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

7+8th Grade Hands-On Science: Unravelling Life's Mysteries! Cells, Microbes, Light, Plate Tectonics & More! Explore, experiment, and develop critical skills while uncovering the wonders of science.
Head, Hands, Heart Community
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(143)
Popular
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hours per week
Homework
1-2 hours per week. It is recommended to spend 1-2 hours per week reviewing, through the recommended extension activities or through self-study.
Assessment
There is no formal assessment for this course.

Class Experience

US Grade 8
⭐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 2024-2025⭐️

🌿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
Week 22: February 18-24: The Water Cycle
Week 23: February 25-March 2: Ocean Basins
Week 24: March 3-9: Tides
Week 25: March 10-16: Ocean Currents
Week 26: March 17-23: Oceans and Climate
Week 27: March 24-30: Rivers, Lakes and Streams
Week 28: March 31-April 6: Aquifers
Week 29: April 7-13: Freshwater Ecosystems
🌸April 14-20: *Spring Break NO CLASS*
🌸April 21-27: *Spring Break NO CLASS*
Week 30: April 28-May 4: Saltwater Ecosystems
Week 31: May 5-11: Water Quality and Environmental Impact

🌎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


⭐️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.
Learning Goals
⭐️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
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Learners will be asked to use scissors regularly. The following third-party tools will be used during our class: -Nearpod: Nearpod is used weekly to share interactive slides with learners. The presentation will also be screen-shared. -YouTube: Short YT videos (<4min) are shared to the classroom and are occasionally incorporated into the Nearpod lesson. -Canva: Canva is used by the teacher to create presentations that are incorporated into Nearpod. -Wikipedia: Learners may occasionally be asked to use Wikipedia for research. -Google Drive: Worksheets are shared via Google Drive.
Supply List
General Supplies: pencils, colored pencils, erasers, paper, scissors.
Unique supplies will be updated each week in the classroom.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined February, 2021
4.9
143reviews
Popular
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Doctoral Degree in Science from University of Toronto
Chris Mayer
-Biology degree
-Chemistry minor
-Education degree
-10 years Experience teaching science Gr 4-12.
-3 years teaching science on Outschool

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$20

weekly
1x per week
50 min

Completed by 83 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
1-14 learners per class

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