Virginia Life Science A/B
Virginia Life Science is a redesigned middle school course that offers 100% alignment to Virginia’s 2018 Science Standards of Learning. The updated standards are more conceptual in nature and integrate scientific inquiry and engineering design into content to support the development of deeper learning. This inquiry- and lab-based course is designed to support modern science curriculum and teaching practices. Content topics include cells, the life cycle, genes, evolution, energy flow in ecosystems, and the interdependence of ecosystems.Each lesson includes one or more inquiry-based activities that can be performed online within the context of the lesson. In addition, the course includes a significant number of hands-on lab activities. Approximately 40% of student time in this course is devoted to true lab experiences, as defined by the National Research Council (2006, p. 3).Lab materials note: All hands-on labs employ relatively common household materials. In some circumstances, items may need to be purchased. Please refer to the Teacher’s Guide for details on lab materials.