When you hear “college awareness”, your mind might jump straight to a room full of high schoolers, but planting the seed early has huge benefits! As an elementary or middle school teacher, you can begin to inspire your students to dream big and set goals by showing them what is possible for their futures. Let’s explore 7 exciting ways to teach college awareness in your classroom this year!
Why Teaching College Awareness is Important in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms
Introducing children to the idea of college early on invites them to think about different career options, become curious about the world around them, and sets a foundation for important goal-setting. By starting young, you show your students that dreaming big isn’t just for grown-ups— it’s for them too!
Teaching college awareness to your class also creates equity by encouraging all students to consider their possibilities, no matter their background.
Ways to Teach College Awareness
There are so many fun ways to teach college awareness to your elementary and middle school-aged students!
- Host a College Awareness Week
- Create College-Themed Bulletin Boards
- Use Themed Resources
- Incorporate Kid-friendly Books and Videos
- Have a College T-shirt Day
- Create a Classroom “College Tour”
- Invite Guest Speakers
1. Host a College Awareness Week
I highly recommend dedicating an entire week to all things college awareness! Each day focus on a different aspect of college or career planning. This will help get your kids excited to learn and more likely to remember what you teach them.
Consider a week like this:
- Monday- learning about different careers and what type of college they require
- Tuesday- all about local colleges
- Wednesday- virtual field trip to a well-known college
- Thursday- “I Can Be Anything!” project choosing a college that offers degree options for a child’s desired career
- Friday- students share Thursday’s project out loud with the class to practice listening and communication skills
Incorporate themed resources, books, and videos each day, too, to keep learning fun and meaningful! (*keep reading for some great suggestions!)
2. Create College-Themed Bulletin Boards
Next, deck out your walls (or the halls!) with colorful bulletin boards showcasing different colleges, mascots, and fun facts. Let students add self-portraits of themselves with their dream jobs.
You can also incorporate creative writing by having students write letters to their “future selves”.
3. Use Themed Resources
Incorporate themed resources to keep teaching easy for you and learning engaging for your students!
Introduce your students to 40 different colleges in this College Town: College Exploration Activity.
Your students “tour the town” while learning about different universities, community colleges, and technical and career colleges. Use the digital or printable option to best serve your students!
This college awareness resource includes:
- Information Booklet about the 40 colleges:
- Name of college
- College location
- Basic information about the college
- Type of college (university, community college, technical and career college, or military academy)
- College acceptance rate
- Popular majors
- Fun facts
- Student Booklet for taking notes and reflecting on the colleges
- PowerPoint presentation about the 40 colleges
- 24 college interest task cards
This college awareness resource is a great jumpstart for discussions with students about their life goals and encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The multicultural images included also ensure that all of your students feel represented and valued in your classroom!
4. Kid-Friendly Books and Videos
Books and videos are also great tools for teaching students! They help make big ideas like college awareness easy to understand by showing different aspects of it in action.
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Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
This picture book is about Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space. Her mom encourages her to believe in her goals and work hard towards them because anything is possible!
This is the perfect book to inspire children to dream big and work hard towards their goals.
I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t! by Diane Dillon
The main character in this book is a girl named Zoe. She fights between big dreams and thoughts of doubts that attempt to undermine her confidence. In the end, Zoe silences all her fears as she determines she can be anything she wants to be!
This book is about teaching children to confidently consider the endless career possibilities in the world around them. It also highlights the importance of learning to read in achieving big goals.
I Will Go to College by Yes! Our Kids Can
This video is great for lower elementary students. It encourages them to believe in themselves, work hard, and choose a successful career.
To College or Not to College by CrashCourse
This video discusses what college is and helps students decide whether or not they should go. It’s best suited for upper elementary and middle school classrooms.
How to Choose a School by CrashCourse
This video is another good option for upper elementary and middle schoolers. It encourages students to think about how to best choose the right school for them.
5. College T-Shirt Day
You can also get everyone involved in college awareness fun by encouraging students and other teachers to wear college t-shirts. Spend a few minutes talking about the different colleges represented in your classroom— what they offer, where they are located, and what makes them unique.
6. Classroom “College Tour”
Transform your classroom into its own College Town! Designate spaces of your classroom as different areas of a college:
- Dorm
- Dining hall
- Library
- & more
Let students take a “tour” to experience a mini-version of life on a college campus.
7. Invite Guest Speakers
Finally, invite current college students or alumni to talk to your students. Hearing about real experiences firsthand can make college feel more exciting and accessible for everyone.
Teaching college awareness in the classroom isn’t about pressuring students— it’s about inspiring them! You’re helping them realize the possibilities around them, sparking curiosity, and showing them that they have the ability to explore the world around them. By weaving these fun ideas into your classroom, you’re setting your students up for bright, successful futures!
You might also be interested in reading:
Teaching Career Exploration in the Classroom
Ways to Teach Citizenship in the Classroom
Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Classroom
You might also be interested in these products:
College Town - College & Career Awareness
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