Physical Science Series

This is Session 1 of 3 in the full year Physical Science Series

PREREQUISITE: There is NO prerequisite for this class, however we will be working with lots of word problems , so completion of prealgebra is recommended. In lieu of that, a firm understanding of manipulation of variables and how to cancel units is required.

Please note: If you enroll in Series 1, you are guaranteed space in the remaining physical science classes as long as you enroll before the deadline for each class.

It is not required, but it is highly recommended that you take these classes in order.

Other classes in the series include:
Session 2: Chemistry
Session 3: Earth Science and Astronomy

CLASS DESCRIPTION

This is the perfect full year science course for middle schoolers before they delve into high school sciences! This 31 week physical science course will give students a solid foundation in physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy. With this basic knowledge, students will then be able to enter upper level science courses in these subjects with a serious advantage of already having the basics down, therefore being able to spend more time expanding their knowledge at a higher academic level. This will not be a “fluff” class, or an “overview”- it is an academically rigorous science class.

CLASS FORMAT

No live classes–view lessons on YOUR schedule. In general, expect 1.5-2.5 hours to work through the lesson plan each week, and an additional 2-5 hours working on assignments (it really depends what assignment your child chooses to do and how they manage their time). For classes with two levels, the material is the same for both–the depth of the assignments differs. Younger students should usually be placed in Level 1. Older students, or younger students who want more of a challenge, should be placed in Level 2. Each lesson consists of a fully narrated PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to enhance the topics. Students will have access to our learning management system, Canvas, for viewing their lesson, printing worksheets, taking quizzes, viewing/submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and viewing grades/feedback.

Read more details about class format.

Week 1:

How to “Science”

Week 2:

The Science of Motion

Week 3:

The “Force” Is With You

Week 4:

Work, Machines, and Energy

Week 5:

Heat Energy

Week 6:

Everything Electricity

Week 7:

Opposites Attract! Magnetism

Week 8:

Extracting Energy- Environmental Sources

Week 9:

The Ups and Downs of Wave Energy

Week 10:

Sound Waves

Week 11:

Electromagnetic Waves

Week 12:

Shining a Light on….Light

Week 13:

Reflecting on Mirrors and Lenses

All labs are OPTIONAL and not required to complete the work.

These materials will allow students to follow along with the in-lesson labs.
Students who do not have materials can simply follow along with me in the video.

Week 5 Lab Materials

• Clear plastic bin
• Red & Blue Food Coloring
• Eyedropper or Pipette
• 6 Styrofoam cups, or similar small, insulated containers (if you can’t get Styrofoam or insulated cups, you can try using regular ones)
• A blue ice cube (make it by freezing water with food coloring in an ice cube tray)

Week 6 Lab Materials

LAB 1

Balloon

LABS 2, 3, and 4

We’re going to be making circuits. You can buy the parts separately. I will be using this kit from Amazon.

You’ll need all of the components in this kit:

• 2 D battery holders
• 2 D batteries
• wire or alligator clips
• 2 bulb holders
• and at least 2 bulbs
• switch is optional

Also, we’ll be testing insulators and conductors, so you’ll need:

• a nail
• aluminum foil
• cardboard, glass
• and a piece of plastic

Week 7 Lab Materials

LABS 1 & 2

• 2 Bar Magnets
• 1 Horseshoe Magnet
• 2 Ring Magnets
• Iron Filings
• Compass
• Assorted Pieces of different types of metals (I’ll have iron, aluminum, zinc, and copper)
• Thin string
• Everything but the string can be found in THIS KIT

LAB 3

• 1 AA Batter
• Uninsulated Copper Wire, about 1.5 feet ( 1/2 m)
• Electrical Tape
• Iron Nail
• Paper Clips

This is Session 2 of 3 in the full year Physical Science Series

PREREQUISITE: There is NO prerequisite for this class, however we will be working with lots of word problems , so completion of prealgebra is recommended. In lieu of that, a firm understanding of manipulation of variables and how to cancel units is required.

