George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

6-8 Middle School

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

  • Reducing Dependence on Slides

    Focusing less on the slides and more on student discussion fosters deeper engagement.
    Miriam Plotinsky

  • Students Tackle Life's Challenges Together

    Facing stress and frustrations from school, parents, and relationships, students turn to peer counselors for help.

  • Why Reading Aloud to Middle School Students Works

    The benefits of reading aloud aren’t limited to elementary students. One middle school teacher explains how “read-alongs” improve comprehension and boost engagement.
    Laura Lee

  • Reading Aloud to Middle School Students

    Hearing books read aloud benefits older students, enhancing language arts instruction and building a community of readers.
    Kasey Short

  • As Teen Stress Increases, Teachers Look for Answers

    Seventy percent of teens say stress is a major problem. Research backs that up—and teachers are beginning to offer solutions.
    Andrew Simmons

  • Preparing Social Studies Students to Think Critically in the Modern World

    Vetting primary resources isn’t easy—but doing it well is crucial for fostering engagement and deeper learning in a rapidly changing world.
    Sarah Gonser

  • Inviting Participation With Thumbs-Up Responses

    A quick assessment strategy replaces raised hands, encouraging more students to contribute by accommodating their different processing needs.

  • Bringing a Culturally Responsive Lens to Math Class

    A middle school math project gives students a chance to apply the skills they learn in class to an issue they care about.
    Kwame Sarfo-Mensah

  • A Strategy for Boosting Student Engagement in Math

    A four-step approach to group work can get students talking and boost their mathematical and metacognitive thinking.
    Ashley Taplin

  • The Power of Short Writing Assignments

    Brief writing prompts and responses help students in any discipline.
    Benjamin Barbour

  • A Student-Driven Approach to Experiential Learning

    See how a Reggio Emilia–inspired elementary school in Australia fosters student interests to spark curiosity and joy in learning.

  • There’s a Cell Phone in Your Student’s Head

    A 2017 study found that cell phones that were turned off and stashed away silently reasserted themselves—distracting working students anyway.

  • Making SEL Culturally Competent

    Teaching students about oppression and critical consciousness is a vital component of social-emotional learning.
    Scott Seider, Daren Graves

  • Developing Executive Function With Priority Lists

    Explicitly modeling the process of prioritizing tasks builds students’ ability to organize and manage their time.

  • A Simple Practice Yields Big Results in Middle School for Less Than $2

    A new study shows how a low-cost writing exercise improves the sense of belonging for incoming middle school students.
    Laura Lee