state research project middle school

State Projects

This collection is full of state project ideas. From state reports, posters, brochures, cans, boxes, etc. you'll find a lot of creative ideas to help your students learn about the 50 states.

Using an overhead projector and an outline of their state, each student traces their state on cardboard and cuts it out. Then we make a huge bucket of salt dough and they cover their states while sculpting in rivers, mountains, etc. Once dry, they paint them, green= land, brown= mountains, blue= rivers. Then we label the state capital and other landmarks with jujubeas. After all the research and labeling is complete we all go outside on the playground and make one big huge United States puzzle.This is a great learning experience last year we had parents show up with cameras.

Students pick a state; we usually work in pairs since it is a lot of work. They need to research their state (we make up a research grid with categories of landforms, products grown and manufactured, famous people, history, trivia, etc. to organize their facts.) Then they need to create a cereal box for their state. They name the cereal based on information they learned. The front shows has the name of the cereal and a backdrop that depicts something about their state. The back of the box can be games trivia contests, etc. about their state. One side has the ingredients which are the products grown and manufactured. The other side panel has has to state facts about the history of the state (time-line, etc.). The cereal box is a real cereal box that is covered with white paper. We trace the box on butcher paper and let the children draw, write and color with it flat. Then we glue the paper to the cereal box and wrap it like a present. It gives the students an opportunity to really show their creativity.

Gather enough coffee cans or the large baby formula cans for each student. Assign each a state to research. Outside of can: Cover with a piece of construction paper. In fancy letters put the name of the state. Put symbols of the state. State seal, State song, State animal, etc. Inside the can: A cube with a picture of products grown in the state. A poem about the state, can be an acostic, or limerick. A journal of a 14 day vacation that their family takes to attractions in their state. We create a small booklet for this that fits in the can. A map of their state colored with capital, major cities, and rivers labeled. On the top of the can: Make two slits in the lid. The students take a long strip of white paper and divide it into 10 squares. In the first strip put the name of the state. In the 9 remaining squares draw pictures of attractions in their state. Put it through the slits and tape the two ends together. This will then roll like a film strip.

I've done state brochures with fifth grade. I sent away for a bunch of state tourism brochures and we went through them looking at the kinds of things that states highlight (state parks, mountain ranges, ocean beaches, cities, etc.) They did research during their computer periods. Each team decided what they wanted to include - the brochure on Pennsylvania was the best - they decided to focus on the kinds of things that families would enjoy doing in PA so they included Hershey Park and the Crayola Factory - it was adorable. I made in a cooperative group project and they did it on the computer. It really was a wonderful project.

Social Studies State Reports *You must include all of the following information. Please check it off after you have completed each one. Turn this in with your brochure. Population _____ Climate_____ Land type (physical features)_____ Capital _____ State tree_____ state flower_____ state bird_____ state nickname_____ current governor_____ when state entered the union_____ famous people_____ major bodies of water_____ natural resources_____ major cities_____ Picture of the state flag_____ Places of interest_____ Basic state map in color_____ *I have at least one sentence per section_____ *I have checked for spelling, capitals, and punctuation_____ *My work is in cursive and neat _____ *I have listed all my resources I used on the back of the brochure _____ *I have a decorated cover which includes the name of my state, it’s nickname, a color picture, and my name_____ *Each section is worth 5 pts. *Your score is ______ 100

My 4th graders made posters of our state (CA), with all the different symbols: State Seal, flag, bird, flower, tree, etc., and facts: motto, song, nickname, statehood, etc. This information can be found in encyclopedias, the internet, and our SS textbook. I found the state song on the internet, printed it out, and did some LA activities. I also played the song (available on internet!), and the kids loved singing it daily while we worked on the posters. Of course, a map of the US was on the poster, with cutout of CA glued in correct place, and down to county and city. These took about a week to create, but the kids were very engaged everyday. They then presented their posters, and the audience would try to "stump" the presenters with questions (eg:"What is the State Bird?"). I think the highlight of this activity was the discovery of the State Seal on various documents. I brought in my birth certificate and driver's license; students worked in groups to use magnifying glasses to "inspect" the Seal. Some students brought me things from home that they found with the Seal! The Seal for our state is very detailed with historical figures and symbols....perfect for the backdrop needed when we actually "studied" our State.

Here are some ideas for a state project I used when I student taught 4th grade. We made an Indiana scrapbook. We used construction paper 8 1/2 x 11 --bound together (with the library's binder)--gray (no one in the school ever uses this color so it was easy to find! The covers were blue construction paper---the kids cut out the state bird, flower, tree, and flag (all black and white xeroxed)--we then arranged these on the shape of Indiana and cut off any extra overhang--then pasted these on the blue paper. We laminated the front and the back cover before we assembled the book! Next we filled it will all kinds of info about indiana. Pictures and text--labels--even a real leaf from our state tree (we have one on school grounds)--the kids loved it! And I created quizzes and tests based on the information found in the scrapbook. One caution--I did not let my kids take these books home (those binding combs are not meant to be tossed about!)--when it was time to get ready for a quiz--I created a study guide they worked on for a week during library down time. They simply took home the study guide to study for the quiz or test.

I teach 2nd, but I had an idea that I thought would work wonderfully when teaching the states (we do states and capitals in 3rd grade)... It is called a "State Fair"...each student is assigned a state (as a class you could do your home state during whole group instruction). They would research their state, write a paragraph or report about their chosen state, have some sort of artistic component (draw/paint map, symbol, etc), create graphs maybe comparing the population, crops, or industries of your state to the assigned state, and so on.... As a culminating activity you could have a classroom or grade level "State Fair". (If you could get your grade level peers on board you could have the whole country represented!) The students would set up and present their projects either in a gallery format or a "science fair" format. In 2nd we study continents and do a similar activity with "Christmas Around the World". The students and families love it. I learn something new every year. :)

I had my class work in pairs or on their own to construct a game about our state. I gave them a rubric when I explained the lesson that outlined what they were expected to include (ex: game pieces, strategy, at least 15 cities mentioned, at least 15 facts about the state, etc.). An old clothes box makes a great box for the game! It worked out great and they had fun working on them. I was really impressed with some of the ideas they came up with. On the day they were due, each pair had to present their game to the class. Then we had a "game day" and I let them play their games for part of the afternoon. We also kept them in the room for extra things to do during indoor recess. I plan to use the same idea in the spring and they each will get to pick a different state when we focus on the entire U.S.

I actually had my kids do two projects for social studies. I teach in South Carolina, by the way. The first involved my bringing in brochures which I obtained from a SC welcome center. The kids were to create their own SC travel brochures which described the reasons why a person should visit--golf, viewing the swamps, etc. You could do this with your state. The second project was "Adopt a State." I let them choose a state, whichever one they wanted. They then did research and did the following required items: 1) drawing of the state flag; 2) description of the climate; 3) location of the state; 3)state tree, etc. They enjoyed this research project a lot. I took them to the school's library one day to get them started. Some worked on the library's computers (Internet and on-line encyclopedia, etc.) while others worked in the hardcover encyclopedias. They did a wonderful job. It made it easy for them to do the research, because I gave them a template of the requirements. I also created my own finished product, which helped them visualize what they needed to do.

Our fourth graders do our state. We make an ABC book. Each student colors the state flag, and copy of the state song, which each students copies and types on the computer.....And each student is assigned a letter and writes about something that letter stands for connected to our state. Be sure your poorest students get something simple like the state bird, flower and etc. Be sure all the state facts get included. U = when the state was admitted to the union and anything special about the date. picture of the state capitol and where it is located, write about special person who was born in our state. We put all the pages together and make a class book. We make copies one for each student. -----if you have pages left over that's ok have the first students to finish their page do another page. They love that. We are in a post card exchange and put up the United States map and put the post cards around the edge and a string going to the state they come from. Students with friends and family out of state ask them to send us a postcard. If a student goes out of state they bring back a post card for our class. So some states have more than one post card.

