Teaching Middle School Physical Science Out of Field: A Ready Curriculum
Physics Complete – Middle School gives the out-of-field teacher a grades 6–8 physical science core on motion, forces and energy, with answer keys for the calculations and graph work. It is a compact set of 20+ resources. It handles the parts that make non-physicists nervous, such as speed versus velocity, motion graphs, Newton's laws at a conceptual level and energy transformations, so you can teach those confidently.
See the physical science core →Physics Complete – Middle School is a no-prep physical science curriculum for grades 6–8, from $149.90, with 20+ resources. It covers distance, speed, velocity and acceleration, motion graphs, balanced and unbalanced forces, Newton's laws conceptually, friction, gravity and air resistance, kinetic and potential energy, and conduction, convection and radiation. Answer keys help a teacher outside their certification check calculations and graph interpretations.
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 physics that worries out-of-field teachers
For many teachers, the word physics brings back a hard high school class. Middle school physical science is more manageable, but it has specific traps. Speed and velocity sound like the same thing until a student asks why they are different, and the answer, direction, has to be explained clearly. Acceleration confuses almost everyone at first. Motion graphs are a skill of their own: reading a flat line on a distance-time graph as standing still, not moving steadily, is a classic misconception, and you need to spot it in student work. Forces bring their own problems. Students arrive believing that a moving object needs a constant push to keep going, which is exactly what Newton's first law contradicts. Teaching against that intuition takes careful examples. Energy adds abstract ideas such as potential energy and transformation, plus three kinds of heat transfer that are easy to mix up. On top of the concepts, students should form testable hypotheses and work from graphs and models, and you have to decide whether a student's reasoning is sound. That is difficult when you are only a little ahead yourself.
Why it fits
How the curriculum supports you
A focused core that targets the concepts most likely to trip you up.
- Distance, speed, velocity and acceleration are taught in order, so each idea builds on the one before.
- Motion graph tasks come with answer keys, letting you check graph readings before you mark them.
- Newton's laws are treated conceptually, which suits middle school and does not require advanced math from you.
- Friction, gravity and air resistance lessons use everyday examples that address common misconceptions.
- Kinetic and potential energy and energy transformations give the second half of the year a clear structure.
- Conduction, convection and radiation are taught side by side, so students learn to tell them apart.
Getting started
Two weeks into physical science
A suggested start that tackles the hardest ideas while the term is still fresh.
- Practice the motion graphs yourselfBefore teaching motion, complete the graph worksheets and check them against the keys. If you misread one, you now know exactly where students will go wrong too.
- Separate speed from velocity earlySpend real time on the difference. Walk across the room in two directions at the same pace and ask whether anything changed. Direction becomes concrete in under a minute.
- Collect your class's predictionsBefore the forces lessons, ask students what keeps a rolling ball moving. Write their answers down. Returning to them after Newton's laws shows everyone how their thinking changed.
- Use simple demonstrations you trustNo kits are included, but a ball, a ramp and a book are enough for friction and gravity. Test any demonstration once before class so it behaves as planned.
- Have students write a testable hypothesisUse one inquiry task where students state a hypothesis about motion and decide what they would measure. Checking hypotheses is easier than grading full lab reports and builds the habit.
Which version
Choosing your physical science version
The base Physics Complete – Middle School at $149.90 contains the 20+ resources. That is a focused core rather than a resource for every single day, so expect to add review and practice of your own. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a digital time-saving course with a planner, guides and templates; it contains no physics content. Many middle school physical science courses include chemistry, and Chemistry Complete – Middle School uses the same structure, so buying both with TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off. The Physics Foundations Bundle and the Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle may appear as extras.
Honest limits
Being honest about scope
With 20+ resources, this is a focused core on motion, forces and energy, not a day-by-day plan for every class period of a full year; you will add review, practice and demonstrations. No lab equipment is included. If your physical science course covers chemistry, waves or electricity, check what you need beyond these topics. Its practices are described as NGSS-style but it is not certified, so check it against your state standards. Message Teach Lessons before sharing it. If it is not a fit, exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value, not cash.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned with NGSS or my state science standards?
It is not endorsed, adopted or certified by NGSS, any state or any district, and we do not claim alignment. Its 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 classrooms. Compare its topics with your state standards before relying on it.
I am weak at math. How much math is involved?
Middle school physical science uses some calculation, for example working out speed from distance and time, and reading motion graphs. Newton's laws and work and power are treated conceptually. Work through each worksheet with the answer key the night before, and you will be fine for this level.
Is 20+ resources enough for a year?
It is a focused core on motion, forces and energy, which you can use as a full sequence or as individual units. It is not a lesson for every day of a full year. Plan to add your own demonstrations, review days and practice. If you need more volume, the Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle may appear on the page.
Do I need a lab?
No lab is required to use the materials. The inquiry tasks rely on hypotheses, graphs and models, and many concepts can be shown with everyday objects. No lab kits or equipment are included, so any hands-on investigation depends on what your school has and on its safety rules.
How do I deal with misconceptions about forces?
Collect students' ideas before teaching, then teach Newton's laws and friction against those ideas. A ball keeps rolling, a book stops because of friction, and students start to see the pattern. The answer keys tell you what the correct explanation looks like, so you can recognize when an answer is still built on the old idea.
Does it cover heat?
Yes. The energy strand covers thermal energy and the three forms of heat transfer: conduction, convection and radiation. It also covers kinetic and potential energy, energy transformations, and work and power at a conceptual level. Students often confuse the three heat transfer types, and teaching them side by side helps. The product page lists everything included.
Teach motion, forces and energy correctly
Look at the product page to see exactly what the 20+ resources cover.
See the physical science core →