24 Hour Science Projects » Science Project Topics

Cosmetology Science Experiment

sciencemom — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:41:06 +0000

Earlier this week I talked about our new science project about hair. I suppose, since we are scientists, that I need to call it a Cosmetology Science Experiment. Anyhow – getting this project just right has been about as difficult as getting the right hair cut for my boys. But it’s been fun! And we’ve learned all sorts of things along the way.

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!

Science Project About Hair – Our Hair Raising Fun…

sciencemom — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:28:41 +0000

Our house has turned into a laboratory of sorts; we’re getting the new Middle School Science Projects ready to roll. You can see some of the things we’re using to the right.

One of the things we’re working on today is our new science project about hair. In the experiment, we’re measuring the strength of hair after it’s been treated with various types of hair products. To do this, we had to find a way to hang strands of hair. The first attempt was to simply tie a knot. That was NOT easy, and after I tried for fifteen minutes, we decided it was too impractical to think that a middle schooler would be able to do it.

So then we thought about tape. First, I used medical tape, because it’s white and you can write on it – important to keep up with the variables. But the medical tape didn’t hold the hair; it just slipped out. Regular cellophane tape wasn’t successful either. I almost gave up, but we finally found a great solution. You’ll have to get the middle school guide to find out!

Experimenting before the science experiment is an important part of our science. We’ll have all the kinks worked out of the hair project (pun intended!) when it is published. Our goal is to take the guesswork out for families, so that they have a step by step list for a cool science project that works!

PS We’re kicking around titles for our science project about hair – “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow”, “Splitting Hairs”, “Hair Conditioning”, and other less catchy attempts. Leave a comment below if you have any ideas.

Science Fair Topics for Middle School Projects

sciencemom — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:23:46 +0000

We’re getting ready to roll out a whole new set of science project with science fair topics that are perfect for middle school! In fact, the projects are called Middle School Science Projects. We’ll be doing some cool experiments, and one demonstration. Here are the topics we have planned:

1. How do different hair products affect the strength of hair. Girls are especially interested in doing a science project about hair. In this project, we treat hair, then test its strength.

2. Does the amount of Vitamin C in Orange juice change over time? This is a slightly more advanced version of our popular Vitamin ‘C’itrus’ project.

3. What liquid is best for growing beans. This experiment involves pH and hydroponics, and you get to make your own litmus paper.

4. What makes yeast grow best? We have another project with yeast as the science fair topic, but its a demonstration. We’re releasing this because so many of our students have asked for a science experiment about yeast.

5. This one is a demonstration/model. We’ll be building a solar heater with cans and a window frame. I plan on using it in our upstairs bathroom, which currently is unheated!

I’m very excited about these projects!! Stay tuned for more information!

PS You don’t have to wait for the new package. Get a free science project guide here.

Easy Science Projects – Guest Author

sciencemom — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:36:27 +0000

Easy science projects with elementary kids aren’t always done for the science fair. Sometimes, you’re just looking for something for fun. Here is a guest writer to share some easy science project ideas that you probably can’t take to the fair, but that are a whole lot of fun!

If you do need an easy science project for school, check out 24 Hour Science Projects.

Most parents and especially homeschoolers are always on the lookout for easy science fair projects to do with the kids. Here is one of our very easy science fair projects to do with the kids. In this project you are going to look at how ships float.

Simple boats such as rafts float because they are made of material that is lighter than the water. Usually materials such as light wood or reeds that are less dense than water are used.

Heave boats works differently as they float because of the upthrust of the water that occurs because of them pushing on the water. The upthrust is their pushing force. By putting something on the water and letting it go, you will see that it is pushing the liquid out of the way. The further it goes the more water it pushes up. Now, when this upthrust becomes the same as the objects weight, the object will float. This is the principle uses for boats.

Now here is a very simple experiment to test upthrust

What you will need for your project:

2 polystyrene blocks, one double the size of the other
A tank or a bowl of water
A wooden block
A Marble

Method for this easy science fair project to do with the kids:

Place the two polystyrene blocks in the water
Notice that they float because they are made of very light material
So, for them to float only a small amount of upthrust is needed
Now you can try and push them under the water
You should be able to feel the upthrust pushing back
Place the wooden block in and you will notice that it floats deeper in the water because it is heavier or denser than the polystyrene blocks
Now drop the marble in, you will notice that it sinks immediately as the upthrust is not enough to keep it floating

When doing a project such as this, remember to make notes of all your steps and to take photos for your display. It is also important to make use of the proper scientific method to ensure you do a good project.

In this project, what would you say is your hypothesis?
Which part of this experiment is your control?
How would you describe your method?

These are some of the things you will have to know in order to do a winning science fair project. Even easy science fair projects to do with the kids, needs to adhere to this as they have to learn from the very beginning to do it correct.

The next easy science fair project to do with the kids..

