Grades 6-8 Science

More Science Programs

There are many other programs which may be used in student learning plans. Here are some examples:

• American Chemical Society: Middle School Chemistry - Free!

• Big Kid Science: Earth and Space Science - Free! An online interactive text for middle school, no registration required. Currently in a beta version. Written by Jeffrey Bennett, an author of college astronomy texts and children's books.

• Elemental Science: Classical Science - Grades 1-5 Grammar Stage series, Grades 5-8 Logic Stage series, and high school Rhetoric Stage series. The Logic Stage options include biology, earth science & astronomy, chemistry, physics.

• Georgia Virtual Learning Shared - Free! - MS Science 6th grade and MS Science 7th grade and MS Science 8th Grade. The interactive resources may work best with the Chrome browser. No access to quizzes and final assessments.

• Pandia Press: REAL Science Odyssey - Grades 6-10 Level Two series in print or PDF. The Level Two series consists of Biology and Astronomy. Biology, a year-long program, has three components: a full color student textbook, a student workbook, and a teacher guide. Astronomy, intended as a semester-long program, include a student text, a teacher guide, and an optional book called The Stargazer's Notebook.

• Holt Science & Technology. Short Course Series. c2002-2007. Print. Consider selecting 3-4 volumes per academic year from this middle school series.

• Glencoe Science c2008 - Print. A series of 15 individual modules, but also available in integrated grade-level volumes: Level Red grade 6, Level Green grade 7, Level Blue grade 8, and in single-subject volumes for life science, physical science, and earth science. The publisher McGraw-Hill retired the glencoe.com website in 2017, but you can still access some free Glencoe science resources.

• Time4Learning - Grades K-12. Online. Time4Learning offers an online learning program for K-8 students that includes science, language arts, math, and social studies.

Free Multimedia Science Resources

In addition to the resources in this list, many digital resources are available to students for free through subscriptions provided by our program and our district. Please see our Edmonds Heights K-12 Library website or the Edmonds Heights K-12 Library Catalog for more information.

Apps

• Seek [app] - A plant and animal identification app for kids. No login or account required.

Digital Learning Programs

• BrainPop (Grades 3-8) - BrainPop is a supplemental online learning resource with animated videos, games, reading material, vocabulary, worksheets and more activities. It provides access to multiple subjects, not just science. Organized by science topic and not by grade level. We do not currently have a subscription to the special middle school science resource.

Podcasts

• Brains On! [podcast] - Grades K-7

• Wow in the World [podcast] - Grades K-7

Videos & TV Shows

• Crash Course Kids [YouTube channel] - Grade 5 is the intended level, but it is often used by students in other grades, both above and below fifth grade

• Science Max [YouTube channel] - Grades 2-8

• SciGirls [TV show] - Grades 3-7

• Weareteachers.com list of free science videos

• Common Sense Media: Best Science Shows for Kids

Digital Resource Collections

Websites with resources such as virtual labs, simulations, online games, lesson plans, and science project ideas.

• CK-12 Chemistry Simulations and CK-12 Physics Simulations - Simulations for middle and high school.

• Concord Consortium STEM Resource Finder - Grades K-12+. Interactive STEM activities. See an overview of the various Concord Consortium Collections.

• National Geographic Education Resources - See A Family Guide to Using Nat Geo Education Resources

• PBS LearningMedia: Science - Multimedia learning resources for K-12th grade, including thousands of videos, plus interactives, lessons, and more. Filter by science topic, grade level, media type.

• PhET - Grades K-12. Over 150 free math and science simulations as well as thousands of free teacher-submitted lessons.

• Science Buddies - K-12. Website with lesson plans, demonstration videos, and ideas for science projects. Also offers science kits sold through Home Science Tools.

Nature Journaling

• BEETLES: Field Journaling - Free slide presentation modeling how to use nature journaling to support student learning. BEETLES is a program from the University of California at Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science.

• John Muir Laws - Website from a naturalist, artist, and educator supporting "Nature Stewardship Through Science, Education, and Arts." Free lessons, videos, and a natural journaling curriculum. Also lists books and supplies for sale.

• YouTube Channels for Nature Journalers

Science Literature & Informational Reading

Print Resources

Please check the library catalog to find these books as well as many other wonderful science resources.

• Everything You Need Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook - Grades 6-8

• Max Axiom Graphic Science 4D series - Grades 3-8

• Science Comics series - Grades 3-6

• The Story of Science (Hakim) - A three volume book series covering history chronologically.

• Science Biographies - Our library has a large collection of biographies with books on scientists from many different times and places.

Online Science Articles

• DOGONews - Science - Free online articles, no registration required.

• Science News for Students - Free online articles, no registration required. Written at a middle school level.

Hands-On Science Games & Resources

• Bingo Games from Laurence King - Grades K and up. Various science related bingo games such as Poop Bingo, where students have the opportunity to learn that penguins poop in different colors, and other interesting information.

• Photosynthesis - Grades 3 and up

• Professor Noggin's Nature Titles and Professor Noggin's Science Titles -Grades 2 and up. Trivia card games with true/false and multiple choice questions.

• Valence - Grades 3 and up. Chemistry card game. Valance-EHLibrary

• Wingspan - Grades 5 and up

Citizen Science

• Citizen Science - Cornell Lab of Ornithology [Cornell University] - Citizen science projects related to birds

• SciStarter - Directory of citizen science projects

• Zooniverse - Directory of citizen science projects

Equipment & Supplies

• Carolina Biological Supply: Homeschool Science

• Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy - Sells paper 3-D dissection models, "Scienstructables," and augmented reality science resources. The blog section contains free lessons, activities, and information on science notebooks.

• Home Science Tools