George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

6-8 Middle School

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

  • Literacy

    6 Tips for Teaching Poetry Writing to Teens

    Writing poetry is a way for middle and high school students to explore hard-to-describe aspects of their lives.
  • Integrated Studies

    The Math All Around Us

    A middle school math teacher on how to make real-world math connections during field trips and interdisciplinary projects.
  • New Teachers

    Student Complaints as Teachable Moments

    Students’ critical comments may throw new teachers off, but they can be useful for sparking engagement and learning.
  • Teaching Strategies

    Inviting Participation With Thumbs-Up Responses

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

    Developing Executive Function With Priority Lists

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

    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.
  • Assessment

    Developing Confidence Through Delayed Grading

    Giving students time to explore ideas with no immediate grade pressure helps motivate them to be creative and take intellectual risks.
  • Student Voice

    Developing Agency With Student-Led Conferences

    When students lead meetings with their parents and teachers, they gain a voice in their education and develop skills like goal-setting and metacognition.
  • Literacy

    Teaching Students to Paraphrase

    Ideas for scaffolding paraphrasing so that students correctly learn this valuable but difficult-to-master skill.
  • Literacy

    Motivating Students With Book Choice

    Letting students choose books to read helps them develop a sense of autonomy and ownership over their learning.
  • Classroom Management

    60-Second Strategy: TUMS at the Door

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

    Fostering Belonging With Classroom Norms

    When students help create their classrooms' rules and culture, they’re more engaged and invested in learning.
  • Collaborative Learning

    60 Second-Strategy: Cooperative Learning Roles

    Giving students randomly assigned roles in their group work helps ensure that they all participate.
  • Learning Environments

    Learning to Be Flexible

    For middle and high school teachers who avoid lecturing, the switch to flexible seating means the room aligns with their teaching style.
  • Social and Emotional Learning

    Weekly Circles for Students and Faculty

    See what happens when students and faculty participate in regular meetings to build trust and promote deeper learning.