research projects for middle school

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Exciting Research Topics for Middle Schoolers to Fuel Curiosity

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Middle school is a time of burgeoning curiosity and the perfect opportunity for students to engage in research that not only educates them academically but also cultivates skills for the future. By encouraging young learners to explore topics they are passionate about, educators and parents play a pivotal role in their intellectual development and the growth of their intrinsic motivation. This blog post outlines a diverse range of research topics suited to the inquiring minds of middle school students, giving them the freedom to deepen their understanding of various subjects while honing critical thinking and independent study skills.

Uncovering the Mysteries of History

Middle schoolers often find history fascinating, particularly when learning about the past from distinct perspectives. Here are some intriguing historical research topics to consider:

• The Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement: Apart from the well-known leaders, students can explore the contributions of lesser-known figures who played a significant role in the struggle for equality.
• The Impact of Ancient Civilizations on Modern Society: Researching the ways in which the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, or other ancient societies have influenced contemporary culture, politics, and technology offers a broad canvas for exploration.
• Everyday Life in Different Historical Periods: Focusing on the routines, customs, and technologies that shaped people’s daily lives in times gone by can provide valuable insights into societal norms and individual experiences.

Science and the Natural World

The sciences are a playground of wonder, with an infinity of topics waiting to be explored. Here are some research ideas that can nurture a love for discovery and experimentation:

• Climate Change: Effects and Solutions: Investigating the causes and potential solutions to this global challenge can make students aware of their role in protecting the planet.
• The Wonders of the Solar System: Encouraging a study of the planets, their moons, and the vast expanse of space they inhabit can ignite dreams of interstellar exploration.
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation: Researching the variety of life on Earth and strategies to protect and sustain ecosystems can foster a sense of environmental stewardship.

Literature, Language, and Creative Expression

Language and literature are potent forms of human expression, allowing students to explore complex ideas and emotions. Here are some topics that bridge the gap between art and academia:

• Interpreting Classic Literature for Modern Relevance: Encouraging the study of timeless works can lead to discussions on their contemporary significance and the evolution of societal values.
• The Structure and Evolution of Language: Investigating the origins and changes in language over time can be a rich area of study, especially when paired with the examination of cultural shifts.
• The Intersection of Art and Literature: Exploring how visual arts and writing intersect to convey messages and emotions can be a fertile ground for interdisciplinary research.

Mathematics and Logic Puzzles

The precision and patterns found in mathematics can be both satisfying and thought-provoking. Middle school students often enjoy the thrill of solving problems and unraveling puzzles. Here are some mathematical research topics that can engage students’ analytical minds:

• Famous Mathematical Conjectures: Researching unsolved problems, such as the Goldbach conjecture or the Riemann hypothesis, can introduce students to the excitement of open questions in mathematics.
• The Application of Math in Various Industries: Investigating how mathematical principles underpin fields like music, art, sports, and technology can illuminate the subject’s real-world utility.
• The History of Mathematical Discoveries: Tracing the lineage of mathematical concepts through different cultures and periods can showcase the universality and timelessness of mathematics.

Social Sciences and Human Interaction

Studying human behavior and society can help students develop empathy and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Here are some social science research ideas to explore:

• The Impact of Social Media on Friendships and Relationships: Research could focus on positive and negative effects, trends, and the future of social interaction.
• Cultural Traditions and Their Meanings: Investigating the origins and contemporary significance of customs from various cultures can foster respect for diversity and a global perspective.
• The Psychology of Decision Making: Exploring the factors that influence human choices, from cognitive biases to social pressures, can provide insights into individual and collective behavior.

Technology and Innovation

Middle schoolers are often tech-savvy and interested in the latest gadgets and advancements. Here are some technology and innovation research topics to tap into that curiosity:

• The Impact of Gaming on Society: Research could examine how video games influence education, social issues, or even career choices.
• Emerging Technologies and Their Ethical Implications: Encouraging students to study technologies like artificial intelligence, gene editing, or wearable tech can lead to discussions on the ethical considerations of their use and development.
• Inventions That Changed the World: Chronicling the history and influence of significant inventions, from the wheel to the internet, can provide a lens through which to view human progress.

By providing middle schoolers with the opportunity to conduct meaningful research in a topic of their choosing, we not only deepen their education but also equip them with the skills and passion for a lifetime of learning. This list is just the beginning; the key is to foster curiosity and guide young minds toward engaging, challenging, and diverse research experiences. Through such explorations, we empower the next generation to think critically, communicate effectively, and, most importantly, to nurture their innate curiosity about the world.

Implementing Research Projects in the Classroom

Encouraging middle school students to undertake research projects requires a strategic approach to ensure sustained interest and meaningful outcomes. Here are some methods educators can employ:

• Mentorship and Support: Pairing students with teacher mentors who can guide them through the research process, provide feedback, and encourage critical thinking is essential for a fruitful research experience.
• Cross-Curricular Integration: Linking research topics to content from different subjects helps students appreciate the interconnectedness of knowledge and develop versatile learning skills.
• Use of Technology and Media: Incorporating digital tools for research, presentation, and collaboration can enhance engagement and teach essential 21st-century skills.
• Presentation and Reflection: Allocating time for students to present their findings nurtures communication skills and confidence, while self-reflection activities help them internalize their learning journey.

