Ask all of your students to write a letter to themselves to open at the end of middle or junior high school. They can write whatever they want, but encourage them to talk about their friends, taste in music, current events and their hopes for the future. Seal the letters and keep them until they graduate, or instruct students to do the same. The letters will help them see that they got past one big change and they can get past many more.
Have our class decide on a gift that they can give the school before they depart. Consider a piece of art, a statue or a piece of equipment. Then, they can plan fundraising activities to raise money for the gift. The project will teach lessons about budgeting and planning while promoting togetherness. After sixth grade ends, they can come back to school and look at their gift with pride.
To give your students an idea of what to expect when they move on, set up a tour of their new school. They can meet some students and teachers and look at the gym, classrooms and facilities like the band room and the wood shop. The tour will give your kids something to look forward to and help eliminate the fear of the unknown.
At the end of sixth grade, give students a pack of goodies that will help them in the next year. You might include a magnetic picture frame to decorate their locker or a book list so they can get ahead on the reading. Talk to the middle school teachers in your district to get ideas for items that will help your kids get ahead. The pack will be something for them to look through during the summer, and may help them get excited about the things to come.