For the past few weeks, upper school teachers have been dropping by the fifth grade classroom to talk about life in middle school. We call it the “Middle School Speaker Series.” With a focus on the changes students can expect in the transition to 6th grade and what skills will support them in middle school, teachers have discussed and answered questions on various topics like:
- Teacher communication
- What GoogleClassroom will be used for
- How/where to take notes
- How to prepare for a test/quiz
- Understanding grades and other teacher feedback
- Daily schedule and how to sign up for electives
- Absent and late work policies – how to handle making/missing a deadline
Using all this information, the fifth graders have been working on their final essay of the year. It will be a compare/contrast essay that will discuss the similarities and difference between 5th and 6th grades. While giving us the opportunity to learn about and practice with a new essay structure (compare/contrast), it will also engage students in thinking about their own personal preparation for the changes that will come in the transition to middle school.
