This course is designed for small communities of learners and is a hybrid of individualized tutoring and traditional instruction covering middle school science content. Each section has no more than six learners which provide a foundation for strong relationships, social-emotional learning, and truly individualized instruction. These classes are specifically designed for the inclusion of neurodivergent learners including dyslexia-friendly font, explicit executive functioning skills instruction, and support for AAC users and through the use of inquiry and project based learning strategies grounded in real-world context. 
This series is designed according to the Next Generation Science Standards organized by subject area. The focus for this year is on physical science . This curriculum is designed to allow students to develop skills to help them in traditional academic settings including high school or colleges such as note-taking and self-led learning. The class meets two days a week and homework reading, activities, and text-based discussions are completed on two additional weekdays. Students will complete a science notebook, a printable designed by the teacher, using graphic organizers and  traditional note-taking strategies.
In this unit students develop their ideas relating to how sounds are produced, travel through a variety of states of matter, and are received by listeners or objects. Our investigations are motivated by the common experience of witnessing a loud truck in a public space and noticing other objects reacting to the sound. We will explore the question "How does sound make something move?" and understand the vibrations tied to physics ideas like amplitude, frequency, and particles. 
Week 1:Students observe a video which has captured the phenomenon to ensure accessibility using a notice and wonder framework. We create a driving question board and initial models to evaluate existing knowledge and create inquiry plans and investigations. We begin instrument exploration. 
Week 2: Students continue to investigate how different instruments make sound using slow motion video to identify the common factors (vibration and force). Students investigate non-instrument objects that make sounds using lasers and mirrors to see if they all vibrate. Students begin to notice differences in vibration.
Week 3: Students explore the differences between loud and soft sounds using wave length ideas including frequency and amplitude using a simple stick based motion sensor. Students also compare vibrations from sounds across a variety of pitch and use math t connect it to frequency. 
Week 4: Students investigate how the same object can create different sounds with a mid-unit assessment and transfer task involving a harp. We will also check in with our Driving Question Board to see where we've made progress and where we want to go next.  Now that we understand the origin of sound, we will switch our focus to how sound travels using simple experiments to prove whether or not sound travels through air or other substances. 
Week 5: Students model sound traveling through solid, liquids, and gasses as they begin to explore particle collisions and physics. We investigate what is actually traveling using computer simulations that allow us to see particles and understand the impact of frequency, amplitude, and density on movement. We will work to understand how sound makes matter around us move and how listeners hear and interpret sounds including basic anatomy of the ear.
Week 6: We will wrap up our unit with an investigation to determine which transfers more energy, greater amplitude or greater frequency, and create some final models that demonstrate our understanding of our initial phenomenon in our final assessment. We will also reflect on our experiences and revisit the Driving Question Board.