New Materials for Middle School Science and Health Teachers

Format: Teaching Materials
Institute: Office of Science Education (OSE)

Middle school science teachers can supplement and update their curricula with new, free teaching materials designed to promote inquiry-based, interdisciplinary learning and to encourage students’ interest in science. Each new supplement is a self-contained teacher’s guide to two weeks of lessons on science and human health and includes background information, lesson plans, take-home materials, and interactive components.

The three new supplements are:

• Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry—Students explore the basics of scientific inquiry, refine their critical-thinking skills, and learn to appreciate the purpose of scientific research. For grades 7 and 8.
• Looking Good, Feeling Good: From the Inside Out (Exploring Bone, Muscle, and Skin)—Students learn about the structures of the musculoskeletal and skin systems, the interactions between these body systems, and the factors that influence their functions. For grades 7 and 8.
• The Science of Mental Illness—Students gain insight into the biological basis of mental illness and how scientific evidence and research can help us understand its causes and lead to treatments and, ultimately, cures. For grades 6, 7, and 8.

Next Steps
You can access these new supplements and others in this series (for grades K–12) online at http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements.