1. Deadpan humor: Respond to the joke with a completely serious and unemotional response. For example, if someone tells you a joke about a banana slipping on a peel, you could say, "That's so sad. I hope the banana is okay."
2. Self-deprecating humor: Make a joke about yourself in response to the middle school joke. For example, if someone tells you a joke about a student getting a bad grade on a test, you could say, "That sounds like something I would do."
3. Pun: Respond to the joke with a pun or wordplay. For example, if someone tells you a joke about a cat getting stuck in a tree, you could say, "I guess the cat was feeling a little ruff."
4. Exaggeration: Take the joke to an extreme and over-the-top level. For example, if someone tells you a joke about a teacher being late to class, you could say, "The teacher was so late, the students started growing beards."
5. Non-sequitur: Respond to the joke with something completely unrelated. For example, if someone tells you a joke about a dog chasing a ball, you could say, "I had a dream about eating ice cream last night."
The key to joking back to a middle school joke is to have fun and be creative. Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of humor and see what works for you.