Middle School Students Integrate Geography & English with Research Skills

The students started by book-talking lots of historical fiction books that represented each of the seven continents. Students had several months to try different books before settling on the title of their choice.  As they read the book, they were to find a research topic that was central to the story.  For instance, the book about a chocolate store that took the main character on a trip to the Amazon forest had one student research the conservation of the Amazon forest while another student researched how chocolate is made using cacao.  Other topics included:  Climate of New Zealand, Apartheid in South Africa, Stalin's deadly rule in Russia, the plight of child workers during the  Industrial Revolution in the US, Diamond mining in Africa, Animals and Biomes of Australia, arranged marriages in India, the use of Elephants as loggers in Africa, the mythology behind the zodiac symbols and so many more!

Using NoodleTools, the students practiced creating effective note cards while researching their topics using books, databases, and a very carefully chosen website. In conjunction with the library, research lessons were delivered throughout the process. Students learned to cite sources, write a personal evaluation, a book summary, and organize/coordinate their research!

Once the projects were assembled, the seventh graders presented their research to sixth graders in one-on-one sessions in the library in a museum-like setup. The sixth graders have been practicing active listening--both presenters and listeners did a superb job!