Begin choosing your science project topic by talking with your child’s science teacher. They can give you advice based on your what the science class is currently studying, and make sure that the project your child chooses fulfills the project requirements for the class. Their teacher might also be able to recommend a good science project book.  Our next useful tool is the public library. The library is full of kid friendly science books, even books geared specifically toward science projects for any age. A great science project book might be helpful as you know you’d be using reliable information that will walk you through the experiment. 

Another great resource for finding 6th grade science projects is the internet. Either by searching specifically for a type of project i.e. “6th grade science project, chemistry,” or by searching for a database full of science projects like http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx or http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html, you’re sure to be able to find an assortment of science experiments that your child will be interested. Another great find on the internet is the free science project guide at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf. 

For your science experiment

go to 24 Hour Science Projects!

First you need to decide what type of project your child would like to attempt and then you can search for projects along with more specific search criteria like their grade level, or the subject matter. For example, “8th grade science project ideas, butterflies.” This should hopefully yield plenty of results. It’s important to narrow your results with criteria like your child’s grade level, age, or a subject matter so that you can be sure you are getting results that will be useful to you. 

Finally, if your student isn’t exactly sure what subject matter they want to do a project on, it might be wise to browse an online database of 8th grade science projects, like those found at http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx or http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html, which you can look through by grade level or subject area. Databases like these are full of ideas and instructions, and are easier to use than just a simple general search that might bring you to an unreliable site. Another great resource for one-stop 8th grade science project ideas are the free guides found at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf.

Visit 24 Hour Science Projects today 

to get your science experiments!

You can easily search online and find databases of detailed science projects for kids, especially if you narrow the search by being a bit more specific. For example, if your child is studying or is interested in earth sciences, a search for “kid’s science experiments, earth science” might yield projects about earthquakes, erosion models, or studies of how fossils are made.

You can also search more generally for science experiment databases like those found at http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx or http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html, where you can search a massive inventory of science experiments with more specific parameters like the grade your child is in, the type of experiment, or field of science. If you don’t have time to browse through too large a database, a great sure bet is the science project guide at http://www.24hourscienceprojects.com/guide.pdf, a wonderful resource for finding kids science experiments on the internet. 24 Hour Science Projects are also great as they come complete with the entire topic headers typically used in school science projects such as purpose, hypothesis, procedure, observations, results, and conclusion. 

No matter what your child’s specific interests, you are sure to be able to find a great experiment for them to have fun doing and hopefully learn a great deal from as well. 

Visit 24 Hour Science Projects

today to get your science experiment!

Everyone loves a cool science experiment, right?  Well, if you are looking for a cool science experiment, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Frozen bubbles.  That is right, you can make bubbles last for a long time.  This can be really fun for the younger age group.   Baking soda bubbles is also a neat experiment for the bubble enthusiast.

Animal experiments are always fun.  How does variation in temperature affect animals?  Do animals have a color preference?  Are bugs or animals deterred by certain sounds? 

Food always makes for a cool experiment.  Some ideas include making light with fruit, plastic mild, moldy bred, and yeast.  You can also make your own butter in a jar and rock candy.  While you are considering the food category, why not do an experiment to see how much fat is in the food that you eat.

Balloons make interesting experiments as well, and there are so many things that you can do with them.  Some of the options include; balloon blast off, balloon car, balloon boat, straws and balloons, and balloon columns. 

Some other neat miscellaneous experiments include; how water pressure works, using food coloring to change to color of certain flowers, and homemade silly putty. 

Nature enthusiasts could try making their own little green house in a bottle.  You may also want to consider making a fossil for your science project.

There are countless other cool science experiments out there; it just takes a little research to discover the perfect one for your student.

Check out the science kits that can help you get started on your experiment today.

photo source:Archytos

Heat, did you ever think it would make a good science fair project?  Surprise, there are several different experiments that you can do involving heat. 

Do different colors absorb heat at different rates?  I am sure many of you have heard the saying, “Wear light colors in the heat”, why not test it to find out for sure.  Do different materials retain heat at the same rate?  You cold test this by using straw, sand, paper, and cloth.  How do different materials react to heat, is rubber different from plastic?

Along with heat comes the sun, which also lends itself to many experiments.  Testing the effectiveness of sunscreen is a great project.  You could also test the effectiveness of different strengths of sunscreen, with different brands. 

