All site packages are 3-hole punched and include permission to make unlimited on-site copies of student materials.
The curriculum support includes 35 science and standards-based cross curricula lesson plans and 17 overhead transparencies. Plant Transparency.pdf. It is intentionally more robust than either the complete elementary or high school site packages to address the diverse developmental needs of the middle school student and to support middle school teachers who need to raise the level of scientific inquiry in their students. Middle School Sample Lesson Plan.pdf. Seeds or seedlings do not come with the kit, but both grow equally well in the EarthBox.
The complete site package is divided into five units that cover the same topics as the elementary and high school curriculum: water, light, soil, plants and plant products and nutrition. The Water Unit consists of eight lessons; the Light Unit, five lessons; the Soil Unit, four lessons. The Plants and Plant Products Unit has thirteen lessons and the Nutrition Unit has five lessons. The middle school lessons review and reinforce what was learned at the elementary level. They increase scientific acumen by introducing more intense, science-based experiments that prepare students for the authentic scientific experiments introduced in the high school curriculum. Middle School Table of Contents.pdf
The five lessons that focus on nutrition increase nutritional awareness in students by teaching them both the nutritional value of 21 fruits and vegetables and the recommended daily allowance as sited by the United States Department of Agriculture. This information, learned during the vulnerable middle school years, will help students to fight obesity, Diabetes II and malnutrition.