A recent issue of activities addressed descriptive writing. Give those kids who want to share their reactions with their classmates an opportunity to do so. Instruct them to choose two or three goals for the school year, and help them write out the steps they will need to accomplish their dreams. This will immediately give your students a feeling of value and responsibility. Assign partners, and ask them to conduct a "celebrity interview" where one student plays the reporter and tries to get as much information about her partner as possible. Students can put together skits about events of the past school year, give monologues and make predictions about the upcoming high school years. Your students are now old enough to have a voice in the classroom, so begin your first day with an open discussion to brainstorm rules. My students absolutely love the writing center . These opt... “ It’s just A BAGEL! -Jody, BL Show-, Are you all ready for the chaos that is Halloween? Grammar, parts of speech and punctuation don't exactly have an exciting reputation among eighth-graders, but hands-on, interactive activities can change their attitudes. Tell your class that now that they are in middle school it is time for them to take more control of their futures. This week we've been reading some spooky Halloween stories. The end of every school year is filled with excitement and a certain amount of anxiety, but the end of the eighth-grade year is a particularly meaningful time because the next step is high school. These can be personalized with the name of the school and the school year. Another similar activity is giving students the task of writing letters to themselves about what they think they need to do to become a successful high school student. Today’s topic: favorite picture books. Post these goals on a bulletin board, and spend a little bit of time every month reviewing their goals. Peggy Epstein is a freelance writer specializing in education and parenting. Does anyone have a step they need to add? This activity can also serve as an icebreaker to get the students to converse with each other. They could also talk about what kinds of school activities students might like to join. If I'm still alive after a party, sugared up little people, conferences and an awards ceremony, then it may just be one HUGE miracle. After talking about what kinds of fun activities kids might be doing in the coming summer, present them each with a Frisbee or similar flying disc. Prepare your students by having them write questions they can ask the speakers after the presentations. Practice by using our 8th grade spelling lists or make your own eighth grade lists by inputing words into your family account. Now split your class into small groups, and assign each group one rule. Print “washed out” pictures onto lined paper for writing letters. See disclaimer. Intermingle these personal questions with questions that cover your curriculum for the year. If you teach writing to K-5 learners, this book list has over 15 books to help you teach young writers all about the writing process. Print . ” Real talk from a 12-year-old about plain doughnuts. BAGEL! Post their advice next to their photos on a bulletin board covered with brightly colored paper and have them autograph their advice with a wide-tipped marker. If your school or a willing parent has the technological capabilities, create an end-of-the-year DVD, with each student receiving a copy. They will plan and perform a quick skit that demonstrates what rule they were given and why that rule is important in the classroom. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Point University. You will want to take the first week to learn the rules, help the class get to know you and each other and evaluate what each student has already been taught. I probably have over 15 options for them to choose from when they go there now. my 28 most tried and true writing prompts, 101 Writing Prompts Idea in a Jar - like "What would you do if you found a pair of magical shoes?" End of Year School Activities for 8th Graders. The activities may be printed and shared with students to exercise their writing skills. Gift a copy to someone you love. Contact a high school English or speech teacher who would be willing to prepare a couple of students, preferably freshmen, to come to your classroom and talk about what life is like in high school, both academically and socially. ", followed by 786 people on Pinterest. Brainstorm with students about advice they might want to give to next year's incoming eighth graders. For reluctant actors, assign some students the job of helping to organize the "acts" or plan the sets. It is especially important for children who are embarking on their first year of middle school to understand their new responsibilities as older students. to create “washed out” pictures, copy & paste a picture onto word, select “format picture,” select “picture,” then under “image control” & “color” dropdown box, select “washout.” print and write your letter! 8th grade tips for preparation include talking about writing and sharing appropriate articles and books with your child. 8th Grade Spelling Lists, Games & Activities Subscribe to Home Spelling Words! This activity will help you learn more about your middle schoolers, both as people and as students. Try to choose questions that are likely to change as the year progresses. You can check out our fun below. Give suggestions for topics on which they might give advice. If I could make writing fun for my students, I believe I can encourage them to learn anything with that method. They want diversity, and that’s exactly what makes teaching more fun, too. Related . Don't have a set of class rules already posted to the wall on the first day. I better get some rest this weekend. Now that your students are interacting, let's get to know them a little better. Journaling for Beginners Welcome Back to School Activities. Has anyone accomplished a step that month? Lead the class toward settling on five or six comprehensive rules. Wood specializes in education, health, beauty, fashion, business and home-and-garden topics. