As with essays, students prepare for a project by deciding on a topic and narrowing it to a workable unit. Be sure that there is ample material available on the selected topic either in the library or on the Internet. Instruct the class how to obtain information, take notes and organize the material in outline form. Discuss plagiarism and how to cite sources according to MLA guidelines. A class trip to the library would be useful. After this, assign students to write a rough draft and then have them check for spelling and typos. Suggest that each pupil pick a partner to edit the draft and then rewrite it.
Research the structure of short stories and take notes on the findings. Add to this research on a specific author's life as well as different analyses of his themes and techniques. For example, use a study of O'Henry's works with their twists. Find out how and why he became a master of this technique. Consider, for example, "Ransom of Red Chief," a story where two thieves kidnap a young boy hoping to receive a ransom for his return. The boy turns out to be so troublesome the robbers cannot wait to get rid of him. Original illustrations or copies of pictures from researched books will enhance the project. Include an imaginary letter to the father from the robbers asking him to take his son back. Research other O'Henry stories or short stories written by additional authors and incorporate them in the project.
Making a pamphlet on books is another possible research project. Select a theme, such as prejudice, and read several books on the topic. Examples are the biography of Elie Weisel, an account of a young boy's life during the Holocaust, or "To Kill a Mockingbird," a tale about a lawyer in the South who defends a black man of a false charge and thereby teaches his children about prejudice. Look up the authors' lives and influencing factors that inspired the writing. Write diaries of the major characters. Compare and contrast the problems discussed in the works and the prejudices the characters encountered. Put these together in pamphlet form and display on a table in the classroom. Have a class discussion on the material researched.
Preparing a study of animal life in Africa is a possible research project for seventh graders. Study the behavior of animals such as the cheetah, which kills animals larger than itself, or wildebeests that move together in linear fashion. Pictures, charts or posters work well as does a scrapbook. If possible, a slide show or power-point presentation would enhance the project.
Coordinate a project with social studies topics. Historical periods or events such as the Middle Ages or American Wars are possibilities. Students work with a partner with each taking a different aspect of the research. Summarize the findings. Assign students to write stories or diaries about real or fictitious people who might have lived during these periods. Tell students to create a newspaper with descriptions of events that took place or may have taken place during the time frame researched. Oral presentations with students dressing up as people from the time period work well. Another possibility is to divide the class into teams and have a competitive quiz to reinforce the materials presented.