These strategies can create a robust framework within which students can pursue their curiosities, leading to a more personalized and impactful educational experience.

What is a good topic to research for middle school?

A good topic for middle school research could delve into the Role of Robotics in the Future of Society . Students can explore how robotics may transform jobs, healthcare, and everyday life. They can examine the balance between automation and human work, predict how robots could augment human abilities, and discuss the ethical dimensions of a robotic future. This inquiry not only captivates the imagination but also encourages critical thinking about technology’s impact on tomorrow’s world.

What are the 10 research titles examples?

• The Evolution of Renewable Energy and Its Future Prospects
• Investigating the Effects of Microplastics on Marine Ecosystems
• The Influence of Ancient Civilizations on Modern Democracy
• Understanding Black Holes: Unveiling the Mysteries of the Cosmos
• The Impact of Augmented Reality on Education and Training
• Climate Change and Its Consequences on Coastal Cities
• The Psychological Effects of Social Media on Teenagers
• Genetic Engineering: The Possibilities and Pitfalls
• Smart Cities: How Technology is Shaping Urban Living
• The Role of Nanotechnology in Medicine: Current Applications and Future Potential

Fascinating Facts About Middle School Research Topics

• Interdisciplinary Impact : Research projects in middle school often blend subjects, such as the integration of art and mathematics when exploring patterns and symmetry, which helps students discover the interconnectivity of different fields of knowledge.
• Skill Building : Engaging in research equips middle schoolers with advanced skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management, which are beneficial across their academic journey and beyond.
• Diversity in Content : Middle school research topics are notably diverse, ranging from examining the role of robotics in society to exploring the psychological effects of social media, catering to a wide array of student interests and strengths.
• Tech Savvy Learning : Technology-based research topics, such as the influence of smart cities or the impact of augmented reality in education, are deeply relevant to tech-savvy middle school students, making learning more engaging and relatable.
• Cultural Relevance : Researching topics like cultural traditions and their meanings encourages middle schoolers to develop a global perspective and fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity within their own school community and the world at large.

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50 STEM Projects For Middle School: Structures, Experiments, Discussions, Challenges, DIYs, And Games

April 4, 2024 //  by  Stephanie Ledford

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math! This exciting topic puts your students at the center of learning by encouraging exploration and innovation to solve problems. By doing so, we are creating tomorrow’s cutting-edge leaders, ready to make new discoveries and advances that we couldn’t even dream up! Check out these awesome STEM projects that are perfect for middle school to cultivate the next generation of scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical innovators!

1. Scaling Up Candy Wrappers

Teach your kids about increasing the scale of an image by using grids. This activity works well with candy wrappers or cartoon characters, as these are things every middle schooler is interested in! You can also use this idea to teach them how to use grids to decrease the size of their drawings.

Learn More: Fast Times Of A Middle School Math Teacher

2. Leaning Tower of Pasta

Have your students practice their engineering skills with this fun activity using pasta and marshmallows! They’ll learn about concepts like compression and tension as they try to build the tallest and strongest structures! Dial up the competitive spirit with a prize for the winning team!

Learn More: Teach Engineering

3. Toothpick Bridge

Another creative engineering project for your middle schoolers is this toothpick bridge project. Your kiddos will only need glue and toothpicks to design and build some awesome bridges. They’ll earn extra points if their bridges are strong and can hold a lot of weight!

Learn More: Instructables

4. I Breathe What?

If you are looking for an activity that combines engineering and science then look no further! Your kids will build pollution detectors out of card, string, and sticky tape, to put in different areas. They’ll then collect these and use a magnifying glass to examine all of the different particles that have been caught. The results may be surprising!

Learn More: YouTube

5. Backyard Weather Station

Teach your students about how we’re able to measure and predict weather patterns using weather stations. After making their own predictions about what the weather will do, your budding meteorologists will build their own weather stations complete with a weather vane, barometer, rain gauge, and thermometer!!

Learn More: eGFI

6. One Million Dollar Project

Show your middle school students the value of the dollar with this fun math assignment! They’ll delight in planning how they’d spend one million dollars, but it won’t be all about fun and games! They’ll need to take real-life expenses into consideration, such as paying for college and buying a house. They’re sure to appreciate their weekly allowance that much more!

Learn More: 4mula Fun!

7. Protect Your Body, Filter Your Water!

Having access to clean water is a huge concern for many people around the world, so being able to filter dirty water to make it drinkable is invaluable! Put your kiddies’ engineering skills to the test as they work out the best way to create their own water filters using a sieve and some activated charcoal.

8. Paper Roller Coasters

Who doesn’t love a roller coaster? This fun STEM challenge will have your little engineers use paper, card stock, and tape to build their own roller coasters. Next, they’ll roll a marble along the track and see if it makes its way to the end! They’ll be amazed at what kind of thought goes into their local fun park!

