The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist for Middle Schoolers

If you’re anything like me, one of your family’s favorite parts of prepping for a new school year is shopping for school supplies. From neon Sharpies to accordion files to transparent sticky notes (yes, those exist), there are so many back-to-school supply options. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re pacing through Target aisles or comparing four different brands of mechanical pencils in your Amazon cart.

Sometimes, the more supplies a student picks out, the more paralyzed they feel when it comes to establishing a study routine or getting organized. Please, take it from someone who still has leftover supplies from pre-school-year splurges at OfficeMax: oftentimes, less is more. I certainly don’t mean that middle schoolers shouldn’t experience the wonderful world of pastel folders and scented highlighters, but maybe they don’t need a pencil pouch the size of their forearm.

I’m here to walk your family through the middle school back-to-school supply list essentials of what you truly need. From physical items you may need to go buy to intangible, priceless conversations to have at the dinner table, actively preparing for the school year is one of the best ways to set a student up for yearlong success.

Reflect on Last Year and Set Goals for This Year

Before buying anything, I recommend reviewing the previous school year in a few different categories:

• How was the year socially?
• What worked well academically?
• Where is a change needed in study habits?
• What afternoon activities or intramurals fit well with your student’s interests and study schedule?
• What learning methods did your student find helpful?
• What subjects are they looking forward to in the fall?
• What went well during the last school year?
• What didn’t go so well?

Intentionally asking these questions and focusing on the answers can help create physical supply lists that are targeted toward the unique needs of each middle schooler.

As an added bonus, conversations about academic successes and disappointments give parents an opportune chance to remind their students about the importance of a growth mindset, especially as they head into a fresh school year and a new report card.

Collect Helpful Study Materials

At the top of my middle school back-to-school list is collecting supplies geared toward a student’s preferred study method, ideally one that worked well during the previous school year or one they’d like to try.

Depending on how they study, students might need:

• Notebook paper
• Blank copy paper
• Flashcards
• A flashcard box
• Dry-erase markers
• A dry-erase board
• Sticky notes
• Highlighters

It’s important for students to take advantage of the learning methods that work best for them and choose materials that support those strategies.

Helpfully, We Are Teachers lays out a few study methods for different types of learners:

Visual: Diagrams; charts; graphs; maps; videos with or without sound; photos and other images; graphic organizers; and sketchnotes.

Auditory: Lectures; audiobooks; videos with sound; music and songs; text-to-speech tools; discussion and debate; and teaching others.

Read/Write: Reading textbooks, articles, and handouts; watching videos with subtitles turned on; using speech-to-text tools and transcripts; making lists; and writing answers to questions.

Kinesthetic: Hands-on practice; educational craft projects; experiments and demonstrations; trial and error; and moving or playing games while learning.

Of course, these strategies will vary by subject and situation, but middle school students should consistently pay attention to which study methods help them learn most effectively.

One helpful strategy many middle schoolers may already know is the memory retrieval method. It is quick, easy to apply, and useful across a variety of subjects.

Unless a middle schooler has an exceptional memory, it’s rare that merely staring at notes, an article, or a textbook will help them truly memorize material. The retrieval approach is a way to study smarter. When students first try to recall material without looking at their notes or answers, they strengthen the same critical-thinking skills they will need when taking a test.

Buy a Planner!

To check this preparatory task off the list, find a planner where your student can write down homework and other assignments. This could be a school-issued planner, a store-bought homework organizer, a daily calendar, a digital platform, or even a notebook.

Having one, and actually using it, can tremendously help with time management.

Encourage your student to keep their homework in one accessible place and to write down their assignments every day. Even if there is no homework due for math or science, that can still be noted.

To further reinforce the habit, students should write or type their assignments into their chosen planner even if homework is regularly posted on a teacher’s website or learning platform. Having everything in one place can make it much easier to see what is coming up.

Select Supplies for Organizing

To keep track of homework and other important papers, pick one place to file them.

One example of a simple management system is having a folder with a designated “To Do” side and a “Done/Turn In” side. Students don’t necessarily need to take home three binders stuffed with papers that may or may not be their homework sheets.

That doesn’t mean having multiple organizational tools isn’t helpful at times. When organizing miscellaneous papers, students may benefit from notebook dividers, binders, folders, or sticky notes.

Whether they separate papers by assignment type, such as class notes, project instructions, graded and returned work, or in-class assignments, by unit, such as Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3, or by smaller subject categories like grammar, vocabulary, and writing, students should have a system that allows them to quickly find their materials both at school and at home.

Organizing is a time when color-coding really shines, so middle schoolers should be sure to have some bright colors ready! There are plenty of ways to cleverly color-code information to draw attention to important details, whether it’s a definition in a textbook or a section of important papers within a binder.

And remember, organizing can also be done effectively digitally. Students can sort notes and documents into folders and files while using digital sticky notes, labels, and vibrant annotations.

Adjust Back Into “School Mode”

Getting ready for the new school year also means readjusting to a school-night-friendly routine.

To check this item off their middle school back-to-school supply list essentials, students can begin transitioning from late nights to earlier bedtimes, waking up earlier, and eating lunch or snacks around the same times they will during the school year.

Our bodies have a natural clock, but they’re not machines! They need time to adjust to a different daily schedule after being in “summer mode.”

Another routine-building strategy is designating a specific area where your student can place all of their school and study items, from their water bottle and homework to P.E. clothes and snacks.

ChatGPT called this the “Launch Pad,” which I love.

Having a specific table, counter, or bench where school materials live can definitely decrease the frequency of hectic mornings and desperate searches for an extra red pen to self-check homework.

Along with this, it’s wise to encourage your student to clean out their backpack once a week. This can become designated time for switching out supplies, sharpening pencils, and getting rid of the mysterious collection of crumpled papers that somehow accumulates at the bottom of every backpack.

Begin Navigating Digital Resources, Websites, and Other Platforms

The final item on my middle school back-to-school list is to walk through any new websites or digital platforms with your student.

It can be stressful for students and parents to deal with new assignments and content while simultaneously navigating unfamiliar technology.

The weeks leading up to the start of school are also a great time to experiment with different technology platforms and tools for learning. If your student’s school has one, check in with a learning coordinator or advisor to see whether they recommend any online resources.

For more ideas, check out our recommendations for subject-specific apps that can provide extra support.

As a bonus checklist item, get ready for the school year by experimenting with AI as a study tool or reference.

Depending on your school’s policies regarding AI, students may even be using AI in the classroom as a learning tool. At home, platforms such as ChatGPT and Claude can be useful study tools, helping students generate practice questions, review concepts, and better understand different topics.

Students should take advantage of AI while still following their school’s technology policies and code of conduct.

Start the School Year Prepared

Proactively preparing for the school year can sometimes seem unnecessary or over-the-top, but using this time wisely can give middle schoolers a strong start to the year.

Ultimately, by taking the time to reflect on the past school year and plan for the upcoming one, students can head into the classroom feeling more organized, energized, and ready to learn.

And yes, they can still buy the scented highlighters.