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Middle School Science

Course Description

What makes my classes different from other middle school science teachers: I use a 3-year spiraling curriculum that allows opportunities to revisit and deepen understandings of previous science content. All three grades study the big three Science Disciplines (Earth, Life, Physical) each year and this gives them opportunities to increase both the breadth and depth of what they are learning!
 
Curriculum pulls from multiple sources, each of which is student-centered and highly hands-on. FOSS Kits, Science Labs, Document Based Inquiries, and Text-Dependent Study Guides are woven tightly together to create a learning environment that fosters growth, scaffolds support and is fully Literacy and Science Standard Aligned. 
 
The following units are taught over the course of the year: 
 

6th 

7th

8th

Quarter 1

Quarter 1

Quarter 1

Earth Science

Earth Science

Earth Science  

What is Science?

Science as Inquiry- Meteorites and Outer Space

Crystals & Minerals and Rock Cycle Review  

Earth’s Forces and Plate Tectonics

The Atmosphere

Observing the Solar System and Planetary Geology  

Oceans, Water, and Weather

Oxygen, Nitrogen, & Carbon Cycles and Fossils/Fuels

Stars and Galaxies and Microgravity  

Quarter 2

Quarter 2

Quarter 2

Earth Science

Physical Science

Life Science

Rocks and Earth Cycles

Mixtures and Solutions FOSS Kit

What is Biology & Taxonomy

Astronomy and Solar System, Moon Phases 

Atoms & Periodic Table- Minerals & Metals, Electricity

Biodiversity and Biomes

Human Impact on Earth

Chemical and Physical Changes

Ecosystems & Ecology and Environmental Issues

Quarter 3

 Quarter 3

 Quarter 3

 Physical

 Life

 Physical

Electricity and Magnetism FOSS Kit

What is Life- Protists, Bacteria, Fungi

Acids, Bases, Salts

Levers and Pulleys FOSS Kit

Obtaining Energy- Animals & Plants

Wave Energy, Sound and Light

Thermodynamics and “Warm the Water”

Heredity & Genetics

Velocity, Acceleration, and Newton’s Laws

 Quarter 4

  Quarter 4

  Quarter 4

Life

  Life

 Physical

Living Things- Cells & Life Cycles

Steelhead Fish

 Nuclear Energy and Power

Kingdoms of Life- Animals

Natural Selection & Evolution

Work, Power, and Machines

Conserving Resources

Ecology- Environments and Invasive Species

Solar Power