guide recommending the most appropriate product. The activity requires comparative analysis of industry nutrition data and prescriptive decision-making as students justify recommendations using both quantitative information from product labels and qualitative evaluation of ingredient quality.


The materials include opportunities for students to conduct industry-related data analysis to evaluate information, identify trends, and justify decisions using quantitative and qualitative reasoning, aligned with the course TEKS. In unit 8, activity 4, “AFK: What Are the Main Points About Medication?,” students apply veterinary medication data to authentic clinical tasks by identifying routes of medication administration, selecting appropriate needle gauges for different small animals, and calculating accurate medication dosages using animal weight and medication concentration. Students solve dosage calculations for both liquid and tablet medications, determine the total milligrams required, and convert those values into the correct amount to administer, demonstrating the quantitative reasoning expected in veterinary practice. Students also justify equipment selection by matching syringe and needle specifications to the needs of different animals, integrating qualitative decision-making with technical knowledge. By requiring students to interpret clinical data, perform dosage calculations, convert measurements, and make evidence-based administration decisions, the activity engages students in descriptive, comparative, and prescriptive analysis using industry-authentic veterinary information.

Evaluation for 6.2c
Materials include opportunities for students to engage in inquiry-based learning (e.g., formulating industry-specific questions, conducting research using industry-specific sources) as applicable to the level of the course and in alignment with the course TEKS.

The materials include opportunities for students to engage in inquiry-based learning through authentic, industry-relevant research and problem-based application aligned with the course TEKS. For example, in unit 5, activity 2, “How Can I Raise Awareness About the Needs of Shelter Animals?,” students assume the role of an animal shelter employee tasked with developing a community awareness campaign to educate prospective owners about the needs of shelter cats. Students investigate topics such as feline physical characteristics, nutrition, grooming, housing, equipment, and ownership responsibilities using course resources before determining how to communicate that information effectively through a multi-part campaign. Rather than simply reporting information, students synthesize their research to develop educational materials that recommend appropriate care practices, encourage responsible pet ownership, and propose strategies for supporting shelter animals. By requiring students to investigate an authentic industry problem, conduct research, and apply evidence to develop a practical community outreach product, the activity provides meaningful, inquiry-based learning.

Another example is found in unit 6, activity 3, “How Can I Analyze Issues in Animal Rights and Welfare?,” in which students investigate historical and contemporary issues surrounding animal advocacy through guided research using multiple sources. Students examine major legislation, influential organizations and individuals, current issues in animal welfare, and the exclusion of rats and mice from federal legislation before organizing their findings into a historical timeline. Students then synthesize their research to analyze current issues, evaluate the significance of key legislative events, and justify positions on future policy considerations using evidence from their investigation. Together, these activities provide strong inquiry-based learning opportunities that align with the course TEKS and rubric expectations.