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!

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.

Here are some things I’ve found that are great science fair topics, but simply are not science experiments:

~ Making a Potato Canon - This is a fun activity, and it demonstrates how cool science can be, but it doesn’t tst 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 seeds germinate?” – This is listed as an experiment on a teachers’ forum. Can’t believe it. It’s a great lesson, but what are kids comparing here?! Turn it into an experiment by testing “At which temperature do seeds germinate the best?”

~ 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. If your kids come up with a weigh to measure the amount of weight the bones can support before breaking – you may just have a winning kids science experiment.

That gives me a great idea for another science project experiment, actually…Stay tuned!

PS ALL of the projects at 24 Hour Science Projects are experiment based – Hypothesis, Variables, Measurable Results and all!

This is all explained very nicely in a boingboing blog post called Yeast? Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Yeast. And – a warning – there’s not so nice picture of fermenting yeast! To learn even more about it read this page on Exploratorium.

Yeast is just fascinating on a lot of levels. And a yeast science project is almost too easy to do. You can usually get anything you need at the supermarket and results are almost instantaneous. The fermentation of yeast is a chemical change, and there are tons of different demonstrations and experiments that you can use for your science fair.

Our The Yeast Beast project, for example, is advertised as a demonstration, but it can also be done as a science experiment, and instructions for doing it that way are in the guide.

Science projects are a big part of most elementary and middle school science programs. Most schools require that a student either participate in a science fair or do a science demonstration for their class. Whatever the assignment, science projects can be stressful on the parent! Deciding on a project topic, choosing the science experiment, gathering the supplies, conducting the research, keeping a science log, preparing the display board…it’s a lot!

Our family has four sons, and we used to struggle year after year with out science projects. But a funny thing happened on the way to the science fair. Over the years, we discovered some science projects that were easy and fun to do, but that satisfied the strict requirements of the science fair – and our science teachers. We put these projects together into a package called 24 Hour Science Projects. We have sold our science project packages to thousands of students and parents, helping them learn about science without the frustrations that often come with a science project.

You’ll benefit by reading the experiences of other families in the process of doing their science projects. Have fun with your project!