Middle School Physical Science Scope and Sequence for the Whole Year
If you teach physical science in grades 6–8 and are mapping the year, Physics Complete – Middle School covers motion and forces and energy, with inquiry practices built in. That means speed and acceleration, motion graphs, Newton's laws at a conceptual level, kinetic and potential energy, and heat transfer. It has 20+ resources, so for a full year you will add your own labs or a second package.
See the physics curriculum →Physics Complete – Middle School is a no-prep physical science curriculum for grades 6–8 with 20+ resources, starting at $149.90. It covers motion and forces (speed, velocity, acceleration, motion graphs, balanced and unbalanced forces, Newton's laws conceptually, friction, gravity, air resistance) and energy (kinetic and potential, transformations, work and power, thermal energy, conduction, convection, radiation), with NGSS-style inquiry practices. For a full year, plan to combine it with labs or other materials.
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
What makes physical science pacing tricky
Middle school physical science has a math problem that is not really about math. Speed, velocity and acceleration are where many students first meet a formula in science, and motion graphs ask them to read slope before they have learned it in math class. If that block is rushed, the rest of the year rests on a shaky base, since forces only make sense once students can describe motion. The order matters too. Describing motion comes first, then forces as the cause of changes in motion, then energy as a different way of looking at the same events. Teach energy first and the transformations feel abstract. Then there is the honest question of quantity. With 20+ resources, this curriculum gives you a strong core for motion, forces and energy, but it is not a full year of daily lessons. A realistic year plan uses those resources as the spine and adds labs, demonstrations and investigations around them. That is also where the year should spend its time anyway: students rolling carts down ramps and graphing the results learn more than students who only read about it.
Why it fits
How the content anchors a physical science year
The two content areas follow the order physical science needs, from describing motion to explaining it with energy.
- Distance, speed and velocity lessons give a clear first unit before acceleration and graphs.
- Motion graphs help you slow down at the point where many students first struggle.
- Balanced and unbalanced forces, friction, gravity and air resistance prepare students for Newton's laws conceptually.
- Kinetic and potential energy and energy transformations connect directly back to the motion content.
- Conduction, convection and radiation give the year a clear thermal energy block to finish on.
- Testable hypotheses and simple investigations frame your own labs so they produce graphs and evidence.
Getting started
A possible year over about 36 weeks
This is a suggestion, and the product does not contain this calendar. Since the curriculum has 20+ resources, the plan assumes you add your own labs and practice.
- Weeks 1–8: describing motionTeach distance, speed and velocity, then acceleration. Spend extra time on motion graphs, with students collecting simple timing data in the hallway and graphing it themselves.
- Weeks 9–16: forcesMove to balanced and unbalanced forces, friction, gravity and air resistance. Testable hypothesis tasks fit well, since students can predict and test how surfaces change sliding.
- Weeks 17–22: Newton's lawsTeach Newton's laws at a conceptual level, tying each one back to examples from the motion and forces units. Models and diagrams help students explain rather than just recall.
- Weeks 23–30: energyCover kinetic and potential energy, transformations, and work and power conceptually. Ramps and pendulums from the motion unit make good callbacks for energy transformations, since students already know how those objects move.
- Weeks 31–36: thermal energyEnd with thermal energy and conduction, convection and radiation. A final investigation where students plan, collect data and argue from evidence pulls the year's practices together.
Which version
How to choose for a full year
The standard Physics Complete – Middle School ($149.90) is the core. The version with Teach-Life-Balance ($189.90) adds a separate planner and time-saving course for teachers, without extra physics content. If your physical science course also covers matter and the periodic table, Chemistry Complete – Middle School fills that half of the year and follows the same structure; with TEACHMORE15 you get 15% off two or more Complete Curriculum packages. The Physics Foundations Bundle Grades 5–9 ($59.99) and the Physics Complete Curriculum Bundle ($129.99) are separate options for more physics material.
Honest limits
Be clear about the limits
This is 20+ resources, not a full year of daily lessons on its own. Plan to add labs, demonstrations and practice. No lab equipment, carts, sensors or thermometers are included. There is no dated calendar; the pacing above is one suggestion. Check it against your state's physical science standards. If your science team wants to share it, send Teach Lessons a short message first. If it is not what you need, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned to NGSS physical science standards?
The inquiry strand is described as NGSS-style practices, and the content is written for U.S. middle school physical science. It is not endorsed, certified or officially aligned to NGSS or any state standards. Compare the motion, forces and energy content with your state's performance expectations and fill any gaps.
Is 20+ resources enough for a full year?
Not on its own. It covers the core concepts of motion, forces and energy, but a full year needs labs, demonstrations and extra practice around it. Many teachers pair it with Chemistry Complete for matter and the periodic table, or with one of the physics bundles.
How much math is involved?
Newton's laws, work and power are handled at a conceptual level. Speed, velocity and acceleration and motion graphs involve some calculation and graph reading. The differentiated worksheets help students who are still building those math skills. Coordinating with your math colleagues on when slope is introduced can help.
Can I teach it without a lab?
The graphs, models and investigation tasks work without a formal lab. Simple materials such as a ramp, a ball and a stopwatch go a long way for motion and energy, but those are things you supply. Make sure any hands-on work follows your school's safety rules.
What order should motion and energy go in?
Most teachers put motion and forces first, because energy transformations make more sense once students can describe how objects move and why they speed up or slow down. The curriculum's content areas follow that order, though the units can be taught individually. Keep that order unless your district says otherwise.
What can I leave for a substitute?
Motion graph practice and energy transformation diagrams with answer keys are good choices. They need no equipment and fit almost anywhere in the sequence. Students practice reading slope or tracing energy from one form to another, and the answer keys let a non-science substitute check work quickly. Set aside one for each quarter so you are never planning a sub day at the last minute.
Start the year with motion, end it with energy
Check the product page for everything included in Physics Complete – Middle School before you plan your labs around it.
See the physics curriculum →