Middle school students should be involved in seeking and selecting reading materials that ensure the attention of the learner. A wide variety of topics for learners to select from in choosing sequential trade books is a must. Sequential books selected by the middle school student should harmonize with his/her present level of achievement in…

A principal at a Lowell (Massachusetts) school collaborated with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell to develop a dropout intervention program for seventh and eighth grade students. Small classes met alternate Saturday mornings at the university. Additional field trips and two overnight weekends helped strengthen the bond between students and…

Describes Discover the USA, an interdisciplinary unit for middle school students that uses trip-planning software and World Wide Web-based resources to teach organizational, research, writing, computer, and practical math and geography skills. Students plan a 1-month road trip in the United States, then take the trip, keeping records of routes,…

Presents an activity using the cardboard tube from a roll of bathroom tissue or paper towels to help students examine and extend their understanding of the geometric properties of parallelograms. (ASK)

Reflects on what it means to be a successful teacher or student in a reform-inspired mathematics classroom. Discusses one teacher's experiences at the beginning and end of her first year of implementing reform in light of her changing views of success. (ASK)

Each of the seven chapters in this guide presents current research with practical applications for the middle-level teacher and integrates these instructional approaches with the developmental needs of the young adolescent. After a foreword by David H. Reilly, chapter 1 provides a general overview of current cognitive research and its…

This book targeted especially to those who counsel middle-school through high school students, shares experiences, concepts, happenings, and anecdotes of a school counselor. Concepts are presented for those interested in developing functional orientations in the area of helping relationships. The first chapter discusses the concept of help and…

This manual describes the activities of an educational program that is specifically designed for middle-school students with the purpose of providing steps whereby teachers can introduce the process of conflict resolution and the skills necessary for mediation to students within a classroom setting. It also encourages students, teachers, and…

Underserved students (low-income, underrepresented minority, or first generation to attend college) do not attend college at the same rate as their white, middle-, or upper-income peers, and research suggests that this discrepancy is due in large part to the lack of opportunity for underserved students beginning in middle school. This briefing…

Noting that middle level teachers interested in involving their students in curriculum planning and instruction need resource materials to draw on, this document presents such a resource unit developed by a group of eight veteran middle level teachers and designed to be used within an integrated curriculum framework. Part 1 introduces the unit,…

Most students pass through five major transitions from one level of schooling to another. This book-for principals, teachers, and counselors-focuses on the transition from middle school to high school. The book is grounded in Queen's Twelve Factors for Successful Student Transitions, a research-based set of findings and guidelines. Each factor is…

This article provides teachers of middle and high school students with strategies and recommended activities for vocabulary instruction. Specifically, it discusses teaching vocabulary through drama, semantic mapping, video technology, the Keyword Method, and active student responding activities. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Suggesting that poetry can be inserted into any classroom in any curricular area, this paper discusses reading and writing poetry in middle school classrooms. The paper begins with advice on reading poetry in content classrooms, and then presents a 31-item bibliography of poetry sources "for browsing." The paper then presents tips for writing…

This document consists of a final report and executive summary. The report is that of a project involving eight college and university faculty who were given the responsibility of developing new versions of introductory level geography courses. The plan of the project involved bringing together college or university professors, local school…

This guide presents an advisory program for middle schools. The program is designed for groups of 10 to 15 students meeting twice a week; the advisors should be adults from within the school (teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, etc.). The program has four goals: (1) to promote students' sense of belonging within the school; (2) to…