9. Fire Snake

This is one of those science experiments your students will remember for many years to come! Set up this experiment by lining a bowl with sand, then add sugar and baking soda on top. Next, saturate the mixture with some lighter fluid, then have your kiddies stand back as you light it up! They’ll be amazed by the interactions of the different elements and love the final product!

Learn More: Surviving a Teacher’s Salary

10. Alka Seltzer Lava Lamp

Add this one to your simple STEM projects folder straight away! Have your kiddos combine food coloring, vegetable oil, and water in a clear jar or bottle, then start the show by adding an Alka Seltzer tablet! The way the different elements interact in this fun, simple experiment will be awe-inspiring for your class.

Learn More: Fun Learning for Kids

11. Ice Cream in a Bag

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Who knew there was science involved in making ice cream? Get your learners to combine and seal half and half, sugar, and vanilla in a zip lock bag, then place this into a bigger bag filled with ice and salt. After a good shake, their ice cream is ready for a taste test!

Learn More: The Best Ideas for Kids

12. Paper Airplane Challenge

There are tons of STEM challenges you can do with your students involving paper airplanes. They’re probably bored of seeing whose airplane will fly the furthest, so why not shake things up by seeing whose can carry the most cargo? They’ll be having so much fun that they won’t even realize they’ve become engineers!

Learn More: Kids Activities

13. Fidget Spinner Challenge

While fidget spinners may have momentarily driven teachers crazy, they can actually be a great learning opportunity!! Use them to teach your class about the engineering design process; from having your kids create their own design to using math concepts for budgeting the cost of building one, they’re sure to have fun with this one!

Learn More: Momgineer

14. Comparing Slime And Other Polymers STEM Activity

A great STEM activity that’s sure to excite your little scientists is one that involves slime! In this project you can make slime and other polymers and non-Newtonian fluids then compare the properties of each! What a perfect way to get your class talking about and practicing scientific investigative processes!

Learn More: STEAM-Powered Family

15. No Valve in Vain

Your kids will be inspired to learn that biomedical engineers design things that not only assist people but also keep them alive! In this STEM activity, you’ll teach your class how to create a one-way valve like the ones found in our hearts. They’ll see how this simple concept ensures that our blood continues to pump around our bodies.

16. Balloon Powered Car

Look no further for your next STEM project than the balloon-powered car! Using various crafting or recycled materials, your kiddies will build their cars and learn how an axle allows the wheels to turn as the balloon propels their cars across the room! There are so many different concepts you can cover in this one STEM challenge!

Learn More: Teaching Science

17. Elephant Toothpaste

Let your kiddos discover how some hydrogen peroxide can turn some everyday materials into elephant toothpaste! They’ll combine dish soap and food coloring with the peroxide, then add yeast to kick things off! This exciting chemical reaction isn’t one they’ll forget in a hurry!

Learn More: Fractus Learning

18. Bath Bombs

In this fun experiment, your kiddos will form hypotheses about how water temperatures will affect the eruptions of bath bombs. After they’ve made their predictions, they can fill up a tub with some water and get to testing! If you have time, you could have them create their own bath bombs for this project!?

Learn More: Argo Food Service

19. Candy Crystals

Creating these gorgeous lollies with your learners is sure to delight! Who knew that growing your own rock candy was so easy? Have your them create a mixture of sugar, water, and food dye, then submerge their prepared sticks and wait for the magic to happen! They’ll be amazed as they watch their candy crystals grow before their eyes!

Learn More: Better Life Blog

20. Marble Speed Trap

Toys + science = FUN! Use LEGOs and marbles to review and reinforce the concept of velocity with your kiddies. They’ll build their very own speed trap in this engaging activity using some light sensors which will measure the speed that the marble travels down the track! There’ll be no slowing these scientists’ learning down, that’s for sure!

Learn More: Blog She Wrote

21. Cell Phone Stand

One thing we all have in our pockets these days is a cell phone. And why not make it the main attraction in this fun STEM activity? Have your kids use the design process to reimagine a common cell phone stand and then have them bring their visions into reality by using various crafting materials from around the classroom.

Learn More: Scientific American

22. Cloud in a Bottle

Inspire your future meteorologists with this unbelievable experiment! Using just a clear bottle, a few drops of water, and a match they’ll get to see firsthand how water condenses to form a cloud!

Learn More: The Water Project.org

23. Snickers Rock Models

Did you know that a simple Snickers bar can be used to represent three kinds of rock? Have your kiddos explore the layers of this delicious candy bar and experiment with applying pressure and heat to discover the effects these have on sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock. 

Learn More: Organized Homeschooler

24. Windmill STEM Challenge

Engage your kids’ engineering mindsets with this windmill construction challenge, based on the story of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. They’ll use recyclables to explore, design, test, and refine models of windmills. This is an awesome way for them to explore future careers in STEM.

Learn More: Carly & Adam

25. Layers of The Ocean And Density

STEM activities are a great way to bring abstract scientific concepts, such as the layers of the ocean, to life for your students! This activity uses sand, salt, and water to make a mini-ocean in a glass. Your class will measure the different densities of these materials and discover how this relates to the ocean’s layers. 

