Eight sessions cover key content and methodologies for teaching physical science in the middle school classroom.
Session 1: Transfer of Energy
Learners explore what happens to energy when it converted from one form to another.
Session 2: Inquiry Learning
In a companion methodology session, learners look at energy transfer in the context of research about how people learn and inquiry-based instructional models.
Session 3: Light and Sound Waves
Learners explore the nature of light and sound waves and their technology applications.
Session 4: Uncovering What Students Know
In a companion methodology session, learners look at light and waves in the context of how to questioning and prediction strategies can help you uncover a learner's prior knowledge.
Session 5: Mechanisms of Heat Transfer
Learners investigate mechanisms of heat transfer, including radiation, convection, and conduction, and explore how heat transfer affects the density of a substance.
Session 6: Formative Assessment
In a companion methodology session, learners look at heat transfer in the context of how you can use your understanding of what students already know to plan instruction to improve their understanding.
Session 7: Solubility and Density
Learners investigate changes in density, and in particular how solubility of one substance in another affects the density of the resulting mixture.
Session 8: The Environment for Learning
In a companion methodology session, learners look at solubility and density in the context of how to create a classroom environment that fosters inquiry learning.
All sessions and their content correspond to the National Science Education Standards.