Science Foundations Unit

Name: Science Foundations Unit - Shop | It's Not Rocket Science
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

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$50.00

This no-prep paper AND digital paperless product is all of the notes, labs, activities, practices, and tests you need to teach your first introductory science foundations unit in your physical science class. However, this product could be used for any first unit in a science class, as it covers foundational skills for any science discipline. Content covered includes lab safety and equipment, measurement, temperature conversions, unit conversions, dimensional analysis, scientific notation, the nature of science, experimental design, and engineering/technological design. Links to video lectures are included for all notes. All assessments are differentiated for two levels – CP and Honors. Not only that, but the student packets come in a paperless digital version that can be used in Google Drive™ and/or Microsoft OneDrive™. This is perfect for the teacher who is in a 1:1 classroom, for someone who is hoping to integrate more educational technology to move towards becoming a paperless classroom, or if you are currently teaching via distance learning. Because it is all-inclusive, it is especially useful for new teachers, maternity leave, and flipped classrooms!

Note: This is Unit 1 in my Physical Science Curriculum Full Year Bundle. You can buy this unit for 20% off if you purchase it as a part of the full year bundle.

What content is in this unit?

Lab safety
Lab equipment
Measurement
Temperature conversions
Unit conversions
Significant figures (honors only)
Nature of science
Experimental design
Engineering/technological design
Dimensional analysis (honors only)
Scientific notation (honors only)

To read more about my scope and sequence for all of the units in my physical science course, as well as to access my free pacing guide for the class, check out this blog post here.

What standards are covered?

My complete physical science full year curriculum bundle is entirely aligned to the NGSS middle school physical science standards, and touches on a few of the high school physical science standards. It is perfect for an 8th-10th grade physical science course that preps students for chemistry or physics (I have used this curriculum teaching all 3 grades successfully!) While it does not cover specific DCIs, it does incorporate many SEPs and CCCs.

If you are looking for high school chemistry resources aligned to HS-PS1 and HS-PS3, check out my chemistry curriculum.

In general, when writing each of my physical science units, I tried to incorporate as many different states’ physical science/IPC standards as possible, while most importantly keeping the content within the scope of the NGSS style. NGSS does not have specific standards designated for a physical science course vs. a chemistry 1 course vs. a physics course (just the middle and high school physical science standards that are part chemistry, part physics). Because of this, I wrote this curriculum for someone teaching a course that is half introduction to physics, half introduction to chemistry, and whose students will potentially later take a full year chemistry 1 or physics 1 course. Therefore, the entire physical science curriculum covers all of the middle school PS NGSS, and touches on many of the high school PS NGSS.

Note: If you aren’t sure how your state standards compare to the NGSS, shoot me an email at itsnotrocketsciencestore@gmail.com with a PDF or link to your state standards and I will be happy to review them for you prior to you making a purchase!

What prior knowledge is necessary for students to have before using this unit?

This is designed to be the first unit I teach in physical science, so I wouldn’t expect students to have any prior knowledge in this unit.

What is included?

I strongly encourage you to download the preview for this product. It is 25 pages and will give you the best idea of what all is included. In short:

