Watersheds & Human Impact - Student Choice Projects - MS

Empower your middle school students to take charge of their learning with the Watersheds and Human Impact Student Choice Projects.
Aligned with Earth science and environmental standards, this resource gives students the freedom to select a project format that best fits their learning and expression style, allowing them to demonstrate understanding of key concepts in meaningful, creative ways.

The project choice board features six ready-to-use, student-led options plus a “design your own” project for those who want to explore their own ideas.
An editable grading rubric makes assessment simple, consistent, and adaptable for teachers, peers, or self-evaluation.

Flexible, Engaging, and Student-Centered

These Student Choice Projects are designed for maximum flexibility and creativity.
Teachers can easily customize the rubric to meet their grading preferences, while students enjoy multimodal project options—from visual and written to digital and hands-on formats.

This approach supports student-led learning, encouraging ownership, engagement, and differentiation for all ability levels.

What’s Included

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

• Teacher Directions page with implementation tips, support ideas, and classroom suggestions

• Editable rubric pages to assess vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy

Differentiated for All Learners

Two versions of the project page make differentiation effortless:

• The modified version includes three scaffolded project options to support students who need extra help or remediation.

• For advanced learners, teachers can assign multiple projects using the same rubric—perfect for enrichment or extension.

Differentiation is built in—no extra prep required.

Simple Supplies, Big Creativity

No special materials are needed!
The Watersheds and Human Impact Student Choice Projects use common classroom supplies such as paper, markers, and scissors. Many projects can also be completed digitally, making this resource ideal for both in-person and virtual learning.

For students who enjoy hands-on projects, optional craft supplies can be used to build models or visual displays that showcase their understanding of how human activities affect water systems and ecosystems.