Students

Middle school is a time of growth and change. As students become more knowledgeable and experienced, they are more likely to appreciate and enjoy social studies activities. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for fun social studies activities that your students will enjoy.

Here are a few ideas to get your students started:

1. Social Studies Journal Prompts
   This list of journal prompts can be used in Social Studies or an English classroom for a cross-curricular writing activity. Use them to practice writing skills or to review history-specific content. These engaging journals will get middle schoolers thinking and help them to make connections.

2. Learn About Maps
   These map skills worksheets include latitude and longitude practice, grid maps, physical maps, map keys, and more! These engaging activities will teach middle school students about map skills that can transfer to other content areas and provide an authentic learning experience they can use in real life!

3. Today in History Bellringers
   These history-themed bell ringers provide fun historical facts for each day of the year. These fun history lessons make a great beginning of the class activity or anticipatory set and help bring awareness to any time that can be integrated with any social studies unit. Highlighting historical events that happened on the day they are learning about it engages students and makes learning relevant.

4. Article of the Week
   Let students practice close reading skills while analyzing current events in this Article of the Week activity. Use it as a homework assignment to practice and solidify learning, or integrate it into your classroom activities and prompt discussion among your middle school students.

5. Interactive Notebooks for Social Studies
   Interactive notebooks can be integrated into any Social Studies unit. Use these templates to engage students with Social Studies content and help them process new information with a graphic organizer or visual representation. These can be used individually or more collaboratively in a guided note setting by putting students in groups to process new content.

Pokémon books have been around for quite some time now, and there is an endless variety of them to choose from. Whether you’re a fan of the series or not, there’s a good chance that you’ve at least heard of Pokémon. The creatures that make up the 151-member Pokémon species are some of the most popular and recognizable worldwide. There’s no doubt that they’re the stars of many children’s books.

So, if you’re a fan of Pokémon, what’s the best way to spend an afternoon? There’s no doubt that books are a great way to learn about the creatures, but there are also so many awesome ones to choose from. So, there’s a Pokémon book, whether you’re looking for an educational series to help with your schooling or want an enjoyable time.

Here are five of the best.

1. Pokémon Primers: Shapes
   Pokémon characters are a fun way to teach your early learner about basic concepts like shapes! Pikachu travels to meet his differently-shaped Pokémon friends in this colorful board book. These shape songs could be a fun companion to the book!

More Information: Amazon

2. Pokémon: The ABC Book
   ABCs are more fun with Pokémon! This book assigns a Pokémon character for each letter of the alphabet, making it a great way to teach phonemic awareness and phonics. Incorporating Pokémon characters into worksheets can also be a motivating way to practice writing letters!

More Information: Amazon

3. Where’s Pikachu?: A Search and Find Book
   Do you have learners who need to practice their observation or language skills? Asking questions about what your learners see and modeling descriptive language can support their development. This is a fun way to connect with elementary-aged students about their favorite Pokémon characters while teaching key skills!

More Information: Amazon

4. Pokémon Early Reader: School Trip
   In this leveled reader book, students learn about the similarities and differences between Pokémon from the worlds of Aloha and Kanto. Reading this book aloud to your students could be a creative way to help them understand 1st-grade lessons about cultural diversity.

More Information: Amazon

5. Pokémon: Sword and Shield, Vol. 1
   This young adult manga story is based on the popular Pokémon Sword and Shield video game. Books based on video games are a great way to hook junior high school students, who can sometimes be a little “too cool for school,” if you know what I mean!

More Information: Amazon

Dinosaurs are one of the most popular subjects for children, and there are plenty of ways to have them participate in activities. Whether you have a children’s museum near you or you can take them to a nearby park, there are plenty of opportunities for Dinosaur fun. Here are a few ideas to get the kids started:

1. Take them on a field trip to see a few dinosaur fossils in their natural environment. This can be done at a natural science museum.
2. Have them build their own dinosaur statue. This can be done with some supervision, but it is fun to get the kids creative.
3. Have them make their own Dino fossils. This can be done with some simple materials, like sand and rocks.
4. Have them help build a few dinosaurs from scratch. This can be a fun way for the kids to get creative and see how they build things.
5. Have them help build a few dinosaurs from scratch using LEGO bricks. Again, this is fun to get the kids creative and use their building skills.

As educators, we must keep our students healthy and active. Many great nutrition activities can be approved by our teachers and provide good opportunities for student-led learning. By creating an activity list for our middle school students, we can help them lose weight, improve their nutrition, and stay healthy.

