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Middle School Resources

 

Grades 6-8, is a time of tremendous physical, emotional, and cognitive changes for students. It is also a pivotal time for understanding and gaining enthusiasm for science.

Featured Resources

Social-Emotional Learning in the Science Classroom

From the Editor's Desk...

Journal Article

Fieldwork Fridays: Connecting Scientific Learning to Nature

Building routines around place-based learning allows students to apply their scientific learning to nature and form a connection with their local environment and the species in it over the course of a school year. Each Friday, in what are referred to...

Journal Article

Unlocking the Power of Emotional Connections: Strategies for Teaching Climate Change in Middle School

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, effective climate education is imperative, not only for imparting knowledge, but also for inspiring action. This paper explores innovative strategies for teaching climate change in middle school, recogniz...

Journal Article

Dyeing to Last: Using Natural Dyes to Create an Ideal Fabric

In this project-based lesson, students explore how chemistry concepts relate to creative expression by investigating a variety of dyeing conditions. Through sequenced discussions and investigations, students arrive at a dyed cotton product that optim...

Journal Article

Bestselling Middle School Books

 

NSTA Press Book

Leadership by and for Science Teachers

Imagine having the opportunity to hear from 21 colleagues about their personal leadership journeys—and to get their advice. Leadership by and for Science Teachers is just such an opportunity. Author Rodger Bybee provides the insights and inspiratio...
 

NSTA Press Book

Novel Engineering, K–8: An Integrated Approach to Engineering and Literacy

New in 2020! Download and read a sample chapter from this book to learn more.With the Novel Engineering approach, “students become excited about what they are reading, writing, designing, and building! This excitement in turn helps them make stride...
 

NSTA Press Book

Creating Engineering Design Challenges: Success Stories From Teachers

If you’ve ever wished for advice you can trust on how to make science and math more relevant to your middle or high school students, Creating Engineering Design Challenges is the book for you. At its core are 13 units grounded in challenge-based le...
 

NSTA Press Book

Supporting Emergent Multilingual Learners in Science, Grades 7–12

Many middle and high school teachers are educated to teach science content—they don’t anticipate that one day they may be teaching it to students who need to learn both content and English. If the day has come when you’re facing that two-pronge...

Latest Resources

 

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, August 12, 2025
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 8.6 Natural Selection

Unit 8.6: Natural Selection Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Reflect on students’ writing and drawing to identify strengths and potential barriers to sensemaking Analyze lessons and student work to understand the purpose ...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 8.5 Genetics

Unit 8.5: Genetics Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Analyze OpenSciEd assessments using key criteria for three-dimensional (3D) learning Identify and evaluate the different types of assessments within the OpenSciEd assessme...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 8.4 Earth in Space

Unit 8.4: Earth in Space Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Explore how OpenSciEd lessons are designed to reflect Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles Identify instructional strategies that align with UDL to support...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 8.3 Forces at a Distance

Unit 8.3: Forces at a Distance Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Analyze OpenSciEd classroom videos to explore features of a productive classroom culture Identify and share strategies for developing and sustaining effective ...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 8.2 Sound Waves

Unit 8.2: Sound Waves Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Reflect on successes and challenges from implementing the first unit Share expertise and collaboratively problem-solve with peer Explore teacher moves and supports tha...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Curriculum Launch 8.1 Contact Forces

Unit 8.1: Contact Forces Format: 4-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Experience the anchoring phenomenon routine and storyline development Facilitate key investigations and student-driven discussions Establish effective classroom nor...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 7.6 Earth’s Resources & Human Impact

Unit 7.6: Earth’s Resources & Human Impact Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Reflect on students’ writing and drawing to identify strengths and potential barriers to sensemaking Analyze lessons and student work to unders...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 7.5 Ecosystem Dynamics

Unit 7.5: Ecosystem Dynamics Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Analyze OpenSciEd assessments using key criteria for three-dimensional (3D) learning Identify and evaluate the different types of assessments within the OpenSciE...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 7.4 Matter Cycling & Photosynthesis

Unit 7.4: Matter Cycling & Photosynthesis Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Explore how OpenSciEd lessons are designed to reflect Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles Identify instructional strategies that align ...
 

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 7.3 Metabolic Reactions

Unit 7.3: Metabolic Reactions Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Analyze OpenSciEd classroom videos to explore features of a productive classroom culture....
 

Blog Post

Instructional Space Health and Safety Cleaning Protocols for the Beginning of the New School Year

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