Exciting Passion Project Ideas for Middle Schoolers

Middle school is a time when students get to discover their interests, develop hobbies, and join communities. Whether or not school is their favorite part of being a middle schooler, there’s a passion project for every student that will get them excited about learning and creating new things on their own or with a community. Passion projects at this age should be fun, spark curiosity, and inspire a love for creative learning that lasts into high school and beyond.

Why Passion Projects Matter

A great passion project can help a middle schooler go from distracted to engaged in learning activities. The idea is to get out of the traditional classroom learning setting for at least part of the day, and to show them that they can take control of their own personal and academic growth. Kids who engage in academic exploration during middle and high school don’t just have stronger academic outcomes and more positive college admissions results; they also gain self-confidence, are more focused, and feel more ownership over all kinds of activities in and outside of school.

How Do You Empower Middle School Students?

Encouraging self-directed learning

Self-directed learning is when the student decides what to work on, with the teacher or mentor taking more of a supporting role and stepping in when requested or needed. Although this style of learning leaves more room for mistakes on behalf of the student, that can actually be a good thing — as long as the stakes are low. In a self-directed learning environment, students should be allowed to make mistakes, and to learn how to fix them and to avoid them in the future. The role of the teacher/mentor is primarily to listen to students, to offer guidance and suggestions, and to empower them to feel ownership and control as they pursue their academic and personal growth.

Providing resources and support

It’s also important for mentors and teachers to provide appropriate resources and support for the student. As a one-on-one mentor in this situation, I give my students books, databases, examples, and ask them what other resources they would find useful. I don’t generally specify homework assignments; rather, I point them to the best possible version of the information they are interested in, and let them choose how deeply to explore it on their own before having an in depth discussion on the subject in our next meeting. More often than not, they come fully prepared for the next session, having absorbed and digested even more information and with even more curiosity and ideas than I would have expected. 

Examples of successful student projects

Polygence’s middle school students have completed some very cool passion projects! For instance, Hassan is an eighth-grade Polygence student whose recent project studied Arab artists working in conflict zones. David, another Polygence alum, worked on a project related to the economics of cruise ships. Students receive advice and guidance from their Polygence mentors when fine-tuning their project topics and throughout the process of completing them, but each step of the plan is ultimately based on the student’s own interests and passions.

Check out our Project Idea Generator for inspiration on where to start! These ideas can guide students on their journey to discovering what ignites their passions. Here are some of our favorite passion project ideas specifically for middle schoolers:

Passion Project Ideas by Category

Science and Technology

Weather Data Analysis: This is the perfect project for kids who love to spend time outdoors after school! Students will create a miniature weather station, collect data, and analyze their findings to predict what might happen in the future.

1. Build a backyard weather station. The student will construct a weather station to measure four climate factors:

   1. Wind (speed and direction): measured using a combination of a homemade anemometer (using paper cups) and a wind vane (using cardboard and a pencil).

   2. Temperature: measured using any standard thermometer.

   3. Pressure: measured using a DIY barometer (made with a can, jar, or plastic bottle).

   4. Precipitation: measured using a simple rain gauge (collect rain in a plastic cylinder of constant diameter and measure in millimeters or centimeters).

2. Collect data. Once or twice per day, at the same time(s), the student will collect and record data from all four components of the weather station. In addition to the numerical data from the weather station, we can use our eyes to make observations about the atmosphere. How is visibility? Is the sky clear or cloudy? If there are clouds, what types of clouds are they (e.g. fluffy cumulus clouds, thinner stratus clouds, etc.)? Continue collecting data every day for one whole month.

3. Analyze the data. At the end of the data collection period, the student will analyze the findings using tables, charts, and graphs. Are there any patterns or trends among the different weather factors over time, or with relation to one another? For example, how does atmospheric pressure correlate to wind speed? Students can compare their records to data collected by nearby weather stations. Was this month’s weather similar to the same month last year or, say, fifty years ago?

