Middle School Activities with Home Learning

Enrolling a student in an accredited homeschool program is critical to their success as is ensuring there are various activities that take place outside the textbook or online portal to help provide a hands-on experience and visual learning interaction.

The best 8th grade online school will include a reliable curriculum and a diverse list of classes and electives so middle-schoolers can prepare themselves for high school based on their interests and required credits.  The exact program will vary depending on the school’s options but, at a minimum, there should be a standard path and an advanced level so students can choose the academic course that works best for them. In addition, the high school elective list should capture a wide range of skills and areas of interest, where the middle school list will be more limited but may have a more general approach to give students an overview that exposes them to different interest areas.

Learning takes place in a variety of forms with the textbook and online portal being the formal approach while extracurricular activities are left to the creativity of the parent and student. These are most effective when they are connected with the information the student is learning at that time and may be recommended through a lesson planner but with homeschooling, the benefit is the task can be customized to the student as to how it is presented, placement in the daily schedule and the scale. Online science labs are a great way to take textbook concepts and transform them into a visual, hands-on experience that can help students grasp easy to difficult concepts outside of just reading a screen.

Field trips serve several purposes including integrating social interaction with other homeschoolers, transforming the school day into a trip outside the home and bringing concepts into reality. Middle school is a transition time between elementary and high school when black/white learning moves into problem-solving and conceptualizing what is being read. The curriculum from the top 8th grade online school will support this transition in a logical and effective manner but incorporating activities can also help solidify the concepts and make it easier for the student to follow the study material. If creativity is not a strength for the family, it is important to reach out to homeschool groups and online sites which can provide ideas that are age, grade and material appropriate. Parents can specifically search based on subject matter and look for sites with games and activities that engage the student so they can practice what they are learning.

Homeschooling gives parents the opportunity to connect with their kids and ensure they are not just completing the assignments but are understanding the material so they can be successful as they get into high school. The online portal provides an organized structure with set learning but can also be complemented with activities that align with what the student is doing. Crafts, music, shopping trips, experiments, physical exercise are just some of the examples that parents and students should do together or with a larger group. Schedule these at least once or twice a month as it makes sense with the material and get the student’s input on what they would like to do that would help them remember the information and grasp it more fully.