Middle School Chemistry Curriculum for Charter School Teachers
If your charter middle school needs chemistry taught this term and you are the only one who can do it, Chemistry Complete – Middle School gives you a starting course for grades 6–8. Its 20+ resources cover states of matter, density, solubility, physical vs chemical changes, atoms, elements and the periodic table, with inquiry practices throughout. You download it straight after purchase.
See the chemistry curriculum →Chemistry Complete – Middle School is a no-prep chemistry curriculum for grades 6–8 with 20+ resources, from $149.90. It covers states of matter, mass, volume, density, solubility, and physical vs chemical changes, then atomic structure at a conceptual level, elements, compounds, symbols, periodic table patterns, and metals and nonmetals, with inquiry practices built in. It suits charter teachers covering chemistry quickly. It carries no state or NGSS approval, so compare it with your own standards.
The curriculum
Chemistry Complete – Middle School, Grades 6–8
Start with the full curriculum. The other resources below are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Chemistry Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Middle School Chemistry
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STEM Complete Curriculum Bundle | Grades 6–10
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
The particular challenge of chemistry at a small charter
Chemistry is the science that small charters find hardest to resource. Many middle school rooms in charter buildings lack fume hoods, eyewash stations and chemical storage, so the reactions that make chemistry memorable are off the table or limited to vinegar and baking soda. At the same time, this is where students meet some of the most abstract ideas of middle school: particles they will never see, the difference between mass and volume, why ice floats, how a compound differs from a mixture. The teacher assigned to it may be a life science specialist who last took chemistry in college, or a math teacher filling a gap in the schedule. That teacher needs clear explanations of atomic structure at the right level, ways to make density and solubility visible with safe materials, and a logical path from what students can observe about matter to the atomic model behind it. They also need the periodic table to feel like a pattern rather than a chart to memorize. Pulling that together at short notice, safely, and without a department to ask is a real burden.
Why it fits
What fits a charter chemistry unit
It starts with matter students can observe and moves toward atoms, an order that suits a room with limited lab capacity.
- States of matter and physical vs chemical changes begin with things students can see and describe.
- Mass, volume and density lessons give a clear entry into measurement and calculation at middle school level.
- Solubility work can run with safe, everyday substances rather than lab-grade chemicals.
- Atomic structure stays conceptual, so students build the model without advanced math or equipment.
- Periodic table patterns and metals vs nonmetals turn the table into something students can reason with.
- Inquiry practices keep questions, data and evidence central even when hands-on reactions are limited.
Getting started
How you might start chemistry in two weeks
This is a suggested opening, not a fixed calendar. Check your school's safety rules before any hands-on activity.
- Check safety rules, then planBefore teaching, review your school's safety rules and what materials are allowed. Then go through the 20+ downloaded resources and mark which activities fit those limits.
- Sort everyday matterOpen with states of matter, asking students to classify common objects and explain their reasoning. It shows quickly who confuses solids, liquids and gases at the particle level, which shapes how you teach the rest of the unit.
- Measure mass and volumeIn week one, move to mass, volume and density. Simple measurements with water and classroom objects make density concrete before students calculate it, and students can predict and then test which objects will sink or float.
- Test physical vs chemical changeIn week two, run short demonstrations or data tasks on physical and chemical changes. Students record evidence such as color change or gas formation and decide which kind of change occurred.
- Find patterns in the tableFinish the stretch by introducing elements and symbols and asking students to spot patterns in the periodic table. It sets up the conceptual atomic structure lessons that follow.
Which version
Picking your chemistry version
The core version, 20+ resources for $149.90, covers matter and its properties and atoms, elements and the periodic table. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a digital time-saving course with a planner, guides and templates, which helps if chemistry is a second or third prep for you. Many charters teach chemistry inside a broader physical science course, so pairing this with Physics Complete – Middle School may fit; code TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off when buying two or more curricula.
Honest limits
Where the chemistry curriculum stops
No chemicals, glassware or safety equipment are included, and any hands-on work must follow your school's safety rules. With 20+ resources, it may serve as a chemistry unit or semester rather than a full year without additions. Inquiry is described as NGSS-style practice, but this is not a certification, so compare the content with your state's standards. Team use needs a short message to Teach Lessons first. If it does not fit, you can exchange it for store credit of equal value within 7 days; there is no cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this chemistry curriculum NGSS-aligned or approved by our authorizer?
It is not approved, certified, adopted or endorsed by NGSS, any state or any charter authorizer, and alignment is not guaranteed. It is written for U.S. middle school classrooms with inquiry practices described as NGSS-style. Compare the topics on matter, atoms and the periodic table with your state's physical science standards before building your course on it.
Can I teach it without a real lab?
Much of it, yes. States of matter, density and solubility can be taught with everyday materials, and atomic structure is handled conceptually. Any hands-on activities depend on what your school allows and owns, since no chemicals or equipment come with the curriculum. Always follow your school's safety rules.
Is it enough for a full year of chemistry?
It contains 20+ resources on matter and its properties and atoms, elements and the periodic table. For many charters that covers a chemistry unit or semester within physical science. If you teach chemistry as a full year, plan to add your own investigations or other material.
How deep does it go into atoms?
Atomic structure is treated at a conceptual level suited to grades 6–8, along with elements, compounds and symbols. Students also look at periodic table patterns and the difference between metals and nonmetals. It does not go into high school chemistry topics or advanced math. Students finish with a working mental model of atoms that later courses can build on.
Is there a combined STEM option?
The STEM Complete Curriculum Bundle for grades 6–10 ($149.00) is a separate product for teachers covering several STEM areas. Physics Complete and Biology Complete – Middle School are other Complete Curricula that share this structure. You do not need any of them to teach this chemistry course.
If our life science teacher covers chemistry next year, does the license transfer?
Charter staffing shifts often, so it helps to plan for this. Use within your own teaching team or school is possible, but send Teach Lessons a short message first so the arrangement is clear, and ask about school purchasing at the same time if that applies. The files must stay inside your school; resale and public posting are not allowed.
Teach matter and atoms without a full lab
The product page lists what the chemistry curriculum includes. Choose a version and download it now.
See the chemistry curriculum →