Thursday 17 January 2013

The Basics of Middle School Science Curriculum

Middle school science curriculum is a bridge between the science learned in elementary and the science that will be taught in high school. The completion of at least two maybe three sciences is required with most high schools in the USA for graduation. These science classes must be passed with sufficient grades. Middle school science classes help to prepare for the upper classes. In order to instill the love of learning the teachers have to make science class interesting and fun. This is where choosing the best curriculum comes in handy at this point.

Middle school science curriculum normally includes teaching of earth science and life science which are the prerequisites to biology and physical science when precursors physics and chemistry. If the curriculum includes computer time, the students will have opportunity to use advanced technology along with their science lessons and this will have a greater impact on their education. Starting in the sixth grade with life science, mild lab experiments and science kits come into play to increase the learning experience for the students. Seventh grade normally includes the study of earth science while 8th grade may include physical science or environmental science.

A sampling of middle school science curriculum includes learning about how the earth was created, how the mountains were formed and the rivers, lakes, deserts, and oceans too. Animals are introduced, with lessons that surround animal habitat and environments, their habits and their migrations. This offers opportunity to introduce videos to the classroom, showing the different animals and their interaction with nature. A field trip to the zoo may be in order here, making science one of the most favored classes among students. Where else can they go to see animals close up and alive but at the local zoo?

Middle school science curriculum should include fun projects that help to hold the interest to learn more. Lab time is so important even in middle school level, though it is scaled back from the projects high school students do. Lab ideas can be simple formations of sedimentary rocks to creating things like kaleidoscopes. Science kits are handy for middle school levels as well as the use of science modules in the classrooms. Students need to see how science is all around them in everyday life and it is during the middle school years they develop the love for learning more about it.

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