Reinforcing Research Skills & Strategies for Middle Schoolers

Carl Vallely, Head of Middle School
In the 6th grade at Brimmer, core research skills are taught and reviewed across disciplines to prepare students to take on more in-depth research projects in the later Middle School and Upper School years. Fine-tuning these skills at the start of Middle School gives students access to the tools they will need to find answers to questions they have about the world around them and empowers them to respond to those questions in a thoughtful way, backed by evidence. Over the last several weeks, our sixth graders have been immersed in two research projects that enable them to further develop this important skill.
 
In History 6, students have been immersed in the study of Ancient Egypt. They explored Egypt’s unique geography that allowed the civilization to flourish, analyzed the accomplishments of the Ancient Egyptians that have had a lasting impact, and also examined Egyptian religious beliefs and practices. For the final project for the unit, students were asked to write a research paper on an influential pharaoh that explored the Pharaoh’s impact on Egyptian society. Ramses the Great, Hatshepsut, and Tutankhamen were among the Pharaohs that students chose to research. Middle and Upper School Librarian Mrs. Dolan visited our class to conduct a lesson on information literacy, using proper sources, and paraphrasing and citing sources. From there, students worked on a research guide that they used to write their rough drafts. After peer, self, and teacher editing exercises, students completed their final drafts along with short presentations using Adobe Spark or iMovie that were presented in class. The final product was outstanding.
 
Research doesn’t just happen in the humanities classrooms. Students in Science 6 have been studying the importance of bridges. After learning about various types of bridges, students chose a famous bridge to research. Students were asked not only to describe how the bridge was designed to withstand the forces of tension and compression but also to examine the bridge’s impact on the community and the environment in which it exists. Students presented their research as a written paper and presentation to the class. For the final assessment of the unit, students were given a STEAM challenge: using what they had learned in class and through their research, they were asked to design and build a truss bridge out of fettuccine pasta and hot glue. After researching various occupations involved in bridge design and construction, the students assumed these roles as they drew blueprints, calculated a bid, and assembled their bridge. The project culminated with a stress test of each bridge to measure how much mass it could hold. The winner of the challenge was determined by the bridge with the highest ratio of bridge mass to mass held.
 
These are just two of the assignments that ask students to engage their rapidly developing cognitive abilities and hone their research skills in their 6th grade year. The skills reinforced through these projects prepare students for thesis-driven writing. They practice evaluating information based on accuracy, importance, and ability to support their claim and continue to build the foundation needed to find reliable, relevant knowledge from trusted sources, so they can use that information to inform and support their ideas.

Brimmer and May School

69 Middlesex Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.