Tag: Science Fair Projects

Middle School Science Fair Projects

Zhang Xiao Hong asked:

Who said Science fair projects are boring and a chore? With a little bit of imagination you can come up with a winning science fair topic that will not only be interesting but one that you will enjoy doing.

Yes, a middle school science fair project can be a really exciting time for all middle school children. Having fun working on a science fair project while learning different aspects of scientific spectrum is a great and fun way to teach all children and students that the sciences are, contrary to popular belief not a boring chore but can be a lot of fun, which is something far too many schools seem to neglect telling pupils these days.

Below is a fun and interesting middle school science fair project. This example is intended to give you an idea on how to help your child with his or her science fair project. The example is merely a blue print which can easily be built upon.

Four Eyes? Oh Please!

Everyone knows someone who wears glasses. All you need for this science project is a friend or two who wear glasses. Then before the fair, a poster board could be made with a picture of the eye, the different parts (Retina, cornea, etc) labeled, and a brief description on how we see things.

Take a pair of your friend’s glasses and hold them at arms length, does what you’re looking at look smaller? Or does it look Larger? If the view looks smaller, it means your friend is nearsighted also referred to as short sighted. They can see things that are close to them, but may not be able to see things that are far away, this would be a likely indication that their eyeballs may be too long. On the other hand if the view that they see is big, or even upside down, then they are farsighted also known as long sighted. In other words they can see things that are far away, but not when things are closer up to them, the probable of this is that their eye ball is too short.

Advice to Parents.

Have your child to do some research on the eye itself, for example they could find out why it is that some people need glasses? And in what way do glasses help? The local library should have plenty of information geared up for middle school students that would help.

Let Them Create Their Own Ideas.

Of course, you could read dozens of different science fair projects, but none would be as fun or as personal as you and your child working together to come up with some ideas, you may even be surprised at the ideas that your child can come up with. When thinking of ideas you could take into consideration his or her likes and dislikes, and imagine how such a project could be fun and exciting, as well as educational.

I’m sure that when you and your child sit down and really think about it, the two of you could come up with a topic that blows everything else out of the water.

Remember that this is your child’s science fair project, not yours, and he or she needs to complete it. Not you, so left him or her take the lead.

Choosing a Science Fair Project Topic

Wesley Skiles asked:

As you begin the process of developing a science fair project, the hardest part may likely be choosing a topic. This is a strange problem since the variety and range of options is infinite, yet it is difficult to imagine the perfect one for you. There are also different types of projects  (data or survey research and experimentation for example) that also complicate the matter. Science fair projects are often done out of an educational requirement and designed for learning. However, science fair projects are also practical and enjoyable (if you choose the right topic).

The primary key in determining what topic to work on is observation. Science is all around us even though we pass by it without consideration. We simply need to slow down, stop even, and watch. Look for the unexpected. Look for things that make you ask ‘why did it do that?’ Let me put this another way. Recently, there has been an influx of television shows based on crime scene investigation. What these investigators do, is look at the objects in front of them and then have to figure out what variables causes those objects to end in its present state. They even run multiple experiments with different variable to find the test results that match the crime scene. This analogy is a little backward for our sake since investigators have the result of some undermined set of variables while science fair projects manipulate variables to find the results. However, the experiments done by investigator are very similar to what you might do in a science fair project.

Here are some ideas for coming up with a science fair project topic. As I mentioned above, observe. Break things down, ask ‘why’ or ‘how does that work’. Also, looking for topics related to your personal interests and hobbies will be extremely beneficial. Imagine working with something you already have a passion for. It would give you motivation, even excitement, for your project. It will also allow you to gain more insight and knowledge into your hobby. Other ideas can be found in magazines, encyclopedias, libraries, science textbooks and even talking with older relatives. If you are still in need of a project topic, seek out professionals in your community. They are often excited to share insight into their field of expertise and can make suggestions on the best ideas to start with. You may also gain ideas by checking out local hospitals, universities, government or state departments (like the Department of Agriculture or Department of Transportation), zoos, museums, aquariums, greenhouses, computer centers and water treatment plants. If you choose a topic related to any of these locations, it may work out that you may be able to work with these facilities for the purpose of observation or even basic research.

In determining what topic to explore, be sure to check out the resources listed in this article. Make notes of things that interest you or raise intrigue. Explore ideas that appeal to your passions and interests, so that you may set yourself up to succeed. The important thing is to find something that you will enjoy. Remember to slow down and observe. Everything can be broken down into a science. Good luck in your quest for a great science fair project topic.

Easy Science Projects For Kids

Garry Neale asked:

It’s important for kids to get involved in science from an early age, as exposure to scientific ideas and the world of exploration as soon as possible is the best way to foster a love for learning in your children that will last a lifetime. At the same time, scientific knowledge is cumulative, so kids have to start with a solid foundation if they are to develop the necessary scientific skills to succeed in school, and perhaps in a future career. Of course, when doing science projects with kids the most important thing to remember is to have fun! Youth science fair projects aren’t meant to transform your child into a scientist – they are meant to get the creative juices flowing within your child and help him or her continue to explore the natural world and make use of the imagination.

So where do you find ideas for science projects, if you want to get your child started on something at home? Luckily, these days you don’t have to look far to find science projects for your children – simply do an online search and you should be able to find tons of websites containing information and ideas pertaining to science fair projects and science for children in general. These websites list science projects and tell you exactly how to do them and what to do, so the process of helping your child discover science or prepare science fair projects for school is made easy.

In the past, it was easy for parents to become frustrated when helping kids with homework and coming up with ideas for science fair projects – now it’s easy to help them out and you don’t have to be a science whiz yourself! And if your child demonstrates a natural interest in science, it’s even more important that you encourage it from an early age. Whether or not you have to do a project for school, or complete a homework assignment, kids getting involved in science at home is a great idea!

In fact, doing their own science experiments at home is a great way to supplement the regular educational exposure your kids get during the day in the classroom. And if you home school your children coming up with fun and educational science experiments that are easy to recreate at home is the perfect way to help your kids exercise their minds and learn about science while having a lot of fun at the same time.

When you set up science projects for your kids to do at home, it makes learning fun – this will carry over to the child’s classroom experience and may even improve their grades overall. Of course, that is not the main goal of doing science experiments at home. Again, do these projects with your children as a fun activity and the learning will spring from that organically. Specifically, when searching for science projects for your kids to do at home it’s a good idea to find something your children, and maybe even their friends, will enjoy. Figure out what interests your child and go from there. Involving them in the process will help them naturally discover where their interests are and what type of experiments they’ll gain the most from.

You can find the instructions for these experiments for free, although you will have to purchase some basic supplies in most cases. At the same time, materials used in most of these projects are relatively inexpensive and not difficult to find.