6-8 Middle School

Explore and share tips, strategies, and resources for helping students develop in grades 6-8.

Literacy
Discovering the Depth in Graphic Novels
Graphic novels can give middle school readers rich opportunities to explore literary themes and conventions.
Interest-Based Learning
Explorations: Making Curiosity Part of the Curriculum
Student-designed electives put kids' passions at the forefront of their learning.
Collaborative Learning
Learning on Their Feet
Vertical learning—a framework for high quality group work—showcases student thinking for everyone to see.
Design Thinking
Design Thinking: A Problem Solving Framework
Students learn to empathize with others around the globe while solving real-world problems.
Student Engagement
4 Steps to Raise Students’ Learning Threshold
Create a learning environment that captures the imagination and enthusiasm of students and prepares them for the next level.
Global Education
Humanitarian Engineering in High School
High school students in Alabama design prosthetic devices and tackle other real-world challenges with a village in Honduras.
Media Literacy
Guiding Students to Be Open to New Ideas
Teachers can show students how to seek out and grapple with opinions contrary to their own—key civic actions in a democracy.
Literacy
Getting Out of the Essay Rut
Alternative writing assignments can be just as rigorous as the traditional essay and can spark young writers’ creativity.
New Teachers
6 Ways to Build a Rapport With Students
New teachers sometimes struggle with establishing relationships with students, so a veteran shares a few tips on how to get started.
Social and Emotional Learning
How to Teach Self-Regulation
To succeed in school, students need to be able to focus, control their emotions, and adjust to change.