It is not required, but it is highly recommended that you take these classes in order.

Other classes in the series include:
Session 1: Physics
Session 3: Earth Science and Astronomy

CLASS DESCRIPTION

This is an intermediary class between our zero math conceptual chemistry class and our full year high school chemistry class with upper level math and concepts. This course gives a solid overview of chemistry concepts, while introducing lower level math to get students comfortable with science math before they take an upper level chemistry course. With this basic knowledge, students will then be able to enter upper level science courses in these subjects with a serious advantage of already having the basics down, therefore being able to spend more time expanding their knowledge at a higher academic level. This will not be a “fluff” class, or an “overview”- it is an academically rigorous science class.

CLASS FORMAT

No live classes–view lessons on YOUR schedule. In general, expect 1.5-2.5 hours to work through the lesson plan each week, and an additional 2-5 hours working on assignments (it really depends what assignment your child chooses to do and how they manage their time). For classes with two levels, the material is the same for both–the depth of the assignments differs. Younger students should usually be placed in Level 1. Older students, or younger students who want more of a challenge, should be placed in Level 2. Each lesson consists of a fully narrated PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to enhance the topics. Students will have access to our learning management system, Canvas, for viewing their lesson, printing worksheets, taking quizzes, viewing/submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and viewing grades/feedback.

Read more details about class format.

Week 1:

The Basics of Matter: Solids, Liquids, and Gases

Week 2:

Properties of Matter

Week 3:

Using the Periodic Table

Week 4:

The FUNdamentals of Elements

Week 5:

Stuck Together: A Story of Bonding

Week 6:

Things that Go BOOM! Chemical Reactions

Week 7:

Splitting Apart Nuclear Reactions

Week 8:

Solving the Mystery of Solutions

Week 9:

Acids, Bases, and Salts

Week 10:

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Week 11:

Chemistry in Our Everyday Lives

All labs are OPTIONAL and not required to complete the work.

These materials will allow students to follow along with the in-lesson labs.
Students who do not have materials can simply follow along with me in the video.

I purchase most of my products through Home Science Tools. You can get $10 off of your FIRST purchase of $30 or more by using THIS LINK.

Week 1 Lab Materials

LAB 1

• 60ml or greater syringe
• Water balloon

LAB 2

• Regular size balloon
• Glass beaker or other large mouthed clear glass container you can pour boiling water in AND fit your blown up balloon in.
• Aluminum foil to use as a lid
• AN ADULT!!!

Week 2 Lab Materials

• 3 wooden matches (preferably the large kitchen kind)
• A glass dish
• A gram scale

Week 4 Lab Materials

• Sample elements from this website: Aluminum (1g), Magnesium metal (1g), Carbon (1g), Selenium (1g), Boron (1g), Silicon (1g), Gallium (20g)
• Circuit with a light bulb
• Hammer
• Gloves
• Goggles

Week 6 Lab Materials

Goggles required for all labs!

LAB 1

• Steel Wool
• Vinegar
• High Range Digital Thermometer

LAB 2

• Erlenmeyer flask or other narrow mouthed glass container
• Hydrogen peroxide 3%
• Manganese dioxide

LAB 3

• 3 clear containers of the same size, like clear plastic cups
• Copper(II)sulfate
• TWO Zinc metal strips
• Distilled water
• Gram Scale

LAB 4a

• Epsom salt
• Sodium carbonate
• Distilled water
• 2 clear cups
• High Range Digital Thermometer
• Gram Scale

LAB 4b

• Copper(II)sulfate
• Hydrogen peroxide 3%
• Ammonia (you can probably find pure ammonia at the hardware store)
• 2 eyedroppers/pipettes
• Test tube
• Gram Scale

LAB 5

• 6 Alka-Seltzer tablets
• Distilled Water- 2 cups room temperature, 2 cups hot (not boiling), 2 cups very cold
• 6 clear cups same size

Week 7 Lab Materials

LAB 1

• Large piece of paper (construction paper, printer paper, notebook paper, etc)
• Scissors
• Stopwatch/timer

