Preparing for Middle School
by, Scholastic- Parent and Child
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/what-to-expect-grade/preparing-middle-school
Preparing for middle school is a crucial point in a lifetime of learning. While elementary school focuses on the student, and high school solidifies his skills, middle school is when your child will decide how important education is to him. Middle-school lessons will not simply teach facts — they will also teach how these facts carry over into real life. Long-term interdisciplinary units will call for creative, agile thinking. Block scheduling (a series of longer class sessions spread over a one- or two-week period) will let your child immerse himself in complex, multi-dimensional topics.
Depending on your district, middle school will begin and end at different grades. Read on for more specific outlines of preparing for middle school in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
Preparing for Middle School: Grade 6
Suddenly, nothing is sacred. To the 6th grader, the world is meant to be picked apart and questioned. Worksheets will be replaced by more challenging and open-ended assignments.
Preparing for Middle School: In language arts, he will:
Read nonfiction history books, especially biographies
Conduct interviews for research
Learn how to read and compose footnotes and bibliographies
Preparing for Middle School: In math and science, he will:
Format numbers through scientific notation
Use computers for calculations, graphing, etc.
Untangle complicated word problems
Learn about probability, statistics, and percentages
Preparing for Middle School: In history and social studies, he will:
Engage more closely with ideas by using primary documents
Consider world events through various perspectives
Complete current events assignments
Look beyond himself by performing community service
Preparing for Middle School: Grade 7
Adolescence has truly arrived, and with that, mood swings, identity crises, and social drama. Seventh grade schoolwork will help your child transition into adulthood through tasks that demand reaching out and connecting with society.
Preparing for Middle School: In language arts, she will:
Read longer books, many involving issues of fairness
Learn to appreciate the merits of essay revision and polishing
Discuss literary elements of books like setting, character, plot, and themes
Acquire a rich and varied vocabulary
In math and science, she will:
Interpret charts and graphs
Explore the microscopic world
Solve problems involving decimals, fractions, percentage, and geometry
Utilize geometrical tools like the compass and protractor
Begin learning algebra, the concept of zero, and negative numbers
In history and social studies, she will:
Increase her interest in politics and social justice through lessons on the environment, historical conflicts, and ethics
Exhibit early stages of abstract reasoning
Preparing for Middle School: Grade 8
No getting around it — the 8th grader will rebel passionately and frequently. Teachers will try to channel this teenage discontent into assignments that let your child make decisions about his own life and identity.
In language arts, he will:
Construct lengthier, more structured research reports
Experiment with wordplay and the different purposes of writing
Use literature and writing to express and understand himself
Explore aesthetic techniques in literature
In math and science, he will:
Become interested in psychology and questions of the self
Interpret a greater range of graphical representations
Solve basic algebra equations with one unknown variable
Inquire about technology and how things work
In history and social studies, he will:
Discuss how current events relate to various studies
Investigate solutions for the world’s problems
Demonstrate an interest in or devotion to customs and cultural traditions
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