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. See more ideas about Writing activities, Writing, Teaching writing. Give them a worksheet to fill out that asks personal questions such as favorite movie, favorite song or dream job. Encourage the students to be specific. The end of every school year is filled with excitement and a certain amount of anxiety, but the end of the eighth-grade year is a particularly meaningful time because the next step is high school. Love this for first couple days of writing. or "Write a story about a robot that does your homework.". Free Activities. Getting students out of their seats, working together and … If, at the beginning of the year, you have had students write letters to themselves predicting what the year will be like, bring the letters out on the last day of school and give students a chance to read their own letters. Writing Ideas for 8th Graders— Students of all ages can benefit from writing daily journals—but journaling is an especially beneficial activity for young teens in 8 th grade who are preparing to graduate fro middle school and enter high school. If your child is learning to write, let them have some fun with reading activities like Vocabulary Bingo. Then we brainstormed what you would see, hear and how…. The hilarious, colorful #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon that every kid wants! For example, they might want to talk about how to handle difficult assignments or how to get involved in eighth-grade activities. Provide kids with markers and set aside some time for autographing each other's Frisbees. Tell the class that at the end of the year they will fill out an identical worksheet before reopening the time capsule and discovering just how much they have changed and learned. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers. Epstein is also a former public school teacher with 25 years' experience. Email . Give them some sample categories their goals might fall in, such as academic, musical, athletic or charity work. Middle schoolers need some time to adjust back with the daily schedule, the academic demands and the classroom rules. Parent organizations often are willing to buy these as favors for an end-of-the-school-year celebration. Peggy Epstein . She began her writing career in 2008, with work appearing in several online magazines, corporate blogs, nonprofit websites and local newspapers. Then ask each student to write an approximately 50-word piece of advice. The Teacher's Corner: Back to School Lesson Plans and Activities, Scholastic: Classroom Activities: Welcoming Back Middle-School Students. Take a digital photo of each student. I am linking up yet again with The Clutter Free Classroom's Prompt of the Day Linky Party ! 8th grade is a great time to expand your student's vocabulary using this website by entering definition sentences with your vocabulary lists. Hands-On Activities for 8th Grade Language Arts Class. The first few days of school take careful planning. Once you have collected all the completed worksheets, put them in a special time capsule. She received a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from the University of Missouri. Kristin Wood entered the media industry in 2006 as a proofreader. Have the students turn in their interviews as their first assignment. Reassure them that this is not for a grade, this is only to see what they already know and measure how much they'll learn this year. Boosting students' self-confidence, giving some thought to their futures and reflecting on the past year are all valuable considerations when planning an end of the school activity for eighth graders. Each month, Zaner-Bloser: Writing offers new, free activities on-line for use with students in grades 3 and up. © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. We followed them up with a cute craft and writing assignment. In elementary school teachers and parents may have guided them in certain directions, but now they are responsible for setting some goals of their own. When the first interview is completed, switch roles. First we read a few stories with haunted houses. She has authored two books, "Great Ideas for Grandkids" and "Family Writes," and published more than 100 articles for various print and online publications. Jun 21, 2016 - Explore Catherine Thompson's board "5th Grade Fun Writing Activities/ Motivation Ideas!!!! Explain to students that you will arrange to have the letters delivered to them at the end of their freshman year. Middle schoolers need some time to adjust back with the daily schedule, the academic demands and the classroom rules. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Look for somewhere these can be bought at a discount. Tweet . Share . Oh..my..word.. Some of them might even want to sing. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know; Dave F. Brown and Trudy Knowles; 2007, The Middle School Principal's Calendar: A Month-By-Month Planner for the School Year; Robert Ricken and Michael Terc; 2003. Two kinds of letters they have written to themselves can be meaningful to eighth graders. The first few days of school take careful planning. Writing Test Preparation The best 8th grade writing test preparation is simply encouraging your student to write, raising awareness of the written word, and offering guidance on writing homework. I’ve tried several writing activities that worked. Mastering writing skills is simple when your child can Fish Me a Word or Go Fishing for Grammar, depending on their grade-level. These are the most effective ones: 1.