School and Academics

Back to School Book Picks for Middle and High School
Find out what teachers recommend your teens and adolescents read to get them ready for school.
Middle School Summer Reading List
We've searched high and low for new titles to entice even the most reluctant of middle school readers. Here are our list of favorites:
How to Write a Letter to a Politician
Is your middle schooler fired up about politics, but disappointed that he's not old enough to take a trip to the polls? Sure, he may be a preteen, but that doesn't mean he lacks the passion to do good in his community. Here's a quick guide on how to write a letter to your local politician:
Sixth Grade Social Studies: What to Expect
It's the first month of sixth grade. If you're waiting with baited breath, you're not alone: it can be a nerve-wracking time. Sixth grade typically means a new and larger school building; several teachers, and new responsibilities like homework planners and lockers.
Social and Emotional

Back-to-School Checklist for Navigating Middle School
Making the transition from grade school to middle school is a huge adjustment, not only for your child, but also for you as a parent. Here's what kids and parents need to know about bullying, sex, and other issues.

Peer Pressure During Back to School Season: How to Deal
Back to school season means prime time for negative peer pressure. Parents can help their teens avoid peer pressure with these three tactics.
Talking to Your Boy About Sex
Regardless of which parent it falls to to explain relationships and sex to your son, it's an important discussion to have that will benefit your family for years to come.
Your Middle Schooler's Social Life
Think fifth grade was a bumpy ride? Welcome to middle school, the roller coaster of puberty, peer pressure, and social insecurity. As their bodies change, so do their social interactions: middle schoolers are constantly seeking to assert themselves socially as they look for affirmation in their ...
Milestones and Development

How Your Middle Schooler Thinks
Middle schoolers are officially in the realm of the "young adult." Your once little tot is now beginning to look and talk just like a grown-up. But, although your child does think mostly like an adult, there will be some exceptions. So, what are they?

Sixth Grade Reading and Writing: What to Expect
English Language Arts, the only subject required every single year from kindergarten through twelfth grade, becomes especially important in the middle school years. Elementary teachers typically spend a large part of the day on English, usually integrating it into a wide variety of subjects.
How to Start Thinking about College ... in Middle School!
Believe it or not, middle school lays important foundations for higher education. And whether it's calendars or coursework, there's a lot you can do now to pave the way for high school and college success.
How to Talk to Your Middle Schooler
Does your middle schooler blame others for her actions? Perhaps she says, "The teacher gave me a D" when she should say, "I didn't check my answers and got a D." Boost your child's sense of responsibility by adding these three words to their daily vocabulary: chose, decide, and pick.
Recent Questions
Our Essential Middle School Gift Guide
Tip 23: Have your kids picked up a pen since summer started? Brush up on writing skills with a few fun activities. Try this sentence scramble game: Have your child write words on small slips of paper, and place them in a bag. Take turns drawing them until you have enough to make a whole sentence. Instant writing practice!
Childhood Immunizations
Learn about recommended vaccines and the latest immunization schedules for your child.
Fun Learning Ideas
Activities Photo Contest
100 Winning Photos in 100 Days
Yours could be among them. Upload to win!
- Enjoy Winter Sports Indoors!
- 100 High-Frequency Words for Older Students
- Tackling Theme in Literature
- Introducing the Five-Paragraph Essay
- What Happens Over Time To Those Who Bully And Those Who Are Victimized?
- Reading: Getting the Main Point
- The Write Stuff: Introducing Genre to Middle Schoolers
- Understanding Teen Decision Making
- Helping Children Overcome Test Anxiety
- Is Your Middle Schooler a Reluctant Reader?
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