Middle School Curriculum

Grade 6:

Sixth grade science focuses on Earth’s systems, astronomy, and gravity. In Earth’s systems, students will explore the history of our changing planet through impacts of water, rock, and soil cycles on Earth’s surface processes, and construct weather and climate observations to explain influences on Earth’s surface. In astronomy, the students will model the solar system to observe, describe, and predict the motion of various bodies in our solar system. In gravity, students will investigate Newton’s Third Law of Motion in relation to planetary motion. Throughout the year, interwoven into the curriculum content, students will design and conduct repeatable scientific investigations to continue to develop an awareness that different ways of thinking, curiosity, and the exploration of multiple paths are involved in scientific inquiry.

Grade 7:

Science 7 is an introductory course designed to expand seventh grade students’ understanding of the natural world by focusing on the characteristics of living things, cellular organization, the diversity of life, and how organisms and populations change over time in terms of biological adaptation, heredity and genetics, evolution, natural selection, and changes over time in Earth’s history.

Grade 8:  

Science 8 is designed to expand student investigation of physics and chemistry. Aspects of physics are studied through laboratory investigations including sound, light, electricity, mechanics, motion, and energy. Aspects of chemistry are studied based on the Periodic Table of the Elements and through basic chemical laboratory investigations. Laboratory work, laboratory reporting, and engineering design will be included and is an integral part of the learning process.