22 pages of teacher implementation notes + editable unit plans for 18 days of lesson plans (both 50-minute and 90-minute block pacing)
A 33-page PDF packet for CP/on grade level students, and a 43-page PDF packet for Honors/advanced with all of the student handouts for the entire unit that includes:
- Unit outline with objectives and vocabulary terms for each concept covered for students to use to make their own study guides from
- Notes outlines for each of the four main concepts in Cornell Note format – including filled in and fill in the blank versions of notes!
- Stations: Science Foundations
- Activity: G.O.A.T. CER
- Practice: Lab Safety Scenarios
- Stations: Lab Equipment
- Practice: Lab Equipment Identification
- Inquiry Activity: Investigating Quantities
- Practice: Temperature Conversions
- Practice: Unit Conversions
- Lab Stations: Measurement
- Practice: Experimental Design
- Activity: Candy Graphing
- Lab: An Investigation of Bottle Boats
- Activity: Bridge Building Challenge
- Practice: Dimensional Analysis (honors only)
- Practice: Scientific Notation (honors only)
- Lab Activity: Let’s Make Fudge (honors only)
Access to ALL of the materials in the student packet in a digital paperless format that can be used in Google Drive™ and/or Microsoft OneDrive™
4 fully animated PowerPoints of notes (over 100 slides)
Links to YouTube video lectures for each of the PowerPoint notes – perfect for absent students or flipped classrooms!
1 quiz on math skills covered in this unit + editable version
End of unit test (both an Honors version and a CP/College Prep/on-grade level version included) with a combination of multiple choice, matching, and open response questions, a 2-page answer sheet for students, versions A and B with varied question order to reduce cheating, and an editable version so you can customize for your students’ needs
Detailed answer keys for ALL of the student assessments including the packet, quizzes, and tests

What types of files are included?

When you download this product you will receive a zip file with 5 folders of files. Most of the documents in this product are secured PDFs, meaning you can print them but not copy/paste or edit the text. The paperless digital student packet will be accessed via a Google Drive™ link in a PDF file that students can type into but not change the essential content of. Editable versions (Word docs) are only included for the unit plans, quizzes, tests, and some aspects of the activities for you to customize for your classroom. The PowerPoint lecture notes also have editable text. This is to protect the copyright and intellectual property of my own work, plus the work of many dedicated clip artists and photographers whose graphics I purchased for commercial use to be included in this product. If you have questions about this, please don’t hesitate to email me with them prior to purchasing!

What materials are needed in addition to the resources provided?

A list of additional materials is compiled on p.7-9 of the preview document. Click here to open it. I wrote every unit in this curriculum for a science teacher with minimal materials and budget, so the majority of the supplies needed can be purchased on Amazon or at Walmart!

How many class periods will it take to teach this unit in its entirety?

This unit covers 18 50-minute class periods for CP or 9.5 90-minute block class periods. It will take 21 50-minute class periods for Honors and 12 90-minute block class periods for Honors. However, if you don’t have that much time available you can cut out some of the activities, have students do one of the projects at home, or use the YouTube lecture videos that come with the unit to implement a flipped classroom style.

How is this resource distance learning compatible?

This resource already comes with all of the student handouts in a packet format that can be used on paper (PDF to print) or digitally in a paperless version for Google Drive™ and/or Microsoft OneDrive™. All of the PowerPoint notes also come with a lecture video to help your students learn from afar. You can see all of my lecture videos on my YouTube channel here, and feel free to email me at itsnotrocketsciencestore@gmail.com for a free sample of a paperless digital packet so you can see what the formatting and usability is like prior to purchasing so you can tell if it is a good fit for you and your students.

*NOTE* I did not specifically write this unit for distance learning or homeschool settings, but this entire unit can still be used in a modified format. I include a “Distance Learning Tips” document with suggestions for using these resources in a virtual teaching and/or homeschool setting to help you. If you have questions about which resources may or may not work from home, shoot me an email and we can discuss!

What is so great about the digital student packets that are included?

You can go PAPERLESS in your classroom if you want – no more dreaded mornings at the copy machine!
You still get all of the organization of my packet strategy, just now in digital format too!
Students will be able to access their packet ANYWHERE. No more, “I forgot my binder so I couldn’t do (fill in the blank).”
Students can print their filled in packets or an extra blank copy easily from home.
You can now have a mixed classroom with some students paperless and others not. You can also start with just doing a few units digitally and others on paper. Whatever works best for you and your students. The point here is that you now have OPTIONS!
You have increased flexibility for students to easily learn and be connected outside the walls of your classroom.
A built-in opportunity to help students grow in their digital literacy.

Why use a “packet” instead of an interactive notebook?