Learn More: Homeschool Momgineer

26. Bouncy Naked Eggs

Shell-less eggs are sure to fascinate your students, whatever their age!  Give your learners an unboiled egg to put in some vinegar for about 24 hours; the result is a shell-less bouncy egg! Take this classic experiment a step further by predicting and testing which egg is the bounciest.

Learn More: Science Sparks

27. Glowing Eggs

Let your kiddies take the “naked egg” experiment to the next level with just one more ingredient–the ink from a highlighter! Add the ink pad from a highlighter to vinegar, then add the egg Once the shell has dissolved, take the egg to a dark room and shine a light on it! Talk about a glow-up! 

Learn More: Frugal Coupon Living

28. The Science of Sound Waves

Visualizing scientific concepts like sound waves can be tricky! However, with just a spoon, some string, and a ruler, your students will start to get the idea. First, have them tie a spoon to the end of two lengths of yarn and hold the yarn to their ears. Next, tap the spoon and watch the “Ah ha!” moment in real-time!

Learn More: KC Edventures

29. How Does a Leaf Breathe?

No lungs? No problem! Have your kids put a leaf in a bowl of water, set it in the sun, and watch as the magic of photosynthesis happens. Seeing the oxygen bubbles form on the surface of the leaf will show them this process in real-time! 

30. Ping-Pong Ball Launcher

Get your kiddos outside with this fun rocket ball launcher experiment! Using a recycled plastic bottle and some rubber bands, your kiddos will learn about a ton of important STEM concepts such as the transfer of energy, inertia, and velocity. Create your basic prototype then let them tinker with the design to make improvements!

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

31. Marble Energy Transfer

Build your kiddos’ understanding of how energy is transferred between objects in this intriguing marble experiment! Using their prior knowledge of potential and kinetic energy, they’ll make predictions about what will happen to the marbles when they collide and how far they will travel.

32. LEGO Wrecking Ball

What’s better than building a LEGO tower? Using it to knock things down! For all your future engineers, it’ll be a hit to build some functional machines during a STEM design challenge! Using just a golf ball, some string, and a few LEGOs, task them with constructing a wrecking ball that’ll knock over anything standing in its way!

Learn More: LEGO Librarian

33. DIY Phone Amplifier

Check, one, two, three! Your music lovers will love this one. They’ll get to have a dance party in class, but must first they’ve got figure out how to amplify the music from a phone. Using only recyclable materials, have them build a device that’ll turn up the tunes!

Learn More: Mum In The Madhouse

34. Catapult Circuit Challenge

Ready, aim, fire! Have your kiddos engineer catapults from simple materials in this classic STEM activity. You can extend this activity by challenging them to complete several tests and get the perfect collapse! They’ll need to truly follow the engineering design process, revisiting and tweaking their machines in the pursuit of efficiency!

Learn More: Vivify STEM

35. Space Lander Challenge

In this incredible activity for your middle school kids, they’ll integrate physical science concepts and their problem-solving skills. They’ll be tasked with the real-world problem of developing a stable spacecraft that protects the “astronauts” inside upon landing. It’ll only take a few simple materials and some marshmallows to prepare!

36. Index Card Challenge

This simple activity is the perfect icebreaker for your middle school kids and also incorporates STEM. First, split your learners into groups and give them a couple of minutes to write things they have in common on index cards. Next, they must race against each other to build the tallest card tower possible!

Learn More: Beakers And Ink

37. Saving Sam

Saving Sam is a STEM challenge for your table groups with a team-building element! Your kiddos have got to work together to save poor Sam, the gummy worm but they’ll only be allowed to use paperclips to flip his capsized boat and get his lifesaver on! This activity highlights the importance of sharing ideas respectfully, as they would in future STEM fields.

38. DIY Smartphone Projector

Your middle school students will explore concepts of projection and magnification as they work to create a functioning movie projector. After creating the projector from just a magnifying lens and box, your students can vote on which movie to watch as they test out their creation!

Learn More: The STEM Laboratory

39. Pinball Machine Challenge

Are there any pinball wizards in the room? Take your kiddies back to the days of arcades with this super fun pinball machine engineering activity. Have them design a functional pinball machine, complete with flippers, a plunger, and score holes, and prompt them to consider STEM concepts like the laws of motion, force, and velocity!

Learn More: Teach Student Savvy

40. Simple Machine Bird

Strengthen your learners’ engineering mindset as they build a mechanical bird complete with levers and gears! All you’ll need is some cardboard, popsicle sticks, and some plastic gear sets to challenge them to construct a bird that is able to flap its wings! This cool STEM activity will build an understanding of how simple machines are built.

41. Water Pipelines

Connect your classroom STEM lessons with future career pathways through this introduction to water pipelines! Your kiddies will use their problem-solving abilities to move water from a reservoir through straw pipelines! Can they get the water from A to B without any leaks?

Learn More: Teachers Are Terrific

42. Earthquake Structures

Can your students build an earthquake-proof structure? Guide them as they investigate the properties of stable structures and then use simple materials to create multi-level buildings that can withstand a Jello earthquake! This fun STEM activity is a super hands-on way to shake things up for your middle schoolers!

