High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 80)

The Cannon Fungus: Grow a Fungus That Fires Objects at Light Sources!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The Pilobolus fungus has an interesting way of making sure the next generation has a good start on life. At high speed, the fungus shoots a sac that contains spores toward a light source. Why toward a light source? Because that is where it is most likely to find an open area with grass. Once the spore is placed on grass, it is eaten by a cow or a horse, which is a critical step in its life cycle. The spore passes through the animal's digestive track and ends up in a pile of manure. For a fungal… Read more

The Case of Mistaken Identity

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Mysteries and detective stories have been popular since the time of Sherlock Holmes. The solutions to these fictional cases often involve untangling seemingly contradictory evidence from eyewitnesses. This project studies one procedure used in the real-world process of eyewitness identification of criminal suspects: the lineup. How accurate are eyewitness identifications using various lineup methods? Read more

The Curdling Properties of Different Milks: How to Avoid Little Miss Muffet's Curds

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Has a milk-based soup, sauce, or gravy ever curdled on you (formed lumps) as you were preparing it? Curdling is the process of coagulation that occurs where the proteins in the milk clump together. Sometimes curdling is desirable—for example, if you want to make a delicious cheese or yogurt—but if you are trying to make a milk-based soup or gratin, or if you're adding milk to a hot drink, curdling is very unwanted because you lose the smooth, creamy texture. Nobody likes clumps and… Read more

The Effects of a Student-Generated Lesson Summary on Retention

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

We can't say it any better than he did, so here is Ryan Ponec's capsule description of his excellent project (Ponec, 2002): "At the end of a lesson, a teacher will sometimes have students summarize the information presented by stating, 'Tell me something you learned.' The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether or not this 'lesson summary' significantly enhances the students' ability to later recall the information presented. Students from grade levels fifth through eighth were… Read more

The Effects of Card Counting on a Simple Card Game

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you like to play cards? Here's a project that will get you thinking about strategy in card games and help you become a better card player. Read more

The Eye of the Beholder and the Mind of the Beheld

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The concept of beauty changes over time and often differs among societal groups. How strongly do societal conceptions of beauty shape an individual's self-image? There are many fascinating questions you could choose to explore with surveys on this subject. For example, how well do girls' ideas of what is attractive in boys agree with boys' expectations about what girls find attractive (or vice versa)? Try your survey with different generations to see how conceptions change over time. If you… Read more

The Joly Photometer: Measuring Light Intensity Using the Inverse Square Law

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You have probably seen light bulbs with different wattages, for example 50 W or 100 W. Higher-wattage lights are brighter but they also consume more electrical power. Are some bulbs more efficient than others, meaning they produce more light per unit of electrical power? You can find out for yourself by making a simple photometer to compare the light output from different bulbs. This project shows you how. Read more

The Making of a GMO Crop

Lesson Plan Grade: 9th-12th

Students will compare and contrast methods of selective plant breeding, describe the scientific process of creating a genetically modified plant, compare genetically modified soybean seeds to conventional soybean seeds, describe the impact weeds have on plant growth, and understand how a genetically modified seed can help farmers manage weeds. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

HS-LS1-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins, which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.
HS-LS3-1. Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.

The Milky Way and Beyond: Globular Clusters

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Globular clusters, compact groups of about a million stars that move around together in galaxies, are among the oldest objects found in the universe. Since they are found in most galaxies and since they've been around for so long, globular clusters have a lot to tell us about what the universe looks like now and how it got that way. Is our Milky Way Galaxy just like all the other galaxies out there? What are galaxies made of? What can we learn about the universe from looking at galaxies? … Read more

The Physics of Baseball and Hit Charts

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In baseball, coaches use hit charts to track the results of every hit each player makes, giving a measure of the player's performance. Have you ever wondered what things affect where a baseball goes when a player hits it with a bat? In this project you will set up an experiment to hit a ping pong ball in a controlled manner using a toy catapult, then learn about the physics of baseball by making your own hit chart. Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (850 results)

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