4. Make a prediction. Using their data analysis, the student can make a weather prediction for the upcoming day, week, and month. Will the temperature rise or fall? Will there be precipitation tomorrow? If so, how much? Compare these predictions to forecasts by published meteorologists.

5. Present the prediction. This can take any form, including a poster board, a written report, or a PowerPoint slide deck. Students can then organize a formal presentation session to showcase their findings.

6. Reflect on the project. Why is weather data important? What are some of the challenges that you encountered? How can scientists use data analysis to learn about our climate?

This passion project deepens the understanding of the application of scientific methodology and STEM enrichment.

Developing a Tic-Tac-Toe Game: In this project, students will use JavaScript (plus a little bit of HTML and CSS) to develop a simple tic-tac-toe game in the form of a web app. The student will begin by setting up a basic HTML and CSS framework for their page. HTML is the basic building block of web development, and is used for creating headings, body text, footers, links, and more. In this case, it will serve as a basic housing for the JavaScript. CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is used alongside HTML to define fonts, colors, and the overall look of a page. Once they’ve set up the HTML and CSS files, students can start building and testing their game in Java. Through coding, students harness the skills needed to design interactive games.The game of tic-tac-toe can be broken down into three basic components: 

• The board

• Player interaction

• Win detection

Each of these components can be described using simple logic. For example, the board is a 3x3 grid:

0 1 2

3 4 5

6 7 8

The players interact by taking turns claiming squares. A player wins if they claim three consecutive squares, i.e., if one of these combinations is met:

[0, 3, 6]

[1, 4, 7]

[2, 5, 8]

​​[0, 1, 2]

[3, 4, 5]

[6, 7, 8]

[0, 4, 8]

[2, 4, 6]

Translating that logic into JavaScript requires using functions, which in turn require an understanding of the programming language’s syntax. Building a simple game like tic-tac-toe is an excellent way for students to learn from their mentor about logical reasoning, coding, and using programming to create digital user interfaces (or UIs). 

If the student already has some experience with programming languages and/or computer science, or they want to expand their work, they can take the project further using variations on tic-tac-toe. These variations make the game more engaging to play and more challenging to code into the app!

Building a Flashcard App: Like the project described above, this project lets students explore programming and app development. However, the goal here is not to create a game, but rather to build a study tool that simulates a flash card quiz. The project can once again be broken down into a few key elements:

• Adding and removing flashcards

• Showing questions 

• Showing answers

This simple project can be accomplished along with a mentor in any programming language, such as JavaScript, C++, or Python. If the student wants to extend the project, they can add features such as displaying the number of right and wrong answers, shuffling the order of the cards, and more.

More STEM opportunities: Looking for additional STEM-related challenges for middle school students? Check out my recent article on fun STEM competitions that middle schoolers can enter!

Arts and Humanities

Creating a Digital Art Portfolio: Students who are interested in art or music can learn to beautifully showcase their work in the form of digital portfolios. As a musician and media artist, I love brainstorming with my students on the best ways to get their work in front of audiences. In many cases, the most effective strategy is to create a simple digital portfolio that they can either publish online or share more selectively with the people they choose. 

Creating a digital portfolio starts with documenting the creation process (like preliminary sketches) as well as the final results. The ability to design their portfolios fosters artistic thinking and presentation skills. Once the documentation is complete, those materials can be used to tell a story. My students, for example, have built portfolio websites that express their unique voices. This type of project simultaneously showcases the student’s artistic output and their ability to communicate through storytelling and design. 

This project isn’t just about the showcase, though. Learning to curate their own creative work can also inspire artists to think differently about the projects they’d like to work on next. For example, a photographer working with film might develop an interest in using digital cameras to document their process and, eventually, as an expansion of their artistic practice.

Writing and Illustrating a Short Story: For middle school students interested in writing and art, crafting a short story with illustrations is a great project for practicing narrative and multimedia storytelling. The student can develop their project alongside an accomplished mentor (like Bridgette or Alison), who can help them craft a compelling story, workshop their writing and artistic styles, and provide expert feedback throughout the entire process.

