First, consult with your child’s science teacher when trying to find a good science project idea, especially at the 7th grade level. This way you will know what the class is currently studying to keep the project relevant but not redundant, and clarify any requirements or deadlines that some 7th graders might not quite know how to manage yet.

Next, science project books are easily found at the public library.  These books are reliable and easy to use resources for finding and executing a science project. Trying the library is a great way to teach your child to search for books by subject matter, in this case looking for science projects or the subject matter that interests them, and to ask for help from the librarian if you need it. 

Finally, the internet is a great place to find huge amounts of 7th grade science project ideas, but you have to know where to look to save yourself time. While you can begin with a general search for science project ideas, it might be a good idea to search more specifically for websites like http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx that are searchable by subject matter or grade level, so that you aren’t finding projects that are too easy or difficult for your student. Another great tool is the free project guides found at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf. 

For all your science experiments,

visit 24 Hour Science Projects today!

First, consult with your child’s teacher or science teacher when searching for the right science fair project for your eighth grader, especially if the science project was assigned through school.  By asking for some ideas from the teacher, you’ll be able to clarify all of the project guidelines and requirements, and be able to find a project that is relevant to your student’s course work. 

Secondly, a great place to find good eighth grade science projects would be your local library. At the library you’ll find lots of science project books with helpful project ideas and explanations, all of which are from a reliable source. Additionally, if you need any help finding something suitable for your eighth grader, at a library you can always ask for the help of a librarian to point you in the right direction. 

Lastly, the internet is a great way to find eighth grade science projects, but with so much information out there, you have to know where to start. You can do a general search, but it might be wise to be more specific, looking for “8th grade science projects, earth sciences” or “8th grade science projects, physics,” depending on what your student is interested in. You can also find great online guides, often for free, that are loaded with science projects, directions on what materials you’ll need and how to complete them. To get started finding a science project idea, you can try the free project guides at  http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf

Check out 24 Hour Science Projects

today and get your childs science experiment!

If your child just made the announcement to you that they are participating in the yearly science fair at school, you are probably searching for ideas. Below are a few ideas that work well in science fairs, and interesting for both of you.

Pollution is always a popular and fascinating project at science fairs. It also helps children, as well as some adults, understand the real damage that pollution can cause. Some areas that you may want to consider are; water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, and global warming.

If you are looking for something a little more involved, many children love to watch fungus grow. This may sound like a nasty one, but kids think it is amazing.

Electrical projects are always a hit as well. You can do many things under this category, including; using magnets, constructing batteries, building a simple electric or wind generator, and radio waves.
Botany is also a large field with many options. The effects that different elements have on plants is a good option. Do plants grow better in sand, soil, or water? The effects of music on plants, as well as the effect that sun has on plants. With all of the above experiments you can choose one specific plant, or use a variety. Seed germination is also a great project. Botany experiments are well suited for all age groups, and relatively cost friendly.

If you do not see anything that interests you or your child, sit down together and have a brainstorming session. Think of things that are interesting and a little challenging for your child. Your child’s experiment doesn’t have to be one that someone has already done, think outside of the box.

If you’re looking for a ready made experiment, get one of our Science Project guides. They’ll take you step by step through the experiments, all of which follow the scientific method.

Photo source: Clix

Early in our three kids’ education, we quickly gravitated to a system of sorts. Language arts was all mine, and math and science were all his. (I would like to point out that would include the kids’ science projects, of course.) We overlapped on social studies, and when a foreign language was added to the mix in middle school, I was voted most likely to tutor. Sacre Bleu!

When the third grade science fair rolled around for our oldest son, I made sure my husband got lots of advance notice. Fortunately, he was as intrigued as I was intimidated.

My husband suggested a trebuchet. Although I liked the French sounding word, I was at a loss as to its meaning. According to my American Heritage Dictionary, it’s “A medieval catapult for throwing heavy stones.” The sketch in our dictionary showed a medieval catapult that appeared to be a couple stories high outside a forbidding looking castle. Dwarf-like men were pulling the main levers controlling the spring action. Although such a mammoth creation would certainly have been the talk of our small town, the men in our family made plans for a table top trebuchet that would be practical for throwing small objects without breaking our neighbors’ windows. My husband and son were excited about the prospect of hurling things in our back yard with such a device. If they used a series of objects, they could measure how far the trebuchet could throw said objects and draw their own scientific conclusions.

This project allowed for more father and son bonding time, more trips to Home Depot and more purchased sandpaper than the Boy Scouts’ Annual Pinewood Derby matchbox car competition. Science nerds rock, dude!!

Two years later, our family moved overseas, and it only seemed appropriate that the state-of-the-art, homemade trebuchet should go with us. My husband was a bit disappointed to discover that our local American curriculum-based school didn’t sponsor a science fair for kids. Science projects quickly became a mist in his pleasant memory file. For another 4 years, the trebuchet gathered dust in our garage until one day our ninth grade son had an inspirational moment for his world history project. He dusted off the neglected trebuchet and researched weapons typically used in the Middle Ages. On his appointed day to present, he dressed up as a warrior of that time period and gave a very impressive talk on weaponry of the Middle Ages. His teacher was certainly impressed: he gave our son an A.

