Middle School Life Science Curriculum for Homeschool Co-ops

Life Science · Co-op class

Biology Complete – Middle School is a structured grades 6–8 life science course for a homeschool co-op or microschool group that meets once or twice a week. It starts with the characteristics of living things, cell theory, and plant versus animal cells, and teaches students to form hypotheses, read diagrams and interpret data. Its 70+ no-prep resources include answer keys and are available immediately.

See the life science course →

70+ resourcesCells, organisms, inquiry

Grades 6–8Differentiated worksheets

From $149.90Digital, available at once

Quick answer

Biology Complete – Middle School is a no-prep life science curriculum for grades 6–8 that suits a homeschool co-op or microschool group class. It covers characteristics of living things, cell theory, plant and animal cells, and levels of organization, along with inquiry skills: hypotheses, simple investigations, data, diagrams and models. It costs $149.90 for 70+ resources, or $189.90 with Teach-Life-Balance. Microscopes and lab materials are not included.

The curriculum

Biology 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.

Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)

All grades$89.90

The real problem

Running life science for a group, not a kitchen table

Most co-ops add science because it is the subject parents least want to do alone. Group work, shared equipment and other kids to argue with all help. But the co-op tutor still has to decide what to teach and in what order, and life science is easy to get wrong. A year of interesting animal facts is pleasant and leaves students with nothing to build on in high school biology. The real foundation is the cell. Students need to understand why cell theory matters, how plant and animal cells differ and why, and how cells build into tissues, organs and organisms. That is abstract for an eleven-year-old, and it needs diagrams and models, not just reading. The second foundation is scientific thinking. A co-op group class is the best place to practice it, since you can run an investigation together, collect data from several students and argue about what it shows. A once-a-week schedule, though, means you cannot spend half a session explaining what a hypothesis is every time. Students need a consistent way of working that they recognize from week to week, and the tutor needs to know which concept comes next after any given session.

Why it fits

What the curriculum does for a co-op science group

The course combines cell biology content with practice in inquiry skills, both of which work best in a group.

Cell theory and plant versus animal cells are taught with diagrams and models students can label.
Levels of organization link cells to organisms in a sequence a weekly class can follow.
Practice with hypotheses and data interpretation suits a group investigation with shared results.
Cause and effect, and evidence-based reasoning recur, so students build the habit over the year.
Differentiated worksheets let younger and older siblings in one class work at their own level.
Answer keys help a parent tutor without a science degree check student reasoning.

Getting started

First sessions with your life science group

One way to begin a weekly co-op class. This is a suggestion and not a schedule supplied with the product.

Ask what counts as aliveOpen with the characteristics of living things. Bring a few objects, such as a seed, a rock and a piece of fruit, and have the group argue which are living and why, using the worksheet criteria.
Introduce cell theoryTeach cell theory next, using the diagrams in the materials. If someone in the co-op owns a microscope, this is a good week to borrow it, though the lesson works without one.
Compare plant and animal cellsHave students label and compare plant and animal cell diagrams, then explain one difference in terms of what the organism needs. That is your first cause-and-effect discussion.
Run a simple investigationUse an inquiry task to have the group form a hypothesis, plan a simple investigation with household items, and record data. Pool results from everyone before deciding what the evidence shows.
Build up the levelsFinish the first stretch with levels of organization. A model or poster from cell to organism gives you a reference for the rest of the year.

Which version

Choosing a version for co-op science

The $149.90 version contains the full 70+ resources for students and teachers. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a separate course for the teacher with planning tools and templates, so it only makes sense if you want help managing your own time. Some co-ops rotate life, physical and earth science across the middle school years. If yours does, Chemistry and Physics Complete – Middle School follow the same structure, and TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off when you buy two Complete Curriculum packages. The STEM Complete Curriculum Bundle for grades 6–10 is a separate, broader option at $149.00.

Compare the versions on the product page →

Honest limits

What is not in the box

There are no microscopes, slides, specimens or lab kits. The investigations are simple, and any supplies are yours to gather. The materials include no video. The curriculum is written for U.S. middle school classrooms but does not satisfy a state homeschool law or science credit requirement on its own, so confirm with your state or umbrella school. The licence is for the buyer's teaching. Before other co-op tutors use the files, send Teach Lessons a short message. If it is not right for your group, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value. There is no cash refund.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Is it NGSS-aligned or approved for homeschool science credit?

The scientific thinking strand is described as NGSS-style practices, but the curriculum is not certified, endorsed or guaranteed to align with NGSS or any state standard. It does not satisfy homeschool law or science credit requirements by itself. Check the content on the product page against what your state or umbrella school asks for.

Do we need a microscope?

No. The cell lessons work from diagrams and models, and students label and compare cells on paper. A microscope makes the cell theory sessions more vivid if a family in the co-op owns one, and an onion skin slide is an easy first look, but nothing in the course depends on having the equipment.

How does it address origins or evolution?

The core content listed covers characteristics of living things, cell theory, plant and animal cells and levels of organization, plus further life science units. Read the product page and the materials yourself to see how any topic you care about is handled before you teach it to the group.

Can a sixth grader and an eighth grader share the class?

Yes. Worksheets are differentiated, and the inquiry skills apply at every level. Expect older students to write fuller explanations of their evidence, while younger students focus on labeling and describing what they observe. In group investigations, give an eighth grader the job of recording data and a sixth grader the job of measuring.

May another parent teach the second weekly session?

The sequence makes it easy to split sessions, since each tutor can see what came before. The licence covers instructional use by the buyer, so send Teach Lessons a short message first if a second tutor will use the materials. Do not share the files openly with all co-op families.

Is there enough for two sessions a week?

With 70+ resources you can use one session for content and diagrams and a second for the investigation or data work, which suits a group meeting twice a week. If you meet once a week, select the units your group needs most and skip the rest, or send extra worksheets home as practice.

Life science your co-op can build on

Check the full unit list on the product page and compare it with what your group needs this year.