Designing a Historical Timeline: This project is for middle school history buffs who are passionate about telling the stories of historical events. Students start by reading up on one or more historical topics or series of events that fascinate them. They’ll then structure that information in the form of an outline, flowchart, or other system that makes sense to them. From there, they’ll get creative with the medium, layout, and design of their timeline. Working on this project with a Polygence mentor in History, they’ll receive personalized support at every step! 

Social and Environmental Studies

Conducting a Community Survey: This project comes from Polygence mentor Estefania, who is an expert with a master’s degree in public health. She suggests that the student, with the support of their mentor, design a survey to distribute at local events and volunteer meetings. The student will then use the data collected through the survey to identify community needs and propose solutions to address them.

Studying Local Wildlife: Polygence mentor Erin designed this project in which the student will examine the overlap between humans and other species in their local or regional area. Erin holds a PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and is now an ecologist for the US Geological Survey. She suggests that the project “could investigate the social and/or environmental aspects of human-wildlife interactions based on the student's local neighborhood, town, region, or country.” Studying the interactions between humans and other species could also be a starting point for how human-designed structures like roads and buildings can change plant and animal habitats.

Creating an Environmental Awareness Campaign: Steffaney, a Polygence mentor and PhD candidate at UC San Diego, came up with this amazing project idea! (It’s really two different ideas.) Steffany works at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and studies harmful algal blooms (HABs). One option is for the student to create a website to raise awareness about HABs in their local waterways. “This project,” according to Steffaney, “could be particularly impactful in a region where lakes, ponds, etc. tend to experience dense cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms in the summer.” Alternatively, Steffaney suggests a different project in which the student could partner directly with the International Society for the Study of Harmful Algae (ISSHA) on a social media campaign that raises awareness of HABs on an international level!

How to Get Middle Schoolers Excited?

Making projects relevant to their interests

There’s no surefire strategy for getting middle schoolers excited about academic projects. However, finding projects that are relevant to their specific interests is a great start. Of course, middle schoolers often have a variety of strong interests, and the best projects for keeping their attention are the ones that draw on more than one of their passions at the same time. That’s why several of the project ideas above combine multiple skill sets and subject areas.

Incorporating technology and hands-on activities

Another great way to engage middle schoolers in academic projects is to include a creative component. Creative projects encourage students to design, create, and think critically. This could be a literal, hands-on activity like building a backyard weather station or illustrating a historical timeline in pencil. It could also be a digital creation process, using technologies like WordPress or JavaScript to build an interactive tool or game from start to finish. Either way, giving middle schoolers ownership over the development of their project will help them remain engaged and invested in it throughout the entire process. 

Showcasing their work to peers and family

Finally, at the end of the project, it always helps to have something to show for all of the hard work. Whether they’re showing off their new skills to their parents or their friends, giving students the time and space to take the spotlight gives them the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishment and to try out being the teacher for a change!

The Role of Polygence in Supporting Passion Projects

Polygence is where middle school students discover and explore their passions. We connect students with expert mentors who ignite and support their curiosity throughout the entire process. Our research mentorship program provides students with ten one-on-one sessions, during which they will choose a topic, design a process, complete the project, and showcase their work. Students guide the project’s trajectory, and can come to each session with any and all of their questions for their mentor. All of our research program mentors are qualified experts in their specific fields; many of them are graduate students at top universities and research institutes, and all of them are passionate about mentoring.

For students who would prefer a more compact timeline or who enjoy working in small groups, Polygence Pods are just the thing! During a six-week course, students follow a curriculum of their choosing alongside a mentor and a small group of like-minded peers. Students who choose Pods get to collaborate and discuss advanced topics in an engaging seminar format while working on their own individual academic enrichment.

Whatever a student’s interests, Polygence can help them discover a passion project that will ignite their curiosity. We’ll give them the support they need to explore their interests and to advance with confidence towards their goals. Contact us today to start a passion project powered by Polygence!