Physical Science 2/3

The Productive Teacher

I use the latest in brain science research to create lessons that are engaging for students and easy for teachers.

There are tons of activities, presentations, and reading passages to help teach (and learn) a variety of topics! Click the topics to learn more!

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How We See Energy from the Sun on Earth

The Sun in Space Our planet, Earth, rotates around the Sun along with seven other planets. The Sun is so huge that its gravity pulls all...

3 min read

Chemical Energy for Middle School Science

Energy is all around us. Energy can be classified as potential or kinetic. Potential energy is stored energy. Kinetic energy is moving...

3 min read

Sound Energy for Middle School Science

Energy is all around us. Energy can be classified as potential or kinetic. Potential energy is stored energy. Kinetic energy is moving...

2 min read

Electrical Energy for Middle School Science

Energy is all around us. Energy can be classified as potential or kinetic. Potential energy is stored energy. Kinetic energy is moving...

4 min read

Changes in Matter

Matter can change. Matter can have physical changes and chemical changes. Physical changes may change what it looks like, but the atoms...

2 min read

The Composition of Matter

The composition of matter is the stuff that makes up matter. At its most basic, matter is made up of atoms. Atoms are tiny. They are so...

4 min read

All About Matter for Middle School Science

Let's start at the beginning when it comes to matter. What is it? This is a question scientists and philosophers have grappled with for...

2 min read

Building Background Knowledge: Isaac Newton

Why learn about Isaac Newton? New science TEKS are coming to Texas! One change is that students will learn about specific scientists in...

2 min read

Learning About Mechanical Energy Conservation

Energy is the ability to do work. In science, work means using a force to move an object. So, bouncing a ball is a type of work because...

3 min read

What are the Three Parts of an Atom?

Don’t you love the alliteration of learning all about atoms? If you are teaching middle school science, then your students need to know...

4 min read

What are the Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter?

Lukas Kovarik/Shutterstock.com Everything around you is matter. Matter is all of the stuff in the universe. It has mass and takes up...

2 min read

Learning About the Law of Conservation of Mass

The law of conservation of mass describes the phenomenon that scientists have observed that mass stays constant throughout a chemical...

3 min read

What are the Four States of Matter?

What is Matter? Everything around us is made up of matter. Matter is made up of atoms and molecules. How the atoms or molecules move...

3 min read

How to Understand the Modern Periodic Table

If we want to understand the modern periodic table, we have to understand matter first. Matter and the Modern Periodic Table Everything...

5 min read

How to Teach About Electrons in Atoms

Students need to understand electrons to understand a ton of other science topics. For example, lightning happens when electrons in atoms...

4 min read

Isotopes of the Same Element Have Different Numbers of Neutrons

Isotope is one of those science vocabulary words that kids have to know, but it doesn’t need an entire unit. Students need to know that...

2 min read

How to Teach Molecules and Compounds

Science is vocabulary. Students need to know what science words mean so that they can understand scientific concepts. Molecule and...

3 min read

How to Teach Solutions and Mixtures

Science is all about organization. Our students need to learn the vocabulary of this organization to understand how scientists...

2 min read

How to Teach Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration

Most of understanding science is knowing the vocabulary words. I teach a lot of vocabulary in my digital science units, but sometimes I...

2 min read

Force Lesson Plans Based on Brain Science

Vecton/Shutterstock.com Force is a huge topic. That is one reason force lesson plans can be so overwhelming. Force covers everything...

4 min read