Science Projects | Science Buddies Blog (Page 66)

DNA Day!

April 24, 2009 11:55 AM

In celebration of the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003, today is National DNA Day. The following Science Buddies project ideas offer an excellent point of entry for DNA discussions and an introduction of relevant concepts. Do-It-Yourself DNA Design a DNA Extraction Kit and use it to purify DNA from strawberries Extracting Onion DNA Extract DNA from onion in sufficient quantity to be seen and spooled. A Magnetic Primer Designer Test how matches and… Read more

Earth Day Project Idea #5: Phantom Power

April 24, 2009 9:42 AM

Appliances may be the largest objects in a house and the most visible signs of electricity consumption, but today's typical household uses a constant flow of electricity to power all the gadgets and conveniences that have become, for many of us, a way of life. There has been growing awareness and discussion of the continuous drain on electricity that happens even when you think you've turned a system "off." Many standard items go into a low-power or standby mode when you click "off" - which… Read more

Earth Day Week Project Idea #4: Making Paper

April 23, 2009 11:14 AM

How much paper do you throw out each week? Are you good about using both sides? Is your recycling bin overflowing? Despite the ways in which technology has changed traditional paperflow, paper is ubiquitous. We use paper day in and day out. Not surprisingly, one of the biggest categories of solid waste in the U.S. is paper, and statistics regarding the percentage of landfill taken up by paper, paper products, and packaging materials are eye-opening. Testing alternative methods and approaches… Read more

Earth Day Project Idea #3: Biomass and Biogas

April 22, 2009 11:06 AM

Happy Earth Day! I was surprised this morning to log into my iGoogle page and see that of the science sites I'm following, "Earth Day" wasn't in the headlines. At Twitter, I saw much more hubbub about Earth Day, in a wide range of categories. Today is the third in our series of Science Buddies science fair project ideas hand-picked to help you celebrate Earth Day week with your students and in your classrooms. Science Buddies Project Idea From Trash to Gas: Biomass Energy Using… Read more

Earth Day Week Project Idea #2

April 21, 2009 10:06 AM

The California Academy of Science's Living Roof is home to 1.7 million native plants specially chosen to flourish in Golden Gate Park's climate. The phrase "Going Green" takes on new relevance when you consider roofs that are also green gardens. This Science Buddies science fair project idea takes a look at the benefits and advantages rooftop gardens offer. Science Buddies Project Idea Rooftop Gardens: Are They a Cool Idea? In this science fair project you will determine whether or… Read more

Earth Day is this Week!

April 20, 2009 10:49 AM

April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day offers a perfect opportunity to talk with students and young scientists about environmental, ecological, and energy issues, conservation efforts, and what it means to think "green." The Science Buddies library of science fair project ideas contains a number of projects that offer a launching point for relevant conversations with students of all ages. These projects bring the issues into focus, making them down-to-Earth and "real" as… Read more

Building Science Understanding, Brick by Brick

April 9, 2009 8:02 AM

It's not too late to enter the 2nd LEGO Builders of Tomorrow contest, sponsored by GeekDad. The deadline for submitting a photo of your family working together to build something from LEGO is April 30. The winning family will be featured on the box of the 2010 LEGO Builders of Tomorrow set. The contest honors the timeless tradition of LEGO construction and the ways in which families come together to put principles of design, engineering, robotics, and physics to use with bricks of all sizes.… Read more

Looking Up--Astronomy for K-5

March 25, 2009 10:31 AM

A headline today from New Scientist asks what the sun will look like as a planetary nebula when it begins to die--in about 5 billion years. Questions that involve billions of years from now can be mind-boggling, but considering what happens in the span of a few hours or through the course of a night is something students of all ages can tackle. When younger children look up at the sky, both shifts in the appearance of the moon as well as differences in what and how many stars are… Read more

Water-Based Electricity?

March 24, 2009 10:16 AM

I don't know what was being talked about, but as I cleaned up in the kitchen, I heard a conversation with an 8-year old that resulted in questions about water and electricity and whether or not water can conduct electricity. I think the question had come up as he relayed some cool feature of a character in a game and was challenged about whether or not such a power was possible. Of course, as adults, we think of things like fallen power lines and rain puddles or the risk of a hair dryer… Read more

Science Fair Project: Biomass and Biogas

March 16, 2009 4:03 PM

If you're ready to tackle something related to energy, power, and the environment but want to push the envelope a bit farther than the cool (but maybe not quite cutting-edge-enough-for-you and just a bit ubiquitous) Veggie-Powered Batteries, pull on your rubber gloves, grab a nose-plug (totally optional), and check out the ins and outs of biomass and biogas. From Trash to Gas: Biomass Energy (grades 6-8) has you roll up your sleeves, fill up some soda bodies, and monitor differences in… Read more

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