Science Gator Middle School Resources

As a station during my study of microscopes, kids read fictional scenarios and determine the culprits by looking at pictures of hair/fur and fibers related to their cases. Students then fill out the CER worksheets to explain how they came to their conclusions. Print and laminate the cards for longer use.

Have students sort the 24 pathogen cards into the following categories: bacteria, virus, fungi, or protist. Then, add the treatment cards to the correct category. Once students sort and review the cards, they're ready to take up residency at the local emergency room! There are 6 patient medical exam reports (print and glue the pieces onto manila folders then laminate...pictures enclosed). They are to read the patients' symptoms and medical history and then decide which pathogen is making th

Students have a visual for their Interactive Notebooks when it comes to remembering organism, population, community, and ecosystem.

Students learn how microscopes can change the overall appearance of everyday objects but looking at them magnified. Students will match picture cards with the mystery picture of the object magnified. For instance, there is a mystery card with a picture of a moth wing magnified. They need to find the card that says "scales on a moth's wing" and match the two cards together. There are 18 objects total.

I use this worksheet in order to get students to "read for understanding." I want to see if they can tell me, from what they read, what an autotroph and a heterotroph is. In a way, it's very similar to Frayer Models in which students give examples and non-examples of given vocabulary words and make connections to concepts already taught. Included here is the editable PowerPoint version of the worksheet as well as the PDF version.

Students cut out all of the lab safety symbols and paste them next to the correct descriptions. Also accompanies my lab safety symbol PowerPoint presentation.

I created this as a quick resource for students while learning about the three domains of life. I printed multiple copies in color and laminated them (or put them in these colorful, plastic sleeves I purchased off of Groupon). Our district uses Schoology so I've also uploaded this for students to use on there. The colors are bold and the sectioning of the material makes it easier for students to remember the concepts.

This is a PowerPoint for students when introducing infectious disease: pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, protists/parasites, and fungi. I start off with a very basic lab demonstration using water, baking soda, and litmus paper to simulate contagion in the classroom. You can also replace this slide (the PowerPoint is editable) with Glo Germ though I use both within my entire unit. Using a Cornell-style note sheet, students will take notes on the basics of each pathogen (again, the note she

Half sheet printout for students to complete as they enter the classroom as their warm up. Can also be used as an exit ticket.

Students, armed with "clipboard" answer sheets, roam the room completing this scavenger hunt. They must find pre-posted answer cards hidden around the classroom in order to find answers to questions about cell organelles.

Students will learn about animal adaptations. Topics include: -types of adaptations -mimicry and camouflage -variations and cell mutations Scientists mentioned: -Lamarck -Darwin Darwin's Theory explored further through: -journey around the world (namely, his stop in the Galapagos) -natural selection and theory of evolution -evidence for evolution -factors affecting natural selection -adaptations in action

Included in this file are PowerPoint/PDF notes on mitosis and meiosis, as well as student note sheets for their Interactive Notebooks. I also included warm ups and exit tickets that I use for formative assessment. I supplement these notes with station activities, video clips, and coloring sheets (though not included).

Prior to teaching about Gregor Mendel, the laws of inheritance, and using Punnett Squares, I teach my students about the discovery of DNA and its basic structure. I also have them create a genetics vocabulary glossary for their Interactive Notebooks for use throughout the unit. These worksheets are only supplemental to notes, videos, and station activities that my students complete throughout the unit. This file contains the following: * DNA warm up questions * "Discovery of DNA" reading compr

Use this resource as a warm up to class or an exit ticket after learning about animal adaptations. The PowerPoint presentation and accompanying student worksheet is available in my store as "Animal Adaptations Vocabulary."

As part of my infectious disease unit, my students watch the PBS video "Spillover: Zika, Ebola, & Beyond." This 2016 documentary has experts like Dr. Peter Piot (who discovered Ebola) and Dr. Anthony Fauci discussing global pandemics. With our current pandemic, this video is awfully timely in that it explains zoonotic diseases and how they spillover from animals to humans. I had shown this to my students at the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak and correlated it to other previous global ou

In my room, I have a sentence strip pocket display that I utilize for my unit vocabulary. Every time I introduce a new word, it's added to the pockets. Included in this product are 15 vocabulary words that we commonly used in our Infectious Disease unit (7th grade life science in Florida). These can obviously be used in any life science, biology, or health unit anywhere. I have also included a set of vocabulary matching cards that can be printed out in multiple sets, laminated, and put into

I created this as a quick resource for students while learning about the six kingdoms of life. I printed multiple copies in color and laminated them (or put them in these colorful, plastic sleeves I purchased off of Groupon). Our district uses Schoology so I've also uploaded this for students to use on there. The colors are bold and the sectioning of the material makes it easier for students to remember the concepts.

Introduce the basic forms of energy by using this PowerPoint. In addition, have the students create a Foldable in which they can describe each form of energy behind the 10 tabs or have them take down the information as Cornell notes. I've created pre-made labels for the Foldable in case you'd like to have students cut and paste them onto their construction paper rather than writing them out (a separate purchase).

Print out sets and laminate. Cut out all of the cards, put each set into individual sandwich bags then put all of the sets into one large gallon sized bag with the answer key :) Use these cards in small groups, with partners or in a station in order to check for understanding of Newton's 3 Laws of Motion. It will also work great for remediation and tutoring individual students. Have students make a 3-door matchbook Foldable. On each of the doors, number them 1, 2, and 3. On the tab that holds

A review game, including a game board for students to fill in and 27 clue cards for the teacher to read aloud. Students will review their understanding of the following terms: Angiosperms (flowering plants) Gymnosperms (cone-bearers) Ferns Moss Achaebacteria Eubacteria Animalia Plantae Fungi Protista Annelids (segmented worms) Nematoda (roundworms) Platyhelminthes (flatworms) Eukaryote Mollusca Porifera (sponges) Arthropoda Cnideria Chordata Mammalia Aves (birds) Reptilia Amphibia Agnatha (jawl