• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching Expertise

  • Home
  • Classroom Ideas
  • Technology
  • Teacher’s Life
  • Deals & Shopping
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Classroom Ideas
  • Technology
  • Teacher’s Life
  • Deals & Shopping
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

20 Middle School Preparation Activities

November 3, 2022 //  by Eileen Zajac

The middle school years are often when a child’s views about school and its worth become set in stone. Middle school lessons place a greater emphasis on learning information and drawing connections to real-world situations. Preparation for this new setting is essential for students to succeed.

Here is a list of 20 activities students can do to help prepare them for the upcoming middle school transition.

1. Connect with your Middle Schoolers

By communicating with your students or children, you’re helping them to establish a strong and healthy relationship with you and others. By using effective communication, students’ attentive listening and understanding skills are improved. Here are 25 conversation starters for your middle schoolers.

Learn More: Free Home School Deals 

2. Middle School Transition Graphic Organizer

Upper elementary students that are about to enter middle school have many questions and experiences to look forward to. This activity allows students to share their thoughts and feelings about the transition and talk to and collaborate with others who experience similar emotions.

Learn More: Savvy School Counselor

3. A Combination Lock

A locker’s independence is a crucial aspect of a child’s development. Instilling a sense of trust and importance in the student’s possessions, ideas, and thoughts. Giving students a chance to practice opening their lockers will help them feel more at ease and confident on their first day.

Learn More: And Next Comes L

4. 5th Grade Binder Organization

Providing elementary students with a binder and working with them to develop organizational skills is a great way to prepare them for middle school. Students have an organized system for keeping track of their materials and locating their homework, saving time and effort.

Learn More: One Stop Teacher Shop

5. Create a Love for Reading

Building strong readers at any grade level will help with easy transitions throughout school life. This is primarily due to the importance of language development. As kids transition to middle school, it’s essential that they have a robust vocabulary and an enhanced ability to comprehend what they read and hear. 

Learn More: The Conversation

6. Teach Mindful Communication

Open and closed communication is a  great tool for developing interpersonal skills for 6-8th grade students. A good start is to make children conscious of how their words and actions affect those around them. Involving students in mindful interactions compels them to face fears and barriers to open expression. 

Learn More: Happier Human

7. Respect Communication Between Elementary & Middle School Students

When you invest time in educating your students with soft skills like communicating respectfully, you create a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the classroom. Students will carry this with them in hopes that it will inspire students to engage actively in their learning and future social interactions.

Learn More: Education World

8. Create a Study Plan

Study techniques can help lessen the stress associated with deadlines and tests. Therefore, improving these techniques in elementary and early middle school will help students to be more successful. This study plan is a great graphic organizer students can take with them throughout their academic journey.

Learn More: Pinterest

9. Teach Goal Setting

Instructing students in the art of goal-setting can help them develop analytical abilities, creative problem-solving skills, and a mature understanding of handling adversity. Students’ growing sense of self-assurance during the transition to middle school will benefit greatly from this.

Learn More: Mrs. Winters Bliss

10. Study Skills Coloring Page

Elementary and middle school students are entering a new world with testing and deadlines. It’s vital to teach study skills. This coloring page will provide students with various studying tips. Have students keep it tucked away in their binders or print it on a large piece of paper and create a “study coloring wall”. 

Learn More: Study Petals

11. Teach Cornell Note Taking

Cornell notes are one of the best ways for students to take notes. Elementary students may not be thinking about college, but teaching note-taking skills throughout elementary & middle school will help to get students on the right track for college. 

Learn More: Medium.GoodNotes

12. Following Directions

It’s crucial to practice listening to directions in everyday life. Following directions can impact grades, subject knowledge, and skill execution in a classroom setting. This activity is perfect for giving students an inside look at their direction-following skills.

Learn More: In a School Daze

13. 10 Truths Middle Schoolers Must Know

Reading through these ten truths with your students will help them prepare and give them something to think back on when times get tough. Bonus: it takes practically zero prep time for elementary and middle school teachers. 

Learn More: Karikampakis

14. Teach Healthy Self-talk

Teaching your students positive self-talk can make all the difference between failure and success with their newfound independence. Positive self-talk has the ability to alter students’ perspectives, altering their behavior completely. It will help students to be successful in their endeavors as well as their challenges.

Learn More: For Healthy Minds

15. Worry Hearts

Whether you want to make these yourself or have students create them, they’ll be happy to have the comfort with them. This is great for the beginning-of-the-school-year activities for middle school teachers or the end-of-the-year activity for elementary. 

Learn More: Sunny Day Family

16. Tiny Book of Positive Thoughts

Looking for a cute craft and keepsake to send your students off to 6th-grade or 7th-grade homeroom? This cute little book of positivity might be exactly what you’ve been searching for. Positive vibes and optimistic surroundings are essential for student progress.

Learn More: Etsy

17. DIY Fidget Toys

Students in grades throughout elementary and middle school LOVE fidget toys. Through the manipulation of toys, fidgeting helps children focus better, enabling them to focus on work in the classroom or online. Create your own for students to take with them to the next grade level. 

Learn More: The OT Toolbox

18. Virtual Middle School Tour

If you’re a 5th-grade teacher, then this video might be the perfect video to show your students in grades 5 and even 6. This is a great video to spark conversation with your kiddos about middle school. Your student’s future teacher will thank you for the preparation. 

Learn More: Michael Hayes

19. Give Parents Some Prep Time

Elementary teachers have plenty going on. Use the collection of resources in this video to send home to parents! Have parents use this and their own content knowledge to help prep their newfound 6th or 7th graders for middle school. 

Learn More: Salem-Keizer Public Schoo

20. Fears and Faves

Listen to other students about all things middle school. From middle school teachers to school drama and making friends, video clips like this are great for students transitioning into middle school. This is one of those videos that will prepare students with problem-solving and listening skills. 

Learn More: Spokane Public Schools

Related posts:

30 Jokes Your Fifth Graders Will Repeat to Their Friends
Inspire Your Students With 28 Creative Thinking Activities
20 Dinner Games to Elevate Your Next Dinner Party

You'll also like:

No related posts.

Category: Classroom Ideas

Previous Post: « 20 Middle School Anxiety Activities For Kids
Next Post: 28 Easy Valentine’s Day Activities for Elementary Students »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • 23 Pyramid-Inspired Activity Ideas 
  • 20 Writing Activities To Bring MLK’s Legacy To Life
  • 30 Egg-citing Easter Writing Activities
  • 7 Think Win-Win Activities For Older Learners
  • 20 Cute Crankenstein Activities For Kids
  • 20 Exciting Crime Scene Investigation Math Activities