You never know where a kid’s science project may take you and your family. It might not be good for two grades in two different countries within six years, but it’s an experience your kid will never forget.

By the way, if you’re in the ‘terrified of projects’ group like I am, grab a copy of 24 Hour Science Projects. The 24 Hour guides have step by step instructions for all sorts of science projects for your kids. It’s almost as good as having an engineer husband with a passion for trebuchets!

The good news is that many times, a model can be used in an experiment, and variables can be added to a demonstration, so that it can be one, too. Here are five examples of projects that are modified to become an experiment.

- How hot can a solar heater get? – First of all, finding the answer to this question may result in a fire! Make it an experiment by testing two different solar heater models. Construct two identical heaters, one with a glass front, and the other with a plexiglass front. (The instructions are live here.) Measure the temperature over several days, and see which one got the hottest.

- How can you make a potato canon? – This is a fun activity, and it demonstrates how cool science can be, but it doesn’t test anything. How can you turn it into an experiment? Vary the trajectory, and ask, “At which angle will a potato canon launch a potato the farthest?”

- What happens when you mix chalk and lemon juice? – Studying acids and bases is fascinating, but there are no variables – so it’s not an experiment. Change it up. Soak pieces of chalk in water, a basic solution, and an acid, and note the variance in the weight.

- What happens when bean seeds germinate? – This is a great lesson, but what are kids comparing? Turn it into an experiment by testing “At which temperature do bean seeds germinate the best?” Use different watt bulbs to vary the temperature.

- How do bones change when soaked in vinegar? – This is close to an experiment, but the project I saw didn’t have a way to measure the change. The results of a true experiment must be measurable. Come up with a weigh to measure the amount of weight the bones can support before breaking, and you may just win your middle school science fair.

Remember, an experiment is a test of the relationship between two variables that have measurable results that can be replicated. It amazes me that reputable science publications will label any sort of science activity as an experiment. It doesn’t matter that you’re still in middle school type of project isn’t right. You can do better than ‘real’ scientists! Turn a ‘non-experiments’ into middle school projects that will amaze judges, your teachers – and yourself!

If you’re looking for a ready made experiment, get one of our Science Project guides. They’ll take you step by step through the experiments, all of which follow the scientific method.

Surface area is what’s on the outside. Image you make two cubes out of playdough – measuring 1 inch on each side. There will be six square inches on the outside of the cubes. Then image you flatten one of the cubes, and make it as thin as possible. Way more than six square inches will be on the outside. There is more surface area in a ‘puddle’ of playdough than in a cube.

Now imagine that the playdough is frozen water – a frozen cube and a frozen puddle. Which do you think will melt faster?

That’s what A Slice of Ice will tell you. See what a cool experiment it is?!

The first thing you’ll have to do is make ice of different shapes, but containing the same amount of water. Our experiment guide tells you an easy (and cheap!) way to get ice containers. Then you have to calculate the surface area. Depending on the type of object you have, there are different formula to calculate surface area. Our science project guide has the formula you need built into a spreadsheet. You just measure and plug in the numbers – and it will be calculated for you!

Purchase our package of guides here, and you’ll get step-by-step instructions for this project, a list of online and offline references, and photographs. Plus, you’ll get four more guides to cool science projects.

PS Parents, this science project can be done for almost no cost, if any at all. Don’t wait! Go to 24 Hour Science Projects today, and get your guide to cool science experiments!

Most ideas for experiments involving chemistry require expensive and hard to find supplies. Experimenting with Vitamin C isn’t like that. In addition to foods containing Vitamin C, you will only need iodine, cornstarch, water, a pot, and a medicine dropper.

First you’ll extract juice from your fruits or vegetables, then you’ll make what is called a ‘titrating’ solution with cornstarch and water – a very easy process. You’ll add the titrating to your juices a drop at a time, and count the number of drops it takes until the solution turns blue. This will indicate how much Vitamin C (did you know it’s really called ascorbic acid?!) is in the juice you are testing. It’s a cool process that is fascinating to watch and do.

You can also use your own ideas to change our experiment up a bit. We give you instructions on how to do that in the expanded version of this experiment in our Middle School Science Project package.

We get notes all the time from kids who have used our Vitamin C science project ideas and have won their science fair.

Purchase our package of guides, and you’ll get step-by-step instructions for this project, a list of online and offline references, and photographs. You can enter your information into our charts, and the graph of your data is created automatically! Plus, you’ll get four more guides – so your science project ideas can really multiply. Get your guide at
24 Hour Science Projects today!

PS I didn’t mention that this science project idea can be finished in 24 hours? In fact, you can start any all of the projects in our 24 Hour Science Project package today and be finished by this time tomorrow! Get your package NOW!