middle school science homework help

middle school science homework help

Unlocking the Wonders of Science: A Middle School Student’s Guide to Success

1. Introduction to Science

Inside you lives a young scientist who is eager to know, discover, and learn. Life will be even more fascinating and amazing if you allow this young scientist to explore the structure and working of the world. The purpose of this student guide is to help you discover the excitement, wonder, and achievements of life science. You will learn some of the unique activities and responsibilities of scientists. You will also discover the purpose and goals of doing science experiments. To help you become familiar with the process of experiments, you will be introduced to the understanding of the scientific method. You will find interesting projects that are fun, exciting, and very real. The projects are planned to help you discover the wonders of the world and life around you, including your own body. The unique features of the projects will help you think and ask questions on how the events and activity are connected with the world of science.

Science is a unique way of thinking, questioning, and discovering about nature and the universe. A science classroom is very different from any other room in a school. A science classroom is a place where you can become an inventor, a space explorer, a nature lover, a physician, a marine biologist, a plant or animal breeder, a chemist or a physicist. Imagine how exciting and intriguing the world of science will be with a scientific mind!

2. Key Concepts in Middle School Science

Frequency is the number of wavelengths that go past a point in one second; the unit of measurement is a Hertz. Amplitude is the height of the wave as measured from the undisturbed position; the unit of measurement is the meter. Wavelength is the distance between peaks of the wave; the unit of measurement is a meter. Speed is the rate at which the wave travels through the material; the unit of measurement is meters per second. Waves are produced by sources that vibrate. The vibrations make bands of compressed particles in front of the source, and bands of enlarged or sparse particles behind the source. These vibrations move throughout the solid, and that causes the illusion of sound. Waves can be concentric, meaning they move in all directions. Waves can also act as if they are radiating from a point or from many points.

You’re a middle school student now! This is the most important time for you to excel in your studies. All your assignments, even those that seem small and inconsequential, are important. It amazes me how so many people fail to realize this one simple fact. Study habits are our first topic for discussion. You should make every effort to attend all classes every day. Skipping is out of the question. This should be a clear-cut understanding. Don’t fall victim to the peer pressure from slackers who don’t find it important to go to class every day. Go for the answer! If you have any questions, ask your teacher. Then write the answer down. They are then much more help to you. And just as important, study for the test. You are not reading this book cover to cover because you know everything about study habits.

3. Hands-On Experiments and Projects

12) Sport the right shoe for the neuroma blues.

11) Do you hear what I hear? (A music science project).

10) The density of materials.

9) Swing dynamics.

8) Singing glass of water.

7) Radioactive attraction!

6) Oh, yeah? That catfish sure stinks!

5) What angle should the light hit for the “critical angle” effect to occur?

4) Object constancy in dogs.

3) How do phonons move in a coal?

2) Electrolyte challenge: Orange juice vs. sports drink vs. Gatorade.

1) Where do people look first and why? An informal survey.

The following top 12 list suggests some tried and true project ideas you might enjoy working on. Each has been successfully used in science fairs at the middle school level. We know you will have fun doing any of them! They will give you the opportunity to explore a wide range of scientific areas. Additionally, you should have a lot of fun. Combining a sense of humor and enthusiasm with creativity is what great science projects are made of.

4. Study Tips and Resources

Don’t forget library resources; your school library and the Cumberland County Public Library have resources! If your school doesn’t have a book you need, check with your school librarian to see if the book can be borrowed from another library. Your public library has dozens of videos, books-on-tape, DVDs, and books in the children’s, young adult, and adult sections of the library that can support and enrich your learning experience. Public libraries are open to everyone, and obtaining a library card is easy. As a student, you are entitled to unlimited check-outs. Go to the nearest library today and check out many materials about one specific topic, or about the field of science that interests you most. After all, libraries are free.

Although you can slip by with a little studying and some memorization, that won’t get you the deep understanding that makes science worthwhile. Real learning means that you are able to understand and synthesize what you’ve learned, and then apply what you’ve learned to solve unfamiliar problems. Sometimes that requires studying the same material in different ways: reading chapters, taking notes, doing the assigned lesson-based homework, and participating in class discussions are all valid methods for studying. Repetition aids memory, so be sure to revisit (skim through and review) your notes every so often. Do this at least once within a day of taking them, then again a day or two before the test.

5. Conclusion and Further Exploration

Through the experiences taught in this book, we also seek to inspire you to pursue deeper knowledge and answer your own questions. In this book, we have opened to you the first door. The subsequent doors you open and the pathways you enjoy are yours to explore. We have no reason to doubt that the spirit of continuous study and curiosity about mysteries will drive you to expand your ways of studying science. Therefore, in your journey to unlocking the wonders of science, keep us informed of your own discoveries and keep asking questions. Enjoy your adventure!

In summary, this book unlocked many wonderful experiences in science for you! Although the book contains resources to help you study specifically in physical science, life science, and earth science, you also have suggestions to make connections among and extensions from the document. With those resources, especially the interactive approaches, science processes, and tips, you can do science more easily and more satisfyingly. The many students who tested the resources helped us gather evidence of their effectiveness, and the teachers who have used them have given us excellent feedback and requests for enhancements.