One minute kids are sitting pretty in elementary school with adults holding their hands, teaching them how to think, and what to say, and guiding them every step of the way through all aspects of school. Come that final day of 5th grade and they are thrust into the beast that is middle school with no teacher to coddle them and a whole new world of hormones, emotions, and social struggles.
1. Pair New Students With Older Students
Partnering 6th-graders with older students can be a great way to transition students. A friend will offer them to someone to answer questions, show them around, and have a friendly face in the first weeks.
Learn More: Edutopia
2. Encourage Transitioning Students to Join Clubs
Clubs are the perfect way for middle schoolers to get to know new people. Because they join a club with a specific interest, students will instantly have things in common with others making it more likely for them to easily make friends.
Learn More: Science And Literacy
3. Transition Program
Create a program for incoming middle school students so that they feel welcomed. It could be a simple open house or a series of events to get students familiar with their new home away from home.
Learn More: Lesson Planet
4. Middle School Here I Come! Lesson
This lesson is perfect for 5th-graders so they can become familiar with what middle school is like. From changing classes to practicing using a combination lock, this lesson touches on things most people don't even consider, but every kid worries about.
Learn More: Lesson Planet
5. Help Transition Students With Learning Challenges
Having a student who has learning challenges makes transitions a little more difficult. Preparing your child and yourself before the actual change gives you all a much smoother transition.
Learn More: Scholastic
6. Talk With Them About Their Fears
Confronting fears head-on often helps alleviate worries that your student might have. They could be worried about the smallest things, but in their minds, these are a BIG deal. Come up with a plan of action and assure them they have nothing to worry about.
Learn More: Scholastic
7. Venn Diagrams
Having your students compare middle and elementary school using a Venn diagram can be a helpful resource. It can help them work through their feelings and emotions during this difficult transition and is helpful to their social-emotional learning.
Learn More: Twinkl
8. Survival Tips
Work with your local middle schools to come up with a list of survival tips relevant to upcoming middle school students. You can make it a foldable mini book, a digital lesson, or a 2-page PDF similar to the one at the link below.
Learn More: WCSAD
9. FAQ List to Hand Out
If there are a ton of questions about middle school, consider creating a list of frequently asked questions to assist students with the most common questions that 6th-grade students new to middle school will have.
Learn More: CPS K-12
10. Send Out a List of Helpful Advice to Students and Families
If your school has a savvy school counselor, he or she can create a list of helpful advice to make it easier for elementary students transitioning to middle school. They can even add a list of common concerns for parents to help ease their minds.
Learn More: Edutopia
11. Explore the Middle School's Website
A great starting point with minimal preparation to help kids feel a little more at ease is simply exploring the school's website. Staff directories, club, and sports information, class offerings, and more are all available at the click of a mouse.
Learn More: Great Schools
12. Get Kids Organized!
Organization is one of those skills that help lead to academic success. A large transition like this is the prime opportunity to express the importance of organization and get kids into the habit of organizing so that they can be successful with learning.
Learn More: Additude Mag
13. Middle School Field Trip and Reflection
Most middle schools have a middle school transition unit that coordinates things like field trips from the largest feeder schools in order to invite and welcome new students. Take full advantage of these opportunities and get students thinking about their new life as middle schoolers with these resources.
Learn More: Counseling Essentials
14. Peer Pressure Bag of Tricks
The number of times kids face peer pressure throughout a school day is unthinkable. Multiply that number by middle school and you will end up with an exponential number. Middle school life requires a bag of tricks to avoid peer pressure. This fun lesson will certainly give kiddos some food for thought.
Learn More: Teacher Julia's Room
15. Read: More Tools for Teaching Social Skills
This handy book on teaching social skills will really give you a lot of things to think about and teach your upcoming middle schoolers. Full of role-play scenarios, easy-to-follow lesson plans, and worksheets, use this book to plug in social skills for students as you see fit to get them prepared for a middle school class.
Learn More: Amazon
16. Getting Ready for Middle School: Fears and Faves
This two-part video series with kids as the spokespeople will get your kids ready for that middle school transition. Whether they are nervous, excited, or simply just not ready, this video series explores the many aspects of life in middle school for a successful transition.
Learn More: Spokane Public Schools
17. Moving Up to Middle School Video Series
This three-part series interviews real kids about their experiences of going from 5th to 6th grade and how they handled them. This presentation would be a perfect addition to the last weeks of school or for families to watch together.
Learn More: Professor Child
18. Start a Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a fun and interactive platform that would be a perfect way to create middle school transition lessons for fellow students. Students can quickly record their advice or fears with one another, and others can respond to support, encourage, and lift up students to be their best selves in this time of change.
Learn More: New EdTech Classroom Student Tutorials
19. Padlet
Assign outgoing 8th-graders the challenge of creating a Padlet for the incoming middle schoolers to compile a list of all of their tips, tricks, and must-haves for that scary jump from 5th to 6th grade. It will empower the older students and make the younger ones feel more comfortable.
Learn More: Padlet
20. I Wish My Teacher Knew
This empowering book will change your perspective about your students. It also creates the perfect platform to launch questions your 5th graders may be embarrassed to ask in person. Allow them to use the same concept to pose anonymous questions about middle school that may be on their minds so you can address them and get them feeling comfortable in junior high.
Learn More: Amazon
21. Elementary to Middle Transition Guide
This handy guide can be used as a presentation, or as-is to help students learn the best ways to handle a big change like this.
Learn More: Did You Know Publishing
22. Engaging Lessons
Counselors and teachers alike can offer interesting and engaging lessons for 5th graders so that they can get comfortable learning all of the important information they need to know to help calm their minds, and hearts, and prepare them for what's to come.
Learn More: Counselor Up
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