Introducing a brand new FREEBIE: Characterization Graphic Organizer (for any text) (click on image above to download) Focusing on...

Chemical change happens every day. This lab is easy for teaching middle school chemistry because it demonstrates chemical change with basic household items.

These easy-prep activities for teaching atoms will engage your students and make learning about atoms fun!

Activities for Orange Shirt Day for upper elementary and middle school with teaching ideas and resources to engage young learners.

Finding engaging TED Talks for middle school students is important task in inspiring and motivating your students. Find them right here!

Activities for Orange Shirt Day for upper elementary and middle school with teaching ideas and resources to engage young learners.

Five benefits to using doodle wheels as graphic organizers for math and ELA notes in upper elementary and middle school classes.

What is a tsunami? Make a simple tsunami model to see how when the ocean floor shifts, water is displaced, and forces of gravity form the tsunami

Top 3 Units for Middle School General Music. Organized Chaos. Ideas and resources for project based learning with middle school general music students. World music, composition, and careers in music.

in 2021, what should a middle school health curriculum look like? How can we teach health in a way that’s relevant, up-to-date, AND engaging for students?

These are my favorite fun activities for teaching my middle school students about the amazing Periodic Table!

Word walls can provide scaffolding, visual reminders, & increase academic vocabulary! Ideas for setting up & using your word wall in a middle school class.

10 inexpensive rewards to use in your middle school class.

I taught elementary before moving to middle school and loved math centers (also known as math workshop or math stations). I knew that I had to try implementing math centers in middle school when I moved up because I found that students were more engaged and loved the group work. Math centers helped

Use this ratios and proportions activity to help middle school math students see the application of ratio and proportion concepts.

Not just any science-class-syllabus! Over the years I've been diligent with sending students home on DAY ONE with a comprehensive list of subjects being taught in their middle school science class for parents to sign and send back---BUT signatures don't matter, because even IF parents read the scien...

Middle School Rewards Are you searching for a way to motivate your middle school students? Found a way to track positive behavior but not sure what to do now? Treasure box? No, that's too elementary. Prizes? No, that's too expensive. Reward coupons are the way to go! Your students will love the opportunity to be rewarded with things that matter to them. Plus, these no-cost options will cut down on the amount of money you need to spend on your classroom! Or, really, just allow you to spend it on other things because let's be real, you'll probably need more pencils or tissues soon! Check out the reward coupon options I provide my students: 1. Choose your seat for the day This is one of the most sought-after rewards in classrooms with seating charts. If you do not use seating charts, you can still use this reward; simply let students choose the type of seat they sit on. If you are REALLY flexible, you could even let your seat (at your desk or anywhere else in the room) be a choice. 2. Free assignment pass My students LOVE this reward. It becomes especially popular close to the end of the grading period. Weird, right?! #procrastinatorsunite 3. Assignment extension This one can be really helpful for student-athletes. In my 7th grade classes, it's often their first time trying to balance practice, games, AND school work. I'm thankful that my school supports students' interests but still holds them accountable. 4. Extra credit points I find it funny that the students who like extra credit the most, are usually the ones who don't need it! Don't tell anybody, but I was that kid! 🙋 5. Drop the lowest grade Some teachers use this practice routinely, but if you don't this can be a great reward. You may want/need to add some qualifying information to this reward; like it must be a daily grade, not a test or project grade. Please make sure you abide by your district/building policies regarding grades. 6. Work in the hallway This is a reward because of the freedom. Middle school students love to feel free, like they have control, and that you are not watching their every-single-move! 7. Listen to music while working This reward is easy if you are in a district/building with 1-1 devices or if you are a little more lenient with your cell phone policy. I do include a couple of qualifying statements with this reward - It can ONLY be used during independent work time and the student MUST have headphones. Image by Karolina Grabowska 8. Work with a friend Who doesn't like to work with their friends?! The social aspect of middle school life is central. Sure, this probably shouldn't be redeemed on test day, but on daily work, why not? Clipart from Pigknit 9. Bring a snack to class I have a snack DRAWER in my desk, so I am definitely not opposed to snacks in the classroom. I know some people worry about mess, if you are one of those people...add some guidelines to this reward. 10. Bring a drink to class I would recommend that you tell your students that their drinks should have a screw-top lid. Less chance of spillage. Image by Kaleb Tapp 11. Chew gum in class Gum is precious commodity. I don't know about your school, but at my school, if you are the kid with gum, you are the most popular! 12. Eat lunch in the classroom This is something that often happens at the elementary level, but sometimes we forget that older students want to build those connections with adults too. 13. Wear a hat in class At the middle school level, you may not have the authority to say that a student can wear a hat all day long, but the hat reward can be redeemed when that student is in your classroom. 14. Take off your shoes in class I know some people find this gross but think about how you get comfy. I don't know about you, but one of the first things I do when I get home is slip off my shoes! Image by Jacob Owens 15. Free time A free time reward can come in many formats to fit your classroom environment. Some free time rewards I have used include time to read a personal book, draw, play on technology, play board games, do puzzles, and just time to chat with friends (as long as it doesn't interrupt the rest of the classroom. You can purchase a set of ready-made reward cards from my Teachers Pay Teachers store - Here