I started creating packets for my students years ago, and I love them so much more than interactive notebooks. While interactive notebooks are great resources that work for many teachers, I have found the packet strategy to be a more appropriate tool for using in the secondary classroom setting with my students. I love using the packet for many reasons:

I only have to make copies one time each unit instead of copying handouts every day. Even though it takes a while to copy the packets for each student, it saves so much time on a day to day basis. (Also I’ve often recruited seniors to be my “Teacher’s Aide” and have trained them to copy all of my packets for me. I haven’t seen a copier in YEARS and it’s glorious!) You can also now go DIGITAL and PAPERLESS with the Google Drive™ version of the packet, if you prefer!
It puts responsibility back on the students to maintain their physical science binder with their packet, while also aiding them in practicing organization skills. It has been incredibly effective for my lower level students especially. Even though it is a lot of papers to receive at once, I can watch them put it in their binder and leave it there, rather than having to hang on to numerous individual papers passed out each day. It has really eliminated the need for a textbook too, so students really only have to remember to bring ONE thing to class – their binder with their packet!
It makes it so easy to be absent last minute. If you or your child gets sick, sub plans are a breeze. You don’t have to send your teacher neighbor to make copies for you – because your students already have everything they need. You just have to tell the sub which pages the students need to work on for the day. It was especially helpful for my long-term substitute when I was on maternity leave!
The structure of the packet provides a more helpful method than interactive notebooks in preparing students for college – which should be one of our goals as high school teachers. The packet helps students learn how to structure notes (one of the reasons why I love teaching them how to write Cornell notes) and how to stay organized.
They are a time saver in so many ways – no more time wasted regularly passing out handouts or having to cut and paste things into a notebook.
Students do a better job keeping up with returned graded work because every page is numbered, so they can put graded assignments right back into the packet where it came from, setting them up to more likely refer back to graded work as they study.
You no longer need a filing cabinet – you can keep all of your curriculum and keys organized in binders!

Why should I use this product in my classroom?

If you are a first year teacher, new to teaching physical science, going on maternity leave, or overwhelmed by too many responsibilities and classes to prep for, this resource was written for you. Designing curriculum for an entire unit, let alone an entire course, that is organized, engaging, activity-based, and standard-aligned can be exhausting. Especially if you are in a school with little to no science budget like I have been, it can be so hard to have a hands-on course without breaking your own bank to provide it for your students. This is why I began writing these comprehensive units – for the teacher who wants what is best for their students but doesn’t necessarily have the time, energy, or resources to provide it for them (which was ME!) Not only that, I also wrote each of my units with enough detail for my own non-science long-term maternity leave sub to be able to use them. The level of detail, links to the video lectures for each set of notes, and low-budget materials list makes this product perfect for teachers new to this subject, going on maternity leave for a long-term sub, or even trying a flipped classroom strategy.

Interested in other physical science resources?

Check out the other units in my full year physical science curriculum:

What if I have a question?

Email me at itsnotrocketsciencestore@gmail.com I’d love to answer any questions you have!

How do I stay updated on new products, sales, blogposts, and freebies?

Join my email list and follow me on Instagram! These are the two best ways to keep up with what’s happening at It’s Not Rocket Science!

TERMS OF USE

You may:

Use this item for your own classroom, students, or for your own personal use.
Buy additional licenses for others to use this product at a discount by visiting your TpT “My Purchases” page.
Review this product to recommend others buy it in blog posts, at professional development workshops, or other venues as long as credit is given to my store with a direct link to my store/product.

You may not:

Upload this product to any unsecured website or server that other teachers can access for free.
Give this product to others without the purchase of an additional license for them (this includes emailing, printing copies, or sharing through a website, cloud or other network.)
Copy or modify any part of this document to offer others for free or for sale.
Use the resources for commercial use, such as teaching a course on Outschool or a similar platform using these resources.

*Note: NGSS is a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.