Middle School Science (Year 1): Fun With Nearpod, Labs, & Projects (Cells & DNA)
In this fun, interactive class, we will go through Year of Middle School Science. Covers life science topics: scientific method, cells, Mitosis, & Meiosis, DNA - featuring the "Edible Animal Cell Lab" and the "Alien Genetics Lab"!
Stephanie Newton, BSc
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(127)
Rising Star
What's included
1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hours per weekHomework
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.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 32-week course which meets once per week! Interactive Nearpod slides and classroom discussion are used for classroom interaction. 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: **SEMESTER 1** Week of Sep 1 2025 - Week 1: Making Observations/Scientific Method Nearpod slides and activities Observation Activity Design your own Mini-Experiment/Lab Report Week of Sep 8 2025 - Week 2: Making Observations/Scientific Method- PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Design your own Mini-Experiment/Lab Report Quiz Week of Sep 15 2025 - Week 3: Characteristics of Living Things Nearpod slides and activities Eye Dilation (homeostasis) Activity Living Things Lab Week of Sep 22 2025 - Week 4: Characteristics of Living Things - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Lipid Lab Quiz Week of Sep 29 2025 - Week 5: Light and Matter Nearpod slides and activities Electromagnetic Spectrum Foldable Week of Oct 6 2025 - 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 of Oct 13 2025 - Week 7: Animal Cells Nearpod slides and activities Organelle Pictionary Week of Oct 20 2025 - Week 8: Animal Cells - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Edible Animal Cell Project Quiz Week of Oct 27 2025 - Week 9: Plant Cells Nearpod slides and activities Plant/Animal Cell Foldable Week of Nov 3 2025 - Week 10: Plant Cells - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Cell Bingo Weekly quiz Week of Nov 10 2025 - Week 11: Photosynthesis Nearpod slides and activities Week of Nov 17 - Week 12: Photosynthesis - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Photosynthesis Storyboard (Comic Strip) Weekly quiz Week of Nov 24 - Week 13: Cell Cycle (Mitosis) Nearpod slides and activities Mitosis Storyboard (Comic Strip) Week of Dec 1 - Week 14: Cell Cycle (Mitosis) - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Virtual Onion Root Cell Lab/Lab Report Quiz Week of Dec 8 2025 - Week 15: Cell Cycle (Meiosis) Nearpod slides and activities Meiosis Drawing Week of Dec 15 2025 - Week 16: Cell Cycle (Meiosis) - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Meiosis Drawing Quiz **SEMESTER 2** Week of Jan 5 2026 - Week 1: Mendelian Genetics & Punnett Squares Nearpod slides and activities Genetic foldable Inspect your family's traits Week of Jan 12 2026 - Week 2: Mendelian Genetics & Punnett Squares - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Punnett Square Practice Quiz Week of Jan 19 2026 - Week 3: Non-Mendelian Genetics & Punnett Squares Nearpod activities and slides Alien DNA Project Week of Jan 26 2026 - Week 4: Non-Mendelian Genetics & Punnett Squares - PART 2 Nearpod activities and slides Alien DNA Project Quiz Week of Feb 2 2026 - Week 5: DNA Nearpod activities and slides Strawberry DNA Lab Weekly quiz Week of Feb 9 2026 - Week 6: DNA - PART 2 Nearpod activities and slides Quiz Week of Feb 16 2026 - Week 7: DNA - PART 3 Nearpod slides and activities Week of Feb 23 2026 - Week 8: DNA - PART 4 Nearpod slides and activities DNA Escape Room Make a DNA Model Quiz Week of Mar 2 2026 - Week 9: DNA Mutations & Cloning Nearpod slides and Activities Week of Mar 9 2026 - Week 10: DNA Mutations & Cloning - PART 2 Nearpod slides and Activities DNA Bingo Weekly quiz Week of Mar 16 2026 - Week 11: Classification of Living Things: Bacteria/Archaea Nearpod slides and activities 3 Domains Cut and Paste Activity Week of Mar 23 2026 - Week 12: Classification of Living Things: Bacteria/Archaea - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities 3 Domains Cut and Paste Activity Weekly quiz Week of Mar 30 2026 - Week 13: Classification of Living Things: Protists and Fungi Nearpod slides and activities Write a Protist Story Week of Apr 6 2026 - Week 14: Classification of Living Things: Protists and Fungi - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Pictures of items in your home made from protists/fungi Quiz Week of Apr 13 2026 - Week 15: Classification of Living Things: Plant Kingdom Nearpod slides and activities Week of Apr 20 2026 - Week 16: Classification of Living Things: Plant Kingdom - PART 2 Nearpod slides and activities Venn Diagrams Quiz I also have Year 2 of this class available. These are the topics covered in each of my middle school curriculum classes: Year 1: Scientific Method, Living Things, Light and Matter, Plant/Animal Cells, Organization of Living Things, Photosynthesis, Cell Cycle, Mendel/Genetics, Punnett Squares, DNA, DNA Mutations, Hybrid Organisms, Classification, Intro to Plants, Photosynthesis. Year 2: What is an Animal?, In/Vertebrates, Skeletal System, Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Nervous System, Digestive System, Rock Cycle, Fossils/Fossil Layer, Plate Tectonics, Clouds, Meteorology, Weather, and Natural Disasters.
Learning Goals
List and describe the steps of the scientific method.Identify and create a model of both animal and plant cells, understand and describe photosynthesis, and be able to identify the steps of the cell cycle.
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. *Sem 2 SUPPLIES* Weeks 1 & 2: Foldable: printer paper to print pdf paper, scissors, glue Weeks 3 & 4: Alien Genetics Project: printer paper to print pdf, a coin, colored pencils, drawing paper (printer paper is fine) Weeks 5 & 6: Strawberry DNA Lab: 3 Strawberries, cutting board, knife, rubbing alcohol, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/3 cup of water, 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid (for hand-washing dishes), small bowl and small glass, cheesecloth or coffee filter, funnel, resealable plastic sandwich bag, toothpick Weeks 7 & 8: DNA Model Project: We will be creating a 3-D model of DNA. Some learners like to use candy, others like to use origami or other non-edible items (like craft supplies). You will need a longer candy/item to create the “ribbon” part of the DNA, and 4 different colored candies to create the “ladder” part of the DNA. More info will be provided in the week 4 post and you will have 2 weeks to finish the project on your own time. You can start researching ideas online now if you would like. Weeks 9 & 10: Science Bingo: printer paper to print pdf, coins or other small items to use as “markers” on your bingo card as you play Weeks 11 & 12: 3-Domains Cut and Paste activity: printer paper to print pdf, glue, scissors Weeks 13 & 14: Paper, pencil, camera to take pics of items around your home that are related to the lesson Weeks 15 & 16: none
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
4.9
127reviews
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. 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 been an online ESL and science teacher since 2018. I'm also a "hybrid-homeschool" momma to teenagers :)Reviews
Live Group Class
$19
weekly1x per week
45 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-14
2-8 learners per class