Motivating our singers in our middle school choir can be quite challenging...especially if your program is like mine...un-auditioned...no pre-screening of any sort...anyone can sign up. But as a public school teacher, that is how I think it should be. Our job is to figure out how to motivate and help to thrive even the most difficult situation. Before I get into specific things I have done and am doing, I want to emphasize a very important ingredient. It is so important for us to remember is that our students are motivated when we are passionate about what we are doing. Without passion, we will be unable to find a solution to whatever ails us. We will only find frustration and obstacles. When those are all we see, it is time for serious self-assessment or, in extreme situations, it may be time to consider moving to a new career outside of the classroom for your own benefit and for the benefit of the children. Regardless of the passion that so many of us willingly share with our middle school students daily, our students can become complacent and entitled...giving minimal effort. And with that minimal effort, they may still expect to get an "A" or to get to go on the upcoming field trip or any of the other privileges that should be ones that are earned. ...if we allow it. Like most choral music educators, I use many varied techniques based on the needs of the specific children I'm teaching. As I have shared in previous blog posts and on my YouTube Channel, I focus mostly on positive, fun approaches with my students. In the program I created called S-Cubed Middle School Sight Singing Program for Beginners, I use the game, Forbidden Pattern as part of the "fun" of my program. It reflects the philosophy that I believe works well with this age group. Laughter and silliness are almost always the best way to win over our young singers. However, once in a while, we have to wake our singers up and "get real with them" to help them dig deep and bring their best into your classroom each day. In this post, I will share several approaches that I use each year to motivate my students to help to cause them to give their best efforts as we prepare for our adjudication field trip, and I will also share an idea that I used this year with my 8th graders, who were truly the most complacent and entitled group I'd had in recent years. The approach worked because it truly helped them to give the best performance of their middle school careers. Not a single one of my motivation techniques has anything to do with auditioning singers. I don't care whether they can sing in tune or not. I only care if they show that that want to be there. When talking to me about an upcoming field trip, students will say, "I really want to go Mr. Duncan". I always answer with a smile saying, "Telling me you want to go means nothing to me. Show me." Many of them simply want to miss school. That isn't enough for me. We must push them toward demonstrating their desire with hard work and good listening skills every single day. Words are nothing. Actions are everything. I watch them and take in information about them based on their actions. These ideas have worked well for me. In my 23 years of teaching, I end up taking about 95% of my 300 un-auditioned students to the event...but I make them work to earn it! #1: Field Trips are a privilege that must be earned. Our adjudication is in early March. In January, I start the semester by stating the fact that field trips are a privilege, and that while I'd like to take everyone to the adjudication, I will take the children who work the hardest on a daily basis. Students love missing the school day, so hearing me say that I view field trips as a privilege and not a "right" starts them off with the mindset that they must earn the right to attend the event. I also share with them that, after the adjudication, we will eat lunch off campus. They always seem to remember that the most! Hey...whatever works! #2 On the first day back from the holiday break, I show them the adjudication forms. We talk about the rating system. I share with them the official Georgia Music Educator's Association definition of a "1" (Superior). We discuss the vocabulary repeatedly and often...tone, pitch, rhythm, diction, interpretation, ensemble and "other factors". I play examples of choirs singing the songs they will sing for adjudication. I discuss the scores I'd give those choirs in various categories. #3: We start learning pitches and rhythms immediately in January. I want them to have ample time to truly dig into the music. To keep them from getting bored, I mix in some of our spring musical music into the learning as well, but I think it's very important to give the music time to simmer. "Rush teaching" usually doesn't work if you truly want to reach the highest peaks of music making with middle school children. The PUBLIC LISTS... The Tutoring List #4 Sight Singing is a key component of our adjudication process. I teach S-Cubed Sight Singing Program from Day 1 of the school year in August. and at the holiday break, I give a very important written sight singing test to see how they are doing. If they fail that test, I put their names on a list on the wall at the entrance to my room. As long as their name is on the list, they cannot attend the adjudication. They are given a chance to get their names off the list if they attend tutoring sessions during the second week of January with my student tutors who are available during homeroom time. Sometimes, our students can teach the material better than we can. :-) Knowing that not all of them will understand the material at the same level, I generally mark them off the list if they attend at least one session. For students who are really behind, I make them come more times. I am truly just checking their desire. If they don't come back, they don't care