The development of students' research skills in the context of geography education is becoming critically important in the face of growing global challenges that require the ability to comprehensively analyze spatial data, verify hypotheses, and predict geoecological processes. Traditional geography teaching methods, focused on transmitting ready-made knowledge, do not ensure the formation of competencies necessary for solving contemporary interdisciplinary problems. The article presents a model for developing research skills of 7th grade students in geography lessons through STEM education, integrating natural science, technological, engineering, and mathematical tools into the process of geographical cognition. The model includes five interconnected components: the target component, defining strategic guidelines for forming research skills; the conceptual-methodological component, based on systemic, activity-based, student-centered, axiological approaches, as well as the theories of A.N.Leontiev, J.Piaget, J.Bruner, J.Dewey, and the concept of inquiry-based learning; the content component, determining the geographical content of the 7th grade curriculum in accordance with the standard program of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the system of research skills to be formed, and STEM tools for their development; the procedural component, revealing the stages, methods, forms of organizing the educational process, and pedagogical conditions for implementing the model; the outcome component, establishing criteria, indicators, and levels of research skills formation. The developed model ensures the transformation of the educational process from passive absorption of geographical information to active research-based learning through the use of geographic information systems, digital sensors, remote sensing technologies, and mathematical methods of spatial data analysis, creating conditions for developing students' ability to independently formulate research tasks, plan and conduct empirical research, critically analyze data, and formulate evidence-based conclusions.