Evaporation rates also fall into the heat category.  You could experiment with the evaporation rates of different substances, and try to find things that help slow the evaporation rate.

Although heat may be fascinating, be sure to use caution when performing an experiment that involves heat, flames, or the sun.  You should take the proper precautionary measures to make sure that everyone remains safe. 

If you are running out of time on your project and need something that you can begin right away, check out all of the ready made kits that are available for purchase.
photo source: pastelman

Once a project is approved, however, the next step is to actually recruit subjects (humans!) for the study. Here are some ideas on places to recruit people to help:

~Get permission from a local mall to set up a table/area. The smaller the mall, the better your chances of them allowing this.

~Put a free ad in the ‘services>lessons’ section of Craig’s List asking for volunteers for a behavioral science project.

~Enlist test subjects from your school. Your teacher can help.

~Throw a ‘Behavioral Science Project‘ party, and invite your friends and their parents. Make it a pot luck affair to cut down on costs.

~Reserve a room at your library, and put a sign on the door announcing your experiment.

~Get a local restaurant to loan you their ‘party room’ during lunchtime. They might even offer a coupon to participants to help you advertise your study – and their restaurant.

~Ask the human resources department at a parent’s place of business if you can set up a test in the employee break room.

~Go to church. One of our boys did an experiment called Hear, Hear! It explored whether two ears hear better than one. We were required to get a group of twenty-four adults. We went to a local church before a service, and asked individuals if they would help us out. Our test was set up in a classroom.

Of course the list goes on, and you probably can think of a lot more places for your science project tests. If you’ve got some good ideas, leave a comment below! We’d love to hear where you set up for your Behavioral scienc

PS Hear, Hear is a great human behavior science project that experiments to see if two ears hear better than one. Get step by step instructions for this project in the Bonus Package of Middle School Science Projects.

For example, we had a heck of a time getting the hair the exact length we needed it. I mean, hair is little, tiny, and hard to grasp. We figured out a way – quite by accident – to get each strand the perfect length. Our other discovery is finding out what sort of stuff is in cosmetology products. We have boys, and they don’t exactly use anything on their hair other than shampoo – and sometimes I have to remind them to use that! Anyhow, I didn’t know about peroxide and lemon juice and the difference between highlighting and stripping color. Thanks to some interviews with real cosmetologists, I’m much better informed.

Of course, we have more fun middle school projects up our sleeve. Right now my kitchen has a slight smell of sour milk and our cabinets are splattered with purple cabbage juice. I’ve got orange pulp in my fingernails, and the taste of club soda in my mouth. (I know, you’re not supposed to taste any of the experiments!)

But we’re sailing toward getting this package of products done! I can’t wait.

PS If you need a science project now, get our free Parent’s Guide to a Science Project at 24 Hour Science Projects.com!

Finding a middle school science project that lives up to our teachers expectations has always been a challenge for our family. We were required to do an experiment based, investigative project for the science fair. There are five types of science projects, but most internet sites and books had projects that were actually demonstrations or models. It’s very important that you read the directions from your teacher and/or the science fair, and make sure that the project your child chooses fits into the right category – especially in middle school.

Here are the five types of projects.

1. Investigative projects – Most science fairs require students to submit an investigative science project. This type of project has an experiment that tests an hypothesis. The experiment will follow the scientific method, and may require a control group. (If you’re unfamiliar with this vocabulary, check out the free resource below!)

An example of an investigative project would be “How does salt affect the boiling point of water?” This can easily be tested by our experiment which adds different amounts of salt to water and recording the temperature at which it boils.

If you see the words experiment, scientific method, control and/or variable on the project instructions, you’ll probably need an investigative project. As mentioned before, they’re not easy to find. (Hint: We’ve got a whole pack of investigative projects at 24 Hour Science Projects…)

2. Demonstration projects – In this type of project a student demonstrate a scientific principle, and lots of time the teacher wants it presented in front of the class as an oral report. There is no true experiment performed, because there won’t be a control or different variables. (Another hint: We’ve got five demonstration project guides in our “Watch This!” Science Project guides.

3. Research project – Basically this is a science report. Students research a topic, and write what they discovered. Any type of science topic can be used for a research project.

