I think middle schoolers could benefit from a project like this.  Studying something that truly interests them and creating a project that suits their needs.  For example, maybe a student who is interested in movie making can study the subject and then direct a short film and show the class.  This can be a documentary or something he or she wrote.  This thinking can be applied to many different areas and I think would resonate well with that age group.  Middle schoolers tend to be rather independent and being able to study something they love and create a project they feel really expresses what they’ve learned.  This correlates with AASL standard 3 which states, “share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society”.  Sharing this knowledge with fellow students will benefit them. I also think the webbing step can be integrated into the classroom.  When I was a freshman in high school, I had to write a term paper for my English class.  The Internet wasn’t as popular then, but since it’s such an integral part of everyday life now I think it would be useful to review developing key words and searching the Internet.  Knowing the best way to search the Internet will be invaluable to students throughout their education.  I think this correlates with AASL standard 1 which says, “inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge”.  Webbing takes a topic and breaks it down into smaller steps.  Especially when identifying key words, students develop critical thinking skills and by searching in this way, knowledge is easily gained.  Research is all about gaining knowledge.  Here is a link to the AASL standards: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/standards.cfm.

Before the project I tended to blindly approach projects.  This helped me break things down and go step-by-step.  I never felt really overwhelmed – partly because I really enjoyed the topic, and partly because the breakdown of the project really helped push me through.  I knew where I was going.  Now I can approach other projects in similar ways – not groping around blindly, but with understanding and purpose.

PS: Wishing post to come!