enough. For children who wait until the last day tutoring is offered, and who really need more help than we can offer in one session, I DO NOT scratch them off the list. I let them sweat...because...again...it's all about desire. The children who care the most come to tutoring on the first few days to make sure they get the help they need. I leave that tutoring list up from mid-January until the day before our trip. Most names have been marked off, but some have not. I refer to the lists often. "As long as you name is on the tutoring list, you cannot go to adjudication." Slowly, as the time of adjudication approaches, more children show up for help and more names get scratched off the list. I allow them to get their names scratched off until the week before the adjudication, but I don't talk about it or remind them. I let them "drive the bus". #5 Permission Slip List: I give the permission slips out five weeks before the event because it helps to make it "real" for them. They have one week to turn them in. I count is as a homework grade. Then, on Friday, I make another public list that I post on the wall of the kids who didn't turn in their permission slips. On the following Monday, I talk about the most recent list to my classes. "If your name is on the "permission slip list", that means that you haven't turned it in, you got a zero on a homework grade, and that you will not go to the adjudication. If you bring it in tomorrow or Tuesday, you will get a "50" instead of "0", and you will get to go to the adjudication. After that date, who knows? Maybe you will get to go, maybe you won't." This puts the ball in their court. Desire... #6 The "Behavior" list and the "Effort" lists. During the two weeks prior to the event, I press a bit harder. At exactly two weeks prior to adjudication, I please two more lists on the wall. One of the lists is labeled "Behavior" and the other one is labeled "Effort". At the beginning of class, I say, "If you name is on the behavior list, it is because you've been unfocused or talkative or disruptive in some way while we learn. I will watch you over the next two weeks. If you improve, I'll remove your name the day before, and you will get to go. If your name is still on the list the day before adjudication, you stay at school." I talk about the fact that I must be able to TRUST the children I take off campus. If I do not trust you based on your actions act school, then I cannot take you off campus. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. I do the same with the "effort" list. I explain that every single voice matters, and that some of the students haven't been contributing by singing their fullest and best or by using their best singing posture, for example. That's when I teach the two new vocabulary words: Complacent Entitled I reiterate that I don't care who the best singers are, I only care who the best and most dedicated WORKERS are. I talk about how giving my second best effort is never an option for me, therefore, it cannot be an option for them. I discuss that I do not always knock it out of the park. However, if I step up to the plate, I am going to take my best swing, and so must they. These two lists seem to get the biggest reaction from the students. They check them daily. During that two weeks, I add and delete names as needed. For the most difficult students, I leave their names until the very end. I tell them that immediately after the final rehearsal, they need to come up to me to ask whether they will get to go. When they do so, I ask them if I can trust them. They always say yes. I ask why. I let them talk. Then, if I feel comfortable, I say "Are you going to make me proud?" They say yes without fail. I mark their name off. There are some children who do not get their names marked off, and that is ok. It is always a small number of students because I've made them work to earn the field trip privilege for so long. In our final large group rehearsal, I emphasize the fact that the students are representing themselves, this school, me and their parents with their singing, but more importantly, with their behavior off of the stage. They always seem to respond to this. #7 Two weeks before the event, I tell them that, today, you will pretend you are at the adjudication. You will sing your two songs, and I will score you in all categories so you know what your rating would be if you were there today. I record their performance. I grade pretty harshly. I commend where commendations are due, but I am clear about the weak areas and the fact that there are two weeks left to fix it. Combine that with the three field trips and a snow day or two, and you have about a week. That wakes them up too. I take four choirs to the event, so I show the scores of all of the classes to the others. I like to set up a bit of competitiveness between them to generate more desire to work hard and to clean up what is messy. 6th Graders Versus 7th and 8th grade... For 6th graders, this process is key. Most of my students have never been to something of this high caliber and expectation in their lives. They are truly "waking up" to its importance with each of the steps listed above. Often they don't wake up completely until the day before we leave. It doesn't matter. As long as they wake up! Most of my 7th graders took chorus last year, and they all understand this process of earning the right to represent our school. 