Middle School, Computer Science Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 4)

Happy or Sad? Exploring Bias in Machine Learning

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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Classifying happy and sad faces is an easy task for most humans, but can we teach a machine to do it? In this fun lesson, students will use machine learning to try this out and see how easy it is for bias to creep in. This experiment requires no computer programming skills! In an optional extension, students will also use their imaginations to explore the potential benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence solutions. This lesson will give students an awareness of how prevalent artificial… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

How Secure Are Your Security Questions?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Many websites ask you to answer "security questions," like "What is your mother's maiden name?," to recover your account if you ever forget your password or login ID. However, sometimes the answers to those questions are easy to find online. Does this pose a risk to the security of important accounts like email and online banking? Are people even aware that this information about them is available online? In this project, you will investigate how secure people think security questions are, and… Read more

Identify Road Signs with Machine Learning

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Driverless cars use machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to identify road signs and other things they encounter on the road, like pedestrians and other vehicles. In this project you will take your own pictures of different types of road signs and use machine learning to identify the signs using a free online tool (no programming is required). You will then attempt to improve your machine learning model so it can identify signs in a variety of environments. Read more

Is a Deleted File Really Gone?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you delete a file, by accident or on purpose, is the information really gone? Can you get it back? If you accidentally deleted your five-page report for school, you may be hoping it is not really gone. On the other hand, if you do not want someone to get their hands on the goofy and unflattering pictures you and your best friend took while staying up late the other night, you probably hope the files you deleted are gone for good! Computer experts are often asked about file recovery.… Read more

Make a Communication Aid To Help People Show Their Feelings

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Have you ever tried to communicate with a baby or toddler who cannot talk yet? What about another kid or an adult who cannot speak due to a medical condition? There are many ways we can communicate without speaking, like writing or using sign language. We can also use technology to help make it easier to communicate. In this project you will program your own communication aid to help someone who cannot speak show their emotions or simple messages. Read more

Make a Greeting Card Come to Life!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

A singing monkey? An elderly couple doing the chicken dance? What kind of funny electronic cards do you like to email people? Feel free to dream up your coolest and funniest card ideas, because in this science project, you'll create your own animated greeting card with a simple-to-use programming language called Scratch. Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create interactive stories, games, music, and art. When the program you have written is complete, you can even share it… Read more

Make a Motion Sensor Alarm with a Raspberry Pi

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wished you could create an alarm system to guard your stuff? Or what about throwing a surprise party for someone and automatically playing music and flashing lights when they walk in the door? You can do either of these things using a Raspberry Pi. The kit includes a motion sensor, which can detect when people move in front of it. Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like. IMPORTANT: The instructions for this project were originally written using… Read more

Pinwheel Magic: Take a Spin with Animation

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you enjoy watching cartoons and animated movies? Do you have fun playing video games? What do all of these things have in common? Fantastic computer animation, that's what! It's a cool job to take an interesting story or game and make it more entertaining by animating it. In this computer science project, you won't animate a full-length feature movie, but you will animate a pinwheel—a project that can go a long way toward creating your own longer animations! You will create an animated… Read more

Program Your Own COVID-19 or Flu Simulator with Scratch

STEM Activity

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Are you curious about how public health officials think about and model how diseases like flu and COVID-19 move from one person to another? In this activity, you will use the kid-friendly programming language Scratch to write a simulation that uses bouncing dots to represent healthy and sick people. The simulation will show how we can take measures to slow the spread of a transmissible disease. Read more

Save a Life! Teach Hands-Only™ CPR

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What would you do if you saw one of your friends lying on the floor, not breathing, possibly having a heart attack? Call 911? Start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)? Those would both be important things to do! But do you know CPR? Do your friends and family know CPR? Chances are, most of them don't. Even if they do know CPR, they might be hesitant to use their mouths to perform it. You can change that though. In this science project, you'll create a simple, interactive game that can teach… Read more

Middle School, Computer Science Projects, Lessons, Activities (59 results)

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