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The activities below can help reinforce the material in this What’s Up ® workbook when used in the classroom. Many are experiential, helping students work together to better understand issues related to starting middle school and to improve skills needed for success in school and life. You can also use these activities to help students meet select Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS.ELA) and for Mathematics (CCSS.Mathematics). Correlations to specific standards are listed below each activity. Visit www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy and www.corestandards.org/Math to learn more. Teacher’s/Leader’s Guide for Page 2—Personal journal Have students keep a personal journal (or diary) describing their thoughts and emotions about starting middle school. Encourage them to keep the journal during the summer, too, especially during the last few weeks leading up to the start of the new school year. Explain that once they’re a few weeks into their first year in middle school, they can check their journals to see: • how their expectations prior to starting middle school matched up to reality • what turned out to be the biggest challenge in starting middle school, how they met it and who helped • whether any big worries turned out to be no big deal. Supports Writing Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3a,b,c CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3a,b,c CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3a,b,c CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.10 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.10 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.10 Page 4—Bringing the building to life Have students research facts about their middle school building using the library and interviews with parents, family members and school leaders. Ask students to find answers to questions such as: • In what year was the school built? • Who was President at the time? • What materials were used in the construction? Why? • Were any modifications or changes made over the years? What were they and why were they made? • How do the different designs in older vs. newer buildings reflect changes in students’ and teachers’ needs? Supports Speaking & Listening Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1c CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1c CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1c CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.2 Supports Writing Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7 ® with Starting Middle School Please read: Talk to a professional! This guide is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified expert. Follow your organization’s policies and regulations (for example, those that apply to parental notification and consent) when using these activities. 2014 Edition ©2001 Channing Bete Company, Inc. All rights reserved. (04-14-A) Channing Bete Company, One Community Place, South Deerfield, MA 01373 • 20D-0063 To reorder call (800) 628-7733 or visit www.channing-bete.com and ask for item number PS98594 C O M P A N Y Channin ®