8th graders...well...they are always special. :-) Motivating the 8th graders this year... This year, I had a particularly talented group of 8th graders. They are truly one of the best I've taught. Here is a link to their performance at the adjudication on March 10, 2015. ...and, in January and early February, they were the definition of Complacent and Entitled. They were giving about 50% effort. They were talkative. So, one day, in the middle of a lesson, I told them to close their music, place it inside their folder and sit back. "As of this moment, after having already paid the money for the adjudication, I have decided that the 8th graders will not go. I will take the other three choirs as planned, but not the 8th grade." I stated a few of the specific reasons, kept it brief, and told them to put their folders away into the slots. They were shocked. I never do this to them. I am not a lecturer. It's a waste of breath. They silently walked over to the folder containers and put away their folders while I sat at my desk answering emails. Later that day, I composed an email to them. Here is the content: 8th graders, Most of you who read this email are the good ones...the ones who work hard every day. Please print this email out and share it with those who don't bother to read their emails. Put positive peer pressure on them to do what is right. As of this moment, as you know, I have decided not to take 8th graders to the adjudicated festival. Limited effort is given daily by a large percentage of the students in the class. Today, for example, there were 10 altos who barely made a sound, and I saw 5 boys who didn't even make an attempt to sing when the baritones were supposed to sing. Many students contribute very little. Some do not sing at all when we are learning new music. You should definitely check your grades, by the way. I work too hard preparing to help you be the best choir you can possibly be, and many of you do not give that back in return. For me, it is very disappointing. Singing and music are too special to me to have it treated in this manner. I am going to keep an open mind until February 6th. On that day, based on what I see between now and then, I will make a final decision and announce it to you at that time. If we do not go, 8th grade chorus will become a general music class with tests, homework and projects for the remainder of the year. If I decide to do that, 8th grade chorus will also not participate in the spring musical. That would be a sad ending to your time with me here at Henderson...which is very quickly coming to a close. As I said today, I don't understand people who bring less than 100% to anything they do. You are practicing to be 2nd. Second place is never my goal, and it shouldn't be yours. Even when I don't "win" or end up with the best result, I know that I gave it my all. Many of you cannot say that right now. I cannot take a choir that has my name on it and put them in front of a panel of judges when, based on what I see, too many of you simply don't care. I'd rather work with a less talented choir filled with students who give 100% every day than a talented choir that doesn't work. You get out of something what you put into it. It is up to you. Change my mind by proving me wrong. I'd love it. I sent it to every single one of my choir members. I did it on purpose. Some of the 7th graders responded and said, "Mr. Duncan, I think you sent this to us by mistake." I simply responded and said, "No. I did it on purpose." It sets the standard. For now....and for the future. Immediately, I saw improvement. About one week later, I announced that based on the improvement, I was taking them to the adjudication, but that, per the state rules, I was only required to take 19 people of the 84 in my room. So, over the weekend, I chose my top 19 students who always give 100%. I chose a balanced choir of Sopranos, Altos and Baritones. I put the list on the wall and announced that I was going to definitely take those 19 children because their work ethic had been amazing all year every day. That way, I wouldn't waste the registration money, and I'd have a balanced choir. They say stunned. I was comfortable with that decision since I had spent money to send them. I want to always be responsible with the use of funds as they relate to our choir. Going to the event with 19 children would work. They would be balanced, and they would sound good. At the end of class, they ran to see the list. Some were stunned they weren't one it. So, over the next two weeks, I saw a different class of children. They gave it. 100%. 10 days later, I announced that they had re-earned my respect. They sounded awesome, but that there were a few who were still giving less that 100%. I announced that I'd place the names of those children on the wall on Monday. Again, they all came into the room and rushed to the wall. There were only 4 names. Those children brought 100% over the next week, and the choir soared to their best performance. We do what we must to motivate. To get the children out of their complacent, entitled space, and to get them to reach higher than they thought they could. 7th Grade Girls in the Sight Singing Room 2015. These girls are 100% motivate daily. Awesome group with great positive energy. These are my 8th Graders...the ones I had to work so hard on. It paid off in the end. They were committed and because of the hard work, they deliver a stellar performance. 8th Grade performance at festival 2015. My seventh grade girls in the Warm up room. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FivTIuLrtVA 7th Grade Boys in performance at LGPE 2015. 6th Graders in performance at LGPE 2015. The hard work to motivate matters. This year, Norma, a sixth grader, gave me this note on the day after the adjudication because she was so excited to have been a part of something so positive. She made my day. All of the days of pushing her 6th grade class to dig deeply to achieve the skills required to sight sing, to learn to listen while they sing and to achieve the skills required to sing in tune a capella and to have good diction and beautiful tone...all worth it. ...Even more so because they didn't audition in the first place. They signed up because she liked to sing. That is why I teach. Check out my blog!