43. Thaumatrope

During this STEM lesson, you’ll teach your students the scientific magic behind a classic toy from the old days; the thaumatrope!  First, your kiddos will trace or draw designs on the two sides of a cardstock circle. Then, after learning about “persistence of vision,” they’ll add rubber bands and spin their creations to see them in action as the two images blend together.

Learn More: What We Do All Day

44. Pringles Ring

Amaze your kiddos with this feat of friction and gravity as they work to construct rings of only Pringles chips. By carefully placing the chips in the correct pattern, they’ll be able to form a solid ring that stands without support! Amazing, right? The best part is that their creation becomes an edible reward in the end!

45. Light Painting

Light painting may seem like just a fun social media trend, but on a deeper level, it is an exploration of camera exposure and light! Turn out the lights, set your camera on a long exposure mode, and show your kiddos what types of images they can create with just a torch or glow stick! 

Learn More: Pink Stripey Socks

46. Video Game Coding

Before delving into your classroom unit on video game engineering,  challenge your kids to complete the same type of tasks in a hands-on way. Encourage them to think through their overall layout, familiarize themselves with commands, and figure out what they’ll need to incorporate into a purposeful game design.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

47. Design a Video Game

Introduce your learners to basic game coding concepts with this super offering! The software is right at their fingertips with Google CS First for them to learn how to create simple racing games. and as it meets ISTE standards! What a fun and practical resource to help your middle schoolers meet the STEM curriculum. 

Learn More: Google CS First

48. Lightbot Coding

Lightbot is another fantastic online resource for building your students’ understanding of coding. They will get to practice their skills in relaying commands, making loops, and utilizing their critical thinking skills on this interactive platform. This a great choice for a STEM block or as an activity for your early finishers! 

Learn More: Light Bot

49. Printable Debugging Game

Debugging is an important principle of coding that your kiddos should learn early on. Grab this quick and easy debugging practice printable to tap into their critical thinking skills. It’s sure to show your kids the importance of thorough, error-free coding, which is critical for a future career in computer science!

Learn More: iGame Mom

50. Digital Artist

Looking for an awesome online resource that combines art and technology? Code has numerous coding games and activities to teach your students the basics of code and Artist is no exception!! Your class will be totally engaged as they follow the on-screen coding instructions to create increasingly difficult shapes. They’ll be coding pixels to create masterpieces in no time!

Learn More: Code  

Expect Unexpected Engagement When you try Hexagonal Thinking in ELA

Listen to my latest podcast episode:.

136: Creative Real-World Research Projects in ELA

• October 5, 2021

As a kid, I was torn between wanting to be a marine biologist and wanting to be a helicopter pilot. But by high school, those aspirations had changed a bit. I knew I loved English class, and I thought that love might translate well into a career in law, teaching, or ministry. Then one day, as my AP literature class finished up our unit on Madame Bovary, my teacher introduced a new project. We would re-enact the obscenity trial of Gustave Flaubert, presenting our own cases as to why Madame Bovary did or did not offend the public morals. We would meet in prosecution and defense teams, prepare questions for our witnesses, make our opening and closing statements. Our teacher brought in a shelf full of resource books and told us we could use what we needed. 

I was all in. I immediately volunteered as the defense attorney. As our team met on that first day, I went searching for the original transcript of the trial on the resource shelf. No dice. 

Later that night, I was to be found in a dusty old corner of the University of Minnesota library, using my dad’s professor i.d. card to borrow the original transcript of Flaubert’s trial. I read through it eagerly and brought it in to share with my team. 

That was only the beginning. My eventual closing statement was seven single-spaced pages. 

So, you might be wondering, what does this story have to do with today’s episode? 

Today we’re talking about a concept first introduced by Dave Perkins, a Harvard researcher, called “Playing the whole game at the junior level.” The Flaubert trial, and almost every other memorable experience from my own education, are examples of this concept, and today we’re diving in to find out what it means and why it matters. 

You can listen in below, or on the podcast player of your choice.

I first learned about “playing the whole game at the junior level” when I read Sarah Fine and Jal Mehta’s book, In Search of Deeper Learning . Fine and Mehta traveled the country for several years observing teaching and learning in a huge variety of programs, trying to put the puzzle pieces together on why deeper learning happens in some classes, programs, and schools, and not others. One of their big takeaways was that where educators could put Perkins’ concept into action, deeper learning was often the result. 

Think of a young little league player, getting her first glove for her first practice. She learns to throw. She learns to bat. She learns to scoop up the ball from the grass. All this is moderately interesting. But then, she has her first game! Everyone is wearing their brightly colored uniforms, and the field smells of freshly mowed grass. The parents are watching. There’s ice cream afterwards. Whoa. Baseball just got cool. 

Now think about our system of education. If we pull the lessons of the excited little baseball player into the classroom, what can we learn? According to Perkins’ concept and Fine and Mehta’s research, deeper learning happens when we don’t just practice skills on repeat at school. There need to be games. Chances to use the learning in real world ways that feel relevant to students. They don’t have to be the exact ways that they’ll use their skills as adults, that’s where the “junior level” part of the “whole game at the junior level” comes in. But they do need to push beyond the daily practice and routine assessments of the classroom.

