100 Great Resources for Middleschool Teachers

Some educators believe that teaching middle school students is the most challenging job a teacher could have. Middle school students present unique challenges and problems for the middle school teacher to solve; because middle school students are undergoing many changes, including physical, social and emotional, during this time, finding ways to make learning fun is crucial for teachers. The Internet can greatly help middle school teachers in this endeavor.

Lesson plans in a variety of middle school subjects can be found on the Internet, as well as information on curriculum development and behavioral management. Middle school teachers can also find professional development opportunities online. The Internet is an effective way for middle school teachers to communicate with each other. Exchanging ideas, advice and solutions to common problems becomes much easier with the use of new technology.

Lesson Plans

Social Studies

• Academy Curricular Exchange: Social Studies: Intermediate School (6-8) – A multitude of social studies lesson plans for teachers to use with middle school students is included on this website.
• Country Studies- This Library of Congress website offers various lessons about diverse countries including Afghanistan, Bolivia and Kuwait.
• Washington State Lesson Plan Guide – These lesson plans by the Washington State Historical Society are grouped by grade level, with many available for grades 6 through 8.
• Education for Freedom- Lesson Plans for Teaching the First Amendment – The Freedom Forum presents these lesson plans for middle school teachers.
• Judges in the Classroom – Middle School Lesson Plans – A variety of lesson plans for middle school teachers focusing on the judicial system are offered here.
• World History for Us All – This site offers lesson plans on world history for middle and high school teachers to use.
• iCivics – Curriculum units including the Legislative Branch, the Three Branches of Government, and Citizenship & Participation are available here for middle school teachers.
• Social Studies and History, Grades 6-8 – Annenberg presents these lesson plans for middle school teachers focusing on topics in history and social studies.
• Asia for Educators – Columbia University hosts this site with lesson plans grouped by grade level on topics relating to Asia and Asian history.
• Holocaust Middle School Lesson Plans – Lesson plans and themes for grades 6 through 8 on the Holocaust are offered here.
• Middle School Lesson Plan Honoring Dr. King – A lesson plan to be used by middle school teachers in teaching about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is included here.

Language Arts

• US Mint Lesson Plans-Language Arts-The US Mint presents these lesson plans grouped by grade level on topics like writing persuasive essays on “Why is Sacagawea on the Golden Dollar?”
• ABC Bookmaking – This lesson for grades 6 through 8 has students creating ABC books to build content area vocabulary.
• Smithsonian Education – Language Arts Lesson Plans – These lesson plans are grouped by grade level and include topics such as “Portraits Visual and Written” and “Collecting Their Thoughts: Conversing With an Object.”
• Middle School Language Arts Lesson Plans – This website representing Texas middle schools offers lesson plans on topics such as “Vocabulary Review” and “Reading a Book in A Day.”
• Literature Lesson Plans – Discovery Education presents this website that offers lesson plans for literature grouped by grade level.
• AISD- Language Arts – Middle School – Sixth grade language arts lesson plans are offered here on this school district’s website.
• Lesson Plan Library – Language Arts – McRel presents this library of language arts lesson plans grouped by grade level.
• Houghton Mifflin English for Middle School Teachers – These language arts lesson plans for grades six through eight are hosted by publisher Houghton Mifflin.
• The Grammar Aquarium – This website offers grammar lessons and activities for middle school teachers to use with their students.
• Language Arts Lesson Plans – Junior/High School – Lesson plans for grades six through twelve revolving around language arts are offered here.

Math

• Problem Solving – A variety of math problems targeted at different grades are presented here with their solutions.
• NSDL Middle School Portal – Math – Lesson plans for middle school teachers on math subjects such as algebra, calculus and process skills are included on this site.
• Math Research and Lesson Plans – Scrolling down the page will present a section with links for teachers to middle school math lesson plans.
• Math Portal – Middle School Lesson Plans – Eighth grade math lesson plans are presented here for middle school teachers to use.
• Geometry and Spatial Sense – Sample math lessons on spatial sense and geometry are offered here and grouped by grade level.
• Middle School Math Lesson Plans – The Middle School Teachers’ Place presents these math lesson plans on topics such as statistics and algebra, developed by middle school teachers around the world.
• Awesome Library: Middle-High School Math – Scrolling down to the middle of the page presents lesson plans in mathematics grouped by grade level and subject.
• Middle School Math – Math websites and teacher aids, grouped by subjects like algebra and geometry, are offered here.
• Math Lessons – Math lessons for grades five through eight are offered on this website.
• PBS Teachers Resources for the Classroom – Math lesson plans for grades six through eight are featured on this website.

