Project-Based Learning in Middle School

Learning Through Doing: Project-Based Learning and Exhibitions in the Middle School

Project-based learning is a central part of the Middle School experience at Brimmer. Throughout the year, students are asked to apply their knowledge to solve problems, create original work, and present their thinking to others. Many of these projects culminate in exhibitions of learning, where students showcase their work to classmates, families, and the larger school community. When students create, present, and reflect on their work through projects and exhibitions, they develop a stronger sense of ownership over their learning and engage more deeply with the subject.

In sixth grade, students engage in several project-based learning experiences throughout the year. One example is the Pasta Bridge Project, a STEAM unit that introduces students to the physics and engineering principles behind bridge design. Students study different types of bridges and learn about the many professions involved in designing and building them. Working in teams, they then create detailed blueprints and construct their own bridges using pasta as a building material. The project culminates in the Grade 6 Pasta Bridge Exhibition, where students present their designs and then conduct live stress tests of each bridge to determine how much mass it can support. The experience challenges students to think creatively, collaborate with peers, and apply concepts from science, mathematics, and design in a hands-on way.

Seventh graders take part in an interdisciplinary project exploring the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Drawing on work from history, English, science, and art classes, students research specific Indigenous societies and examine how archaeologists and historians study the past. They also explore questions about cultural representation and ethics when studying Indigenous cultures. As part of the project, students write and illustrate original folktales inspired by their research. The unit culminates in an exhibition where students present their work to the community. The exhibition highlights how different academic disciplines can come together to deepen understanding of history and culture.

In eighth-grade science classes, students complete an Experimental Design Project that challenges them to think like scientists. Working in teams, students develop a research question and design experiments to test different brands of consumer products such as paper towels, hand sanitizers, or erasers. They conduct multiple trials, analyze their data, and write lab reports explaining their findings. Students then design research posters that present their results and share their work at the Grade 8 Experimental Design Exhibition. Through this process, students gain experience with the scientific method while also developing skills in data analysis, design, and public presentation.

Exhibitions like these are an important part of the Middle School experience at Brimmer. They give students the chance to take pride in their work, explain their thinking, and have meaningful conversations with members of the community about what they've learned. Equally important, they help students understand that their learning has value beyond the classroom. By the time students finish eighth grade, they have participated in multiple exhibitions that challenge them to think deeply, communicate clearly, and share their ideas confidently. These experiences help prepare them for the academic expectations of the Upper School and enable them to share their learning with the broader community. We want students to use their knowledge in creative and meaningful ways and to take pride in their accomplishments as they share what they've learned with the school community.