Easy 6-Day Middle School Research Project

Let’s be real: middle schoolers and research don’t always mix. From identifying credible sources to using information inside an essay, it’s a process that takes a lot of practice. That’s why I started using a six-day middle school research project before I dove into an entire research unit because it gave students a strong foundation for writing. This research project is also a good way to review skills or fill time at the end of the school year.

Six-Day Middle School Research Project

I created this middle school research project after a lot of frustrating research units. Writing was already a challenge for my students, and adding the layer of research created a huge headache. This project was a simple way to ease into research, establish a foundation for research skills, and give students a chance to practice before diving into the full unit.

I want to share this six-day research project and how I scaffolded the key research skills throughout!

Day One: Introduce the Project

The first day is all about introducing the project and the different research project topics. Because I’m focusing on building the foundation, I did encourage students to select a pre-decided topic. I gave them choices, like “the worst place to live” and “historic hero”, so they could pick something that interested them. In the middle school research project, students also have the option of choosing their own topic, if you want to go that route.

Then, the rest of the lesson is spent going over expectations for the research project and the elements of research. You can also show off some past research projects here (or use the examples from my research project resource), so students get an idea of what they’ll be doing.

Day Two: Practice Research

Now you’re starting to establish that research foundation. They already picked their topic on day one, and it’s time to dig in. Using a graphic organizer or guided questions (the middle school research project resource includes all of that), students will start to collect information about their topic. For example, reading articles about the worst place to live and taking notes.

During day two, you’ll also start the conversation about credible sources with a mini-lesson. Talk through what makes something credible and search terms to use when researching. Additionally, model how students should capture information they find online, so they can keep track of their sources. In my done-for-you research project resource, you’ll find teaching slides and reference pages to guide you through these lessons and conversations.

Day Three: Practice Research

The research continues! Start by reviewing relevant information and credible sources. Students will continue to apply what they’ve learned and finish completing their graphic organizers and answering guided questions. Lessons will be pretty brief on day three because the focus should be on students completing their research.

If you have time, conference with students. During your conference, check in with their research, answer any questions they have, and help them get “unstuck” if the research has stalled.

Day Four: Project Organization

By this point, students should have all of their research. Now, they’ll move into the project phase. I liked to give my students different project options, like a brochure, PowerPoint, poster, or oral presentation. Then, I’d give students a graphic organizer for their chosen project type. This would guide them through creating an effective poster, brochure, etc., so that they end up with quality projects (not just something thrown together).

You’ll also want to take time to talk about MLA formatting and quoting vs. paraphrasing. As students begin to create their final project, they’ll want to follow those research guidelines.

In my middle school research project resource, I included graphic organizers for each project type, plus reference pages on MLA formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, and more.

Day Five: Final Project

Students will wrap up their research projects on day five. They’ll have completed their project graphic organizer and will work on completing their brochure, presentation, etc. When students complete their projects, there’s an optional extension activity that I included in my middle school research project.

Essentially, students will take all the research they collected and create a written version of their project. This doesn’t have to be a full-on essay because you haven’t talked in-depth about introductions, thesis statements, and so on. But this is a great way for students to practice putting their research into words and citing research inside their writing.

Day Six: Presentations or Displays

The last day is all about the presentations! Students will share their research with the class. I recommend putting a time limit in place, so you can make it through all the presentations in a class period (and keep students from going overboard).

Another option for day six is to continue the extension activity. If you’d rather grade the presentations separately and focus on writing practice, give students additional time to create a written version of their project. If you opt for the extension, it might be worth teaching a mini-lesson here on transitions, introductions, and so on. Or take some time to conference with students about their projects or essays.

Done-For-You Middle School Research Project

Planning this project can take literally minutes when you grab the Middle School Research Writing and Skills Project. The project is laid out over six days (just like I shared above), and includes –