Middle School Science

Class Description

What happens when solids, liquids, and gases are heated and cooled? Why is one substance more or less dense than another? What causes certain substances to dissolve in water? What happens when a chemical reaction takes place?  This Introduction to Chemistry course is designed to engage middle school students with the fundamental principles of chemistry, setting them up for success in high school science.

Through hands-on lab activities and project-based learning, students will explore key concepts in chemistry, from the behavior of matter to the process of chemical reactions. This class provides a fun and interactive introduction to the basics of chemistry, offering students the opportunity to ask questions, conduct experiments, and develop critical scientific thinking skills.

Topics Covered in this Class:

• Matter and Its States: Students will explore how solids, liquids, and gases behave when heated or cooled.
  
  

• Density: They'll understand why some substances float while others sink.
  
  

• The Periodic Table and Bonding: Students will discover how elements interact to form compounds and create the materials around us.
  
  

• Water Molecules and Dissolving: Your child will learn how water interacts with different substances and why certain materials dissolve while others don’t.
  
  

• Chemical Reactions: Students will witness and investigate the fascinating changes that occur during chemical reactions.
  
  

Through weekly labs and project-based learning, students will have the opportunity to:

• Ask Scientific Questions and Investigate Them: Encourage curiosity and critical thinking by posing and exploring their own scientific inquiries.
  
  

• Design and Conduct Experiments: Develop hands-on skills in planning, executing, and analyzing experiments.
  
  

• Understand Observations on the Molecular Level: Learn to explain scientific observations by connecting them to molecular structures and processes.
  
  

• Record and Communicate Results: Strengthen communication skills by accurately documenting and sharing findings.

At the end of the year each student will receive a summary of the class and a personalized note on their learning progression.

Materials

Colored pencils and highlighters

Pen/Pencils 

3-Ring Binder with choice of notebook or notebook paper.