LAB 2

• 10 each of two different types of coins, one representing 25 cents and one representing 1 cent (like 10 quarters and 10 pennies)

Week 8 Lab Materials

LAB 1

• Water
• Cooking Oil
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Acetone (optional)
• Food coloring
• Sugar
• Salt
• Clear beakers or plastic cups. If you have 15, you won’t have to wash dishes in between!
• Stirring rod or spoon
• Gram scale

LAB 2

• 2 clear containers
• Boiling water
• Cocoa powder
• Cold water
• Gram scale
• Stirring Rod

LAB 3

• 160 g Sodium acetate
• 30 ml Distilled Water (must be distilled!)
• Graduated Cylinder
• Hot Plate/Stove
• Beaker/Pan
• Stirring Rod
• Gram Scale
• Goggles
• Gloves

LAB 4

Clear closed bottle of club soda, tonic water, or sparkling water

LAB 5

• Clear container Bottle of liquid from last lab
• Sugar
• Pipe cleaner

LAB 6

• Clear container
• Corn syrup

Week 9 Lab Materials

LAB 1

• 15 Small Containers
• Blue & Red Litmus Paper
• Gloves
• Goggles
• Grape Juice
• Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Toilet Bowl Cleaner
• Soda
• Milk
• Kitchen Cleaner
• Dish Soap
• Nail Polish Remover
• Baking Soda
• Gatorade
• Vinegar
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Tomato Juice
• Distilled Water

LAB 2

• All of the substances from Lab 1
• pH probe and/or pH test strips

LAB 3

• Vinegar
• Ammonia
• Phenolphthalein Indicator
• Pipette/Eyedropper
• pH probe and/or pH test strips
• Gloves
• Goggles

Week 10 Lab Materials

20 paperclips

This is Session 3 of 3 in the full year Physical Science Series

It is not required, but it is highly recommended that you take these classes in order.

Other classes in the series include:
Session 1: Physics
Session 2: Chemistry

CLASS DESCRIPTION

This is the 7 week Earth Science & Astronomy unit of our full year 31 week Physical Science class. This course gives a solid overview of these subjects, while introducing lower level math to get students comfortable with science math before they take an upper level courses. With this basic knowledge, students will then be able to enter upper level science courses in these subjects with a serious advantage of already having the basics down, therefore being able to spend more time expanding their knowledge at a higher academic level. This will not be a “fluff” class, or an “overview”- it is an academically rigorous science class.

CLASS FORMAT

No live classes–view lessons on YOUR schedule. In general, expect 1.5-2.5 hours to work through the lesson plan each week, and an additional 2-5 hours working on assignments (it really depends what assignment your child chooses to do and how they manage their time). For classes with two levels, the material is the same for both–the depth of the assignments differs. Younger students should usually be placed in Level 1. Older students, or younger students who want more of a challenge, should be placed in Level 2. Each lesson consists of a fully narrated PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to enhance the topics. Students will have access to our learning management system, Canvas, for viewing their lesson, printing worksheets, taking quizzes, viewing/submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and viewing grades/feedback.

Read more details about class format.

Week 1:

Earth: What Lies Beneath

Week 2:

Rocking Out with Rocks!

Week 3:

Shaping Earth’s Surface

Week 4:

Weather, Climate, and YOU

Week 5:

Our Piece of the Universe: The Earth, Moon, and Sun

Week 6:

The Solar System

Week 7:

Beyond the Solar System

All labs are OPTIONAL and not required to complete the work.

These materials will allow students to follow along with the in-lesson labs.
Students who do not have materials can simply follow along with me in the video.

Week 1 Lab Materials

A Slinky toy!

Week 2 Lab Materials

• A mineral kit
• a piece of copper (a US penny before 1982 will work)
• a piece of glass (a microscope slide will work)

Week 5 Lab Materials

• 1 Ball (the bigger the better–a basketball is better than a golf ball)
• 1 piece of string that is long enough to go all the way around the middle of the ball
• Calculator