I just got done with state projects. I had the kids research a state (they drew names out of a hat), write a report on their state, I got outlines of the states and had them do a mural with things that represent the state they choose, and finally they had to produce a float based on the things they found out about their state. This was a big project, but I spread it out over 4 weeks--we studied 1 region of US each week with a quiz. The floats were amazing!!! In fact I got the idea from this site. The culmination was a display of the floats for the whole school, a display of the US 50 mural and a final US 50 Exam.

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State Report Research Project Made Easy!

Are you getting ready to do research on one of the fifty U.S. states? This 19 page unit comes with all the templates students need to complete a research project on one of the fifty states. Students can record information they gather, glue images, photos and draw maps on these templates to create an informational state report.

Research organization templates are included to help students create a research plan and keep track of their resources.

Over 1,000 copies sold! Grab your copy today!

State Report Research Project

Nancy Alvarez

Nancy Alvarez is a principal in Texas. She is a speaker, national presenter, and early childhood curriculum creator.

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State Research Projects

A state research project is the perfect summative activity for any U.S. Region, Geography class, expository text, or general research unit of study. Students will love learning about state landmarks, mottos, geography, history, and so much more!

Student Activities for State Projects

Essential Questions for State Projects

• What are some significant events in the history of my state?
• What are some facts and features that make my state unique?
• What are some interesting places within my state that people would want to visit?

State Projects

As Americans, it is important for adults and children alike to know about where we live. We are made up of 50 states, all with a unique history, geography, culture, and way of life. Learning about these states helps us connect with our country, and understand that even though we are all united, we are still very unique and special.

Research is an important skill for children to learn at a young age; it exposes students to expository text, gives them practice determining important information, and enhances note taking and presentation skills.

Students will create a historical timeline, a postcard, a spider map, and a vocabulary storyboard. Creating these visuals gives the students the opportunity to show their creativity and their unique view of the state that they have researched. In addition, the combined use of words and illustrations allows students with different learning styles to show what they know in an exciting and eye catching way.

How to Plan a State Research Project

Define your research objectives.

Think about what you are hoping to learn about your state. This will help guide your research. Write a list of topics that you will research such as geography, population, landmarks, etc.

Select a State

When choosing a state to research, be sure that it is one that you are interested in! The more excited you are to learn about the state, the better the outcome will be.

Conduct Research

Using your objectives as a guide, conduct your research using books and websites. Be sure to use your own words when taking notes.

Create and Present!

How will you present your project? A storyboard is always a great way to wow your audience! You could also make a poster, a slideshow, or even a video!

Frequently Asked Questions about State Research Projects

How do i choose a state to research.

When choosing a state, be sure it is one that you are interested in learning all about! It is important that you want to spend time learning about the state, so that you produce your best work.

What are some topics that I should research about my state?

Some popular topics to research about a state are: geography, population, climate, popular places to visit, fun facts, state motto, state capital, large cities, and even famous people from that state.

What resources should I use to conduct my research?

There are lots of kid-friendly websites for state research. You could also use books in your class library such as social studies text books.

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Free State Report Templates for U.S. Geography

Published: August 9, 2021

Contributor: Jeannette Tuionetoa

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Learning about the United States is something we should put as a priority in our geography lessons. These free resources and free State Report Templates for US Geography will help your students learn all about the states that make up our nation.

State Report Templates

Many students complete a state report in elementary. It can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Using state report templates can prove to be a helpful solution when it’s time for your kids to write a report on a state in the United States.

State Reports for Elementary Students

Wondering how to begin state reports for 5th graders or any elementary grade?

You have to provide your kids with the means to do research. This may mean that your strictly text/books homeschool may need to either find a state book in your local library, search for ebooks, or convert your homeschools into virtual schools for a bit with access to the internet.

Start with your child researching their very own state. Supply your students with grade-level appropriate report examples, a sample template or two, and let them explore.

What should be included in a state report?

Learning about states is so very important. I only realized that when I moved to another country and found that my kids knew little about the United States – not even the state we came from. It was sad and totally on me to rectify that issue.

It is simple for kids to gather information on a state. The information doesn’t have to be vast, but a few essentials can really help them understand a state and its basics.

Here are a few facts for a useful state report:

• State capital
• Geography and natural features
• Official State flower
• Official State song
• History on how it got its shape
• Three interesting facts they can find

The report can be in a simple template, a written report, a lapbook, slide presentations for older students, or any other project idea you can think of.

Either way, kids can retain useful information they can take with them always. Grab some free resources to help below to get started on your state study.

Free State Report Templates Download

Our free State Report Templates pack includes 8 different geography templates that can be used in writing a report on a state. Each is focused on geography, and the 8 templates range from simple templates for younger elementary students to more in-depth templates for middle school students.

You can find this free State Report Templates pack available for download at the end of this post. 

Free State Report Templates

Use the free printables below to put together an amazing state report. There are lots of different  options that you can include in your report for the state you choose.

State Report Lapbooks

State Report State Lapbook –  This state report template is geared towards 3rd and 4th graders and includes material for students to use while doing their research. Help your students conduct research on any state with this detailed state report lapbook.

DIY Lapbook for States and More – Whether your student is studying the 50 states of America or is doing a book report, this resource is perfect for them. Grab a free template so your kids can learn how to make a lapbook of their very own with a free lapbook template.

US States Report Lapbook – Your kids will get excited about social studies, geography, and history with this free state report lapbook. It is a fun and interactive way for kids to enjoy learning about their country. This is geared towards elementary-aged kids. I used it with my son in our 5th grade homeschooling last year.

50 States Lapbook Resources and Printables – These free resources, printables and lapbooks to study the 50 states will help kids also remember the states well. These resources are super fun and help you to even assign simple monthly reports on the states of our nation.

State Report Printables

State History Timeline and Cheat Sheets – With this resource, your students can create a timeline of when each state became a state. This information is a cool informative aspect to add in their state report.

State Report Template for Notebooks

State Template for Notebooking – Grab this blank state template notebooking page to allow a student’s research to be as simple or as detailed as they want it to be. There are also blank spaces so kids can draw the flag and map of the state.

State History Report

State History Research Project – This free state history project helps kids research a state’s history. Grab this 9-page download to help your students begin an independent study on the states of our nation.

State Research Printables

State Research Graphic Organizers – The main idea of this free resource is for kids to conduct a short research project on any of the 50 states of our nation. Students will need internet access to conduct their research about the state’s capital, its governor, state bird, three largest cities, three interesting facts, and more.

State Report PDF

5th Grade State Report Printable – This one-page free printable download is chock full of excellent state information any child will enjoy filling out. From coloring to researching information like state trees and what the license plate looks like, this is an excellent simple activity.

Free Printables to Add to a State Report

Free Worksheets and Fact Cards on State Flags – Help your kids understand why each state’s flag design was chosen. Also, learn a ton of history and symbolism behind each flag with our free state study resource .

State Flash Cards

US States Flash Cards – You can add these flashcards to your report or help your kids use them to gather information for a state report. Don’t forget to ask your students to follow the step by step instructions and color the flashcards.

50 States PDFs for State Reports

50 States Worksheets – These worksheets for all 50 states will help your kids with any state report. They will learn key facts, unique features of each of the states. This is perfect for elementary kids and can be more complete for high schoolers as well.

States and Capitals

Free States and Capitals Study Sheets – Use this memorization pack for quizzes and review when studying the states and capitals.

