Always start with a general search for a project in your child’s area of interest. For example, “8th grade science projects, marine biology” or “8th grade science projects, earth sciences.” This route might yield some useful results, but you may be at risk of becoming overwhelmed with too many results, or too many projects that don’t suit your child’s curriculum or interests. 

You can try searching for websites that contain large inventories of science project ideas, or if you are having difficulty narrowing down your results, browse several subject areas at once. Very often these databases, like the ones found at http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx or http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html, are capable of being searched by grade level or subject, and have reliable science projects that are age appropriate for your student. This might be a better strategy than finding a project idea on an independently run website that might not be trustworthy. You can also find a free online 8th grade science project guide at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf

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today to get your science experiments!

Some students choose to compare brands of tissue, and others choose to compare types – like one or two ply, scented or non, or pre-moistened. To do this project, you need tissue samples, a scale with close tolerances (that means it shows the weight in very small increments – like ounces or milligrams), jars, water, and a screen. We used the scale at the post office, and yes, we did get some funny looks weighing toilet paper tissue. You could possibly also use the scale at the grocery store or pharmacist if you ask nicely and flash a winning smile.

To do this, you weigh the tissue samples, soak them in water for a period of time, ‘flush’ them through a funnel, let the non-flushed tissue dry, then compare the weight of the pre-soaked tissue to the post-soaked tissue. It’s a very easy and inexpensive project to do. It’s fun and you’ll learn a lot. And, yes, it has been a winner at the science fair!

To get step by step instructions for this experiment – plus reference materials and pre-formatted graphs/charts, get our package of science project guides. Our guides can’t guarantee you’ll win at the science fair, but if you ask us – any time you learn something and learn to love science more – you have a winning science project!

PS Note that this is a 24 Hour Science Project. Get yours now here, and be finished by this time tomorrow!

1. Let kids work together on the same project. They can each do the experiment, and will each have to do a science board or report, but you’ll only have to help find one idea and gather the materials from one list. This is the way to go if your kids are in different schools.

2. Use different variables for the same experiment. If you’re comparing amounts of Vitamin C in substances, for example, let one child test various canned fruit juices, and another child test different juices from fresh fruit. The research and procedure is the same, but the experiments are different.

3. Recycle projects. Our family has always done projects together, then saved them in the attic. One year one of our boys used the same experiment his brother had done the year before. We redid the experiment, but reused the science board, simply adding the fresh data and photographs.

4. Submit different types of the same project. If your school science fair allows it, one child can submit and experiment based project, and the other submit a demonstration. For example, one child can demonstrate how to take the shell off an egg without boiling, and another can experiment to see if water goes through the membrane.

Science projects are supposed to be wonderful learning experiences for kids – and they can be. Don’t let your family get bogged down in the process. Look for ways to streamline and coordinate, and make science fair time a fun educational time for your kids.

Get your free parents guide to science projects at http://www.24hourscienceprojects.com. We also have a list of fast and easy science project guides that can be done in a very short amount of time – many of which are easily adaptable for use with more than one child.

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!