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.
Now You See It, Now You Don't: A Chromatic Adaptation Project
Now You See It, Now You Don't: A Chromatic Adaptation Project
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
No issues |
This project shows that our perceptions can change, even with the stimulus remains the same. A clear color difference in an image disappears after just 20 seconds of looking at another (special) image. Now you see it, now you don't!
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Parachutes: Does Size Matter?
Parachutes: Does Size Matter?
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
No issues |
How does a parachute work? Do bigger parachutes work better than smaller parachutes? Find out in this experiment if the size of the parachute matters.
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Shaking Up Some Energy
Shaking Up Some Energy
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Average ($50 - $100) |
| Safety |
When working with electricity, take precautions and beware of electric shock. |
Have you seen the new Shake N' Light flashlights on TV? How do they get energy to light up the bulb without using batteries? Do this experiment to make your own motion powered generator and find out.
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Soda Straw Robot Simulator
Soda Straw Robot Simulator
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
You need to work on a computer on which you are allowed to download a new program. Check with the owner of the computer before you proceed. |
| Material Availability |
Readily available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
No issues |
Robots come in many shapes and sizes. From the Mars Rovers to toy dinosaurs, robots are well-planned machines designed to suit their individual purposes. In this science project, you will test different robot designs with an online simulator made up of dots and lines, much like bendable soda straws. How will each robot design respond to changes in their conditions?
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The Birthday Paradox
The Birthday Paradox
| Difficulty |
|
| Time Required |
Very Short (≤ 1 day) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Material Availability |
Readily Available |
| Cost |
Very Low (under $20) |
| Safety |
|
This project shows how mathematical probability sometimes contradicts our intuition. Despite the fact that there are 365 days in a year, if you survey a random group of just 23 people there is a 50:50 chance that two of them will have the same birthday. Don't believe it? Try this project and see for yourself.
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