States and Capitals Cursive Copywork – Help your students learn the states and capitals while working on handwriting skills using our free cursive copywork sheets.

State Facts for Reports

LEGO US States Facts Printable Challenge for Kids – This LEGO challenge is perfect for elementary kids learning about the United States. This is a super fun way for your kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students to learn about the states.

State Maps for a State Report

USA Worksheets and Maps for a State Report – This activity pack is an easy download to make any state report the best it can be. Your students can build on their knowledge of state names, their capitals, abbreviations, locations, and regions. This resource will help your students also test and retain the geography information learned in the US.

Songs & Videos to Learn the States & Capitals

Kids learn so quickly when material is put to song, and we all know that watching a video can be more entertaining for visual learners. Check out this big resource list of songs for the fifty states .

50 States Cheat Sheets

Lastly, don’t forget to grab our free 50 States Cheat Sheets from our subscriber library. In it you’ll find an alphabetical listing of each state, capitals, regions, time zones, and state abbreviations.

Remember to point out the information on states and major cities every time you travel or on virtual field trips. This information can be useful throughout their lifetime. Check out this resource on how to write a state report as you teach your kids what to do.

This free State Report Template Pack contains different geography templates that you can use in your next state report. There are 8 different templates to choose from; some are suitable for elementary students, whereas others will be better for middle school children.

State Report Templates PDF Download

Scroll down to download the State Report Templates PDF.

Instant Download: Free State Report Templates

Final summary.

• Do you want your kids to do a report on one of the states? Use our state report template and make it a breeze!
• Download free printable state flags for each of the 50 states.
• Have you ever considered using a song to learn the states ?
• Don’t forget about learning the state capitals. It’s easy when you use a free capitals worksheet .
• Explore U.S. landmarks for kids with free resources.
• These 50 states cheat sheets are great for memorizing and review.
• Teach the states and capitals in cursive with these handwriting worksheets.
• Print off the states and capitals study sheet for test-taking practice.
• Don’t forget map work! Print off a map of USA coloring pages to practice learning the locations of the states.

Jeannette Tuionetoa

Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!

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Topics & Activities include:

• identify the country’s location on a world map and continent map
• complete a compass rose
• create a map key
• label a country map according to the map key

Quick Facts

• record the country’s population, area, climate, products, and currency
• color the country’s flag 
• describe the meaning of its color(s) and symbol(s)
• learn common words and phrases in the country’s official language
• create a menu for a day 
• design traditional clothing (paper, fabric) for paper dolls 
• identify popular sports and activities
• classify by animal group and display in a pocket chart

Influential People

• sketch a portrait and write a description of the individual’s contributions 

Holidays & Celebrations

• create Save the Date cards using 4Ws (what, when, where, why) and 1 H (how) 

🌎   A country research project is a fun learning experience for the whole class, cooperative groups, or independent investigations. 

🌍   Perfect for a multicultural night or fair.

🔆  Minimal Prep & Maximum Engagement

Related Post: Helpful Resources for Country Research Projects

Encourage further exploration with additional country research projects.

Kids will love learning about our diverse world and filling their passports!

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10 Research Opportunities for Middle School Students

If you're aiming to lay a strong foundation for your academic journey, starting early can make all the difference. Engaging in research-based programs during these formative years can ignite a passion for learning, shape future interests, and set the stage for success in high school and beyond. 

That's why we've curated a list of ten research opportunities for middle school students which offer a chance to delve into diverse fields of study, from science and technology to mathematics and beyond.  Many of them provide financial aid and scholarships as well.

1.  Lumiere Junior Explorer Program

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about . Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT,  Stanford, Yale, Duke and LSE . 

During this program, spanning weeks 1 to 4, participants will delve into four distinct topics within their selected track. In weeks 5 to 6, the focus intensifies as participants embark on a deep dive into one specific topic area and finally, weeks 7 to 8 are dedicated to project implementation, with participants receiving guidance and support from their mentors as they bring their projects to life.

You can find the application form  here. 

Location: Fully Virtual

Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year

Cost: $1990

Age requirements: Grade 6 - 8

Deadline: Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application   link !  If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines for 2024, you can refer to   this   page!

2. Junior Scientist Training Program at Scripps Research

Throughout the process of designing and executing a research project, students will acquire invaluable practical skills. They will have the opportunity to participate in laboratory tours and engage in various STEM activities . By the end of the week, students will showcase their findings to their peers through presentations.  Additionally, participants will receive a certificate of completion from Scripps Research, recognizing their successful participation in the program.

To begin the application process for the Junior Scientist Training Program for your middle school child or children, the first step is to create a login using your personal information. After completing the login process, you'll have the opportunity to register your child and any additional middle school children through the provided link .

Location : La Jolla, California

Dates : TBD

Cost : $300

Age requirements : Rising 6-8th graders

Deadline : Rolling, registration ends on May 13th. 

3. Summer Teen Research Program  

The Lawrence program at UC Berkeley is a unique research opportunity for middle school students to explore the wonders of science firsthand! 

This one-week research program offers immersive experiences, hands-on experiments, and exciting campus tours designed to spark curiosity and ignite a passion for STEM . With engaging lab sessions, interactions with faculty and students, and exposure to diverse STEM career paths, The Lawrence program provides a dynamic learning environment where students can thrive and grow. 

There are four programs available for middle school students. All these programs have a research component in them. 

Body Systems and Biomedical Innovations

Coding and Engineering Nano-Satellites

Solar Energy and Electrical Engineering

Designing and Engineering Bridges

Note: Optional Residential Add-on can only be purchased in conjunction with a daytime Teen Research Program offered during the same week. Additionally financial aid is available for this program. 

Find the registration link  here. 

Location : UC Berkeley Campus

Dates : Sunday, June 23, at 4:00 p.m. and ends Friday, June 28, at 5:00 p.m.

Age requirements : Rising 7th-9th graders

Deadline : May 15th, 2024. 

4. Sounds of New York City (SONYC)

The SONYC program is an innovative platform designed to ignite and enrich students' passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through a dynamic curriculum crafted to delve deep into the realms of engineering, physical and computer sciences, as well as natural phenomena such as waves and sound, SONYC fosters a profound understanding and appreciation for these disciplines.

This program is about active engagement and exploration where students delve into the research work of intricate workings of microcontrollers, sensors, and various hardware components, unravel the mysteries of circuitry, electronics, and coding, and gain invaluable insights into how scientists and engineers apply fundamental principles to tackle real-world challenges.

To apply, submit the online application which includes questions about your personal and academic history and two short essay responses. Find the application link  here. 

Note : Students who live in New York City are only eligible. Students should also have a strong academic record and demonstrated interest in science.

Location : New York University

Dates : July 8 - August 4 Orientation: June 28 (via Zoom 1:00 - 4:00 PM ET)

Cost : Full Scholarship

Age requirements : 12- 14 years.

Deadline : April, 14th. 

5. Science of Smart Cities (SoSC)

The School of Sustainable Cities (SoSC) is a three-week education program where students get invaluable opportunities to research about the developments in energy, engineering, computer science, and urban/environmental science.

The program's focus on research extends across various disciplines, from understanding the intricacies of energy systems to analyzing the impact of urbanization on the environment. Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources, enabling them to conduct experiments, gather data, and draw informed conclusions.

Students are encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and pursue their interests through independent research projects. SoSC also emphasizes the importance of community-engaged research, where students collaborate with local organizations and stakeholders to address pressing issues facing their communities. 

To apply, submit the online application which includes questions about your personal and academic history and two short essay responses.

