Students thrive when their work coincides with their interests. The great benefit of doing research projects is that it provides the opportunity for students to dive in to what they are passionate about, while still accomplishing educational goals. Of course, the first criterion for a good research project then is flexibility.

This may vary depending on the you have set. If you are specifically studying the Revolutionary War, students can study different events or important people within the war. If you are looking to teach design technology skills, the topic could be anything that a student is passionate about.

So as we look for creative ways to do research projects, remember to allow students to research their passions within the parameters of your goals.