Grades 6-8

Middle School Program

Open Parachute's middle school program prepares students for managing change and transition so they can thrive academically and socially.

Try it free

Open Parachute lessons teach
middle school students to
consider their thoughts and actions,
which equips them to make
healthy choices and
apply themselves academically.

Program Outcomes

An independent pre/post study found that Open Parachute significantly improved outcomes.

Increased ability to focus on academic tasks
Increased resilience in times of change
Increased self-esteem
Increased communication skills

View our Evidence Base

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Classroom-Based Mental Health Literacy Program - Research Poster

See how Moody Middle School Builds Stronger Connections

Hear from teachers, counselors, and students about how Open Parachute helped create a safer space for students to open up, connect with their peers, and realize they’re not alone.

Lesson Themes

Lessons cover a variety of topic areas, including:

Self-Esteem

Friendship

Leadership

Seeking Support

Stress

Managing Change

View our Lesson Roadmaps to see recommended starting points and lesson paths

Program Overview by Theme - Grade level themes overview document

Middle school students engaging in transitions program activities

Purposeful Middle Years Focused Content

Our Transitions program for grades 5 to 9 focuses on building skills that help students thrive during times of change. We boost self-esteem, self-awareness, and empowerment to prepare students for their educational journey. This program comes in addition to our library of dedicated middle-years-focused lessons.

Flexible plans for diverse educators

Hands-on experiential learning

Exercises for inside and outside the classroom

Engaging activities to build community

Download Overview

Explore different Lesson Types:

Each lesson type is designed for a different purpose. Find the best fit for your class!

Brain Breaks

5-15 min lessons to embed well-being into classroom routines.

Skill-Builders

5-20 min lessons that help students practice targeted mental health skills.

Positive Pathways

20-30 min lessons that teach practical well-being skills to maximize students' ability to focus and excel at school.

Student Voice

20-30 min lessons featuring videos of real peer-aged youth with lived experience, guiding students to learn universal mental health skills for overcoming challenges.

Grab-and-go lessons for all classroom needs

Grade-level specific content

Content is tailored to each developmental stage, so lessons feel relevant, age-appropriate and easy to deliver.

Pre-prepared lessons

Use lessons individually when a specific need arises, or follow a sequence to build skills progressively over time.

Varied lesson types

Different lesson formats give educators flexibility to respond to learning needs, classroom dynamics and student readiness.

Translatable content

Lesson content can be translated to support multilingual learners and help make key concepts more accessible to every student.

Middle school grade-level specific lesson content

Weave Mental Health Skills into every classroom

Trauma-informed, evidence-based content

Built by educators and clinical psychologists

Accessible for all educators with limited preparation

For Youth, by Youth

Our core lessons feature videos of real peers with lived experience to guide your students through authentic narratives of growth and change. These peer stories help students grasp concepts quicker and practice skills faster, giving them more brain power for their academics.