George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

6-8 Middle School

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

  • Inquiry-Based Projects Feed Student Curiosity

    Giving students free time each week to pursue a passion project can deepen engagement and learning.
    Brooke Markle

  • An Entrepreneurial Mindset Beats Coding Skills

    Computer coding may be valuable in the current marketplace, but for long-term success, students need to develop entrepreneurial mindsets. 
    Laura Lee

  • Build Empathy and Understanding by Pairing Comics With Novels

    Teaching with comics facilitates improved comprehension and social-emotional competencies.
    Ryan Chapman

  • 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

  • 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.

  • Teaching Students How to Ask Productive Questions

    Improve engagement, comprehension, and critical thinking by teaching students the process of asking insightful questions.
    Laura Lee

  • Using a Makerspace for English and Humanities Instruction

    Turning abstract concepts like symbolism and imagery into 3D representations develops deeper understanding and engagement.
    Lauren Huddleston

  • Inviting Participation With Thumbs-Up Responses

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

  • Developing Executive Function With Priority Lists

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

  • Evidence-Based Scheduling With Daniel Pink

    The best-selling author explains why the order of the school day should look different for elementary and high school students.
    Laura Lee

  • Allowing Test Retakes—Without Getting Gamed

    Hundreds of teachers discussed the best ways to guide students toward mastery—without being taken advantage of.
    Stephen Merrill

  • Teaching Students How to Use Wikipedia Wisely

    Understanding how the online encyclopedia functions helps students learn how to conduct research and distinguish fact from fiction.
    Benjamin Barbour

  • 22 Diverse Book Choices for All Grade Levels

    Suggestions from teachers who are working to offer students at every grade level book choices that represent their lives.
    Tom Berger

  • 60-Second Strategy: TUMS at the Door

    A simple greeting at the door forges a strong teacher-student bond.

  • Using Rubik’s Cubes to Teach Math

    A high school math teacher designed hands-on learning experiences and fostered deep engagement with Rubik’s Cubes.
    Dan Van der Vieren