Dates : July 8 - August 2 Orientation: June 28 (via Zoom 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET)

6. Science and Technology Entry Program(STEP)

NYU's Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), where students embark on a journey of research and discovery. L ed by NYU faculty and students, STEP offers immersive STEM courses, research opportunities, and mentorship, preparing students for academic and career success.  Through STEP, students increase their college readiness and diversity in STEM fields, all while fostering a passion for research and innovation.

Students are afforded the chance to engage in STEM research within an NYU facility, where they  receive guidance from faculty and researchers . Subsequently, these students showcase their research outcomes at the yearly STEP State Conference held in Albany, NY.

To apply, complete the online application, which requires you to provide basic information about yourself, your academic history, a transcript or report card, and a 500-word essay that describes your interest in STEM. 

Dates : July 5-August 4

Cost : $350

Age requirements : 6th -8th

Deadline : March 24th. 

7. Everyday Engineering

Everyday Engineering is  a unique program tailored by Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering for students in grades 6th through 8th, with a distinct focus on fostering a research-oriented perspective towards engineering.  Unlike traditional approaches, this program transcends the boundaries of mere observation by encouraging middle school students to delve deeper into the intricacies of their everyday environments through a research perspective.

Everyday Engineering aims to instill in students a heightened sense of curiosity and a research-driven mindset. Through exploration of recognizable examples, exposure to online exhibits, and interaction with CMU engineering students, participants not only gain insight into various engineering disciplines but also learn to approach everyday phenomena through a rigorous research framework. 

Please find the registration link  here. 

Location : Virtual     

Dates : February 24th from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Deadline : TBA

8. North Carolina State University's Summer Ventures

North Carolina State University's Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics is a four-week immersive summer program designed to provide exceptional middle and high school students with advanced learning opportunities in STEM fields.

While primarily targeted at high school students, Summer Ventures also offers research opportunities for outstanding middle school students who demonstrate a strong interest and aptitude in science and mathematics.

The program typically runs for four to five weeks during the summer and takes place on NC State University's campus. Students have the opportunity to work alongside older peers and university professors on research projects in various STEM disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, and engineering . These projects may involve conducting experiments, analyzing data, and presenting findings, allowing middle schoolers to gain hands-on experience in scientific inquiry and exploration.

Location : North Carolina State University

Dates : TBA

Cost : None

Age requirements : Middle and high school students 

9. Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development's Summer Camp

Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development's Summer Camp is an esteemed initiative designed to provide students with  immersive research experiences under the guidance of university faculty mentors. 

It engages students in research-oriented learning experiences. Tailored for high-achieving and motivated individuals, these camps offer opportunities to delve into high school, college-level, and pre-professional instruction under the guidance of master teachers and industry leaders .

Participants are exposed to fast-paced, intensive courses that delve into advanced concepts across various disciplines, including math, science, writing, technology, leadership, and service learning. Through rigorous coursework, students are encouraged to grapple with complex problems and develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

Note: Financial aid is available for the qualified students. 

Location : Northwestern University

Dates : June 23 - July 12, 2024 (Other sessions available as well)

Cost : $4650 (Residential camp)

Deadline : June 5th for session 1. 

10.  California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)

COSMOS stands as an intensive four-week summer residential Pre-College Program tailored for high school students who showcase a proclivity for academic and professional pursuits within the realm of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

Catering to motivated and gifted students in grades 8 through 12, COSMOS provides an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate with esteemed faculty, researchers, and scientists within cutting-edge facilities,  delving into advanced STEM topics that extend beyond the scope of typical high school courses in California. Through a blend of hands-on activities and laboratory-intensive curricula, COSMOS not only nurtures students' interests and skills but also broadens their awareness of educational and career pathways within STEM fields.

Note: Students apply to ONE of the five University of California’s COSMOS campuses — UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz. Each campus can only accommodate about 160-200 participants. The selection is competitive. 

Location : University of California’s COSMOS campuses

Deadline : Feb 9th. 

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

• middle school students

Assigning Research Projects in Middle School: Tips for Teachers on Teaching the Proper Structure of a Research Project

• Kellie Hayden
• Categories : Middle school teaching strategies
• Tags : Teaching middle school grades 6 8

Middle school students generally need to learn the correct way to do a research paper. They have been “researching” for years.

However, they don’t always know how to do it properly. When students are asked to research and not given instruction on the proper way to format a research paper, teachers might receive unusual papers.

Common Mistakes

Students can clean up their mistakes when teachers are clear about what they expect and give examples. However, when students are simply told to research and turn in a paper, blunders will happen. An almost “laughable” mistake made by middle school students was listing Google.com as the only source.

As for plagiarism, students go to great lengths to get away with it. Or, they mistakenly do it. A middle school student copied a whole section from an online encyclopedia and thought that it was okay because he listed the source on the works cited page. One student who was trying desperately not to plagiarize placed the whole text of her research paper in quotation marks. These types of errors will continue to happen if teachers are not clear about their expectations.

Teacher Preparation

Teachers need to gather together resource books or examples of research papers , find acceptable paper format websites, write a step-by-step project sheet and put together a grading sheet or rubric for the research project . Teachers need to decide what format they want their students to follow: MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.

The following are tips to help with the planning:

• For the first research paper, assign a short one (1-3 pages) so that the format is the focus.
• The Writer’s Inc or Write Source book by Great Source is a great reference book that includes example research papers. However, there are many online resources as well.
• The works cited page, reference pager or bibliography require a great deal of class time. Instructing students to make a proper reference page with all of the periods and spacing correct can be a maddening experience. The S_on of Citation Machine_ website is a very helpful website.
• Give students a rubric or grade sheet before they begin working on the research paper.

Example Reserach Paper Grade Sheet

Format (25 points)

• Correct title, page header, page number
• Spacing and margins
• Sections in correct order
• Proper works cited page, reference page or bibliography

Structure & Organization (25 points)

• Strong thesis statement
• Attention-getting introductory paragraph
• Topic sentences relates to thesis statement
• Main points are in a logical order
• Main points flow well with transitons
• Conclusion wraps up paper

Grammar 25 (points)

• Correct grammar, spelling, usage and mechanics

Content (25 points)

• Not repetitive, fresh, interesting
• Not copied from original source
• Proves and/or supports thesis statement
• Provides enough credible information

Writing the Research Paper

Students need to begin their research project with an interesting topic. However, they need to select one that is not too broad. They should come up with one sentence that tells what the paper will be about or a thesis statement to focus their research.

Teachers can require note cards or have students highlight printed notes from the Internet. Students should create an outline to organize their information. Then, they should write a rough draft. Teachers can read the rough drafts and check that students did not plagiarize. Last, students need to type their research paper in the correct format by using the resources they have been given.

Research projects are a time consuming unit. The more organized the teacher is before embarking on this activity, the better the papers will be in the end.

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Best science fair project ideas for middle school students.

Published by

Afreen Hossain

Starting to work on STEM project ideas in middle school is a great way to excel at science fairs in high school! Read this blog for a few ideas & useful guides!

Renewable Energy: Building a Solar Oven

Description: Harness the power of the sun to cook delicious treats with your very own solar oven. Students can construct a simple oven using cardboard, aluminum foil, and a few other household materials. Experiment with different designs to optimize heat absorption and retention, then put your oven to the test by baking cookies or melting marshmallows for s’mores.

Impact: This project not only demonstrates the principles of renewable energy but also highlights the importance of sustainability in our daily lives. By showcasing a practical application of solar power, students can inspire others to explore eco-friendly alternatives for cooking and heating.