Science

• SEGway Lesson List – This website groups science lesson plans by grade level, with a nice listing available for grades six through eight.
• SEA K-12 Lesson Plans – The Sea Education Association presents this website, which features lesson plans on the sea grouped by grade level.
• EPA Teaching Resources – The US Environmental Protection Agency offers these lesson plans for middle schoolers on topics such as air, climate change and ecosystems, listed by grade level once each topic is clicked.
• Designing Experiments – This lesson plan for grades six through eight focuses on the environment.
• What’s an Ecotect? – This lesson plan can be modified for use with grades four through twelve, and focuses on scientific jobs of the future.
• Science Net Links: Grades 6-8 – Problem Solving: Finding Satisfactory Solutions – This science-focuses lesson plan for grades six through eight centers on helping students find solutions to problems.
• Introduction to HOP2 Middle School Science Lesson Plan – Hands On Plastics and the American Chemistry Council presents this middle school science lesson plan.
• Changing the Face of Medicine: Lesson Plans – A lesson plan called “What’s Happening to Your Body?” is presented here and designed for grades five through eight.
• Fire and Aviation Management Lesson Plans – Lesson plans on topics such as fire adaptations and fire in my backyard are presented on this website.
• Middle School Science – This website allows middle school teachers to search for science lesson plans and activities.

General /Miscellaneous Subjects

• Lesson Plan Listing – This web site lists numerous lesson plans on various subjects, grouped by grade level and subject.
• Awesome Library – Lesson plans for grades K through 12 are presented here in subjects including Language Arts and Technology.
• ArtsEdge Lessons – The Kennedy Center presents this interactive finder tool in which teachers can search by keyword, grade and/or subject to find arts-related lesson plans.
• Middle School Lesson Plans – A collection of middle school lesson plans on a variety of subjects is offered here.
• AKC Middle School Lesson Plans – The American Kennel Club offers these middle school lesson plans with titles such as “The Cost of Owning a Dog.”
• Federal Resources for Educational Excellence – Free lesson plans in a variety of subjects and grade levels are presented here.
• Incredible Middle School Art Lesson Plans – Lesson plans on art are grouped by grade level, medium, art period and more on this website.
• ArtsWork – Drama/Theatre Lesson Plans – Lesson plans on drama and theatre are offered here, targeted at various grade levels.
• Renaissance Connection Lesson Plans – Lesson plans in a variety of subjects such as language arts and science are offered here, grouped by grade level.

Professional Development

• National Board for Professional Teaching Standards – Teaching standards and other professional information for middle school teachers are included on this website.
• 50 States’ Certification Requirements – The University of Kentucky hosts this site that lists each state’s teacher certification requirements.
• National Middle School Association Professional Development – The official NMSA website offers professional development seminars and conferences for middle school teachers.
• National Staff Development Council – Learning Forward – A variety of conferences and learning opportunities for middle school teachers is offered on this website.
• Center for Civic Education – Professional Development – Professional development opportunities for teachers at all levels are featured here.
• Middle School Mathematics Professional Development Impact Study – Professional development for middle school math teachers is the focus of this website.
• ACS Workshops and Seminars for Chemistry and Science Educators – The American Chemistry Society offers professional development opportunities for middle school science teachers.
• Diagnostic Science Assessments for Middle School Teachers – This website presented by the University of Louisville offers science assessments for middle school teachers to test their own knowledge of the subject(s).
• Annenberg Learner – Professional development opportunities for all levels of teachers are offered here.
• Middle School Endorsement – The University of North Dakota offers these online professional development opportunities for middle school teachers.
• Online Middle School Curriculum – The University of Missouri’s Center for Distance & Independent Study presents these online courses in special topics for middle school teachers.

Activities

• Exploratorium – Resources for science, art and more that can be used by middle school teachers in the classroom are offered here.
• Grades 7-12 Subject Starters – Subjects featured here include agriculture, social studies and math. Subject starters are presented for use by teachers from grades 7 through 12.
• Hands-On Activities For Teaching Biology to High School or Middle School Students – Various classroom activities for use by middle or high school biology teachers are included on this website.
• Teachable Moment – Activities for Middle School Students – Activities to teach middle school students social responsibility are included here.
• Middle School Meets Evolution – Activities – Activities for middle school teachers to teach evolution are featured on this website.
• Middle School Diversity Activities – This website features activities middles school teachers can use to teach students about diversity.
• Team-Building Activities for Middle School Students – Activities that middle school teachers can use to encourage team building among their students are featured here.
• Middle School Activities – A listing of links to various science activities that middle school teachers can use is included on this website.
• Geometry Activities for Middle School Students – Explorations and other types of activities that middle school teachers can use to teach students about geometry are featured here.
• Middle School Activities – The National Space Biomedical Research Institute offers a variety of lessons and activities designed for middle school focusing on topics such as health, fitness and neurobiology.

