Seventh - Eigth Grade
Developmental Characteristics
Physical
May appear awkward as result of rapid physical growth
Experiencing the beginning of puberty
Differ greatly in rate of maturation
Need to become familiar with changing body with strong drives
Tend to tire easily
Have a high activity level and appetite
Enjoy cooperative games and competitive sports
Social Emotional
Sensitive to their appearance
Establishing a personal moral code
Unsure of their place in society
Depend on their peer group to develop identity
Critical of their parents and home
May adopt extremes and fads in clothing, speech, handwriting, and mannerisms
Form close one-on-one friendships
Enjoy small, peer-dominated group discussions
Have a strong desire to assert individuality and independence
Cognitive
Capable of high level of abstract thought
Beginning to think about their future life roles
Need time and freedom to engage in self-reflection
Are able to postpone gratification
Can plan ahead and organize tasks with little or no guidance from adults
Beginning to develop views about social issues
What is Support
Students will write their own definition of support, then collaborate in small groups and a gallery walk to build a shared class vision of what supportive behavior looks like — which gets posted in the room as an ongoing reference.
What is the Word
Students will compete in teams to guess mystery words from the Taboo game using only related clue words, then reflect on what the game revealed about their listening and focus skills.
Who, Me? A Scientist?
Students will watch a video of a four-year-old solving a problem, then observe a floating-wax demonstration and work together to generate and discuss hypotheses about why the two jars behave differently — connecting their own curiosity and perseverance to the work of scientists.
Off the Grid
Students will take turns navigating a tape grid on the floor, using trial and error and memory to find the hidden safe path across while their teammates watch and remember the route to help the group get everyone across.
Newest iPhone
In small groups, students will collaboratively design a prototype of the "newest iPhone" — including a new look, a unique ringtone, and an original app — then present their creation to the class and reflect on how their team made decisions together.
New Planet
Students will first independently choose 10 people from a list of 30 to survive on a new planet, then negotiate with a small group to reach a shared final list and defend their choices in a class-wide discussion.
Lollipop Moments
Students will watch Drew Dudley's TED Talk on everyday leadership, then write a "Lollipop Letter" to someone who positively impacted their life, expressing gratitude for that moment and sharing their letters in small groups.
Friendship Bank
This lesson teaches students that everyday choices either strengthen or weaken their friendships, using a "bank" metaphor where kind acts are deposits and unkind acts are withdrawals. Students physically add or remove peanuts from a bag in response to friendship scenarios to make the concept tangible.
Feelings Check
Participants will determine if engaging in a fitness activity has an effect on how they feel emotionally, and explore how regular exercise can support their mental and physical health as a tool for self-control and emotional regulation.
Fear in a Hat
Students anonymously write a fear or worry on a slip of paper, drop it in a hat, then each draw and read aloud someone else's fear — with classmates raising their hands if they share the feeling — before ceremonially tearing up the slips together.
Family Fun Map
Students fill out a four-column Family Fun Map listing key family members, activities they already do together, new activities they'd like to try, and how those shared experiences could strengthen their relationship — then share one highlight with the group.
Examining Identity and Assimilation
Students read Mitali Perkins's essay "Magic Carpet" about cultural assimilation, then discuss questions about hiding parts of one's identity before writing privately about a time they (or someone they observed) concealed a cultural trait — or composing a story, song, or poem saying goodbye to a part of themselves they sometimes disown.
Equilateral Time
Students complete three rounds of rearranging chairs into a triangle — first with only the two group-chosen leaders allowed to speak, then with leaders blindfolded and everyone's arms linked, then repeating the blindfolded version after five minutes of group strategy planning — and debrief how leadership and collaboration changed across rounds.
Empathy Interviews
Students will interview multiple partners using a feelings-based scenario sheet, recording both their own and their partner's emotional reactions to identify where their feelings match and where they differ.
Apples Debate
Students play a modified version of Apples to Apples where, instead of anonymously laying down cards, each player holds their card and must verbally argue why theirs should win — with the judge selecting the best argument rather than the best match.
Anger Choice
Students will reflect on how they personally experience and handle anger, hear how their peers describe theirs, and explore what healthy responses to anger can look like. The lesson uses movement-based choice activities to make anger something we can talk about openly.
All About Me
Each child creates their own small book titled "All About Me," using drawings and magazine pictures to share who they are, what they love, and what they hope for. The lesson builds literacy, creative thinking, and self-recognition all at once.
Activity Alphabet
Teams race to fill in a free-time activity for every letter of the alphabet, then share their lists with the group, vote on their top 3–5 favorites, and make a plan for when to actually do them.