George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

6-8 Middle School

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

  • A Fun, Experiential Approach to Strengthen Reading and Writing Skills

    Hands-on learning experiences help young learners build their vocabulary while boosting their literacy skills.
    Laura Lee

  • Building a Culture of Kindness With a Day of Service

    When Maryland middle school students spend a day focusing on helping others, they see their own capacity to make a difference in their community.

  • Schoolwide Strategies for Promoting a Love of Reading

    A literacy consultant explains how schools can encourage all students to share the joy of reading.
    Laura Lee

  • 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

  • 5 Ways to Support Students Who Struggle With Reading Comprehension

    These strategies can help students who are able to decode well but have difficulty understanding what they read—and they’re beneficial for all students.
    Nina Parrish

  • 3 Reasons Students Procrastinate—and How to Help Them Stop

    Psychologists have uncovered reasons why students put off important work. But there are a few simple things teachers can do to keep students on track.
    Youki Terada

  • How to Make Student Choice Work

    One teacher shares her strategies to address possible student choice pitfalls like accountability and classroom management.
    Lauren Gehr

  • 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

  • Inviting Participation With Thumbs-Up Responses

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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