High School, Materials Science Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 2)

Fishing Line Strength

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you like to fish and you'd rather not be telling the story of "the one that got away," then this is a project for you. What combination of properties makes for the best fishing line? Here are some suggestions for getting started on your background research into fishing line properties: knot strength, abrasion strength, shock strength, tensile strength, limpness, controlled stretch, and desired range of visibility (Dodson, 2006). Choose the properties that you think are most important, and… Read more

LivingLoom: Clothing With Live Plants

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

LivingLoom looks at how plants can take an active role in making textiles instead of just being used as raw materials. By spinning microgreen seeds into biodegradable yarns, the textiles can actually sprout and grow over time. The project opens up new ways to think about sustainable, care-based design, and invites us to rethink how we connect with plant life through the things we make and use. Read more

Making Everyday Objects Out of Mushrooms: Environmentally Friendly Design

STEM Activity

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10 reviews

Maybe you have grown vegetables or flowers, but have you ever grown the flowerpot? Yes, you read that right! In this activity, you will use mushroom roots to grow a biodegradable material that can be molded into a product of your liking, like a flowerpot! Growing a set of bowls, a lampshade, or a pot is easier than you might think. Once you try it out, you just might feel inspired to replace some of your plastic objects with ecological counterparts that you created from mushroom roots! Read more

Materials for Sound Barriers

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What are the best materials to use for blocking out unwanted noise from the environment? You can build a test box (or test frame) around an audio speaker. Use a sound level meter to measure the speaker output. Use different materials to cover the walls of your test box (or frame), and see which materials do the best job at blocking the sound. For a more advanced project, perform your tests using different sound frequencies. Are some materials better at blocking certain frequencies than… Read more

The Leaning Tower of Pasta

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Here's a project for a budding architect or structural engineer. Can you make a strong, lightweight tower using only uncooked spaghetti and white glue? In this project, you'll learn about materials testing and apply what you learn to building and testing structures that are both strong and light. Read more

Bacterial Resistant Materials and the Best Disinfectant

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you'd rate yourself high on the bacteriophobia scale, just keep on scrolling down to the next project. Bacteria are all around us, and normally our body's defenses keep us blissfully unaware of them. If you don't mind finding out where they're lurking in your house, then you might find this project interesting. Read more

Engineering Silver Nanoparticles

Lesson Plan Grade: 9th-12th

Engineering silver nanoparticles for use in water filters has shown promising results in keeping water free of disinfection byproducts that arise after chlorination. In this activity, the students do individual research to learn about nanotechnology and silver nanoparticles, and how silver nanoparticles can be used in water treatment. Students choose a plant of their choice (from home, school, or from the teacher) to use as an agent to reduce silver nitrate into silver… Read more

He Huffed, and He Puffed, But Didn't Blow the House Down! How Can Straw Make a Sturdy Building?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In the fairy tale of the three little pigs, the wolf huffed and puffed and blew down the first pig's straw house. But in reality, straw, tied into bales, is a viable building material that, when used properly, makes sturdy and energy-efficient buildings. Straw is a renewable resource that is available all over the world since it is the byproduct of growing grain. In this science fair project, you will test a straw bale covered with stucco to see if it's water resistant, and evaluate if it's… Read more

Magnetic Fluids

Lesson Plan Grade: 9th-12th

In this fun, engaging activity, students are introduced to a unique type of fluid "ferrofluids" whose shape can be influenced by magnetic fields! Students act as materials engineers and create their own ferrofluids. They are challenged to make magnetic ink out of ferrofluids and test their creations to see if they work. Concurrently, they learn more about magnetism, surfactants and nanotechnology. As they observe fluid properties as a standalone-fluid and under an imposed… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

HS-PS2-6.. Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.

Talk About a Bad Hair Day!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that you can make a simple hygrometer (a device for measuring the relative humidity of the air) with hair? Search online for instructions to build one. Does the type of hair used in the hygrometer affect the accuracy of the results? Do some types of hair respond faster than others? Do some types of hair give a larger (or smaller) response? You could get hair samples from classmates, or a local beauty shop. Use hair samples of equal length to construct each hygrometer. To force… Read more

High School, Materials Science Projects, Lessons, Activities (20 results)

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