by Terri Selting David (Author) Wren is impulsive, curious, and always in trouble. When her beloved STEM club is accused of a crime, can her flaws become their greatest asset to catch the real thief? Wren Sterling has a problem. She knows she's super smart and a good friend, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't shake her reputation as a troublemaker. It feels like the only people who believe in her are her three best friends in the Renegade Girls Tinkering Club. She'd hoped middle school would be different, but when her inability to control her temper causes an accident, even her beloved tinkering club is no longer a safe haven. She has to find a way to fix it. When her idea to start a business inventing and selling spy gadgets succeeds, it looks like she's finally done something right But then the Club is accused of a crime. Can they use their own gadgets, and a little bit of trouble to solve the mystery? If they can find the real culprit, Wren may just discover she has a bright future after all. If they can't, she could lose her best friends forever. "It's The Babysitter's Club meets MacGyver " Build your own SPY GADGETS Instructions included in this charming story about friendship, middle school, and the Engineering Design Process for kids ages 8-12. Number of Pages: 318 Dimensions: 0.79 x 8 x 5.25 IN

It began with one nicety, one kindness, one random act.

Using technology in Bible class is a great way to bring scripture to life with our middle and high school students!

Looking for some fun tides activities for your middle school science classroom? I got you!

Resources and teaching ideas for teaching about astronomy for middle school students

I loved this activity because it gave my older students hands-on experience working with the periodic table. Build atoms with candy with our FREE download.

