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

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

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

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

Journal and Lesson Plans

Middle School Journal

Lesson Plans

NSTA Competitions

Shell Science Lab Challenge

For teachers

eCYBERMISSION

For teachers and students, grades 6-9

Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision

For students, grades K-12

Bestselling Middle School Books

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...

NSTA Press Book

Discovery Engineering in Physical Science: Case Studies for Grades 6–12

Who knew that gecko feet inspired scientists to develop a stickier adhesive or that cockleburs in dog fur led to the invention of Velcro? Discovery Engineering in Physical Science uses these and other surprising cases of innovations sparked by accide...

Latest Resources

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

Workshop

OpenSciEd MS Unit Launch 7.2 Chemical Reactions & Energy

Unit 7.2: Chemical Reactions & Energy Format: 2-Day In-Person Workshop Participants will: Reflect on successes and challenges from implementing the first unit Analyze lessons and student work to understand the purpose and variety of writing...

View All