If you are looking for ways to help your middle school students improve their nutrition, here are a few ideas:

1. Create healthy snacks for your students to enjoy. This can be anything from nuts or seeds to fruits or vegetables.
2. Offer group classes or individual classes on healthy eating.
3. Make healthy meals available to your students in the cafeteria or at home.
4. Help your students learn about food labels and the different nutrients in different foods.
5. Teach them about how to cook healthy meals using healthy ingredients.
6. Encourage your students to get involved in their local food movement.
7. Encourage your students to drink plenty of water and eat healthy food.
8. Help your students learn about environmental health and how to reduce their environmental impact.
9. Encourage your students to participate in their school community and promote healthy eating habits.
10. Help your students learn about healthy exercise habits.

Many other great ways to help your students lose weight, improve their nutrition, and stay healthy. By creating an activity list for our middle school students, we can help them achieve their goal of becoming healthy and happy.

Middle school students are facing many new challenges. One challenge is the increased cultural diversity. To help middle school students overcome these challenges, cultural diversity activities should be a regular part of their education. Cultural diversity activities can help students learn about other cultures and their own. Additionally, they can develop their own cultural values. Cultural diversity activities can also help students develop self-confidence and social awareness. To complete this, cultural diversity activities should be planned and organized well.

One way to organize cultural diversity activities for middle school students is to create a multicultural program. This program can include games, songs, stories, and artwork. The program aims to introduce middle school students to different cultures and their own. Additionally, the program can help students develop their own cultural values.

Another way to organize cultural diversity activities for middle school students is to create a cultural exchange program. This program can include trips to different cultures, talks with different educators, and artwork.

You could also hold a cultural dinner, and students can create and bring cultural foods to school to eat and share together. In so many cultures, food brings everyone together, so this will reinforce positive classroom culture as well.

There are many fun goal-setting activities for middle school students to enjoy. Whether you’re looking to help your students set goals that are achievable and exciting, or create a fun atmosphere, here are 5 great options:

1. Give them a goal to work towards and provide a range of examples of how they could complete it. This can help them to understand what they need to do and where they stand and create a sense of urgency.
2. Make goals specific and measurable. This will help your students to understand what they need to achieve to meet their goals and help to create a sense of ownership.
3. Encourage them to take risks and not be afraid to do so with their goals. This will help them to see their goals as something to be cherished rather than just a means to an end.
4. Help them to celebrate their goals when they reach them. This can help to give your students a sense of accomplishment and bragging rights. In addition, celebrating their goals can help keep them motivated and focused on their projects.
5. Create a customizable vision board with your students at the start of the school year. This is a creative activity for the students to think about what they want for themselves in the upcoming school year. You can create physical boards in class or an excellent lesson plan for a digital vision board template.
6. Create goal maps that address the student’s goals, how to get there, and any roadblocks they may face. Talk to them about meaningful goals and realistic goals. It’s helpful to have the students create a timeline of when they want to achieve their goals.

Random acts of kindness are a great way to show your loved ones that you care and appreciate them. Whether it is sending them a thoughtful gift, making them breakfast in bed, or just being there for them when they need it, there are many ways to show someone that you care. Here are some of our favorite random acts of kindness ideas:

1. Write a Thank You Note to the Postman
   Write an inspiring note to your neighborhood mail carrier and place it in the mailbox. It can be simple, “Thank you for delivering my family’s mail. I hope you have a wonderful day.” Or it can be more involved. Keep the card plain and simple, or make it a coloring and/or painting activity.

2. Make a Kindness Postcard
   Nothing can beat a homemade card. Set up paper at the dinner table, add some paint, and you have a card! These inspiring notes can be sent to a random person or a loved one. Either way, these postcards filled with natural kindness are sure to lift the receiver’s spirits.

3. Plan a Surprise Lunch for Your Teacher
   Whether you prepare a lunch bag or purchase a meal, get the kids involved with picking out the items for your teacher’s lunch table. Teachers can have fun with friends in the teacher lounge as they share stories about what sweet students they have. Provide extra food for them to share.

4. Put Away Carts at Grocery Store
   Carts are constantly in parking lots. Help everyone’s daily lives by putting your cart away and someone else’s.  This can free up some time for the grocery store bagger and is also a perfect act of kindness for strangers. You’re helping the larger community with this simple act.

5. Help an Elderly Neighbor
   You can either choose to help elderly neighbors unload their cars, or you can play card games with an older adult. Either way, you are boosting morale and helping them. You may perhaps stop over with a handmade gift to brighten your day.

There are many ways to show your kindness and make a positive impact, so it’s important to find something you enjoy doing and feel passionate about.

