A Middle School Physical Science Curriculum for the Only Science Teacher in the Building
Physics Complete – Middle School gives the only science teacher in a school a structured grades 6–8 physical science core: 20+ ready resources on motion, forces and energy, taught through hypotheses, simple investigations, graphs and models. It is a compact package, so it works best as the backbone of your physical science year, which you can extend with the chemistry curriculum or your own investigations.
See the physical science course →Physics Complete – Middle School is a ready-to-teach physical science curriculum for grades 6–8 with 20+ resources, from $149.90. It covers motion (distance, speed, velocity, acceleration, motion graphs), forces (balanced and unbalanced, Newton's laws conceptually, friction, gravity, air resistance) and energy (kinetic, potential, transformations, work and power, thermal energy, conduction, convection, radiation). Inquiry uses hypotheses, simple investigations, graphs and models. It gives a solo science teacher a physics core to build around.
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
Physics is where a lone science teacher most needs a sequence
If you are the only science teacher, physical science is often the strand you feel least sure about. Many middle school science teachers come from a biology background, and physics content has traps that a colleague would normally catch: speed and velocity used as synonyms, acceleration taught as just speeding up, heavier objects assumed to fall faster. Order matters too. Motion graphs only make sense after distance and speed are solid, and Newton's laws make sense only after students can tell balanced from unbalanced forces. Energy has its own chain, from kinetic and potential energy through transformations to conduction, convection and radiation. Without a department, you also design every investigation yourself, often with little equipment: ramps from textbooks, toy cars, a stopwatch on a phone. Students then need to turn measurements into graphs and explain them, which is the part that tends to get skipped when one teacher is juggling three sciences. A short, well-ordered physics core keeps the concepts accurate and the sequence logical, so you can spend your planning time on the investigations themselves.
Why it fits
How it supports a non-specialist teaching physics alone
The package is compact, so its value lies in getting the concepts and their order right.
- Distance, speed, velocity and acceleration are separated clearly, which heads off the most common misconceptions.
- Motion graphs connect investigation data to concepts, so measurement days end with real analysis.
- Balanced and unbalanced forces come before Newton's laws, kept at a conceptual level for middle schoolers.
- Friction, gravity and air resistance give you everyday examples that need almost no equipment.
- Energy runs from kinetic and potential through transformations to conduction, convection and radiation.
- Answer keys mean you can check physics work confidently even if it is not your home subject.
Getting started
How to start physical science in two weeks
A suggested opening that puts motion first and builds toward forces.
- Teach testable hypotheses firstUse the inquiry material to practice writing a hypothesis about something that moves, such as a ball on a ramp. That frame carries through every later physics lesson.
- Measure distance and timeRun a simple investigation with whatever you have: a hallway, tape and a phone timer. Students calculate speed from their own data, which makes the formula feel earned.
- Separate speed and velocityAdd direction and show why two students walking at the same speed can have different velocities. Catching this early prevents confusion in the forces unit.
- Graph the motionTurn the measurements into motion graphs and have students describe what a flat, steep or curved line means. This is the skill most likely to be skipped when teaching alone.
- Introduce balanced forcesClose the second week with balanced and unbalanced forces using pushes, pulls and friction. It sets up Newton's laws at the conceptual level for the next unit.
Which version
Picking a version, and filling out the year
The base version at $149.90 contains the 20+ resources. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a digital course with a planner, guides and templates for teacher time management, with no added physics content. Because this package is compact, a solo science teacher covering physical science for a full year will likely pair it with Chemistry Complete – Middle School, which covers matter, atoms and the periodic table. Buying both with code TEACHMORE15 takes 15% off. The Physics Foundations Bundle Grades 5–9 and the Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle (15 units) are separate options if you want more physics.
Honest limits
Be clear about the size before you buy
With 20+ resources, this is a core sequence for motion, forces and energy, not a full year of daily lessons by itself. Expect to add your own investigations, review and possibly a second curriculum. No equipment, lab kits or sensors are included. It is written for U.S. middle school classrooms, but checking it against your state science standards is up to you. Other teachers in your school can use it after you message Teach Lessons. If it is not a fit, exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value, not a cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned with NGSS?
It is not endorsed or certified by NGSS or any state, and we do not guarantee standards alignment. The inquiry strand is described as following NGSS-style practices: testable hypotheses, simple investigations, graphs and models. It is written for U.S. middle school classrooms, so compare it with your state's physical science standards yourself.
Is 20+ resources enough for a whole year?
On its own, probably not for daily lessons across a full year. It covers the core physics content in a logical order. Many solo science teachers will extend it with their own investigations or pair it with Chemistry Complete to make a full physical science year.
I am a biology person. Can I teach this?
That is a common situation for a single science teacher. Newton's laws are kept at a conceptual level, the content is sequenced so concepts build in order, and answer keys let you check student work with confidence.
What equipment do the investigations need?
No equipment comes with the product. The investigations are described as simple, and topics like speed, friction and gravity can be explored with everyday items. You decide what is safe and available in your room.
Does it include chemistry?
No. Matter, atoms and the periodic table are in Chemistry Complete – Middle School, a separate curriculum with the same structure. Buying both with TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off.
How do I see the contents?
The product page lists what is included. Since the package is compact, reading that list against your physical science scope is the best way to judge what you will need to add.
Get the physics order right from week one
See exactly what is included on the product page.
See the physical science course →