While I could share many ways to put this into practice in class, from poetry slams to play performances, podcasting to writing contests, genius hour to blogging, today I want to share ways to apply it when it comes to research. And hopefully by narrowing in on this one aspect of ELA, you’ll get a clear view of exactly how “playing the whole game at the junior level” can impact the way you teach, the way you talk about their learning with your students, and the way you share what you’re up to with parents and administrators. 

Ready? Let’s do it.

OK, so imagine you are planning a research unit for your students. You want to teach them MLA citation and how to reference outside works as they write about a research topic. These are essential skills of ELA. 

You know you want to do some mini-lessons on MLA, summarizing ideas, and incorporating citations. You want them to practice these skills several times. You’re thinking of having them do a five page research paper on the topic of their choice, scaffolding the paper into four steps with multiple drafts. This is important work for sure, and highly relevant to improving their writing and helping them prepare for college. 

But what if we apply Perkins’ concept of “the whole game at the junior level”? Does a research paper with an audience of one fit the bill?

Not exactly. So how can we get the same basic skills practiced while incorporating the game? Making the learning feel more relevant? 

Let’s re-mix this unit, so you can cover the same skills while pushing for that deeper learning.

Frame It: Carousel Post

One way research is showing up in the real world of our students these days is in social media carousel posts. Open your Instagram feed and you are likely going to see a swipeable series of images in which someone teaches you about something in five to ten clear square images. ( Check out this example carousel from @so.informed about Banned Books Week ). To teach this way, you have to do careful research and boil it down to its most essential concepts, pairing your words with images and/or fonts and colors that help to tell the story clearly and quickly. Your caption and citations must be clear and spot on to hold the attention of your social media audience.

Hmmmm. What if this was the final product of a research unit? If you began by looking at social media carousels and talking about what makes them effective, and framed your whole unit around their creation, students would be aware of the whole game from the beginning. They could research a topic they’re passionate about, and hope to teach others about. As you shared lessons on MLA, summarizing ideas with citations, and integrating varied sources, they could immediately apply them to the creation of their carousels. 

To culminate the project, you could have them print their images into flip books to put in the school library, turn them into posters to put up in the hallways or bathrooms, or pitch their carousels to the class and vote on the most effective. You could talk about how they might use carousel posts in their future work – summer jobs or careers. A pediatrician might use them in her social media to explain something to parents. A small business owner might use them to showcase a product line. A barrista might use them to share why the type of coffee beans their coffee shop uses matters, and bring in more customers that way. A chef might use them to teach cooking concepts and help customers try out a recipe at home, garnering good PR and connection. 

Frame It: Social Media Movement

OK, let’s try another frame. It’s hard to miss all the social media movements happening in the world these days. There are the frustrating ones (the most recent TikTok Challenge comes to mind) and the ones creating powerful positive change. What if you framed a research movement around creating the building blocks of a social media movement? Students could choose an issue they care about, anything from global warming to mental health, elective options in schools to better funding for local parks. They could build a foundation of research on their subject, so they are prepared to teach about it to others and galvanize action around it. Once again, as you introduce the concepts of MLA, citation, summary, and argument based on research, there are obvious “whole game” connections. 

Students can choose hashtags, create post images and write captions, design merchandise, plan event options, write (mock) letters to influencers suggesting collaborations, and more, all based carefully on their research. Once they have designed assets for a potentially very real social media campaign, they can present what they’ve created to your class community or at a larger community event. Perhaps your class will even want to choose a social media campaign to launch together, based on the work of one or two students. Though of course there are permissions and privacy to consider if you take it that far, just getting to the point where they could means you’re playing the whole game at the junior level . 

I could go on. You could frame your research unit around writing letters to local politicians or the school board to push for changes your students want to see. You could frame it around designing infographics to submit to media outlets. You could frame it around entering one of the many national writing competitions, giving students a real-world audience of judges who are scholars and leaders in their field. In all of these units, the basic building blocks of research are the same. Students will need to find strong sources, take notes on those sources, and understand how to weave their research into their writing and cite it. But when they’re “playing the whole game at the junior level,” everything feels different, and deeper learning is likely to be the result. 

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• Research Skills

50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills

Please note, I am no longer blogging and this post hasn’t updated since April 2020.

For a number of years, Seth Godin has been talking about the need to “ connect the dots” rather than “collect the dots” . That is, rather than memorising information, students must be able to learn how to solve new problems, see patterns, and combine multiple perspectives.

Solid research skills underpin this. Having the fluency to find and use information successfully is an essential skill for life and work.

Today’s students have more information at their fingertips than ever before and this means the role of the teacher as a guide is more important than ever.

You might be wondering how you can fit teaching research skills into a busy curriculum? There aren’t enough hours in the day! The good news is, there are so many mini-lessons you can do to build students’ skills over time.