Climate change is happening, affecting our planet in many ways. We can help by engaging our students in climate change activities. Here are some great ways to get your students interested in climate change:

1. Weather vs. Climate
   One of the first distinctions we must explain to our students is the difference between weather and climate. Next, they need to know short-term versus long-term changes and what affects each. Watch this video as a class, then discuss.

More Information: Crash Course Kids

2. Reusable Bottles Garden
   This is a two-in-one activity that uses recycled plastic bottles (so they don’t end up in landfills) to plant flowers, herbs, and other organic materials that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. So ask your students to bring a few bottles in class, cut out holes, and plant!

More Information: The Better India

3. Class Outside
   Bring your students outside to observe the environment around them. Give them a list of prompts such as, “how many trees can you see?”, “how clean do you feel the air is 1-10?”, “pick up 3 pieces of trash”. Explain the reasons behind the tasks.

More Information: Future Learn

4. Climate Kids by NASA
   From greenhouse gases to water and energy consumption, this kid-friendly and interactive website have tons of great games and educational resources on the process of climate change, energy science, and how students can get involved.

More Information: Climate Kids

5. Measuring Sea-Level Rise
   It is time to give your students a visual of the effects of climate change on glaciers and sea levels. Place some clay or play dough on one side of a clear container and put ice cubes on top, then fill the other side of the container with water that doesn’t reach the ice. Mark the waterline and see how it rises as the ice cubes melt.

More Information: PBS Kids

As kids get older, they start to learn about recycling. Of course, they may already know what to do if they find something they don’t want, but what about recycling materials they already know about? Here are a few fun recycling activities for kindergartners to enjoy!

1. Toilet Paper Roll Bunny
   Bunny crafts aren’t just for the Spring holidays – kids enjoy these cute, furry animals all year round. Luckily, empty toilet paper rolls are in constant supply in most households.
   Why not pair these two facts of life and make some toilet paper bunnies with your empty toilet paper rolls?
   More Information: The Best Ideas For Kids

2. Junk Mail Pinwheel
   If there is one thing no household is in short supply of, it’s junk mail. So it is often overlooked when it comes to repurposing; junk mail has quite a lot of activity potential.
   Making a junk mail pinwheel is a great recycling activity for kindergarteners.
   More Information: Cheap Eats & Thrifty Crafts

3. Milk Carton Bird Feeder
   Those large, bulky plastic milk cartons take up too much space in a recycling bin. So why not free up space and set up a station in your yard where birds can stop for a tasty treat?
   Fashioning a bird feeder from a plastic milk carton is a good recycling activity for kindergarteners.
   More Information: She Knows

4. 2-Liter Bottle of Tropical Fish
   Another bulky recycling bin item is the 2-liter bottle. However, these large plastic items have great potential for recycling activities.
   This 2-liter bottle craft is not only a lot of fun to make but also has endless opportunities for open-ended play and learning about ocean life.
   More Information: Deceptively Educational

5. Water Bottle Octopus
   Kindergarteners are ripe for learning about ocean life. So, why not encourage their curiosity about sea creatures while learning the joys of repurposing items from the recycling bin?Making an octopus from a water bottle is a great recycling activity kids will enjoy.
   More Information: Crafts by Amanda

Middle School students have many opportunities to enjoy drama activities during school days and extracurricular events. Here are some great ideas for spicing up the drama program at your school.

1. Story, Story, Die!
   This theater game is best for a group of students. First, the pointer must pick someone to start the story and randomly switch between people. Then, students must tell a cohesive story, picking up where the last person left off without messing up the story or hesitating.

More Information: Deccan Chronicle

2. Silent Scream
   Silent Scream is a fun game where students utilize drama techniques to express emotion without making a sound. The purpose of this activity is to help students tap into creative expressions without relying on words or sounds.

More Information: Uplift Families

3. Fake News!
   The Drama Teacher will provide magazines or pictures of characters that students will use for storytelling. Students will select an image and create a backstory about these characters to present them to the class.

More Information: Fake News References

4. Self-Check
   This drama class warm-up activity allows students to build a connection with their bodies. Students can remain in their seats or lie on the floor to complete this activity. The goal is to allow students to analyze their bodies and check for discomfort before beginning activities requiring movement.

More Information: Teachers Pay Teachers

5. Stage Director Says
   This class warmup follows the traditional “Simon Says” rules but with a twist. Students can only do what the caller says after they say “Stage Director Says …” If they do not put “Stage Director Says” in front of the instruction, they are eliminated.

More Information: Wiki How