Resources to Start the Project:

• Aluminum foil
• Insulating materials (such as Styrofoam or newspaper)
• Clear plastic wrap
• Black construction paper
• Thermometer
• Glue, tape, and scissors
• Optional: food items for testing

Environmental Science: Investigating Water Pollution

Description: Take on the role of an environmental scientist by studying the effects of water pollution on aquatic ecosystems. Design an experiment to simulate various types of pollution (e.g., oil spills, chemical runoff) and observe their impact on water quality and aquatic life. Analyze your findings to propose solutions for preventing and mitigating water pollution in real-world scenarios.

Impact: Water pollution is a pressing issue that affects communities worldwide, making this project highly relevant and impactful. By raising awareness and advocating for sustainable practices, students can contribute to the preservation of our planet’s precious natural resources.

• Large containers or aquariums
• Water samples (tap water, pond water, etc.)
• Pollutants (vegetable oil, food coloring, detergent, etc.)
• Test kits for water quality analysis
• Aquatic plants and/or small organisms (e.g., fish, snails)
• Laboratory equipment (pipettes, test tubes, etc.)
• Safety gear (gloves, goggles, etc.)

Microbial Fuel Cells: Food Waste as a Sugar Source

Description: In this science fair project, we explore the fascinating world of  Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)  by utilizing food waste as a sustainable substrate. MFCs are innovative devices that harness the metabolic activity of microorganisms (such as bacteria and yeast) to generate electricity from organic materials. Specifically, we focus on converting food waste into clean energy through the power of microbial interactions.

Impact: This project directly addresses environmental issues by repurposing food waste into a valuable energy source. By promoting sustainable practices and innovative solutions, we contribute to a cleaner and more efficient future.

• Food Waste : Gather banana peels and sugarcane bagasse (inner and outer layers).
• Soil : Used as part of the MFC setup.
• Electrodes : Necessary for electron transfer.
• Containers : Set up MFCs in containers.
• Prepare MFC setups using banana peels, outer sugarcane bagasse, and inner sugarcane bagasse.
• Perform the  Benedict’s Test  (quantitative) and the  Iodine Test  to assess the presence of reducing sugars in each substrate.
• Monitor the MFCs’ power performance, peak power, and average power.

Robotics Revolution: Designing a DIY Robot Arm

Description: Dive into the exciting world of robotics by engineering your own functional robot arm. Utilizing everyday materials like cardboard, popsicle sticks, and servos, students can design and build a robotic arm capable of performing simple tasks such as picking up objects or stacking blocks. Explore concepts such as mechanical advantage, kinematics, and programming as you fine-tune your creation.

Impact: This project offers a hands-on introduction to robotics and automation, empowering students to explore the intersection of engineering, mechanics, and computer science. By showcasing the potential of robotics to enhance efficiency and productivity, students can inspire interest in STEM fields and future innovations.

• Cardboard or lightweight wood
• Popsicle sticks or dowels
• Servo motors
• Joints (e.g., paper fasteners)
• Screws, nuts, and bolts
• Arduino microcontroller (optional)
• Programming software (e.g., Arduino IDE)
• Basic tools (scissors, glue, screwdriver)

Clear Communication: Using New Ways to Help People Speak Better After Losing Some Hearing

Description: This project is about finding better ways to help people speak more clearly if they’ve lost some of their hearing. We’re looking at two methods: bone conduction headphones and special exercises to strengthen the muscles used for speaking. By trying out both methods together, we hope to find a way to make speaking easier for people with hearing problems.

Impact: This project is important because it helps people who have trouble speaking due to hearing loss. By combining bone conduction headphones with voice exercises, we want to make it easier for them to communicate with others.

• Bone conduction headphones: These special headphones send sound vibrations directly to the inner ear, which can help people hear better.
• Voice exercises: These are simple exercises that strengthen the muscles used for speaking.
• Volunteers: We need people with different levels of hearing loss to try out our methods.

Experiment:

• Making a Plan: We’ll create a plan that includes using bone conduction headphones and doing voice exercises.
• Finding People to Help: We’ll ask people with hearing loss to join our study.
• Checking How They Speak Now: Before we start, we’ll see how well they speak without any help.
• Starting the Training: We’ll begin the training, where people will use the headphones and do voice exercises.
• Watching Progress: As they train, we’ll see if their speech gets better.
• Listening to Feedback: We’ll ask them and their friends or family if they notice any changes.
• Looking at the Results: Finally, we’ll see if our methods really helped them speak more clearly.

AeroRev: Crafting a Unique Balloon-Powered Vehicle for Distance and Speed

Description: Step into the world of innovative propulsion with our balloon-powered car project. We’re not just making any car; we’re designing a vehicle that harnesses the power of escaping air from a balloon to move forward. But here’s the twist: we’re not just aiming for distance or speed alone—we’re striving for a perfect balance of both. Get ready to engineer a vehicle that defies expectations and pushes the boundaries of traditional balloon-powered designs.

Impact: This project isn’t just about building a fun toy; it’s about exploring the fascinating principles of aerodynamics and mechanics in a hands-on way. By challenging ourselves to optimize both distance and speed, we’re diving deep into the science of motion and propulsion. Plus, who knows? Our innovative approach might just inspire the next generation of engineers and inventors.

• Balloons: Choose a variety of sizes and shapes to experiment with different levels of propulsion.
• Cardboard: The base material for constructing the body of your car.
• Straws: Use these for axles to reduce friction and improve movement.
• Wheels: Whether store-bought or homemade, these are essential for rolling smoothly.
• Tape: Secure everything in place and make adjustments as needed.
• Innovative Designs: Let your creativity run wild as you brainstorm unique car designs that maximize both distance and speed.
• Balloon Variations: Test different balloon sizes, shapes, and air pressures to see how they affect the car’s performance.
• Trial and Error: Build prototypes and conduct test runs to gather data on distance traveled and speed achieved.
• Optimization: Analyze your results and make adjustments to your design and balloon configuration to find the perfect balance between distance and speed.
• Competition Time: Challenge yourself and others to a friendly competition to see whose car can go the farthest or the fastest.
• Documentation: Keep detailed records of your experiments, including observations, measurements, and reflections on what worked well and what didn’t.
• Presentation: Share your findings and showcase your unique balloon-powered car design to inspire others to think outside the box.

Feel Free to Sleep at School… If You’re a Computer!

Description: Ever wonder if school computers could take a well-deserved nap? In this project, the script on energy usage by exploring the benefits of putting school computers to sleep when they’re not in use. But we’re not just hitting the snooze button; we’re diving deep into the realm of energy-saving practices to calculate the potential energy and cost savings of this innovative approach. Get ready to revolutionize how we think about computer downtime and its impact on both the environment and the school budget!

Impact: This project isn’t just about saving energy; it’s about empowering schools to be more environmentally conscious and financially savvy. By optimizing computer sleep settings, we’re not only reducing unnecessary energy consumption but also cutting down on electricity costs. Plus, by raising awareness of the importance of energy efficiency, we’re inspiring others to take action and make a positive impact on the planet.

FREE STEM Guide with a list of 50+ opportunities, competitions, internships and more! List of competitions for high school students. Top Science Fair Competitions in 2024 . Mathematics competitions for students worldwide. Biology competitions.

• Measure energy usage of school computers.
• Activate sleep mode during idle times.
• Monitor energy usage with and without sleep mode.
• Compare data to calculate savings.
• Translate energy savings into cost savings.
• Share recommendations for optimal sleep settings.
• Raise awareness about energy efficiency benefits.

Using Carbon-Coated Sea Shells for Water Filtration

Description: Dive into the depths of sustainable filtration with our unique project using carbon-coated sea shells to purify lead-contaminated water. We’re exploring the potential of these natural wonders to filter out harmful lead particles, comparing their effectiveness against conventional filters.

