8th Grade Science Essentials: Physical Science (4 Week, Full Curriculum Class)
Welcome, Middle School Learners! Let's explore the thing that makes up everything around us and how it interacts with the world. This 4-week class covers everything physical science, down to the last atom. Please see below for details. π
Miss Harrington (Kelsie Harrington)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(17)
What's included
16 live meetings
16 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. KNOWLEDGE CHECKS: A Google Form with a selection of questions is assigned after each lesson. The purpose of these problems is to give learners the opportunity to practice the skills learned and for me to provide specific feedback. It should take no longer than an hour to complete each Google Form. That is a total of 3 hours of homework each week.Assessment
PARTICIPATION: Science is a group effort. Learners can earn participation points by responding verbally or using Zoom's Chat Feature during class while we work through examples together. Participation is 25% of the overall class grade. KNOWLEDGE CHECKS: Ideally, the Knowledge Checks are due 24 hours after they are assigned to avoid falling behind. Learners will complete these Knowledge Checks through Google Forms. These are graded based on completion and accuracy. Independent Practice will count as 75% of the overall grade.Grading
GRADES: Learners receive private messages containing their letter grades for each Week. Any feedback returned to each learner is via private message. GRADING SCALE: This class uses the following grading scale to comply with the different grading standards nationwide: 100% - 90% A (5/5) 89% - 80% B (4/5) 79% - 70% C (3/5) 69% - 60% D (2/5) 59% - 20% F (1/5) GPA Weights A 4.00 B 3.00 C 2.00 D 1.00 F 0.00 As long as the learner participates and shows improvement, it is impossible to fail this class. If your learner does not require a grade, notify me before class starts. Your learner will still receive feedback. They will not receive messages about their letter grade. You may request a letter grade at any point after class completion. Learners who pass this class will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the 4th Week.Class Experience
US Grade 7 - 9
Beginner - Intermediate Level
SUMMARY: In this 4-week class, we meet every Monday-Thursday to discuss and learn about the science behind the physical world around us. We will cover a full year's curriculum of middle school Physical Science. This class is perfect for 7th-Grade learners who want a sneak peak at 8th-Grade science, 8th-Grade learners who need to review Physical Science, and 8th-Grade homeschoolers who need to cross Physical Science off their list. This class does contain graded assignments with prompt feedback so learners can identify areas of improvement. At the end of 4 weeks, learners can obtain a certificate of completion. LESSONS: The goal of this class is to cover four short chapters a week and a cumulative review at the end. The contents of each chapter vary by topic. Each lesson will vary in length. After each lesson, I will post a copy of my notes and the lesson's independent practice in the classroom. These notes include everything discussed during the live class: textbook pages, definitions, and main ideas from each chapter. LEARNER EXPECTATIONS: Learners will attend each class, take notes, and interact with me as we complete each topic. At the end of class, I will allow learners to ask questions. At the end of each class, I will post a learner-driven Q&A document. This document guarantees every question receives a proper answer. Finally, learners will complete each assigned independent practice to the best of their ability by utilizing their notes, my notes, and the class recordings. SCHEDULE: The detailed class schedule is listed below. Week 1: Monday: Chapter 1 The Nature of Physical Science Tuesday: Chapter 2 Data in Science Wednesday: Chapter 3 Properties of Matter Thursday: Chapter 4 States of Matter Week 2: Monday: Chapter 5 Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures Tuesday: Chapter 6 Introduction to Atoms Wednesday: Chapter 7 The Periodic Table Thursday: Chapter 8 Chemical Bonding Week 3: Monday: Chapter 9 Chemical Reactions Tuesday: Chapter 10 Chemical Compounds Wednesday: Chapter 11 The Chemistry of Living Things Thursday: Chapter 12 Matter in Motion Week 4: Monday: Chapter 13 Forces and Motion Tuesday: Chapter 14 Forces in Fluids Wednesday: Chapter 15 Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe Thursday: Chapter 16 Our Solar System
Learning Goals
This class satisfies the New Generation Scientific Standards for Physical Science.
Syllabus
16 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
The Nature of Physical Science (Monday)
Chapter 1: The Nature of Physical Science
1. Science and Scientists
2. Scientific Methods
3. Safety in Science 60 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 2:
Data in Science (Tuesday)
Chapter 2: Data in Science
1. Tools and Models in Science
2. Organizing Your Data
3. Analyzing Your Data 60 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 3:
Properties of Matter (Wednesday)
Chapter 3: Properties of Matter
1. What Is Matter?
2. Physical Properties
3. Chemical Properties 60 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Lesson 4:
States of Matter (Thursday)
Chapter 4: States of Matter
1. Four States of Matter
2. Changes of State 60 mins online live lesson
1 assignment
Other Details
Parental Guidance
PERSONAL INFORMATION: The first question of every Knowledge Check asks learners to share their first names. This refers to the name listed in the class roster. Their names will be used to identify their work so that I can provide the best feedback to the correct learner and add their grades to the grade book. In compliance with Outschool's Safety Policy, the sharing of any personal information in the classroom is strictly prohibited.
THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS: Google Forms is used for the Knowledge Checks that coincide with each lesson. These do not collect learners' private information but do ask the learner for their first name for grading and feedback purposes.
EMERGENCIES: Despite our best efforts, emergencies happen and can result in changes to the class schedule. I always plan to have my classes as scheduled. If I have to miss class (loss of power/internet), I ask that learners log into the Zoom meeting and remain in the waiting room for 10 minutes so that Outschool can mark their attendance. There is a one-week gap between all of my classes to add make-up sessions during the same time. If your learner cannot attend a class, please reach out so I can adjust the assignments' due dates. All class recordings are available in the classroom. I expect learners to watch the video lessons for the classes they miss and send a copy of their completed notes to earn participation points.
Supply List
Learners will need the following materials for this class: 1. Note Taking Materials (pen & paper, tablet & stylus, etc.) 2. Internet Browser (Explorer, Safari, Chrome, etc.) 3. Google Account (To access Knowledge Checks, to convert Jamboard/Docs into PDF files) 4. Digital Folder (Optional: to save copies of the Unit Reviews and class notes)
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined September, 2022
5.0
17reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Education from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
I have a bachelorβs degree in Science in Education with an emphasis on Chemistry Education. I have 2 years of teaching experience and lesson development. Reviews
Live Group Course
$44
weekly or $175 for 16 classes4x per week, 4 weeks
60 min
Completed by 5 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-14
1-5 learners per class