This post outlines 50 ideas for activities that could be done in just a few minutes (or stretched out to a longer lesson if you have the time!).

Learn More About The Research Process

I have a popular post called Teach Students How To Research Online In 5 Steps. It outlines a five-step approach to break down the research process into manageable chunks.

This post shares ideas for mini-lessons that could be carried out in the classroom throughout the year to help build students’ skills in the five areas of: clarify, search, delve, evaluate , and cite . It also includes ideas for learning about staying organised throughout the research process.

Notes about the 50 research activities:

• These ideas can be adapted for different age groups from middle primary/elementary to senior high school.
• Many of these ideas can be repeated throughout the year.
• Depending on the age of your students, you can decide whether the activity will be more teacher or student led. Some activities suggest coming up with a list of words, questions, or phrases. Teachers of younger students could generate these themselves.
• Depending on how much time you have, many of the activities can be either quickly modelled by the teacher, or extended to an hour-long lesson.
• Some of the activities could fit into more than one category.
• Looking for simple articles for younger students for some of the activities? Try DOGO News or Time for Kids . Newsela is also a great resource but you do need to sign up for free account.
• Why not try a few activities in a staff meeting? Everyone can always brush up on their own research skills!

• Choose a topic (e.g. koalas, basketball, Mount Everest) . Write as many questions as you can think of relating to that topic.
• Make a mindmap of a topic you’re currently learning about. This could be either on paper or using an online tool like Bubbl.us .
• Read a short book or article. Make a list of 5 words from the text that you don’t totally understand. Look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary (online or paper).
• Look at a printed or digital copy of a short article with the title removed. Come up with as many different titles as possible that would fit the article.
• Come up with a list of 5 different questions you could type into Google (e.g. Which country in Asia has the largest population?) Circle the keywords in each question.
• Write down 10 words to describe a person, place, or topic. Come up with synonyms for these words using a tool like  Thesaurus.com .
• Write pairs of synonyms on post-it notes (this could be done by the teacher or students). Each student in the class has one post-it note and walks around the classroom to find the person with the synonym to their word.

• Explore how to search Google using your voice (i.e. click/tap on the microphone in the Google search box or on your phone/tablet keyboard) . List the pros and cons of using voice and text to search.
• Open two different search engines in your browser such as Google and Bing. Type in a query and compare the results. Do all search engines work exactly the same?
• Have students work in pairs to try out a different search engine (there are 11 listed here ). Report back to the class on the pros and cons.
• Think of something you’re curious about, (e.g. What endangered animals live in the Amazon Rainforest?). Open Google in two tabs. In one search, type in one or two keywords ( e.g. Amazon Rainforest) . In the other search type in multiple relevant keywords (e.g. endangered animals Amazon rainforest).  Compare the results. Discuss the importance of being specific.
• Similar to above, try two different searches where one phrase is in quotation marks and the other is not. For example, Origin of “raining cats and dogs” and Origin of raining cats and dogs . Discuss the difference that using quotation marks makes (It tells Google to search for the precise keywords in order.)
• Try writing a question in Google with a few minor spelling mistakes. What happens? What happens if you add or leave out punctuation ?
• Try the AGoogleADay.com daily search challenges from Google. The questions help older students learn about choosing keywords, deconstructing questions, and altering keywords.
• Explore how Google uses autocomplete to suggest searches quickly. Try it out by typing in various queries (e.g. How to draw… or What is the tallest…). Discuss how these suggestions come about, how to use them, and whether they’re usually helpful.
• Watch this video  from Code.org to learn more about how search works .
• Take a look at  20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know  by Eric Curts to learn about “ instant searches ”. Try one to try out. Perhaps each student could be assigned one to try and share with the class.
• Experiment with typing some questions into Google that have a clear answer (e.g. “What is a parallelogram?” or “What is the highest mountain in the world?” or “What is the population of Australia?”). Look at the different ways the answers are displayed instantly within the search results — dictionary definitions, image cards, graphs etc.

• Watch the video How Does Google Know Everything About Me?  by Scientific American. Discuss the PageRank algorithm and how Google uses your data to customise search results.
• Brainstorm a list of popular domains   (e.g. .com, .com.au, or your country’s domain) . Discuss if any domains might be more reliable than others and why (e.g. .gov or .edu) .
• Discuss (or research) ways to open Google search results in a new tab to save your original search results  (i.e. right-click > open link in new tab or press control/command and click the link).
• Try out a few Google searches (perhaps start with things like “car service” “cat food” or “fresh flowers”). A re there advertisements within the results? Discuss where these appear and how to spot them.
• Look at ways to filter search results by using the tabs at the top of the page in Google (i.e. news, images, shopping, maps, videos etc.). Do the same filters appear for all Google searches? Try out a few different searches and see.
• Type a question into Google and look for the “People also ask” and “Searches related to…” sections. Discuss how these could be useful. When should you use them or ignore them so you don’t go off on an irrelevant tangent? Is the information in the drop-down section under “People also ask” always the best?
• Often, more current search results are more useful. Click on “tools” under the Google search box and then “any time” and your time frame of choice such as “Past month” or “Past year”.
• Have students annotate their own “anatomy of a search result” example like the one I made below. Explore the different ways search results display; some have more details like sitelinks and some do not.

