Middle School Science
Assignment Calendar
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 |
| Oceans, Water, and Weather | The Atmosphere | Observing the Solar System and Planetary Geology |
| Earth’s Forces and Plate Tectonics | 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 Fossil Records | 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 | Nuclear Energy and Power |
| Quarter 4 | Quarter 4 | Quarter 4 |
| Life | Life | Physical |
| Living Things- Cells & Life Cycles |
Natural Selection & Evolution |
Velocity, Acceleration, and Newton’s Laws |
| Kingdoms of Life- Animals | Steelhead Fish | Work, Power, and Machines |
| Conserving Resources | Ecology- Environments and Invasive Species | Solar Power |