Classroom Management

• Classroom Management Techniques in Middle School – Techniques that middle school teachers can use to help students learn in the classroom are featured on this website.
• Classroom Management Strategies – Strategies for classroom management and rules are included here.
• Classroom and Behavior Management – Ways to develop classroom rules at the elementary, middle and high school levels are explained here.
• Seating Arrangements – This article from the University of Delaware offers ideas for seating arrangements in the middle school classroom.
• Middle School Classroom Management – This article on middle school classroom management offers ideas to curb bullying, acting out in the classroom and more.
• Classroom Management – Ideas for setting up the classroom and other management techniques for use by teachers of grades three through twelve are included here.
• Classroom Management Strategies for Difficult Students – The National Middle School Association presents this information to help middle school teachers deal with difficult students in the classroom.
• Bloomfield Public Schools Classroom Management Policy – A middle school’s classroom and hallway rules for seventh and eighth grades are featured here.
• Middle School Classroom Discipline – Educators for Social Responsibility offers this article on discipline techniques middle school teachers can use in the classroom.
• Consequences That Teach – This article by a Marriage Family Therapist offers behavioral and classroom management techniques that can be employed by middle school teachers.

Curriculum Development

• Common Core State Standards – This core knowledge sequence offers standards for middle school teachers to use in their classroom curricula.
• Integrating the Web into Your Curriculum – Ways that middle school teachers can use the Internet in their classroom curricula are included here.
• Free 6-8 Teacher Resources – Discovery Education presents this list of free classroom resources designed for middle school teachers.
• Organizing the Middle School Curriculum – This article by the National Middle School Association offers teachers tips on curriculum organization.
• Middle School Language Arts Curriculum Guide – The curriculum guide for a school district’s sixth, seventh and eighth grades is included on this website.
• Middle School Mathematics Curriculum – Prince William County (MD) Public Schools offers its math curriculum for middle school on this site.
• Social Studies in the Middle School – The National Council for the Social Studies offers these tips for middle school social studies teachers.
• Teaching Middle School Philosophy – The Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization presents this informative article for middle school teachers on techniques for teaching philosophy to middle school students.
• A WebQuest About WebQuests – Learn more about WebQuests and what they can add to an existing curriculum.

Teaching Techniques

• Teaching Fractions in Middle Grade Mathematics – The National Middle School Association offers this information for middle school teachers who teach fractions in mathematics classes.
• Motivation and Middle School Students – This scholarly article examines what motivates middle school students to learn.
• Enticing Students to Read – Tips from middle school teachers on encouraging reading among students are featured here.
• Teaching Tolerance – The Southern Poverty Law Center offers these ideas for middle school teachers to teach ideas of tolerance to their students.
• Communicate Respect, Fairness and High Expectations – This article by the University of Washington offers middle school teachers ideas to show students respect, treat them fairly and convey high expectations.
• Teaching Strategies for Middle School Math – Various techniques for middle school mathematics teachers are featured here.
• Mulholland Middle School – Teaching Strategies - A middle school in California offers these teaching strategies for middle school teachers.
• Methods for Teaching Middle School Math – The University of Wisconsin-Stout presents this information on strategies middle school teachers can use when teaching mathematics.
• 30 Ideas for Teaching Writing – The National Writing Project presents these tips middle school teachers can use to teach writing to their students.

Miscellaneous Topics in Middle School Education

• The National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform – This organization is dedicated to improving academics, development and social skills in middle school education.
• Teachers.Net Middle School Chatboard – This chatboard is a place for middle school teachers to offer ideas and tips to each other.
• Preparing Middle School Students for a Career – Ideas on getting middle school students to start thinking about long-term career plans are included here.
• The Critical Years – A Series about Middle School Education – This series of articles from the New York Times examines how crucial middle school is to an individual’s total educational experience.
• Rankings of Public Schools – This website ranks middle schools in each of the 50 states.
• Even Our Best Kids Lag in Math – Middle Schools to Blame – This article from the Washington Post discusses the problems middle school students have in mathematics and how these problems carry into and past high school.
• Middle School Teachers – The Bureau of Labor Statistics presents this information on salary and wages of middle school teachers across the United States.
• To Turn Her Middle School Around, a Principal Invests in the Arts – Sponsored by Gotham Schools, this article focuses on a middle school principal’s idea to improve arts education in her school to save it.
• Education Minnesota Advice for Middle and High School Teachers – The Minnesota teachers’ union presents this information helpful to middle and high school teachers.
• “Real” Middle School Teachers – An article about being an effective middle school teacher.