Hands-On Science 7/8! Ongoing Middle School Full Curriculum | 36 Weeks | STEM

⭐How to Enrol⭐️
Summer School: Enrol in a section that meets in July/August
2024-2025 Year: Enrol in a section with a September start date


⭐️Summer School⭐️

🧑‍🚀Space Week☀️
July 7-13: The Solar System
July 14-20: The Sun
July 21-27: The Lifecycle of a Star
July 28-Aug 3: Looking at the Night Sky

🧠The Human Body🫁
Aug 4-Aug 10: The Digestive System
Aug 11-17: The Respiratory System
Aug 18-24: The Circulatory System
Aug 25-31: The Nervous System


⭐️General⭐️
This is a rigorous academic science class with weekly activities that covers a year of curriculum in 36 lessons from September to May. Stay for the year or jump in at any time. We will be learning through experiments, scientific observation, games, art, nature, videos, writing, listening, speaking and group work. The teacher will provide optional weekly extension activities and extra practice resources including outdoor activities, art activities, online activities, worksheets and games.


⭐️Topics⭐️

🌿Biology
✔cell theory
✔photosynthesis and cellular respiration
✔micro-organisms and immunity

🧪️Chemistry
✔kinetic molecular theory
✔fluid dynamics

💡Physics
✔waves and optics
✔light: properties, behaviours, sensing
✔types and effects of electromagnetic radiation

🌎Earth
✔water cycles on Earth
✔climate and weather
✔plate tectonic movement
✔major geological events


⭐️Class Structure⭐️

✔️Preview: 10 vocabulary words and a short video will be posted to the classroom before our meeting. The preview is optional and recommended. It will provide a good foundation and prerequisite knowledge prior to our class.

✔️New: A new science topic will be taught using a variety of hands-on activities, experiments, and online technologies. Lessons follow a presentation in Nearpod and students are invited to read the slides along with the teacher. The Nearpod presentation is screen-shared and the teacher includes interactive slides and alternative ways to participate through chat and video. Each lesson includes a set of guided notes which match the presentation slides.

✔️Practice: Each week, learners will complete an in-class activity. This is often an experiment, scientific observation or guided drawing.

✔️Extension: Optional extension materials will be suggested to parents for ongoing practice at the parent's discretion. These can be a powerful part of your child’s learning. Please take a look at the sample materials for examples.


⭐️Teaching Methods⭐️
Our educators bring passion for the natural world, the human world, the technological world and the bridges between them. We lead children on their quest for knowledge, inspire them to create and imagine anew, and to guide them as they carve out their purpose in life. We foster human beliefs and systems that support a peaceful and sustainable future for people and the planet. Our approach to education is hands-on, literacy-based and interdisciplinary. We help students develop the skills, confidence and curiosity to be lifelong learners. You can expect experiments, scientific observation, games, art, nature, videos, writing, listening, speaking and group work.


⭐️Interaction⭐️
Learners will interact with each other and the teacher through discussion, reading, and sharing of creative projects.


⭐️Prior Knowledge⭐️
Learners will be expected to have a strong understanding of 7th Grade science concepts. Learners are encouraged to watch a related short video and review vocabulary posted to the classroom each week prior to the class.


⭐️Topics by Week 2025-2026⭐️

Wk 25: March 10-16: Ocean Currents
Wk 26: March 17-23: Oceans and Climate (SPRING BREAK FOR MS EVA'S CLASSES)
🌸March 24-30: *Spring Break NO CLASS* (SPRING BREAK FOR MS EVA'S CLASSES)
🌸March 31-April 6: *Spring Break NO CLASS* (SPRING BREAK FOR MS EVA'S CLASSES)
Wk 27: April 7-13: Rivers, Lakes and Streams
Wk 28: April 14-20: Aquifers
Wk 29: April 21-27: Freshwater Ecosystems
Wk 30: April 28-May 4: Saltwater Ecosystems
Wk 31: May 5-11: Water Quality and Environmental Impact

***A Note About Spring Break*** Mr Chris and Ms Jacquie will follow the primary schedule for Spring Break taking the last week of March and first week of April off. Ms Eva's classes will not meet during the last two weeks of March and will start back the first week of April. In Ms Eva's classes, the lesson on Seasons will be postponed until after the break.

🌎Earth Sciences: Plate Tectonics
Week 32: May 12-18: Plate Tectonics
Week 33: May 19-25: Volcanoes
Week 34: May 26-June 1: Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Week 35: June 2-8: Mountains and Erosion
Week 36: June 9-15: The Atmosphere

🌿Biology: Cell Theory
Week 1: September 3-9: Characteristics of Living Things | Microscope
Week 2: September 10-16: Cell Theory 
Week 3: September 17-23: Organelles of the Cell
Week 4: September 24-30: Animal and Plant Cells 
Week 5: October 1-7: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Week 6: October 8-14: Osmosis, Diffusion and the Cell Membrane
Week 7: October 15-21: Bacteria and Viruses
Week 8: October 22- 28: The Innate Immune System
Week 9: October 29-November 4: The Adaptive Immune System

💡Physics: Optics
Week 10: November 5-11: Wave Properties
Week 11: November 12-18: The Electromagnetic Spectrum

🙏November 19-25: *Thanksgiving (USA) NO CLASS*

Week 12: November 26-December 2: The Nature of Light
Week 13: December 3-9: Reflection and Refraction
Week 14: December 10-16: Vision
❄️December 17-23: *Winter Break NO CLASS*
❄️December 24-30: *Winter Break NO CLASS*
Week 15: December 31-January 6: Mirrors and Lenses 
Week 16: January 7-13: Extending Human Vision

⚛️Chemistry: Fluid dynamics
Week 17: January 14-20: Kinetic Molecular Theory
Week 18: January 21-27: Fluids and Density
Week 19: January 28-February 3: Pressure 
Week 20: February 4-10: Viscosity
Week 21: February 11-17: The Chemistry of Water

🌎Earth Sciences: Water
Wk 22: February 18-24: The Water Cycle
Wk 23: February 25-March 2: Ocean Basins
Wk 24: March 3-9: Tides


⭐️Sample Materials⭐️
I have included examples of materials below for parents to reference when deciding about enrollment. These are from the 6/7 science course, but will give you a good idea of what to expect in this class. 

All materials are copyrighted and are not free for public distribution.

Biology Sample: https://bit.ly/HOS-bio-sample

Chemistry Sample: https://bit.ly/HOS-chem-sample

Physics Sample: https://bit.ly/HOS-phys-sample

(*note: some links in the sample packs are only active for the month of that lesson)


⭐️About the Teachers⭐️

Miss Jacquie is a certified teacher with degrees in biology, international relations and education. She has worked in education for over 15 years with teaching specialties in sciences and humanities. She has experience in public education, private education and as a homeschool parent inspired by Waldorf, Charlotte Mason and Traditional philosophies. Her goals as an educator are to support children on their quest for knowledge, to inspire them to create and imagine, and to guide them as they carve out their purpose in life. Her approach to education is hands-on, literacy-based and interdisciplinary.


⭐️Policies⭐️
Late: Late learners will be welcomed with open arms. The teacher will not spend class time to catch them up, however the recording is posted after the lesson so the learner can review the missed time.

Absent: The class recording and learner-paced Nearpod will post in the classroom following the lesson. There are no refunds for missed classes. Please note: if you are new to a section and miss class, the recording is not available until the learner is verified by the teacher or by Outschool.

Transfer Request: Transfer requests must be made with 24hours notice. Every section will offer the same material each week, so transferring is a great way to still catch the lesson if your schedule changes and you prefer the live lesson to the recording.