Show middle school students how to create jewelry they will be proud to wear. Make beads out of paper to create a necklace. Cut decorative paper (wrapping paper or magazine scraps work well) into elongated triangles. Roll a triangle, from the fat to the thin side. This creates a paper bead. Add a dab of glue to prevent the bead from unraveling and paint the bead with clear nail polish to add luster. String the beads to create a necklace.
Use inkjet printable shrink plastic paper (available at craft stores) to create jewelry. Print a photo from a computer onto the special paper. Punch a hole in the top and bake in a conventional oven, per instructions in the paper package. Add jewelry hardware, such as earring castings or loops to create a pendant.
Help a middle school student get ready for school work with some crafts for her desk. Create a handy pencil holder out of spice tin. Remove the plastic top of an empty, clean spice tin. Attach a magnet to the side to serve as a place to keep paper clips handy. Fill the can with pens and pencils for the teen's desk.
A middle school student can create a locker mirror craft to use in a locker. Buy a lightweight locker mirror at a dollar or craft store. Use craft foam to create a frame and to add embellishments. Also use beads and stickers to embellish.
Create room decor crafts appropriate for a middle school student. Make a curtain out of old CDs. Lay out the CDs in a curtain pattern. Make a dot on four sides of the CD. Drill a hole (an adult with eye protection) at the marks. Use jump rings to connect the CDs and hang the curtain from a tension rod.
Make a bulletin board out of cork. Cut a piece of cork board and frame it. Decorate around the frame with foam or wood shapes. Creating a throw pillow out of a favorite old T-shirt by sewing the neck and arm holes, stuffing it and sewing the bottom closed.
Middle school students can create a variety of other fun crafts. A middle school student can create a scrapbook to keep or give as a gift. Gather photos, ticket stubs and other memorabilia for a scrapbook.
Student may also enjoy T-shirt painting. Use a plain white or light colored T-shirt to create the craft. Dip sponge shapes into fabric paint to create a design. Embellish with buttons or fabric scraps. Or use fabric spray paint to create a design.