Impact: This project isn’t just about filtering water; it’s about reimagining sustainable solutions for addressing water quality issues. By tapping into the natural filtration capabilities of carbon-coated sea shells, we’re not only removing lead contaminants but also promoting eco-friendly filtration methods that benefit both people and the planet.

• Sea Shells: Gather and coat with activated carbon for better filtration.
• Lead Water: Prepare lead-contaminated samples for testing.
• Filtration Tests: Measure carbon-coated shell efficiency in lead removal.
• Shell Selection: Coat sea shells with activated carbon.
• Water Prep: Contaminate water samples with lead.
• Setup: Create filtration systems with shells and traditional filters.
• Testing: Pass water through filters, measure lead removal.
• Analysis: Compare shell performance with traditional filters.
• Evaluation: Check if shells are practical for filtration.
• Applications: Look at using shells in larger water systems.

Not sure how to start?

Rishab Jain, who won ISEF, has achieved success in numerous research competitions and undertaken several research projects during his high school years. For those eager to start working towards STEM competitions, Rishab offers  science fair coaching   and  a YouTube playlist on how to do research . It will provide you an opportunity to delve deeper into the world of STEM and win at Science Fairs. Rishab shares his  winning strategies .

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Research Activities For Middle School: Discussions, Tips, Exploration, And Learning Resources

February 6, 2024 //  by  Josilyn Markel

Learning to research effectively is an important skill that middle-school-aged students can learn and carry with them for their whole academic careers. The students in question will use these skills for everything from reading news articles to writing a systematic review of their sources. With increased demands on students these days, it’s never too early to introduce these sophisticated research skills. 

We’ve collected thirty of the best academic lessons for middle school students to learn about sophisticated research skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives. 

1. Guiding Questions for Research

When you first give a research project to middle school students, it’s important to make sure that they really understand the research prompts. You can use this guiding questions tool with students to help them draw on existing knowledge to properly contextualize the prompt and assignment before they even pick up a pen. 

Learn More: Mrs. Spangler in the Middle

2. Teaching Research Essential Skills Bundle

This bundle touches on all the writing skills, planning strategies, and so-called soft skills that students will need to get started on their first research project. These resources are especially geared towards middle school-aged students to help them with cognitive control tasks plus engaging and active lessons. 

Learn More: Pinterest

3. How to Develop a Research Question

Before a middle school student can start their research time on task, they have to form a solid research question. This resource features activities for students that will help them identify a problem and then formulate a question that will guide their research project going first. 

Learn More: YouTube

4. Note-Taking Skills Infographic

For a strong introduction and/or systematic review of the importance of note-taking, look no further than this infographic. It covers several excellent strategies for taking the most important info from a source, and it also gives tips for using these strategies to strengthen writing skills. 

Learn More: Word Counter

5. Guide to Citing Online Sources

One of the more sophisticated research skills is learning to cite sources. These days, the internet is the most popular place to find research sources, so learning the citation styles for making detailed citations for internet sources is an excellent strategy. This is a skill that will stick with middle school students throughout their entire academic careers! 

Learn More: Educator’s Technology

6. Guided Student-Led Research Projects

This is a great way to boost communication between students while also encouraging choice and autonomy throughout the research process. This really opens up possibilities for students and boosts student activity and engagement throughout the whole project. The group setup also decreases the demands on students as individuals. 

Learn More: The Thinker Builder

7. Teaching Students to Fact-Check

Fact-checking is an important meta-analytic review skill that every student needs. This resource introduces probing questions that students can ask in order to ensure that the information they’re looking at is actually true. This can help them identify fake news, find more credible sources, and improve their overall sophisticated research skills. 

Learn More: Just Add Students

8. Fact-Checking Like a Pro

This resource features great teaching strategies (such as visualization) to help alleviate the demands on students when it comes to fact-checking their research sources. It’s perfect for middle school-aged students who want to follow the steps to make sure that they’re using credible sources in all of their research projects, for middle school and beyond!

9. Website Evaluation Activity

With this activity, you can use any website as a backdrop. This is a great way to help start the explanation of sources that will ultimately lead to helping students locate and identify credible sources (rather than fake news). With these probing questions, students will be able to evaluate websites effectively.

10. How to Take Notes in Class

This visually pleasing resource tells students everything they need to know about taking notes in a classroom setting. It goes over how to glean the most important information from the classroom teacher, and how to organize the info in real-time, and it gives tips for cognitive control tasks and other sophisticated research skills that will help students throughout the research and writing process. 

Learn More: Visualistan

11. Teaching Research Papers: Lesson Calendar

If you have no idea how you’re going to cover all the so-called soft skills, mini-lessons, and activities for students during your research unit, then don’t fret! This calendar breaks down exactly what you should be teaching, and when. It introduces planning strategies, credible sources, and all the other research topics with a logical and manageable flow. 

Learn More: Discover Hub Pages

12. Google Docs Features for Teaching Research

With this resource, you can explore all of the handy research-focused features that are already built into Google Docs! You can use it to build activities for students or to make your existing activities for students more tech-integrated. You can use this tool with students from the outset to get them interested and familiar with the Google Doc setup. 

13. Using Effective Keywords to Search the Internet

The internet is a huge place, and this vast amount of knowledge puts huge demands on students’ skills and cognition. That’s why they need to learn how to search online effectively, with the right keywords. This resource teaches middle school-aged students how to make the most of all the search features online. 

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

14. How to Avoid Plagiarism: “Did I Plagiarize?” 

This student activity looks at the biggest faux pas in middle school research projects: plagiarism. These days, the possibilities for students to plagiarize are endless, so it’s important for them to learn about quotation marks, paraphrasing, and citations. This resource includes information on all of those and in a handy flow chart to keep them right!

Learn More: Twitter

15. 7 Tips for Recognizing Bias

This is a resource to help middle school-aged students recognize the differences between untrustworthy and credible sources. It gives a nice explanation of sources that are trustworthy and also offers a source of activities that students can use to test and practice identifying credible sources. 

Learn More: We Are Teachers

16. UNESCO’s Laws for Media Literacy

This is one of those great online resources that truly focuses on the students in question, and it serves a larger, global goal. It offers probing questions that can help middle school-aged children determine whether or not they’re looking at credible online resources. It also helps to strengthen the so-called soft skills that are necessary for completing research. 

Learn More: SLJ Blogs

17. Guide for Evaluating a News Article

Here are active lessons that students can use to learn more about evaluating a news article, whether it’s on a paper or online resource. It’s also a great tool to help solidify the concept of fake news and help students build an excellent strategy for identifying and utilizing credible online sources. 

Learn More: Valencia College

18. Middle School Research Projects Middle School Students Will Love

Here is a list of 30 great research projects for middle schoolers, along with cool examples of each one. It also goes through planning strategies and other so-called soft skills that your middle school-aged students will need in order to complete such projects.

Learn More: Madly Learning

19. Teaching Analysis with Body Biographies

This is a student activity and teaching strategy all rolled into one! It looks at the importance of research and biographies, which brings a human element to the research process. It also helps communication between students and helps them practice those so-called soft skills that come in handy while researching. 

Learn More: Study All Knight

20. Top Tips for Teaching Research in Middle School

When it comes to teaching middle school research, there are wrong answers and there are correct answers. You can learn all the correct answers and teaching strategies with this resource, which debunks several myths about teaching the writing process at the middle school level. 

Learn More: Teaching ELA with Joy

21. Teaching Students to Research Online: Lesson Plan

This is a ready-made lesson plan that is ready to present. You don’t have to do tons of preparation, and you’ll be able to explain the basic and foundational topics related to research. Plus, it includes a couple of activities to keep students engaged throughout this introductory lesson.

