Research is an essential part of any student’s educational journey. It can be difficult, however, to get middle schoolers excited about research. Often, they don’t know how to determine which websites are reputable or what topics they should pursue. As a result, it can be hard for them to stay engaged in the classroom. Fortunately, there are lots of tips and tricks that teachers can use to make researching fun and exciting for their students.
Incorporating Technology into Research
One great way to get middle schoolers interested in research is to incorporate technology into the process. Since 2020, students have become more adept in using technology for academic purposes. Using technology allows students to take advantage of the vast resources available and helps integrate technical skills students will most likely need in the future.
Technology can help make the research process more fun by allowing students to create multimedia presentations or videos that demonstrate their findings. Let’s face it, the multi-page research project is on its way out the door! What better way to prepare students for their futures than by utilizing the many opportunities technology can bring?
Teach Students How to Evaluate Sources
A key element of research is the ability to evaluate sources. This helps students understand which websites are reputable, and which ones should be avoided. Teaching students early on how to evaluate sources also helps them develop their critical thinking skills and trust their own judgment in picking sites to use for research.
Teachers need to make sure that their students understand how to evaluate websites for accuracy and relevance when conducting research online. The best way to do this is by providing clear instructions on how to determine if a website is reputable or not (e.g., checking for sources/citations).
When teaching students how to evaluate websites, use the C.R.A.P. method. It is an easy acronym to help students remember what to look for when evaluating the relevance and accuracy of a site.
- C – Currency (How current is the information on the site?)
- R – Reliability (Is the content on the site opinion or based on facts? Did the website list any sources to show where the information came from?)
- A – Authority (Who created and wrote the site? Do they have the credentials to prove what they are saying?)
- P – Purpose (Is the site simply providing information or is it trying to sell you something or get you to do something?)
Middle Schoolers love it when they think they are getting away with something. Using the C.R.A.P. method for evaluating resources is always a hit with students!
Finding Topics That Interest Students
When it comes to finding topics that interest middle schoolers, there are several strategies teachers can employ. Teachers will find more success in finding topics if they are able to provide choices for students. Have students brainstorm ideas based on their own personal interests or hobbies. For example, if a student likes basketball then they could research the history of the sport or its impact on American culture. Teachers could assign specific topics related to current events or trending news stories. This will not only keep students engaged but also teach them important lessons about being informed citizens and staying up-to-date on world issues.
The Dinner Party Research project does just that! This resource incorporates student choice, website evaluation – to find reliable sites, research, writing and critical thinking. The amazing part of this project is that students get so excited about this project, they forget they are researching!
I loved the element of student choice in this resource, which always gets kids engaged! They didn’t even realize that they were completing so much writing because they were so excited about their selection of guests! It was so easy to use during distance learning, and I look forward to using it with in-person students in the future.
The gist of the assignment is that students get to create a party and invite any 5 people they want to meet. Students get to decide what food and beverages will be served which adds a little creativity and buy-in from students. When it comes to choosing the five people to invite, the more options the better. Since the objective is to write informational text, who they research doesn’t matter. Open the choices to both historical and current figures. Including Pop Culture options is another easy way to get buy-in from students.
Students spend a few days researching their guests. Then they write an introduction for their guest – think of it as introducing the guest to a room full of people that don’t know the person. Students have to research the accomplishments of their guests in order to write about them.
As the host (or hostess) of the dinner party, it is the student’s job to “keep the conversation going.” In order to do this, each student must come up with questions they want to ask their guest. The questions call on the students’ ability to critically think about the person they have researched. Questions can be things the student would like to know about the guest or they can be questions that would spark a great story from the guest about something the student already knows.
This activity is a huge hit with middle schoolers. Students have so much fun planning their party they often don’t even realize they are in the middle of a research project.
You can easily put this research project together, but if you are looking for an assign-and-go project, check out this resource.
For many middle schoolers, researching topics can seem like an intimidating task—but it doesn’t have to be! With a few simple steps such as utilizing technology and finding topics that interest students, you can help give your students the confidence they need to succeed in any research project! With practice and guidance from teachers like you along the way, they’ll soon feel excited rather than overwhelmed when it comes time for their next assignment!
