Even very motivated students may not be able to pull their weight on the team if their parents are unable to commit to helping them with transportation and other support. Brainstorming Help the team select a topic that is clever and that is actually in the realm of possibility 20 years from now. Topic selection may take a few weeks or more. Have students look at technologies they see every day, since middle school students readily identify with things that are part of their lives. Stay in the background once they get rolling.
Research Start with what the experts say to.
Don't research in a bottom-up fashion. Help the team members find an authority in the scientific field of their technology. They may need you or your mentor to set up the initial contacts with this person, and go with them to their first meeting with the authority. The authority may also be able to suggest good articles or other bibliographic sources for their research. Expand your research to the library.