Middle School Science

Science and Engineering Practices:

Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Developing and using models
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematics and computational thinking
Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Highlights

6th grade students attend a full week of Outdoor School each fall
All middle school students participate in the annual Science/Engineering Fair.
OMSI provides visiting labs and museum experiences for middle school classes.

Sixth Grade

Life Science/Environmental Science

Structure and Function, Growth and Development of Organisms, Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms, and Information Processing
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems; Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems; and Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
Inheritance of Traits, and Variation of Traits
Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity, Natural Selection, Adaptation, and Biodiversity and Humans

Seventh Grade

Earth Science

The universe and its stars, Earth and the solar system and the history of planet Earth
Earth materials and systems, plate tectonics and large-scale system interactions, the roles of water in Earth’s surface processes, weather and climate, and biogeology.
Natural resources, natural hazards, human impact on Earth systems, and global climate change.

Eighth Grade

Chemistry – Physical Science

The structure and properties of matter, and chemical reactions.
Forces and Motion and Types of interactions.
Definitions of Energy, Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer, the Relationship between Energy and Forces, and Energy in Chemical Process and Everyday Life.