Starting Middle School Physical Science Mid-Year: Curriculum for January
Physics Complete – Middle School is for teachers who inherit a grade 6–8 physical science class in January without plans. It contains 20+ resources on motion and forces, energy and heat transfer, plus inquiry practice with hypotheses, graphs and models. It is a compact set, and for a January hire that is useful: you can read all of it before your first day.
See Physics Complete – MS →Physics Complete – Middle School is a no-prep physical science curriculum for grades 6–8 with 20+ resources, starting at $149.90. A teacher hired mid-year can use it for semester 2: distance, speed, velocity, acceleration and motion graphs, balanced and unbalanced forces, Newton's laws conceptually, friction and gravity, kinetic and potential energy, and conduction, convection and radiation, with NGSS-style inquiry practices.
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
The physical science gaps you inherit in winter
Physical science builds on itself. Motion graphs need speed, forces need motion, and energy makes more sense after work and forces. If the fall stopped halfway through motion, or never really started, every topic you teach in spring has a missing foundation. Middle schoolers also bring strong everyday ideas that are wrong: heavy things fall faster, a moving object needs a constant push, cold flows into a warm hand. A new teacher cannot address those misconceptions without first hearing them. The math is another hurdle. Calculating speed and reading a distance-time graph trip up students who are not confident with numbers, and you do not yet know who those students are. Then there is the equipment. Ramps, carts, stopwatches and thermometers may be in a cupboard or may not exist, and a demonstration you have not tested is a risk in front of a class that does not know you. You need a clear sequence you can grasp quickly and lessons that work with graphs and models while you sort out the rest.
Why it fits
How the curriculum fits a mid-year start
The set is small enough to review in one sitting, and its order follows the logic of the subject.
- Distance, speed and velocity lessons rebuild the base that motion graphs and forces need.
- Motion graph tasks let you see which students struggle with math before it slows the class.
- Balanced and unbalanced forces and Newton's laws are taught conceptually, not as heavy calculation.
- Friction, gravity and air resistance lessons address the everyday misconceptions students bring.
- Kinetic and potential energy and transformations follow naturally once motion is in place.
- Conduction, convection and radiation lessons work with diagrams before any thermometer comes out.
Getting started
A practical opening for semester 2
A suggestion for the first two weeks, not a schedule the product contains.
- Read the whole set over the weekendWith 20+ resources, you can review everything before day one. Mark where the fall likely stopped and which lessons you will need for the next four weeks.
- Ask a misconception questionOpen by asking whether a heavy ball falls faster than a light one, then use the gravity and air resistance materials. Students' answers show you what to fix.
- Check the math with speedUse a distance, speed and velocity worksheet. It shows within one period who can calculate, who needs support, and whether the fall covered motion at all.
- Teach a motion graphUse the motion graph materials to connect numbers to pictures. Graph reading carries into forces and energy, so time spent here pays off later. Keep the first graphs simple.
- Move to forces with a modelUse the balanced and unbalanced forces lesson with a diagram or a simple model. Add a demonstration only after you have tested the equipment yourself.
Which version
Which option fits your situation
The $149.90 version includes all 20+ resources. It is a focused set, so if you teach physical science for a full semester, you will probably add your own activities or reuse units for review. Choosing the $189.90 option brings Teach-Life-Balance, a digital course for teachers with a planner, guides and ready templates. It does not add physics lessons. If your course also includes chemistry topics, Chemistry Complete – Middle School follows the same structure, and TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off when you buy both.
Honest limits
What it does not do
With 20+ resources, this is a compact curriculum, not a large unit library, so plan to supplement for a long semester. No lab equipment, carts or sensors are included; demonstrations depend on what your school has. The practices are described as NGSS-style, but alignment is not claimed. Check the units against your state science standards. If other teachers want to use it, send Teach Lessons a short message first. If it does not fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value, not cash.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned to NGSS or my state standards?
It is not endorsed, approved or guaranteed to align with NGSS or any state standards. The inquiry work is described as NGSS-style practices such as testable hypotheses, simple investigations, graphs and models. It is written for U.S. middle school physical science, so compare it with your state standards and district expectations before you plan the semester.
Is 20+ resources enough for a whole semester?
It depends on how often you meet and how much you supplement. The set covers motion, forces and energy in a clear sequence, which is a solid core for semester 2. Many teachers would add their own labs or practice. If you want more material, the Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle (15 units, $129.99) and the Physics Foundations Bundle ($59.99) are separate products.
How much math does it require?
Newton's laws, work and power are taught at a conceptual level. Speed calculations and motion graphs do involve numbers, and differentiated worksheets help students with weaker math skills. You will find out in the first week who needs more support. Motion graphs are the best early check, because they combine numbers and pictures in one task.
Does my course include chemistry? Can I combine both?
Many middle school physical science courses include matter and the periodic table. Chemistry Complete – Middle School covers those topics with the same structure. With TEACHMORE15 you get 15% off when you buy two or more Complete Curriculum packages. Check your course description first. Ask your department which topics the spring is expected to cover.
Can I teach this without a lab?
Yes. Lessons use graphs, diagrams and models, so you can teach motion, forces and heat transfer without equipment. Demonstrations make the ideas more concrete, but they are optional and depend on what your school provides. The product does not include equipment. Ask a colleague what the school owns.
How fast can I get it?
Immediately after purchase. A download link arrives by email and the files remain in your customer account under Orders. The product page lists what is included, so you can check the contents first. There is nothing to ship, and the files stay available in your account if you need to download them again later.
Start with motion, finish with energy
Check the product page for the full contents and decide whether you want the Teach-Life-Balance option.
See Physics Complete – MS →