• Find two articles on a news topic from different publications. Or find a news article and an opinion piece on the same topic. Make a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences.
• Choose a graph, map, or chart from The New York Times’ What’s Going On In This Graph series . Have a whole class or small group discussion about the data.
• Look at images stripped of their captions on What’s Going On In This Picture? by The New York Times. Discuss the images in pairs or small groups. What can you tell?
• Explore a website together as a class or in pairs — perhaps a news website. Identify all the advertisements .
• Have a look at a fake website either as a whole class or in pairs/small groups. See if students can spot that these sites are not real. Discuss the fact that you can’t believe everything that’s online. Get started with these four examples of fake websites from Eric Curts.
• Give students a copy of my website evaluation flowchart to analyse and then discuss as a class. Read more about the flowchart in this post.
• As a class, look at a prompt from Mike Caulfield’s Four Moves . Either together or in small groups, have students fact check the prompts on the site. This resource explains more about the fact checking process. Note: some of these prompts are not suitable for younger students.
• Practice skim reading — give students one minute to read a short article. Ask them to discuss what stood out to them. Headings? Bold words? Quotes? Then give students ten minutes to read the same article and discuss deep reading.

All students can benefit from learning about plagiarism, copyright, how to write information in their own words, and how to acknowledge the source. However, the formality of this process will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum guidelines.

• Watch the video Citation for Beginners for an introduction to citation. Discuss the key points to remember.
• Look up the definition of plagiarism using a variety of sources (dictionary, video, Wikipedia etc.). Create a definition as a class.
• Find an interesting video on YouTube (perhaps a “life hack” video) and write a brief summary in your own words.
• Have students pair up and tell each other about their weekend. Then have the listener try to verbalise or write their friend’s recount in their own words. Discuss how accurate this was.
• Read the class a copy of a well known fairy tale. Have them write a short summary in their own words. Compare the versions that different students come up with.
• Try out MyBib — a handy free online tool without ads that helps you create citations quickly and easily.
• Give primary/elementary students a copy of Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Citation that matches their grade level (the guide covers grades 1 to 6). Choose one form of citation and create some examples as a class (e.g. a website or a book).
• Make a list of things that are okay and not okay to do when researching, e.g. copy text from a website, use any image from Google images, paraphrase in your own words and cite your source, add a short quote and cite the source. 
• Have students read a short article and then come up with a summary that would be considered plagiarism and one that would not be considered plagiarism. These could be shared with the class and the students asked to decide which one shows an example of plagiarism .
• Older students could investigate the difference between paraphrasing and summarising . They could create a Venn diagram that compares the two.
• Write a list of statements on the board that might be true or false ( e.g. The 1956 Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia. The rhinoceros is the largest land animal in the world. The current marathon world record is 2 hours, 7 minutes). Have students research these statements and decide whether they’re true or false by sharing their citations.

Staying Organised

• Make a list of different ways you can take notes while researching — Google Docs, Google Keep, pen and paper etc. Discuss the pros and cons of each method.
• Learn the keyboard shortcuts to help manage tabs (e.g. open new tab, reopen closed tab, go to next tab etc.). Perhaps students could all try out the shortcuts and share their favourite one with the class.
• Find a collection of resources on a topic and add them to a Wakelet .
• Listen to a short podcast or watch a brief video on a certain topic and sketchnote ideas. Sylvia Duckworth has some great tips about live sketchnoting
• Learn how to use split screen to have one window open with your research, and another open with your notes (e.g. a Google spreadsheet, Google Doc, Microsoft Word or OneNote etc.) .

All teachers know it’s important to teach students to research well. Investing time in this process will also pay off throughout the year and the years to come. Students will be able to focus on analysing and synthesizing information, rather than the mechanics of the research process.

By trying out as many of these mini-lessons as possible throughout the year, you’ll be really helping your students to thrive in all areas of school, work, and life.

Also remember to model your own searches explicitly during class time. Talk out loud as you look things up and ask students for input. Learning together is the way to go!

You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

How To Evaluate Websites: A Guide For Teachers And Students

Five Tips for Teaching Students How to Research and Filter Information

Typing Tips: The How and Why of Teaching Students Keyboarding Skills

8 Ways Teachers And Schools Can Communicate With Parents

10 Replies to “50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills”

Loving these ideas, thank you

This list is amazing. Thank you so much!

So glad it’s helpful, Alex! 🙂

Hi I am a student who really needed some help on how to reasearch thanks for the help.

So glad it helped! 🙂

seriously seriously grateful for your post. 🙂

So glad it’s helpful! Makes my day 🙂

How do you get the 50 mini lessons. I got the free one but am interested in the full version.

Hi Tracey, The link to the PDF with the 50 mini lessons is in the post. Here it is . Check out this post if you need more advice on teaching students how to research online. Hope that helps! Kathleen

Best wishes to you as you face your health battler. Hoping you’ve come out stronger and healthier from it. Your website is so helpful.

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