Middle School Physical Science Curriculum for Charter School Teachers
A charter middle school science teacher who needs motion, forces and energy covered without a physics department can start with Physics Complete – Middle School. Its 20+ resources for grades 6–8 cover speed and acceleration, Newton's laws at a conceptual level, and energy transformations and heat transfer, with inquiry built in. Files are available as soon as the order goes through.
See physical science →Physics Complete – Middle School is a structured physical science curriculum for grades 6–8 with 20+ resources, from $149.90. It covers distance, speed, velocity, acceleration and motion graphs; balanced and unbalanced forces, Newton's laws, friction, gravity and air resistance; and kinetic and potential energy, transformations, work, power and thermal energy transfer. Inquiry with testable hypotheses, graphs and models runs throughout. It is not approved for NGSS or any state, so check it against your requirements.
The curriculum
Physics 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.
Physics Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Middle School Physics
Physics Foundations Bundle | Measurement, Motion & Forces | 3 Complete Units | Grades 5–9
Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle | 15 Ready-to-Teach Units | Grades 5–12
Chemistry Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Middle School Chemistry
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Why physical science is tricky at a lean charter
Physical science asks middle schoolers to think in abstractions they cannot see: velocity as a direction, forces that cancel out, energy that changes form but never disappears. At a charter, the person teaching it is often a generalist science teacher who is more comfortable with biology, or a math teacher asked to cover science because the school is small. Equipment is thin. There may be no carts, spring scales or ramps, and the budget will not cover a physics kit this year. The concepts still need to be made concrete, and the best tools for that at this level are graphs and models: a distance-time graph that shows a student walking faster, a force diagram that explains why a book on a table does not move. Writing those tasks takes care, because a poorly drawn motion graph teaches the wrong idea. Many middle schoolers also arrive with firm misconceptions, such as believing a moving object needs a constant push, which Newton's laws directly contradict. You need lessons that surface those ideas and test them, and you need them before the first unit test that families and the school will be looking at.
Why it fits
How it helps a charter physical science course
The curriculum focuses on the concepts and representations that matter most at this level.
- Motion graphs make speed and acceleration visible, which helps students who struggle with the abstract ideas.
- Balanced and unbalanced forces lead into Newton's laws at a conceptual level suited to grades 6–8.
- Friction, gravity and air resistance tie the force lessons to things students already notice every day.
- Kinetic and potential energy and energy transformations give the second half of the course a clear focus.
- Conduction, convection and radiation cover thermal energy without needing a lab full of equipment.
- Testable hypotheses and simple investigations keep inquiry central even with very little equipment.
Getting started
A two-week start for physical science
Here is a suggested opening. It shows one way to begin with motion; you could open with energy instead.
- Map motion, forces and energyAfter downloading, sort the 20+ resources into motion, forces and energy and decide how much time each gets. Note where you will want extra practice or your own demonstrations.
- Measure speed in the hallwayStart with distance and speed. Students time each other walking a set distance, calculate speed, and compare results, a simple investigation that needs only a stopwatch and tape.
- Read and draw motion graphsMove on to motion graphs in week one. Have students match a story about a trip to a distance-time graph, then sketch their own. Watch for the common mix-up between position and speed.
- Surface ideas about forcesIn week two, ask students what keeps a rolling ball moving before teaching balanced and unbalanced forces. Recording their predictions makes the shift to Newton's laws more memorable.
- Test a hypothesis on frictionEnd the stretch with a testable hypothesis about friction on different surfaces. Students gather simple data, graph it, and connect the result to the force lessons.
Which version
Choosing the physical science version
The main version, 20+ resources for $149.90, covers motion and forces and energy for grades 6–8. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a digital time-saving course with a planner, guides and templates; it is worthwhile if you are a math or biology teacher covering physics as an extra prep. Since physical science at many charters also includes matter and the periodic table, combining this with Chemistry Complete – Middle School can make sense, and TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off two or more curricula.
Honest limits
Honest limits of this physics course
With 20+ resources, this curriculum covers motion, forces and energy, but it may not fill every week of a full-year course on its own, so plan for your own labs or additional material. No equipment, kits or videos are included. The inquiry strand is described as NGSS-style practices, but that is not a certification, so check it against your state's physical science standards. Send Teach Lessons a short message before colleagues use it. If it does not fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit, not a cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this physical science curriculum approved under NGSS or by our authorizer?
No. NGSS, state agencies and charter authorizers have not approved, certified, adopted or endorsed it, and no alignment is promised. The inquiry practices are described as NGSS-style: testable hypotheses, simple investigations, graphs and models. Before using it as your course, compare the topics with your state's physical science standards.
Does it include chemistry topics like atoms and the periodic table?
No. This curriculum covers motion, forces and energy. Matter, atoms, elements and the periodic table are in Chemistry Complete – Middle School, a separate curriculum with the same structure. If your course combines both, you would need both products, and buying the two together with TEACHMORE15 takes 15% off. Many charters teach the two halves in separate semesters.
Is 20+ resources enough for a year?
It covers the main topics of motion, forces and energy, but whether it fills your year depends on how often you meet and how much lab time you add. Many teachers will supplement with their own investigations. If you want more physics material, the Physics Foundations Bundle for grades 5–9 ($59.99) and the Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle with 15 units for grades 5–12 ($129.99) are separate options.
How mathematical is it?
Newton's laws, work and power are handled at a conceptual level suited to middle school. Students work with speed, motion graphs and data, so some arithmetic and graph reading are needed, but the focus is on understanding rather than formulas. Differentiated worksheets help with a wide range of math skills in one class.
Can I teach it if physics is not my background?
It is fully structured with slides, worksheets and answer keys, and is described as no-prep. That supports a teacher whose background is in another science or in math. Reading ahead on motion graphs and forces is still wise, since those are where student misconceptions show up most.
A math teacher covers one of our science sections. Can they use my copy?
In a small charter, a math teacher picking up a physical science section is common, and the answer keys help there. Use within your own school is possible, but send Teach Lessons a short message before the colleague starts using the files, and raise any school purchasing question at the same time. Sharing the material outside the school is not allowed.
Make forces and energy concrete from the first week
See the full list of what is included on the product page, choose your version and download.
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