Making use of the upthrust with a hollow hull

What you need for this experiment:

A pair of scissors
Kitchen foil about 20cm X 15cm
Kitchen paper towels
The same tank of water
Marbles

How to do this easy science fair project:

First of all place the flat piece of kitchen foil in the tank
Give it a slight push and notice that it sinks with the slightest push because it does not replace a lot of water, so the upthrust in minimal
Remove the foil from the water and carefully dry it with the kitchen paper without tearing it
Now you have to carefully, without tearing the foil, model it into a simple boat shape with your fingers
Place your boat in the water
What happens?
Why does it happen?
Now start filling your boat with marbles, as your cargo
What happens now?
Why does it happen?
How many marbles can you place in your boat before it sinks?
Why does it eventually sink?

In answering these questions, think of the experiment above. Now you have demonstrated how a boat works. Even though it is made of metal, it is filled with a lot of air and this creates enough upthrust to make it float. If the boat is overloaded though, it will eventually sink.

These is only two very simple examples of Easy Science Fair Projects To Do with kids, working with boats. For a fun Catamaran one go to Magrietha’s site Easy Science Fair Projects, you will find more interesting science projects on her blog: ScienceProjects.KnackTrack

What is Density?

sciencemom — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:31:06 +0000

Density is an interesting scientific subject that is sometimes a little bit hard to understand. What is density? Sometimes dense means somebody has a hard head. But in science, dense tells how closely “packed” or “crowded” a particular thing is.

Here’s a way to understand it better. You’ll need two sandwich size zip close bags and a big bag of cotton. Loosely fill the first bag with cotton. Count how many cotton balls you put in.

The bag is full of cotton, right?

Now, take a second bag, and put twice as many cotton balls into it.

It’s full of cotton, too.

Both of these bags are now full, but the second one is more densely packed than the first. It’s also heavier.

That’s what density is.

Now try this cool science project about the density of liquids. Take a jar, and add 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 cup syrup. Add them all at the same time. What happens? Oil is less dense than water. And syrup is more dense than water. As you can see.

There’s a lot more that you can discover about density. The concept of density can turn into a cool science project. Read about it at Watch This! Science Projects.

Static Electricity Science Project

sciencemom — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:15:33 +0000

Static Electricity Science Project – Have you ever heard the saying “opposites attract”? You may or may not agree with it, but in science, it’s true – opposites do attract.

All matter – which is almost everything that you can see – is made up of atoms. Atoms are tiny particles that are the building blocks of everything you can see. Trees, rocks, fish, water, and YOU are made of billions and billions incredibly small atoms. Atoms are made up of even tinier part, and three of these parts are: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are in the center of an atom, like the sun is in the center of the solar system. The electrons spin around the center, like planets, except a whole lot faster.

In a picture of an atom, the protons have a plus sign on them. That’s because they have a positive charge. Electrons have a negative charge, so they’ve got a minus sign on them. And positive charges like to hang around negative charges. In an atom, there is usually one proton for every electron – sort of like two teams with equal numbers of players. One proton to one proton means that the atom is balanced. Everything is balanced, and everybody is happy.

But there are certain kinds of atoms that have a habit of taking electrons from other electrons, almost like a dog getting burrs on its coat. This happens a lot when atoms bump against each other. When one atom takes electrons from another, it ends up with more electrons than protons, and it’s not balanced any more. We say it is negatively charged. When atoms are negatively charged, they don’t like it, so they try their best to get near other atoms that are missing electrons. They really want to be balanced.

One of our reports is about atoms that aren’t balanced. In the demonstration, the student will “charge” a pie plate, and then show the class how the electrons jump back to where they belong. Take a look at the video.

Now find out the secret of how to do this cool – and shocking! – project in our Watch This! Science Projects by clicking right here.

Nature Science Project – Bird Watching

sciencemom — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:23:07 +0000

Nature Science Project Press Release:

JOIN THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

Count for Fun, Count for the Future

New York, NY and Ithaca, NY—Bird and nature fans throughout North America are invited to join tens of thousands of everyday bird watchers for the 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February 13-16, 2009.

A joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, this free event is an opportunity for families, students, and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local parks, and, at the same time, make an important contribution to conservation. Participants count birds and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.

“The Great Backyard Bird Count benefits both birds and people. It’s a great example of citizen science: Anyone who can identify even a few species can contribute to the body of knowledge that is used to inform conservation efforts to protect birds and biodiversity,” said Audubon Education VP, Judy Braus. “Families, teachers, children and all those who take part in GBBC get a chance to improve their observation skills, enjoy nature, and have a great time counting for fun, counting for the future.”

Anyone can take part, from novice bird watchers to experts, by counting birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and reporting their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. Participants can also explore what birds others are finding in their backyards—whether in their own neighborhood or thousands of miles away. Additional online resources include tips to help identify birds, a photo gallery, and special materials for educators.

