Science & Language Arts
Advanced & Regular
2026-27 Biology: chemistry of life, cell theory, genetics, organism focus: invertebrates
2027-2028 Biology: Botany+ Ecology Organism focus: plants
2028-2029 Biology: systems within organisms. Organism focus: protists, bacteria, viruses, and chordates (animals with backbones)
2029-2030 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Science-Language Arts
A 4-hour hands-on life-science and English Language Arts seminar for curious middle school students.
WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL STANDARDS ARE COVERED?
Each year I provide families with a detailed syllabus of the ELA and Science standards which we will cover for that year.
All ELA standards for 8th grade covered with the exception of grammar and spelling.
Life Science standards are covered over the course of two to three years. Each year in Sci-LA we cover different life science standards.
Families should use the 4 weeks when Sci-LA is not in session at the end of each semester to work on chemistry, physics and earth science. As part of our class students use a science textbook that includes all middle school science standards: Everything you Need to Know to Ace Science. And on biology years we use a 9th grade biology text too.
COMING IN 2027-28
Advanced Sci-LA - this course has homework in both Science & English Language Arts and is primarily for 8th graders and advanced 7th graders
Sci-LA - homework only in English Language Arts and is primarily for 6th graders and 7th graders
ABOUT the Science and Language Arts Seminar
In this 4-hour weekly seminar for middle school and older students, our acre of orchard and gardens is both the leaping off point for a rigorous study of biology: botany, zoology, ecology, and/or animal husbandry, depending upon the year. It is also the calming setting in which we write essays, write and deliver oral presentations, dive into challenging novels, and build our vocabularies and word analysis.
At Farm School, the majority of our learning takes place outside. We use our Annex classroom space when we need tables for writing and a document camera for note-taking.
Given the nature of an outdoor classroom spread across an acre, student need to mature enough to work in teams of students. Students must also have good self-regulation and impulse control in order to be safe and keep others safe while using tools and working with animals and plants.
What academic level is Advanced Science and Language Arts?
Best for 8th graders or precocious 7th graders.
8-9th grade English Language Arts
Much of our literature study will align with 8th grade English Language Arts CA state standards, but we also do significant 9th grade work. Former students say that this class thoroughly prepares them for honors and AP high school English classes. Prerequisites:
Student should read at least at an 8th grade level and be fluent paragraph writers. Students should be learning to read cursive as well.
We do NOT cover spelling and grammar given the mixed age nature of the class. Families need to supplement to cover those areas.
8-9th grade Life Science
Our human anatomy, zoology, ecology, botany, and cellular biology ranges from 8-9th grade level.
We use a high school biology textbook for reinforcing concepts we’ve tackled in class (i.e. homework)
My teaching motto is to teach to the GATE/oldest students with strong support for every learner.
We cover far more zoology, botany, and biology than is typically taught in middle school.
Some years we cover basic organic chemistry (atoms, molecules, bonding)
We do not delve into physics. Since this is a life science class, students will want to use the staggered start and of each semester (either before Sci-LA starts or after it ends) to tackle their integrated science work (physics, chemistry, earth science) as appropriate for their grade level, or enroll in RLFS on a year we do Earth Science during our directed instruction time.
What academic level is Science and Language Arts (for 2027-28)?
This class is perfect for 6th and 7th graders
6-7th grade English Language Arts
Much of our literature study will align with 6-8th grade English Language Arts CA state standards with support. Prerequisites:
Student read at a middle school level, writing grammatically correct paragraphs, and learning to read cursive as well.
We do NOT cover spelling and grammar given the mixed age nature of the class. Families need to supplement to cover those areas.
6-7 grade Life Science
Our human anatomy, zoology, ecology, botany, and cellular biology ranges from 6-8 grade level. We cover far more zoology and botany than is typically taught in middle school.
We use a middle school biology textbook in class as a support text.
My teaching motto is to teach to the GATE/oldest students with strong support for every learner.
We cover far more zoology, botany, and biology than is typically taught in middle school.
We do not delve into physics. Since this is a life science class, students will want to use the staggered start and of each semester (either before Sci-LA starts or after it ends) to tackle their integrated science work (physics, chemistry, earth science) as appropriate for their grade level, or enroll in RLFS on a year we do Earth Science during our directed instruction time.
Each class is a blend of challenging investigation, project-based learning, direct instruction as well as unstructured exploration and quiet reflection.
We learn by doing, investigating, writing, reading, listening, observing, building, measuring and recording, drawing, singing, reflecting and playing.
Thus, when Luna the mama chicken went broody, we let her hatch fertile ducks eggs and learned about waterfowl embryo development and dig into bird anatomy and adaptations.
What’s happening with the flora and fauna on the micro-farm coupled with students’ interests drive our study of biology
When Ursula gives birth to her calf, we learn about bovine reproduction, birth, digestion, and the science of milk!
If the natural springs in are flowing after winter rains, then we put on our rain boots, study watersheds, and bust out the microscope to study fresh water ecosystems.
Each year’s academic content is different both depending upon what’s happening in the yard and what the students are interested in. See the header for what we’re covering in coming years.
Students delivering their science presentations.
Morning Activities
DAILY OBSERVATION
LUNCH RECESS
HANDS-ON LIFE SCIENCE
Daily Observation of flora and fauna: students find a quiet spot to focus exquisitely on the here and now, recording observations as a scientist, poet or artist.
