There are two sides to starting middle school: exciting, and scary. After the comfortable familiarity of elementary school, your child will be tossed into a completely new situation, which may involve attending school in a different building with classmates she's never met before. Your child may also feel nervous knowing that the academic expectations will be greater than ever. Most children worry, at least a little, about whether they'll be able to make the grade.

You can help ease the transition by arranging a visit before school begins so that your child can at least become familiar with where the classrooms and cafeteria are located. In addition, keep the lines of communication open so that you can give your child the emotional support he will inevitably need. Some children start to clam up at this age, but if you persevere, you will find it is still possible to have meaningful conversations with your middle schooler about what's going on in his life.

Skills Required at the Beginning of Middle School
The early days of middle school will likely be spent with teachers assessing where your child stands academically in the various subjects. Your child might even be assigned an advisor to help with the process. The teachers will be looking to see if your child can do the following:

Reading:

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  • Read at grade level.
  • Use the library (knowledge of card and computer catalogues, periodicals, the Dewey Decimal system) in order to find books and other publications needed for research
  • Pinpoint the five stages of plot in a novel: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution
  • Demonstrate knowledge of plot and character development when writing book reports
  • Explain the differences between genres -- biographies, poetry, mysteries, plays, historical fiction, etc.

Writing:

  • Generate flow between sentences and paragraphs, with a clear-cut introduction, body, and conclusion in both informative and creative writing assignments
  • Switch styles as appropriate for the audience or subject matter (for example, a casual voice when inventing character dialogue in creative writing; an objective tone for reports)
  • Write a research paper of more than four pages (narrow the topic, locate information from multiple outside sources, take notes, collect and cite sources, create an outline, etc.)
  • Use writing and research skills to complete assignments in other subjects such as science, social studies, math, art, and music

Math:

  • Multiply and divide with multiple digit numbers
  • Compute with fractions, decimals, and mixed numbers
  • Compute with powers
  • Compute the volume and area of objects
  • Understand the basic angles and formulas of geometry
  • Compare measurement to the metric system
  • Interpret percents
  • Organize statistical information
  • Estimate probability
  • Compare measurement to the metric system

Science:

  • Design basic experiments to test scientific thinking, then record observations and draw concrete conclusions after carrying out experiments
  • Build models such as hanging mobiles of the solar system, dioramas of natural habitats for earth science, and clay molecules for chemistry.
  • Relate science to everyday life by discussing topics such as weather patterns, water droughts, electricity, and how to prepare for natural disasters (earthquakes, tornadoes)

History and Social Studies:

  • Compare and contrast personal accounts of individuals from past time periods with lifestyles of the present
  • Create timelines to understand the flow of historical events
  • Find geographical locations on maps and globes

Remember that most kids are rusty when they return to school after summer vacation, so don't panic (nor should your child!) if she doesn't initially perform well on review tests. Continue to give your child the support and encouragement she needs as she delves into more demanding subject areas. Now more than ever it will be up to your child to take responsibility for her school work. However, you can help her succeed by encouraging good time management skills and providing whatever resources she might need, such as a calendar or planner for keeping track of assignments.

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Skills Acquired During Middle School
A middle schooler's curriculum grows by leaps and bounds. You'll be amazed at how much your child will learn in the coming years! Generally speaking, this is what your child will be expected to accomplish in grades 6 through 8:

Reading

  • Tackle text at higher reading levels
  • Increase vocabulary by reading books with more difficult words
  • Categorize nouns, adjectives, and verbs on sight
  • Discuss concepts of literature that cover all genres: fiction and nonfiction, plays and poems, myths and biographies
  • Constructively edit a fellow student's writing and offer revision advice on errors such as run-on sentences, improperly placed commas, fragments, incorrect grammar, etc.
  • Respond to in-class texts with personal opinions and criticism

Writing

  • Properly substitute basic adjectives (happy, sad, mad, nice, good, bad) with more advanced vocabulary (ecstatic, forlorn, angry, pleasant, splendid, awful) when composing essays
  • Use correct and matching tenses -- past, present, or future -- through sentences in the same paragraph
  • Integrate information from a variety of sources to make a cohesive written argument
  • Organize thoughts to construct clear direction for an essay
  • Expand skills by writing in different genres, such as persuasive essays, articles, poems, creative stories, personal narratives, book summaries, and informative reports
  • Correct rough drafts in order to submit final assignments with minimal spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors

Science

  • Identify variables and controls that can be tested in experiments
  • Participate in a science fair by designing a project and then collecting data for analysis, interpretation, and recording of the results
  • Do lab work such as looking through a microscope, growing plants, and mixing basic solutions for introductory chemistry
  • Invent something -- some science teachers ask students to create prototypes of original inventions

History and Social Studies

  • Stay up-to-date with current events by reading parts of the newspaper and cutting out notable clippings
  • Travel back in time to ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt to study mythology, artifacts, emperors, gods and heroes, wars, and mummification (fiction books, like The Egypt Game, could have been read in earlier grades to pique interest in these subjects)
  • Debate issues -- such as Constitutional rights or basic ideologies of democracy -- that relate to American politics
  • Hold mock Senate or House of Representatives meetings to illustrate checks and balances in the three branches of government
  • Study world politics by discussing differences in heads of state -- for example, presidents, prime ministers, and dictators -- and comparing governments (many middle schools offer after-school model United Nations clubs -- a great way for your child to get involved and learn!)

Math

  • Understand the relationship between percentages, fractions, and decimals
  • Work through word problems by translating them into equations
  • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages
  • Solve one-variable equations
  • Differentiate between positive and negative numbers -- students may be asked to select a stock and follow its progress in the stock market
  • Begin study of algebra
  • Interpret mean, median, mode, and average
  • Find units of measure and compare them
  • Calculate volume, area, perimeter, and circumference
  • Use signs and symbols in math problems to represent phrases, words, or numbers

Electives
Middle school is usually the first time students are offered a variety of courses to fill an elective requirement; for this reason, middle school is associated with choice and newly obtained academic freedom. Schools typically offer a selection of Foreign Languages, which could be anything from German to Japanese, although most schools start with basic Romance languages such as Spanish or French. Perhaps previous years foreshadowed a budding artist or special ability for playing a musical instrument. These are the years when talented students who may have taken art classes or piano lessons begin to shine in the Fine Arts. Your child's school might offer advanced versions of core subjects; Creative Writing, Newspaper, or Yearbook Staff are popular choices among students with a knack for words, while those who are technologically adept might opt for additional Computer courses. Sometimes schools rotate electives between semesters (for example, Music in the fall, Photography in the spring) so students can get a taste of everything. Whatever course your child leans toward, be sure to have a conversation as to why she wants to take that class -- she should be interested in Drama because she wants to learn about production or to act, not because the teacher is an easy grader.

Homework
For the first time, your child will receive homework in each subject from separate teachers, and the result will be approximately two to three hours of work per school night. While that may seem overwhelming, remember that your child will be given assignments with varying due dates, ranging from the next day to the next month. If you are able to instill in your child a good sense of organization at the beginning of the year, it will help him to stay on top of his workload. For example, if he has all of his assignments for the week charted on a calendar, you can easily glance at it and remind him on Tuesday that he has reading due on Thursday. Encourage the use of Sunday evening as a time to catch up or work on bigger projects, such as a science report due at the end of the following week, or completing an extra chapter of reading for English. With these study habits, your child will be on the right path for success in middle school.

June 1, 2005