Parents play an important role in fostering enthusiasm for science in their children.
Doing science projects together at home can make a wonderful weekend or "day off"
activity. The following list of projects contains projects from our library of science
Project Ideas
that meet the following criteria:
- Use readily available materials.
- Can be completed in a few hours.
To find other projects you and your student would enjoy, browse the
complete library or use the
Topic Selection Wizard to see a list of recommendations that match up to your interests.
Leaky Clues to Dam Design: How Reservoir Height Affects Hydroelectric Power Production
Leaky Clues to Dam Design: How Reservoir Height Affects Hydroelectric Power Production
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
Access to a bathtub or other area suitable for testing with water. |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
Use caution when poking holes with the nail. |
It's hard to believe that the same water that you use every day to quench your thirst, cook with, bathe in, swim in, and wash your clothes and dishes, is capable of another trick—it can make electricity! Electricity can be generated through the
flow
or through the
fall
of water. A big, fast-flowing river, for instance, contains a lot of moving energy that provides enough pressure to turn the blades of a turbine and run an electric generator.…
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Maple Syrup: For Pancakes, Waffles, and...Crystal Candy?
Maple Syrup: For Pancakes, Waffles, and...Crystal Candy?
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
Adult supervision is required. |
Maple syrup is deliciously gooey and great on breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles. But it it has another amazing property. It can form crystals under the right circumstances, and the crystals change in size and shape, depending on temperature. In this science fair project, you will discover how to make crystals out of maple sugar, and study how their growth is affected by temperature.
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The Nose Knows Smell but How About Taste?
The Nose Knows Smell but How About Taste?
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
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| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
No issues |
Ahchoo! Got that stuffy nose and I-can't-breathe kind of cold? Those sniffles and clogged sinuses are bad enough, but why does it also seem everything tastes so bland and flavorless when we are sick? Is there really truth to the idea that smell is a key part of taste? Gather up a few volunteers, hit the kitchen, and try this experiment to find out.
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Throwing You Some Curves: Is Red or Blue Longer?
Throwing You Some Curves: Is Red or Blue Longer?
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
Must understand the concept of a mathematical proof |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
No issues |
This a straightforward, but interesting, project in geometry. It is a good first proof to try on your own. You should be able to figure it out by yourself, and you'll gain insight into a basic property of circles.
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What's the Fastest Way to Cool a Soda?
What's the Fastest Way to Cool a Soda?
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Low ($20 - $50) |
| Safety |
No issues |
So you've just finished mowing the lawn on a hot summer day, and you'd like a cold, refreshing drink as a reward. You look in the fridge, and oops! it's empty. The sodas are still sitting in the cupboard, at room temperature. What's the fastest way to get that soda down to a cold, drinkable temperature with materials readily at hand?
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