Learn More: Kathleen Morris

22. Project-Based Learning: Acceptance and Tolerance

This is a series of research projects that look at specific problems regarding acceptance and tolerance. It offers prompts for middle school-aged students that will get them to ask big questions about themselves and others in the world around them. 

Learn More: Sandy Cangelosi

23. 50 Tiny Lessons for Teaching Research Skills in Middle School

These fifty mini-lessons and activities for students will have middle school-aged students learning and applying research skills in small chunks. The mini-lessons approach allows students to get bite-sized information and focus on mastering and applying each step of the research process in turn. This way, with mini-lessons, students don’t get overwhelmed with the whole research process at once. In this way, mini-lessons are a great way to teach the whole research process!

24. Benefits of Research Projects for Middle School Students

Whenever you feel like it’s just not worth it to go to the trouble to teach your middle school-aged students about research, let this list motivate you! It’s a great reminder of all the great things that come with learning to do good research at an early age. 

Learn More: Thrive in Grade Five

25. Top 5 Study and Research Skills for Middle Schoolers

This is a great resource for a quick and easy overview of the top skills that middle schoolers will need before they dive into research. It outlines the most effective tools to help your students study and research well, throughout their academic careers. 

Learn More: Meagan Gets Real

26. Research with Informational Text: World Travelers

This travel-themed research project will have kids exploring the whole world with their questions and queries. It is a fun way to bring new destinations into the research-oriented classroom. 

Learn More: The Superhero Teacher

27. Project-Based Learning: Plan a Road Trip

If you want your middle school-aged students to get into the researching mood, have them plan a road trip! They’ll have to examine the prompt from several angles and collect data from several sources before they can put together a plan for an epic road trip. 

Learn More: Appletastic Learning

28. Methods for Motivating Writing Skills

When your students just are feeling up to the task of research-based writing, it’s time to break out these motivational methods. With these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to get your kids in the mood to research, question, and write!

29. How to Set Up a Student Research Station

This article tells you everything you need to know about a student center focused on sophisticated research skills. These student center activities are engaging and fun, and they touch on important topics in the research process, such as planning strategies, fact-checking skills, citation styles, and some so-called soft skills.

Learn More: Upper Elementary Snapshots

State Research Project

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State Research Project

In my computer-based classroom, there are 14 student computers – one for every two students. When my 4th graders start the year, most of them know a few basic functions and features of a computer. In order to quickly build proficiency at using the computers as a tool for learning, I began the year with a short research project about our state. Social Studies standards for 4th grade focus predominantly on state history, so I thought this project would help us achieve several objectives with a single lesson.

Vetting the Research Websites

Most of the information gathered for our state research project was found online with several websites. There are many such helpful websites on the Internet that provide a quick assortment of facts about every state in America. A simple Google search will result in a variety of choices – choose the one you like the best. As part of my lesson preparation, I carefully screened each website. I wanted sites that provided accurate, easy-to-find information at a level that would not be too taxing for my students to read.

Modeling the Research Process

Since it was the beginning of the school year, and this was our first attempt at research, I walked the students through the process very deliberately. Using my brand-spanking-new Promethean Board (in high-def no less!), I displayed the websites for the class to see while they looked at the same site on their monitors. When researching, we discussed the information we needed and which link might best provide that to us. Here’s how it went down:

• Me: “We need to find the name of our state’s governor. Which link might give us the information?”
• Student: “Click on the one that says ‘Missouri State Governor.'”
• Me: “Why is that the link you would choose?” (Sidebar – it’s important to solicit the student’s reasoning for their decision.)
• Student: “I’m looking for the governor, and that link has the word governor in it. That website probably has what I’m looking for.”

State Research Project Printables

Here are the research pages we completed for this project.

Presentation Ideas

To publish our research, I had the students create a quick portfolio out of construction paper and glue each page to one section of the portfolio. We displayed our state research project in the hall, proud of our first foray into online research!

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Research to Practice: Implementing Genius Projects in the Middle Grades

By: David C. Virtue

A genius project—also called genius hour (Davis, 2022; Mulvahill, 2018), enigma mission (George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2019), or passion project (Bowersox, 2020; Wormeli, 2018)—is a form of personalized learning in which students engage in sustained, self-directed inquiry for part of the school day. Genius projects are a natural fit for the middle grades because they promote active, purposeful, democratic learning and a curriculum that is “is challenging, exploratory, integrative, and diverse,” as recommended by The Successful Middle School: This We Believe (Bishop & Harrison, 2021, p. 32).

While genius projects may take many forms, they generally share some common characteristics.

• Genius projects involve deep personalization of learning as students choose the focus for the inquiry based on individual interests, expertise, and curiosity (Bishop et al., 2019; Davis, 2022).
• Students manage their own learning throughout a genius project by setting goals, establishing work plans, determining the format for final products, and evaluating their own performance (Bishop et al., 2019).
• Teachers have a facilitating role during genius projects, acting as an instructional coach or guide (Flood, 2019).
• Genius projects exhibit the three fundamental tenets of authentic achievement: students (a) construct original knowledge, (b) apply academic knowledge and skills through disciplined inquiry, and (c) share the final product of their inquiry through a public demonstration, performance, or exhibition (Newmann & Wehlage, 1993).

While genius projects have grown in popularity in recent years, few research studies have investigated their implementation and impact in middle level schools. A recent study published in Research in Middle Level Education Online reports teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of genius hour in their school and provides some useful insights for middle level schools considering this innovative approach (LeGeros et al., 2022). This article shares some key insights from the study to help middle grades educators further explore ways to incorporate genius projects in the academic programs in their schools.

Teachers Find Genius Hour Supports Personalization

LeGeros and colleagues (2022) explored teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of a school-wide genius hour in a school that had been aiming to strengthen personalization in the academic program. The qualitative case study drew on interviews with 17 teachers and one administrator during a period that spanned four years. The study focused on three questions:

• How did teachers perceive the school-wide genius hour to affect student engagement and learning?
• How did teachers describe their experience with the school-wide genius hour as a collective endeavor?
• What did teachers learn from genius hour in relation to their pedagogy? (Legeros et al., 2022, p. 2)

Regarding the first question, teachers interviewed for the study reported that genius hour supported student learning and engagement in several ways. Because genius hour afforded students choice and voice in their learning, teachers perceived them to be highly engaged in the learning process. Students were invited “to assume control over most aspects of their projects, including the topic, the learning process, the end product, and the sharing process” (LeGeros et al., 2022, p. 9). Furthermore, students developed self-directed learning skills, which some teachers saw them apply in the classroom beyond genius hour. Teachers also ascribed increased student engagement to the genuine relationships forged as they became more deeply and authentically aware of students’ interests, talents, and capabilities.

In response to the second research question, teachers reported that genius hour provided a powerful model for personalization and helped strengthen the sense of community in the school. The school was in a state that had mandated personalized learning in the middle grades, yet the teachers found a “paucity of existing models [depicting what] personalization should look like in practice” (LeGeros et al., 2022, pp. 10–11). The successful experience with genius hour helped fill teachers’ gaps in understanding about personalization and provided “a visible model” to guide future efforts (p. 11). Because genius hour was a school-wide initiative, it gave teachers throughout the school an opportunity to experience a collective success with personalization and supported the sense of community.

Finally, the researchers were interested in learning how teachers bridged the learning during the genius hour period with the practices in the regular classroom. How did the teachers’ positive experiences with personalization and greater student voice and choice transform their day-to-day classroom practices? While teachers enthusiastically acknowledged the positive outcomes of genius hour for students, they also wondered whether it could or should represent the norm for all classroom instruction. Teachers noted the limitations of the mandated curriculum as a constraining factor, and they also tended to feel students should not only pursue projects or subject matter that interest them; they should experience a broad curriculum that exposes them to various ways of knowing and seeing the world.

