Based on the teaching example of civil engineering materials course, this paper explores the teaching reform and practice of civil engineering undergraduates in the form of project participation with output orientation as the goal. It analyzes the civil engineering undergraduate employment whereabouts, and combined with the project curriculum knowledge and teachers teaching content and project implementation corresponds to the connection points. Participation in scientific research work promotes classroom theory teaching emphasis and difficulty of grasping and absorption, enhances undergraduates' practical ability, improves the scientific research, technical innovation consciousness and sense of team work, cultivates innovative application talents of civil engineering in the new era.