The data these “citizen scientists” collect helps researchers understand bird population trends, information that is critical for effective conservation. Their efforts enable everyone to see what would otherwise be impossible: a comprehensive picture of where birds are in late winter and how their numbers and distribution compare with previous years. In 2008, participants submitted more than 85,000 checklists.

“The GBBC has become a vital link in the arsenal of continent-wide bird-monitoring projects,” said Cornell Lab of Ornithology director, John Fitzpatrick. “With more than a decade of data now in hand, the GBBC has documented the fine-grained details of late-winter bird distributions better than any project in history, including some truly striking changes just over the past decade.”

Each year, in addition to entering their tallies, participants submit thousands of digital images for the GBBC photo contest. Many are featured in the popular online gallery. Participants in the 2009 count are also invited to upload their bird videos to YouTube; some will also be featured on the GBBC web site. Visit www.birdcount.org to learn more.

Businesses, schools, nature clubs, Scout troops, and other community organizations interested in the GBBC can contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at (800) 843-2473 (outside the U.S., call (607) 254-2473), or Audubon at citizenscience@audubon.org or (202) 861-2242, Ext 3050.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by support from Wild Birds Unlimited.

Middle School Science Projects – A Guide

sciencemom — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:17:36 +0000

Science Projects were easier in elementary school. Back then, you could submit a model rocket, an egg sucked into a bottle, or a simple science report on electricity. It’s different in middle school. Middle School science teachers want creative ideas, specific elements, in depth research, and detailed logs of the whole science fair process.

Finding a middle school science project that meets all these criteria has always been a challenge for our family. Our teachers wanted an experiment based, investigative project for the science fair. There are five different types of science projects, but most of the books in the library 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 24 Hour Science Projects, five experiment based projects. We also have five Watch This! demonstration projects, which are designed to be presented in front of a class. Our project guides are perfect for a middle school science project!

Easy Science Projects

sciencemom — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:45:10 +0000

It’s Friday night, and you’ve been putting it off for a month. But on Monday, your child’s science project is due. And you haven’t even started. You need an easy science project that can be done quickly, but it has to be good…

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 science experiments that can be done quickly and easily. Here are some hints to finding a quality, but easy science project:

~Find out exactly what type of science project your child needs. Some 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.

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

~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.

~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.

~Find out how long the science experiment or 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. Take a look at our Online Science Project Guides, science projects that are fun, easy, affordable, and teacher pleasing! Find out about these guides, and get a free copy of “The Non-Scientist Parent’s Guide to Science Fair Projects” at http://www.24 hourscienceprojects.com. We’ve got your easy science project!

Bread Mold Science Projects

sciencemom — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:25:05 +0000

Occassionally, we feature projects by other individuals. Here are some science project ideas on bread mold. Use them as a springboard for your science fair entry! But don’t forget to check out our project guides at 24 Hour Science Projects!

Bread Mold Science Fair Projects Ideas by Doug Nicholson

If you’re looking for an interesting science fair project, then you may want to read more about bread mold science fair projects that you can do. They are easy and inexpensive to do but also allow you to follow all the steps of the scientific method.

It helps to first understand a little about mold. Mold is another word for fungi whose bodies gather and congeal together to form cottony vegetative bodies. Not all mold is cottony, however. Types of slimy mold are more like amoeba than their cottony cousins and leave a moister, slicker mass on the molded surface. However when it comes to bread, you will most always see the drier, threadlike mold.

Mold commonly grows on bread faster in warm, dark, moist conditions. However, mold can grow in light, and some molds can even grow on frozen foods. Molds grow in varying conditions, at varying speeds, in every color you can think of.

Not just a disgusting addition to old food, mold can be beneficial in many ways. One of the most common ways mold is used positively is to make antibiotics such as penicillin. In 1928, Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin when he found mold growing on a discarded petri dish. The mold itself was not the miracle. Fleming discovered that the mold that had grown had killed the Staphylococcus aureus that he’d been growing in that particular petri dish. The rest is history!

Now that you know a little more about bread mold, you can use the ideas below to help you find potential bread mold science fair projects.

Does sodium have an effect on the growth of bread mold?

How and why does mold form on bread?

Is bread mold harmful to the human body if consumed? Why?

What are the optimal conditions for growing bread mold? Why?

Does light have an effect on the growth of bread mold? If so, what kind?

Do certain types of breads mold faster than others?

How to grow bread mold…

Take a cotton swab and collect some dust. Wipe the dust over the bread slices you want to experiment with. Place them in a bag with a few drops of water and seal the bag so the slices don’t dry out.

Now you know a little more about bread mold and the types of experiments you can do. You may have an idea of what you’d like to try as a project. Simply by asking questions about things that interest you, you can come up with great bread mold science fair projects that can be fun to do!

Doug Nicholson is a nuclear engineering technician, science hobbyist, and amateur inventor. Visit his site http://www.science-projects-resources.com for lots more science fair projects ideas and articles.

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