If you’ve never conducted a fishbowl discussion in your classroom, you and your students are missing out. Similar to a Socratic Seminar, fishbowl discussions

Why History Matters Interactive Bulletin Board This resource includes 35 interactive cards to be used in a bulletin board display focusing on "Why History Matters." Topics included are: Why history matters? What skills do we learn when we study history? What does it mean to think like a historian? How are historians like detectives? What is historiography? What is a primary source? What is a secondary source? Why is sourcing important? What is oral history? What is historical inquiry? What is continuity and change? And more! A title, "Why History Matters" is included. This resource also includes two bonus visually appealing note pages that may be used in conjunction with the bulletin board or may be used alone. (Students may use the bulletin board as a reference when completing the notes pages.) A completed notes page is also included. (I provide the completed notes page to my students who struggle with note-taking. I have my students highlight important information on the completed notes page.) Topics included in the notes pages are: Why study history? Tools of a historian. Thinking like a historian, and more! QR Codes are included. NOTE: An answer key is NOT included with the notes pages. Answers will vary on both notes pages depending on the student and depending on how the notes pages are used. The notes pages are included in this resource as a BONUS. Feel free to use them or discard them if you wish. A bonus "Why History Matters" station activity is also included in this resource. This activity includes 5 stations (primary and secondary source sorting activity, quote analysis activity, and more! Bulletin board templates and station card templates are included if you choose to add your own bulletin board cards and/or stations.

Book Synopsis A great way to prepare for any science fair This comprehensive workbook from Janice VanCleave promotes science success in school and at science fair time. It features 50 complete experiments from all areas of the science curriculum, supplemented with notebook pages and a personal project journal. Middle and high school students will find plenty of suggestions for changing the experiments and designing their own, along with unique projects on related topics. With lots of illustrations and explanations that make the subject matter easy to understand, the experiments can be done at home or in the classroom and require only easy-to-find materials. From the Back Cover Your all-in-one resource for science fair success Don't wait till the last minute to start preparing for this year's science fair. This book makes it easy and fun to complete a project that you can take pride in, and maybe even take to national and international competitions. You get expert guidance in creating a great project from start to finish, with information on basic science fair procedures, tools, and techniques. You'll also find background experiments to try, pages for taking notes on each topic, and a personal project journal to help you keep track of every step as you choose your project, gather your data, report your findings, and prepare to make a spectacular presentation. The topics covered span the science curriculum and include topics in astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics. All the activities can be done either at home or in the classroom with inexpensive and easy-to-find materials. So find out how enjoyable and rewarding completing a science project can really be, and have a great science fair experience! About the Author Janice VanCleave is a former teacher whose science experiment books have sold over two million copies. Students and teachers alike have come to love her unique combination of serious education and hands-on activities.

Wanting to revamp your independent reading program? Try using a classroom book club, which is a great way to enrich, engage, and differentiate in secondary.

Spark your students' imagination with this fun and creative museum design printable! With this 8.5 x 11 PDF, students can pretend they're curators and design their own museum exhibits. They'll get to draw artifacts, artwork, and collections they want to feature, write about the purpose of their museum, and decorate the exterior. This engaging activity promotes creativity, critical thinking, and writing skills, all while exploring the world of museums. Download now and watch your students' creativity come to life! Customer Tips: Would you like to earn TPT credit that you can use on future purchases? Once you're done using this product, please visit the My Purchases webpage. There will be a Provide Feedback button next to each purchase listing. When you click on that button, you'll be redirected to a page where you can select a rating and write feedback. Whenever you give feedback, you'll receive credits that will decrease the costs of your future purchases. Your feedback matters to me. I love learning about how my products are being used in classrooms around the world, and your insights help me edit products to make them stronger. Let's be friends! Follow Creating2Learn on TPT by clicking on this link. You'll receive notifications about new products and sales. © 2022 Creating2Learn  All rights reserved by the author. Permission to copy for single classroom use only (unless you purchase multiple licenses).

ALDO becomes WALDO! Explore a lesson design outline with lots of resources for mixing and matching strategies, EduProtocols, and digital tools.

middle school chorus

Zentangle Still Lifes What a successful project! We used Sharpie for our Zentangle backgrounds and chalk pastel for our still lifes. Focus was on variety of pattern as well as varied line thickness and value blending. At the beginning of the lesson, the still life image was projected on screen to allow for large classes to view it in detail. We also saved the image on our Edmodo class page for easy access anytime!