Documentaries for Middle Schoolers

Any parent knows that not all the digital content our young students consume is educational - or even beneficial!  Sometimes your middle schooler might be stuck scrolling through commercials and strange reality tv clips before they (or you) find something worthwhile. In such cases, why not replace meaningless content with something educational, fulfilling, and interesting: a documentary!

Here are 10 great documentaries for your middle school student: 

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**1) *The History of the Internet  ***  –  Has your child spent a day without the internet, and wondered how their parents and grandparents used to do it back in the day? Explore this documentary ranging from the development of the computer in the 1950s to how internet serves us during the COVID-19 era. 

**2) *The   Life   of   a   Young   Entrepreneur  ***   –  An   excellent   video   to   inspire business-oriented middle schoolers, this documentary asks students to take their passion to the next level. Additionally, if your child enjoys this doc and continues to show interest in entrepreneurship, why not support them further with the Crimson Rise Entrepreneurship module? It is sure to help them put what they’ve seen in this documentary into action! 

**3) *Lucid Dreaming  ***  – In June 2022, Crimson Rise hosted a community event on the importance of dreams. If your middle schooler is curious to discover dreams   further,   we   strongly   suggest   they   do   some   research   on   Lucid dreaming, which is a dream in which you know you’re dreaming and have control of it. Pretty cool, right? 

**4) *Empire of the Ants ***   – A great watch for biology-oriented middle schoolers with a   passion   for   life   science,  this documentary follows Sir   David   Attenborough  as he explores the   Swiss Jura mountains and a giant colony of ants that reside there.

5) The Lord of the Rings: Beyond the Movie – One of the greatest film series ever created, based on JRR Tolkien’s classical fantasy epic, The Lord of the Rings, now unveils the facts behind the fiction. Discover how director Peter Jackson and his crew made one of the greatest movies of all time. 

6) Mt. Everest: How It Was Made  – Created by the experts at the Discovery channel, this documentary is a great geology lesson on how the tallest mountain on Earth, Mt. Everest, was created. Given the challenges middle schoolers face with geology and geography as school subjects, this is a wonderful way to get them engaged.

**7) *Us   Now ***  –  What   direction   is   humanity   evolving   in,   and   how   can   our technological   renaissance   be   used   to   the   maximum?   This   documentary explores   where   humanity   currently   stands,   and   how   technology   can   be leveraged to aid in modern learning as much as possible. 

8) The Deepest Place on Earth  – While students may have heard of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, at school, this documentary takes things to the next level. Featuring scientists as well as some   original,   old-school   (black   and   white)   footage,   this   educational documentary can be a change of pace for your middle school student.

**9) *How Smart Can We Get *** –  This   BBC   special   about   the   human   brain examines a variety of people who excel in disciplines such as music, memory, and more. What is the human potential for intelligence, and how can we reach it?

10) Hackers, Outlaws, and Angels  – While technology has catapulted humanity   into   further   advancement,   there   are   also downsides.   This documentary explores the darker side of hackers and what they do, but in an age-appropriate way. Encourage your middle schooler to exercise caution when they are online by watching and discussing this documentary with them. 

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And there you go! The next time your child is at a loss of what to stream via Netflix or says there is nothing interesting on TikTok, try suggesting one of these ten documentaries. Even better, make it a family bonding event by preparing a family   snack,   such   as   popcorn,   and   then   discuss   the   content   together afterwards. You might be surprised at your middle-schooler’s insight on the topic!

Your friendly neighbourhood Rise blogger, 

Gala

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