Middle School Science (Sem.1): Fun With Nearpod, Labs, & Projects (Cells & More)
In this fun, interactive class, we will go through Sem1 of Middle School Science. Covers life science topics: scientific method, lab reports, plant cells, animal cells, cell cycle, Mitosis, & Meiosis - featuring the "Edible Animal Cell Lab"
Stephanie Newton, BSc
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(118)
Rising Star
What's included
16 live meetings
12 in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Homework assignments/projects are optional. See each week in the syllabus for more details.Assessment
During class, learners will be continually assessed for understanding using Nearpod activity slides. Learners have the option of doing projects/assignments after class. I will grade any work that is turned in.Grading
Contact me if you would like for me to calculate a grade. Because homework is optional, grades will be calculated based on work turned in.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Beginner Level
**TRY THE FIRST CLASS FREE WITH COUPON CODE: NEWTOFNAJN18 *THIS CLASS MEETS LIVE BUT IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS A SELF-PACED/PRE-RECORDED CLASS* (message me if you can't find the link) This is a fun, interactive, and rigorous 16-week course which meets once per week! This class can be taken as a stand-alone course (the learners are not required to take all 4 semesters of this curriculum). This course is based on national science standards and includes many hands-on activities. Course Structure: *1 live meeting per week (45 min each); part lecture/part interactive slides and labs *Optional homework or projects will be assigned in the Outschool Classroom and can be turned in within the classroom, or be sent to me in a private message. We will try to do/start these assignments during class as often as possible. COURSE SYLLABUS: Week 1: Making Observations/Scientific Method Nearpod slides and activities Observation Activity Design your own Mini-Experiment/Lab Report Week 2: Making Observations/Scientific Method- PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Design your own Mini-Experiment/Lab Report Quiz Week 3: Characteristics of Living Things Nearpod slides and activities Eye Dilation (homeostasis) Activity Living Things Lab Week 4: Characteristics of Living Things - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Lipid Lab Quiz Week 5: Light and Matter Nearpod slides and activities Electromagnetic Spectrum Foldable Week 6: Light and Matter - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Show and Tell: 3 objects from your house (opaque, translucent, transparent) Weekly quiz Week 7: Animal Cells Nearpod slides and activities Organelle Pictionary Week 8: Animal Cells - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Edible Animal Cell Project Quiz Week 9: Plant Cells Nearpod slides and activities Plant/Animal Cell Foldable Week 10: Plant Cells - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Cell Bingo Weekly quiz Week 11: Photosynthesis Nearpod slides and activities Week 12: Photosynthesis - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Photosynthesis Storyboard (Comic Strip) Weekly quiz Week 13: Cell Cycle (Mitosis) Nearpod slides and activities Mitosis Storyboard (Comic Strip) Week 14: Cell Cycle (Mitosis) - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Virtual Onion Root Cell Lab/Lab Report Quiz Week 15: Cell Cycle (Meiosis) Nearpod slides and activities Meiosis Drawing Week 16: Cell Cycle (Meiosis) - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Meiosis Drawing Quiz I also have Sem 2, Sem 3, and Sem 4 of this class available. These are the topics covered in each of my middle school curriculum classes: Sem 1: Scientific Method, Living Things, Light and Matter, Plant/Animal Cells, Organization of Living Things, Photosynthesis, Cell Cycle. Sem 2: Mendel/Genetics, Punnett Squares, DNA, DNA Mutations, Hybrid Organisms, Classification, Intro to Plants, Photosynthesis. Sem 3: What is an Animal?, In/Vertebrates, Skeletal System, Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Nervous System, Digestive System. Sem 4: Rock Cycle, Fossils/Fossil Layer, Plate Tectonics, Clouds, Meteorology, Weather, and Natural Disasters.
