Teaching Science in Los Angeles in Grades 6–8

Quick answer: Open each unit with a real phenomenon, let students ask questions about it, and build the physics they need to explain it. For forces and motion, the Forces & Interactions unit takes students from free-body diagrams and inertia to spring experiments, which prepares them for the evidence-based reasoning the California Science Test asks for in Grade 8.

Middle school science in Los Angeles follows the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS), set through the California Department of Education and the State Board of Education. The standards expect students to explain real phenomena using science practices and crosscutting ideas, not just recall definitions.

Grade 8 is a test year. Students sit the California Science Test (CAST) in Grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, as part of CAASPP. The test rewards students who can read data, reason from a model and write a short explanation, so the habits you build in Grades 6 and 7 matter as much as Grade 8 content.

What should students learn about forces and motion in Grades 6–8?

By the end of middle school, students should be able to explain motion in terms of forces and interactions. That breaks down into a few clear ideas:

• A force is a push or pull with a size and a direction, which is why arrows represent it.
• Forces always come in pairs between two objects: when you push on a wall, the wall pushes back on you.
• Balanced forces leave motion unchanged; unbalanced forces change speed or direction.
• The same resultant force changes the motion of a light object more than a heavy one.
• Some forces, such as the force in a stretched spring, can be measured and modeled with numbers.

How can I build a unit around phenomena?

Pick an anchor phenomenon students recognize. Good choices in Los Angeles: a skateboarder who keeps rolling after the push stops, a bus passenger who lurches forward when the driver brakes, or a sprinter's start with the 2028 Summer Olympic Games coming to the city. Show a short clip, ask students to write every question they have, and return to those questions as the unit progresses.

Forces & Interactions is built as four double lessons with lesson plans, two reading passages, four worksheets, answer keys, a rubric and a 10-slide presentation, differentiated at three levels. A sequence that fits it:

1. Anchor phenomenon and question board.
2. Force as a vector: draw arrows for pushes and pulls on everyday objects, with length showing size.
3. Free-body diagrams: represent every force on one object, labeled with its source.
4. Resultant force: add forces along a line. A 10 N push right and a 4 N friction force left give a 6 N resultant to the right.
5. Inertia: explain why the bus passenger lurches forward using balanced and unbalanced forces.
6. Interaction pairs: identify the force pair when a swimmer pushes off a wall.
7. Spring experiment: hang masses from a spring, measure the stretch and plot force against extension.
8. Return to the anchor: students write a full explanation of the phenomenon using a free-body diagram.

Which misconceptions do middle schoolers have about forces?

• 'A moving object needs a force to keep moving.' Without friction or air resistance, it would keep going.
• 'Heavier objects fall faster.' Without air resistance, objects fall with the same acceleration.
• 'The bigger object pushes harder in a collision.' Interaction forces are equal and opposite; the effects differ because the masses differ.
• 'A book on a table has no forces on it.' Gravity pulls down and the table pushes up; they are balanced.

Use short prediction questions to surface these before teaching. Students commit to an answer, test it, then explain the result.

How do I prepare students for the Grade 8 CAST?

Focus on reasoning from evidence rather than drilling facts. Every week, give students one graph or data table and ask three questions: what pattern do you see, what explains it, and what would you predict next? The spring experiment is ideal, because students generate their own data and see a straight-line relationship.

Build measurement skills early. The Measurement, Data Analysis & Scientific Inquiry unit for Grades 5–7 teaches repeat measurements, data displays and the difference between a measurement and an interpretation. Students who master that in Grade 6 handle CAST data tasks far more confidently in Grade 8.

How do I support English learners in science?

Science language is precise and often unfamiliar. Pre-teach eight to ten words per unit, such as force, resultant, balanced, inertia, interaction and extension, and pair each with a diagram. Sentence frames help students write explanations: 'The object speeds up because the force of ___ is greater than the force of ___.'

Diagrams are a strength here. A free-body diagram lets a student show understanding before they can write a full paragraph in English.

How can I plan the whole physics strand?

The Physics Foundations Bundle brings together measurement, describing motion with graphs, and forces and interactions: 12 double lessons with reading passages, worksheets, answer keys, rubrics and assessments, differentiated at Foundation, Core and Extension levels. Browse the Science collection for Grades 6–9 for more units, or see our Los Angeles teaching resources page for other subjects.

Science in Los Angeles: at a glance

Frequently asked questions

When do Los Angeles students take the California Science Test?

Students take the California Science Test (CAST) in Grades 5 and 8 and once in high school. It is part of CAASPP, the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, which also includes the Smarter Balanced tests in ELA and math.

What is a good anchor phenomenon for forces?

A good anchor is something students have felt or seen. A passenger lurching forward when a bus brakes, a skateboarder coasting, or a sprinter leaving the blocks all raise questions about forces and inertia that the unit can answer step by step.

How do I teach free-body diagrams in middle school?

Start with one object and ask students to list everything touching it or pulling on it. Each item becomes an arrow, labeled with its source, with length showing size. Then add forces along a line to find the resultant.

Is Forces & Interactions suitable for Grade 6?

It is listed for Grades 7–9, so it suits Grades 7 and 8 best. In Grade 6, start with the measurement and inquiry unit, then move to Forces & Interactions when students are ready for vector diagrams.

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