Symbiosis - Student Choice Projects - MS

Make learning about symbiotic relationships interactive, creative, and student-driven with the Symbiosis Student Choice Projects. Designed for middle school science classrooms, this lesson empowers students to choose a project that matches their personal learning and output style while demonstrating mastery of key concepts.

The project page outlines six different student-led project options plus a “design your own” project, giving every learner a voice in how they show understanding. An editable grading rubric supports assessment by teachers, peers, or students themselves, encouraging reflection and accountability.

Flexible, Creative, and Differentiated

These Student Choice Projects are built for flexibility and engagement. Teachers can easily adjust the rubric to meet specific grading preferences, while multimodal project options allow students to express what they know through writing, visuals, research, or design.
This structure gives junior high students ownership of their learning and supports diverse learning styles within one powerful activity.

What’s Included

• Nine student choice project options plus a “design your own” extension

• Teacher Directions page with implementation ideas and support tips

• Editable rubric pages assessing vocabulary, scientific concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy

Differentiated for All Learners

To meet the needs of every student, this resource includes two versions of the project page:

• A modified version featuring three scaffolded project options for students needing additional support or remediation.

• A standard version for general use, with the flexibility to assign multiple projects for enrichment and challenge—all using the same consistent rubric.

Differentiation has never been easier.

Simple Supplies, Big Impact

No need for expensive materials. These projects use common classroom supplies—paper, markers, scissors, glue, and basic craft materials. Many projects can also be completed digitally, making this resource ideal for both in-person and virtual learning.

For students who enjoy hands-on creativity, optional craft materials can be used to build models or create visual displays that bring symbiotic relationships to life.