Learning Goals
Students will learn various aspects of life science and physical science.Learners will be able to list and describe the steps of the scientific method.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)16 Lessons
over 16 WeeksLesson 1:
Making Observations/Scientific Method/Lab Reports
Nearpod slides and activities
Observation Activity 45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Making Observations/Scientific Method/Lab Reports - PART 2
Nearpod slides and activities
Mini Experiment and Lab Report 45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Characteristics of Living Things
Nearpod slides and activities
Eye Dilation (homeostasis) Activity
Living Things Lab 45 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Characteristics of Living Things - PART 2
Nearpod slides and activities 45 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
Lecture/discussion/teaching slides are broken up with Nearpod Interactive Slides to keep learners engaged and having fun. Homework is optional. Flexible deadlines.
Parental Guidance
Please monitor your learners use of scissors or other tools used during labs/projects. "Sexual reproduction" will be referred to for some content, such as when Meiosis is taught (cell division for sexual reproduction).
CK12.org: accounts will not be required, reading is optional.
Youtube videos: links will be embedded in Nearpod or the Outschool classroom.
Nearpod: learners do not need to make an account. We will use Nearpod during each class for interactive features.
Google Doc: used to access supply list
Google Form: used for quizzes
Pre-Requisites
None
Supply List
*Sem 1 SUPPLIES* Doing the hands-on portion of the labs is not required, however it will definitely make the class more fun for learners! Often you can make substitutions for some items (or only do a portion of the lab) if it is difficult to get some of these items. I usually strive to do labs that only require items commonly found around the home. Turning in your assignments: you can take a picture(s) of your labs/activities and either upload them to the classroom (under the appropriate week’s post), or send it to me privately through Outschool in a message. Weeks 1 & 2: Learners will be asked to design and perform a “mini experiment” at home. This does not have to be elaborate and should not require any outside supplies. Often learners like to perform experiments on their pets (for example, using the steps in the scientific method to find out which toy or food their pets prefer). Details will be discussed during class. Weeks 3 & 4: Some things below can be modified. For example, if you don't have a handheld mirror or flashlight, you can go to your bathroom mirror during this activity and use a cell phone flashlight. If you don't have all 4 colors of food coloring, one or two will suffice. If you can't find chicken liver, you can just do the potato portion of the lab. Day 1: Reaction activity: mirror, flashlight Living Things Lab: chicken liver, potato, hydrogen peroxide, knife, 2 empty water bottles, 2 balloons Weeks 5 & 6: Magic Door Foldable: two sheets of construction paper, card stock, or copy paper (should be two different colors, one can be white), scissors, markers/crayons/colored pencils, pencil. Show and Tell: Bring 3 items to class from your home - one should be transparent (can see through), one should be translucent (can see light through it but can’t see through it), and one should be opaque (can’t see any light through it). Weeks 7 & 8: drawing paper, colored pencils Weeks 9 & 10: Edible Animal Cell: various foods/candies to create an animal cell model. Some learners choose to bake a cake and use different size candies to represent the different animal cell parts/organelles. Other learners choose to do something simple such as putting various candies or foods on a plate and labeling them to represent the different animal cell parts/organelles. Foldable: printer paper (to print pdf), scissors, glue, colored pencils/crayons Bingo card: printer paper (to print pdf) Weeks 11 & 12: Photosynthesis Storyboard: printer paper (to print pdf), colored pencils; storyboards can also be done digitally on a graphic design program of your choice. Weeks 13 & 14: Cell Division Storyboard: printer paper (to print pdf), colored pencils; storyboards can also be done digitally on a graphic design program of your choice. Weeks 15 & 16: Meiosis Drawing: printer paper (to print pdf), colored pencils; this pdf can also be uploaded to a graphic design program and done digitally.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
ck12.org, Youtube videos, Nearpod (no accounts need to be created), Google docs, Google Form
Joined June, 2020
4.8
118reviews
Rising Star
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Science from The Florida State University
I have a BS degree in Nutrition and Food Science (pre-med track) from Florida State University. After working as a pharmaceutical sales representative, I later became a certified middle school science teacher and taught middle school science in the Florida public school system for 5 years. I have since been an online teacher since 2018. I'm also a "hybrid-homeschool" momma :)Reviews
Live Group Course
$19
weekly1x per week, 16 weeks
45 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-14
2-8 learners per class
