Life Science for Middle School
Explore the wonders of life including cells, diversity, adaptations, genetics, habitats, photosynthesis, species, ecosystems, and more in this engaging middle school course, designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a love for science.
Mrs. Victoria Laird, M.S.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(31)
What's included
12 live meetings
9 in-class hoursAssignments
1 hour per week. Students will be required to complete 20-30 min of homework, reading, activities, etc. per each live lesson (totaling about 1 hour per week). These will be assigned before the end of each live class, if needed.Assessment
Assessments will be given as an indication of how well a student is learning the content and skills for the class and to help me continuously develop a better curriculum. Students will be assigned a number on a proficiency scale* that lets the student, parent, and teacher know how the student is doing. Each assignment will have a rubric attached to it letting the student, parent, and teacher know the expectations for the assessment. Assessments may be multiple choice, free response, modeling, or many other types. Most assessments will be taken in class, but some may be at-home projects. Assessment retakes and/or revisions will be provided and encouraged. *See Grading Policy for our Proficiency ScaleGrading
Grades will be provided by default to all learners. If students do not want their student graded or to not have access to their grades, please let me know. Grades allow students, parents, and myself to understand where the student is at in their learning. For each assignment or assessment, students will receive a "grade" according to the rubric below. 0 - The student demonstrates no evidence of learning. 1 - The student demonstrates a minimal understanding of the concept. 2 - The student demonstrates a partial understanding of the concept. 3 - The student demonstrates a complete understanding of the concept.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 8
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Structure of the Class: In my dynamic classroom, students dive into a myriad of learning experiences, from live debates and hands-on projects to intriguing educational escape rooms and enlightening lab sessions. But it doesn't stop there - we also incorporate games and direct instruction to ensure a well-rounded education. Each live session comes equipped with a set of slides and activity guidelines, readily accessible for students during and post-class. Plus, I've got a slew of pre-recorded videos at the ready to shed light on those trickier concepts and deepen your background knowledge. Student Requirements: Students will be required to keep their cameras turned on during class. This allows me to better interact with students and helps them to interact with their peers. My Teaching Style: My mission is to ignite a spark of scientific curiosity in my students, fostering lifelong learners who are scientifically savvy. I pour my energy into crafting lessons that aren't just informative, but also a whole lot of fun, ensuring students genuinely relish the learning journey. I'm a firm believer in connecting classroom knowledge to real-world experiences, encouraging students to view their surroundings through an exploratory lens. Prior Knowledge: Students will not be required to have any prior knowledge of life science to participate in this course.
Learning Goals
- How to investigate and gather evidence for the basic structures of living things.- Understand and predict how and why populations of living things increase or decrease depending on their environment.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)12 Lessons
over 12 WeeksLesson 1:
Cells
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Body Systems
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Inheritance
45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Mutations
45 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We will be covering the basics of evolution changes in species over time, artificial selection, and asexual vs sexual reproduction. See descriptions below for more information on each topic.
Evolution - In this course we will be covering changes in species over time and evidence for evolution including embryology, genetic comparisons, fossil record, etc. We do mention human evolution, but only concerning evidence from the fossil record.
Artificial Selection - We will talk about human ability to change species over time through artificial selection. This will include animal mate selection for desired traits (such as horse or dog breeding) and the possibility of "designer babies" in the future.
Asexual vs Sexual Reproduction - We will be talking about the differences between asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction only in the sense that one type requires one parent that shares all of its DNA to its offspring and the other type requires two parents that share a mixture of DNA to their offspring. Sperm and egg may be mentioned, but strictly as cells that provide genetic information.
Supply List
1 pencil with an eraser 1 notebook, lined 1 pack of colored pencils, colored pens, markers, or crayons
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
I will be referencing the Utah Science Curriculum Consortium's SEEd Storylines and
Jordan School District's (Utah) open-source curriculum. Both are created by certified expert teachers.
If you would like more information please see
https://www.seedstorylines.org/
https://middlescience.jordandistrict.org/7th-8th-grade-exemplary-units/
Joined November, 2023
5.0
31reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Utah Teaching Certificate in Science
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Science from University of Utah
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Brigham Young University
I have a masters in Earth Science science and I have taught integrated science at the middle school level as well as high school Biology, Wildlife Biology, and Zoology.
During the last two years, I have worked as a Science Specialist for a large school district in Utah, supporting teachers and administration in science education. Reviews
Live Group Course
$15
weekly1x per week, 12 weeks
45 min
Completed by 18 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
2-6 learners per class
