Over the summer, some schools require students to complete one summer project to keep their brains active and continue learning during the break. Teachers have the ability to assign their students what their project should be. However, it can be argued that students should be the ones that get to choose their topic for the summer project. Students should be able to pick their own summer project because they get to share what they are passionate about, have more control over the process, learn how to be self reliant.

Students should be able to pick a topic based on their interests instead of a teacher assigned topic. Students will have a better attitude and work ethic if they can do a project that reflects and shares what they are passionate about. They will also show more dedication and time put into their projects because students will care to make sure the information is accurate and not misrepresented. Students will be more proud of the work and research they have accomplished for a project that they choose and find appealing instead of a topic from a teachers choosing.

If students are given the ability to choose their own topic, they will have more control over their process and what they want to research. For example, students can start out with something as simple as a bottle rocket and decide what they want to do with it. They could do a project on fuel types or materials and have control over what they want to use or discover. This could also help students to easily restart a new project of they are have difficulty researching their current topic. In contrast, if students are having problems with teacher picked topics, they have to figure out how to do the project some other way and do not have the ability to switch. Allowing students to pick their topic is better so students have more control over their project.

When students are required to pick their topic, they will not only learn how to take responsibility for their work, but will also learn how to meet a deadline by doing a little bit of work every day in order to receive a good grade. Students also will learn self reliance and work on their own if every student picks an individual topic. If teachers pick students topics, there is the possibility of students copying others work that may have the same topics. If students choose their own topics, they will learn to become self reliant by showing their own work and findings.

The biggest downside to students picking their own topic is that teachers grading summer projects or presentation may not understand the work or topic from a project the student has dedicated the summer to. If teachers picked the topic for students to focus on, they would have prior knowledge of the topic and know that students can successfully complete the project from other students that might. But this could be avoided by having students submit their topic online over the summer so teachers know what they can do to be prepared. Students can then meet with three or four teachers, one of which could be someone with some prior knowledge of the topic, and students can go more in depth into their project. Teachers can ask questions making it more like a discussion that the student can lead instead of a student presenting to a class of their peers.

If schools assign summer projects, students should be the ones who select their research topic so that they will be more excited and eager to share what they have learned, they will have more control over the management of their project, and they will learn to take responsibility for their work. Overall, students will take more pride in work they have done if they choose what they want to research.