Middle school math projects: Mistakes to avoid and what to do instead
Too often I see teachers post pictures of their middle school math projects on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest only to find they simply have a glorified worksheet that goes along with the topic. When it comes to middle school math projects, it’s not enough to just have some fluff.
Do not assign a worksheet and give it the title: Middle School Math Projects
A middle school math coloring activity or color by number worksheet is not a project! Planning for a fictitious Thanksgiving dinner where all students purchase the same items at the same price for the same amount of money is not a project.
Math projects for middle school should show an understanding of the appropriate content; however, this does not mean all students must show this learning in the exact same way. This brings us to our next item on the list…
Do allow differences in answers in your Middle School Math Projects
All students should not be driven to the exact same answer. Often math class is a place where students feel trapped. Their creative minds are locked up and discouraged from making a sound. Most of this stems from the idea that students believe in math class there is a right and wrong answer. Well, you can’t fault them because many times there is. For some people, this is the beautiful attribute while others loathe the idea.
A middle school math activity or project should be a time where students are able to think creatively. Likewise, they should be able to showcase different answers. Leaving project requirements open for some interpretation by the student allows this creativity to shine through. For example, consider having the students create the word problems or mathematics being applied. The simple feeling of choice allows the caged animal inside the creative mind to go wild.
If you have not provided your students this opportunity yet, check out my list of middle school math project ideas to get started! If you already have some projects and need help making them digital, pick up your copy of my free math projects for middle school guide.
Do promote creativity
Implementing fun math projects for middle school students that promote creativity can be challenging. However, doing this allows students the opportunity to take ownership of the mathematics.
Remember, many students do not like the right or wrong, black and white aspect of math. This is how many students view mathematics. Projects allow students to see mathematics as a beautiful rainbow of colors and options. I go in depth with the idea of why it is so important to allow students to be creative in my math project checklist. You can read more about it here!
Do allow collaboration
Middle school math projects for students can sometimes be a little overwhelming. For this reason, it is important to allow for collaboration. Not only will students be more successful, but they will also learn along the way. Too often, students sit quietly in classrooms pretending like they understand concepts. Some students are too shy to ask for help or cannot swallow the pride of needing assistance.
That’s where group projects come in! While working together, students often help each other further their understanding of mathematics. Allowing for this time of collaboration extends an opportunity for students to learn.
Do not force collaboration, if the project does not require it
In the last section, I discussed the importance of allowing students to work together on their middle school math projects. It may seem I am contradicting myself here, but hear me out. Sometimes as educators, we forget the importance of allowing students to work independently.
Providing students time to reflect on their own knowledge can be extremely effective.
As the teacher, it is our job to decide when it is appropriate for collaboration and to respect and notice the limitations group projects may provide. For example, my statistics project requires collaboration because the students are creating a game while calculating and analyzing data.
Independently this project would be overwhelming and students would not have rich discussions the project supports. The students have to communicate which measure of center best describes the data. Additionally, they determine which graph best represents the data. Without a group the effectiveness of this requirement is diminished. For the entire breakdown of my statistics project, you can read more here.
Dissimilarly, my end of the year middle school math projects are often completed independently. The reason for this is because I want to know exactly what each student personally remembered. It provides me with insight as to his/her overall understanding of the topics covered throughout the course of the year.
Remember, students can work independently and still learn from each other. When my students work independently on projects, I still promote collaboration and encourage students to bounce ideas off one other.
Conclusion
When you prepare your next project with your students, remember what you should do and what to avoid. To ensure your project is successful and you are able to enjoy the experience as well, you need to pick up my free math projects for middle school guide.
The Ultimate Guide to Middle School Math Projects breaks down how to implement digital projects, provides tips to make time for projects and includes grading hacks to save you time.
After picking up your free guide, you may want to read more on how to go digital with your math projects. You may also be interested in reading my project checklist that highlights what you should consider when creating and implementing your next project.