4. Models – For a model project, models are built to explain a scientific principle or structure.

5. Collections - In this type of project a collection of objects is displayed to give an overview of a topic. An example would be a rock collection or a display showing pictures of various animals in a specific family.

Every middle school science fair will have slightly different criteria for projects. As you search for a project, make sure it’s the type of project your school requires. If you need help, check out “The Non-Scientist Parent’s Guide to Science Fair Projects“, which has guides for all the different types of science projects – including the experiment based ones! There is a vocabulary list that gives simple definitions to those vocabulary words you learned in middle school, but promptly forgot.

Believe it or not, science projects are designed to help students learn about science. Figure out which type of project your school requires, and you’ll be one step closer to showing your child how much fun science can be!

Find all sorts of science projects with our excellent guides, including middle school science projects.

It’s not an easy thing to find! Science projects that are easy often don’t meet the requirements of the teacher or the science fair. And projects that are fast often aren’t enough to teach your child anything. We know. With four boys, our family has waited until the last minute to do a science project more than once. But the good news is that there really are good – and even fun – middle school science experiments that can be done quickly and easily.

1. Find out exactly what type of project your child needs. Some elementary school teachers want a demonstration science project that the child can present to the class. Some teachers want a science report. Occasionally, scientific models or nature collections will be allowed. Most teachers, however, want an experiment based science project that follows the scientific method.

2. Ask your child for several ideas. He or she will be the scientist, after all!

3. Do an internet or library search for “science projects on…” You may find exactly what you need this way. Make a list of possible projects. Go ahead and discard projects that are on advanced chemistry.

4. Take a look at the ingredients and equipment. If there are items not readily available or are wickedly expensive, you’ll know that project isn’t for you. There are plenty of experiments that can be done with things in the home, or at the supermarket.

5. Find out how long the project takes. If it takes more than two or three days, you probably want to reconsider. The ideal easy science project will not take more than a few hours, in case something goes wrong and you have to repeat. And unfortunately, this does happen.

Although an easy science project isn’t always easy to find, you and your child can work together to find a project that is easy to do, but also educational and fun! If you need more help in finding your easy project, visit 24 Hour Science Projects.

Of course, a fun science project isn’t the final goal. The real purpose of a science project – not just in middle school – is to teach the child about the wonderful world of science. To do that, teachers and science fair administrators usually have strict guidelines about what a project or experiment must include. Experiments follow the scientific method. Demonstrations must explain a scientific principle. All projects must include research and references.

But a science project is also supposed to whet a child’s appetite for science. A fun and interesting project will make a student want to learn even more about our fascinating world and the scientific laws that govern it. And a fun science project is a great way to do just that.

Here are some ideas for science projects that are fun – but will also expand a child’s science knowledge and experience:

1. Explain the concept of density. Pour water, Karo syrup, rubbing alcohol, and vegetable oil into a tall container. Watch how they layer. Then drop in different items, like a penny, a cork, a Lego or a candle, and see where they float – or sink. The concept of density is advanced enough for middle schoolers, but can still be understood by kindergartners.

2. Demonstrate how yeast gives off gas. Put yeast in a bottle of warm water, top it a balloon, and watch the balloon fill up with gas. This project can be done as a demonstration in front of the class, or as an fun science experiment.

3. Show how a chemical reaction can be hurried. Plop Alka Seltzer into a cup of water and time it. Then crush the Alka Seltzer, and watch it fizz even faster after you put it into a cup of water. Still another time, reduce the amount of water, add Alka Selter, and see how fast it dissolves. This is a demonstration science project, and is terrific to wow even the most bored middle schoolers.

4. Find out how a chicken egg is a cell with a selectively permeable membrane. Soak a raw egg in vinegar for a weekend. The shell will come off. Then put the egg into dark syrup and watch what happens! This is another fun science project that can be done as an investigation or a demonstration.

5. Experiment with static cling. Rub a sheet of plexiglass with a wool sock, then show how balloons and hair stick to it. Or, try make a ball of aluminum foil dance, as shown in this You-Tube video.

Step by step instructions for these projects are available at 24 Hour Science Projects. You’ll also find all sorts of reference materials to help with the science involved – not to mention creating that all important science project board. We’ll definitely be able to steer you in the right direction as you search for fun science projects.