Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 12)

Scintillating Scents: The Science of Making Perfume

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever watched your parents dress up for a big evening? They may even splash on a bit of aftershave cologne or dab on some perfume since it is special occasion. But did you know that using perfume and scents is an ancient activity? Perfumes and the art of making perfume is an art that is thousands of years old. In this chemistry science fair project, you will learn more about one way to make perfume, called enfleurage, and experiment with it to extract your own floral scents. Read more

The Effect of Bridge Design on Weight Bearing Capacity

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Build model bridges and then deliberately destroy them? Who'd be crazy enough to try that? Read more

Turn Mud into Energy With a Microbial Fuel Cell

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What can you do with a bucket of soil? You could use it to grow some beautiful plants and vegetables—or you could use it to produce electricity! Surprised about that? You actually can power electric devices with just mud! Are you curious about how this works? You need some little helpers in the soil—bacteria—that are able to turn their food sources within the soil into electricity in a device called a microbial fuel cell. But is this possible with any soil and does the soil… Read more

What's the Best Container for Elephant Toothpaste?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Check out this video from former NASA engineer Mark Rober, where he sets out to reclaim his title for the world's largest and tallest elephant toothpaste reaction. In the video, he experiments with different container shapes and sizes to determine which will result in the most spectacular reaction. You can turn this into a science project of your own! How do differently sized or shaped containers affect the foaming reaction? Can you find an optimal container that makes the reaction go the… Read more

Build a Brushbot

STEM Activity

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Brushbots are a simple, fun type of robot that you can build out of arts and crafts materials. They are easy to build and you do not need any previous experience with robotics. You can build them yourself, build two robots with a friend and race them against each other, or even make them sumo wrestle! Go to the Materials section to see what parts you need to build a brushbot, and see the instructions for a step-by-step guide on how to build one. Read more

Build a Water Strider

STEM Activity

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Have you ever seen a water strider (also called water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers etc.)? They are bugs that effortlessly hop around on the surface of ponds, lakes, and rivers. How do they do it without sinking? Try this project to find out! Read more

Can Humans Recognize AI-Generated Images?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Can you tell if the pictures on this page are real or generated by a computer? Artificial intelligence (AI) generated images have exploded in popularity, bringing plenty of controversy along with them. An AI-generated image of a tiger or a flower might seem harmless, but artificial images of people or events can contribute to "fake news." In this science project you will investigate whether people can tell the difference between real pictures and pictures generated by AI. Can you spot the… Read more

Find the Hidden Colors of Leaves

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Have you ever wondered why leaves change from green to an amazing array of yellow, orange, and red during the fall? Leaves get their brilliant colors from pigments made up of various color-creating molecules. During the warm, sunny months, plants use their leaves to turn sunlight into food energy, a process called photosynthesis. This primarily uses a pigment that reflects green light, which gives the leaves their characteristic color. In autumn, when colder, shorter days arrive, many kinds of… Read more

How to Grow the Best Crystals

STEM Activity

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Have you ever wondered how crystals are made? Crystals come in all different shapes and sizes. However, the purest and cleanest crystals are usually also the ones that grow to be the largest in size. In this activity, you will compare the size and shape of crystals grown at different temperatures. With just water and Borax, a household cleaning product, you can discover the method for growing large, pure crystals! Read more

Hydroponics Made Easy

STEM Activity

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Do you think plants can grow without soil? If you've tried growing vegetables, you probably planted the seeds or seedlings in soil. Soil gives the plants the nutrients they need to grow. However, plants can grow without soil, too, using a process called hydroponics. In this activity, you will transform a bottle into a mini-garden that needs only light, air, and nutrient-rich water to grow! Read more

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