Science for 7th Grade - what have you loved?

[Wonder]

I posted a different thread, hoping to hear how others have done interest led science.  So far only one reply.  Maybe because I typed WAY too much - ha ha!

 

So here are some simpler questions:  

 

1. What should 7th grade science look like?

2. What have you done for 7th grade science?

3. If you have youngers, did you include them in this science?  Only parts of it?  Something completely different?

 

Background:  I've had some chronic health issues and need something easy to implement, but thorough enough for what a 7th grader should be learning, and something fun!! :)

Edited March 19, 2016 by Wonder

[regentrude]

1. I don't know about "should". Children are different, interests are different.

 

2. Over 6th-8th grade, DS studied various topics in physics, astronomy, earth science, and biology.

We used an assortment of textbooks:

Conceptual Physics Science, Conceptual Physics, Campbell Exploring life, Tarbuck Earth Science

which we did not cover in their entirety, but merely used certain sections and chapters to study specific topics.

For example, he used just ch. 8-12 from Conc Phys Science to learn about electricity, magnetism and sound waves

 

We added other books, like Bill Bryson's Short History of everything and some of Fred Bortz' books about elementary particles.

 

He watched lots and lots of documentaries about astronomy, cosmology, biology, geology. (When I say lots, I mean LOTS. )

 

Assessment was through projects, oral presentations with visuals and reports. No tests.

 

3. I never combined my kids for anything.

Edited March 19, 2016 by regentrude

[SilverMoon]

On 3/19/2016 at 12:26 PM, Wonder said:

 

 

 

Edited May 23 by SilverMoon

[Guest]

We used K12 Advanced Science as independents after BJU's bias drove us batty.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Targhee]

Science in 7th was Natural History of our state (my own design) - marine biology, geology, ecology - as well as First Lego League and Science Olympiad.

 

8th is Biology as a structured class, preparing her to utilize a textbook, incorporate math into her science, and set up a track for 2 AP classes in high school.

 

Middle school is when I actually include science as a subject - prior to that we do lots of science, but it's much more free form (I used to teach science, and my kids all love science, so we shoot from the hip in those ages). 8th is much more structured as a prep for high school work.

 

If you're after I curriculum for 7th (and really it works for anyone in the middle school level) I have been pleased with RSO Biology 2 - it's solid science, weekly labs, a historical component, some math involved in the work, and it's simple in format and concise in language.