Hands-on life science: botany, zoology, ecology, human anatomy and physiology, gardening, and animal husbandry
Studying the physiology and anatomy of various classes of creatures from the molecular level up to full systems (endocrine, digestive, circulatory, nervous, skeletal reproductive) via lecture, songs, drawing, and review games.
Exploring botany from cellular level to structures for growth, metabolic activity, and reproduction.
Tending their plants and animals.
Integrated unit studies such as dyeing silk and spinning it into yarn from the silk worms students raise from egg to moth.
Microscope studies of plants, invertebrates, pond organisms— whatever will fit on a slide.
Singing & playing advanced science songs & playing review games
Afternoon Activities
MORE SCIENCE
BOOK CLUB
REPONSE TO LITERATURE WRITING
WORD STUDY/ ANALOGIES
Book Club: We study two books a semester in great depth with students helping to select the novels we read. Since 2019 we have read:
Classic dystopian or satirical works such Animal Farm, The Giver, Ender’s Game, Fahrenheit 451
Realistic fiction such as The Pearl, The Wanderer, Holes, Hatchet, My Side of the Mountain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Flipped, Outsiders
Historical fiction such as Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Green Glass Sea, A Long Walk to Water, Esperanza Rising, Book Thief, Code Name Verity, The White Camel of Fez, Johnny Tremain,
Mysteries such as The Hound of the Baskervilles,
Fantasy and sci-fi such as Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians, Steelheart, Wizard of Earthsea, The Martian (classroom edition), Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Rithmatist, Girl Who Drank the Moon, Artemis Fowl, and Anya and the Dragon, The Graveyard Book, Steelheart
Non-fiction such as How We Got To Now, Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology, They Called Us Enemy and Boys in the Boat (HS edition), The Elephant Whisperer, Fearless… Navy Seal, The Hiding Place, Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl, The Woman Who Smashed Codes, Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, The Sea Captain’s Wife: the True Story of Mutiny, Love and Adventure at the Bottom of the World, The Anxious Generation
Students study and evaluate the author’s use of literary devices and characterization. We tease out explicit and implicit themes. Students also annotate their copy of the novel to help them cite textual evidence in both our literature study circles and to support their thesis in their essays.
Writers’ Workshop: The writing focus of the Science and Language Arts seminar is the essay, particularly response to literature and persuasive essays.
We also fine tune students’ ability to write summaries, as summaries are often embedded in any well-written academic paper, descriptive and narrative paragraphs, and expository articles. Ms. Lisa uses step by step modeling throughout the writing process, templates, and one-on-one writing conferences to help students grow where ever they are in their progression as a writer.
Word Study: We alternate studying Latin & Greek roots and prefixes to unlock the hidden meaning of English words through mini-lectures, games and competitions OR WordMaster analogies.
NationalWord Master analogy competitions develop attention to subtle connotation and context usage and relationships between words thus are a delight for gifted kids who like puzzles. (As a plus, this is excellent GRE practice.)
Ages, homework supplies, and other details
Making wreaths after learning how to prune grapevines
Writers’ Workshop one-on-one teacher conference
For a detailed supply list visit our supplies and learning outdoors tips page
Ages
ADVANCED SCI-LA: 12-13 years old— best for 8th graders
Sci-LA (regular): 11- Best for 6-7th graders
All students need to have good self-regulation,
Weekly Homework
Students read about 50-90 pages of our book club novel,
Annotate as they read or respond to literary discussion questions,
Study our Latin & Greek stems or work on our challenging analogy vocabulary words
Type up drafts of writing done in class (finish drafts if they didn’t finish at home)
Gather resource materials for presentations
ADVANCED SCI-LA also has science homework: reading our high school science text to review
Prerequisites
Middle school reading level, able to write a paragraph without run-on sentences.
Semester Length
12-week semester
ABOUT MS. LISA CLARK-BURNELL
Relevant Education and Experience
I have a BA in English and Political from UC Santa Barabara. While an undergraduate, I was a university writing tutor for disadvantaged graduate and undergraduate students, assisting them with writing assignments in all disciplines. Upon graduating with highest honors and multiple awards, I then earned a CLAD multiple subject teaching credential with supplementary authorization in Social Studies and Language Arts from San Jose State University. In 1996 I began teaching middle school language arts, social studies, and math, first in the Bay area and then in Carmel Valley. While at these middles schools I concentrated on designing language arts and history curriculum.
In 2005 I took a hiatus from teaching middle school to stay home with my children. During that period I co-founded and directed Salem Harvest, a non-profit that connects farmers and backyard growers with volunteer pickers to harvest fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste in an effort to end hunger. I also began honing my organic gardening expertise and animal husbandry skills, diving deep into permaculture and restorative agriculture. In 2012 I returned to teaching but this time as a homeschooling parent.
In 2019, at the request of my own kids and other parents, I started teaching classes in my areas of expertise for homeschool students.
For more information about Farm School and why I offer the classes I do, see the About page.
Monarch caterpillar in our native plants habitat
Red-headed parrots eating pecans
Mallard ducks foraging for food below pecan tree
Resident but elusive barn owl made an appearance for the first day of Farm School
Artichokes
Grevillea in pollinator garden
CA Bumblebee dusted in peanut senna pollen
Red-eared slider turtle that wandered into the neighborhood
Farm School's miniature Dexter cattle for milk and meat