Considerations for Implementing Genius Projects

Although it focused strictly on teachers’ perceptions of genius hour, the LeGeros et al. (2022) study offers some important general considerations for implementing a genius project program.

• Design the program with broad input from stakeholders. The program in the study was designed by a leadership team consisting of administrators, teachers, students, and a university-based consultant, and throughout its implementation it was refined by an ad hoc committee and supported by regular meetings of teaching teams and a student leadership group.
• While genius projects can be implemented by a single teacher in one classroom, consider having a school-wide program as described in the study. The school-wide approach allows teachers to work and form relationships with students across teams and grade levels and may strengthen culture and community in the school.
• Consider making a multi-year commitment to the program. The study chronicled the implementation of genius hour over the course of four school years and showed how the program evolved over time. Some schools allow students’ genius projects to continue across multiple school years, allowing for deep, sustained learning (see, e.g., George Lucas Foundation, 2019).
• Look for ways to help students transfer the self-directed learning skills they develop during the genius project program into the regular academic program.

David C. Virtue is the Taft B. Botner Professor of Middle Grades Education at Western Carolina University and the editor of Research in Middle Level Education Online .

• Bishop, P. A., Downes, J. M., & Farber, K. (2019). Personalized learning in the middle grades. Harvard Education Press.
• Bishop, P. A., & Harrison, L. M. (2021). The successful middle school: This we believe . Association for Middle Level Education.
• Bowersox, M. (2020). Passion Projects Fuel Student-Driven Learning. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/passion-projects-fuel-student-driven-learning
• Davis, V. (2022). Using Genius Hour Projects to Help Students Find Meaning. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-genius-hour-projects-help-students-find-meaning
• Flood, K. (2019). Lawrence Public Schools – Instructors as “the Guide on the Ride”: Implementing Genius Hour and Focusing on Student-Driven Learning. http://www.nysed.gov/edtech/lawrence-public-schools-instructors-guide-ride-implementing-genius-hour-and-focusing-student
• George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2019). Passion-Driven Research Projects. https://www.edutopia.org/video/passion-driven-research-projects
• LeGeros, L., Bishop, P., Netcoh, S., & Downes, J. (2022). Informing the implementation of personalized learning in the middle grades through a school-wide Genius Hour. Research in Middle Level Education Online, 45 (1), 1–22, DOI: 10.1080/19404476.2022.2009707.
• Mulvahill, M. (2018). What Is Genius Hour and How Can I Try It in My Classroom? https://www.weareteachers.com/what-is-genius-hour/
• Newmann, F. M., & Wehlage, G. G. (1993). Five standards of authentic instruction. Educational Leadership, 50 (7), 8 – 12. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/five-standards-of-authentic-instruction
• Wormeli, R. (2018). Fair isn’t always equal (2nd ed.). Stenhouse.

This sounds a lot like the capstones I got to do in my honors undergraduate program. It was really enjoyable for me to get to research and study something that I was passionate about. I think the Genius projects are a great way for students to take point in their own education.

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STEM Career Research Project for Middle School

• December 18, 2022
• Engineering , STEM
• Career Exploration , Engaging Lessons , Real World Connections

How do you inspire future scientists and engineers? Do your students know what careers are STEM careers and what it means to have a career in STEM? You can answer these questions and more with this multi-day STEM career project !

STEM Career Research Project

In this project, students will choose an engineering career to research. They will discover the job roles and responsibilities, possible work environments, education requirements, average salaries, helpful skills and traits, and projected job growth in that field. Then students will imagine a company that is looking to hire a person in that career field. They’ll examine real-world job postings and then design and create a “help wanted” poster for their chosen career. Next, students will present their work and learn about other careers in a gallery walk activity. Finally, they’ll complete an independent reflection activity.

This STEM career research project is independent and low-prep. Grab this resource today! You will save your prep time, and know your students will be engaged and inspired while learning about STEM careers.

What’s included in the STEM Careers Research Project?

This no-prep project includes everything you need for 3-5 days of engaging STEM activities, including: 

• Printable PDF, Google, and Easel versions of the student activities and worksheets
• A webquest that guides students to choose and research a STEM career
• Detailed guidelines and  templates for the “Help Wanted” job advertisement project
• A graphic organizer for capturing student learning during the Gallery Walk activity
• An independent reflection worksheet to be completed at the end of the project
• Embedded links to quality background research websites
• Detailed teacher notes for easy facilitation
• An easy-to-use grading rubric

What materials do you need?

You only need to provide printed or digital copies of the student worksheets and devices with internet access for research. 

How can you use the STEM career project in your classroom?

You can use the research project as a week-long study of STEM careers. You will open your students’ eyes to career options that they may have never before considered. This is a great introductory activity for your STEM class, and it can be used to celebrate National Engineering Week in February.

This STEM career project is also perfect for giving yourself a bit of a break when you are feeling burnt out or feeling frustrated with challenging student behaviors. For example, you could use the project to keep students engaged before a school holiday. You can also use the project to keep students learning when you have unusual schedules or low attendance due to field trips, testing, assemblies, or other interruptions. Or, you can leave the low-prep project as a multi-day STEM sub plan.

Looking for other STEM Career activities?

If you’d like more ideas for inspiring your students and teaching them about STEM careers, check out this blog post on exploring STEM careers !

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Teacher participants needed for K-State College of Education training on rural STEM learning

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

MANHATTAN — A $2.7 million federal grant is helping the Kansas State University College of Education improve rural education in the state, and the college is offering free training and thousands of dollars in resources for teachers to take advantage of the last year of grant funding. The College of Education’s Rural Education Center , or REC, is seeking rural teachers and schools to participate in the final year of programming funded by a nearly $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. The grant is designed to promote students’ interest in degrees and careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Participating schools receive funds for professional development sessions and $3,000 to purchase technology, enabling them to host their own LEAPES camp this summer. Project LEAPES is an acronym for Learning, Exploration, and Application for Prospective Engineering Students. The 2024 Project LEAPES Virtual Camp will take place 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday-Thursday, June 3-13, and Monday- Friday, June 17-21, excluding the Juneteenth holiday. This year's camp will include new robotics kits and self-paced asynchronous coding activities. The registration fee is $100 and is open to students in upper elementary and grades 6 through 8. Classes are offered synchronously over Zoom, with students reporting to their local classroom to use equipment. The local teacher will co-teach with a K-State faculty member online. Teachers who sign up will receive a $1,000 stipend and more than $3,000 worth of classroom equipment. They will also receive two professional development sessions on April 15 and April 29 where they’ll learn to use the new equipment. In partnership with The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets , or CReSIS, at the University of Kansas, the REC builds upon its successful Summer STEM program to encourage students throughout the state of Kansas to consider careers in STEM through Project LEAPES. Last summer approximately 280 students from 32 schools participated in the middle school virtual camps. Five more classrooms participated asynchronously in Fall 2023 with approximately 120 students participating. Additionally, 80 students participated in the high school camp hosted at the University of Kansas. The LEAPES grant is part of more than $47 million in awards recently announced under the National Defense Education Program in STEM, biotechnology and enhanced civics education. J. Spencer Clark, professor and REC director; Lori Goodson, assistant professor and REC assistant director; and Ennis Rios, program coordinator, are assisting with the project. Schools may register online at commerce.cashnet.com/edudean?itemcode=EDUDEAN-4a . For more information, contact Rios at 785-532-3977 or email the Rural Education Center at [email protected] .

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