Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 15)

Extracting Onion DNA

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In this project, you'll learn how to isolate DNA from onion cells, separating it from other cellular components in a manner that still preserves its structure and sequence. In the end, you'll have enough DNA to see with the unaided eye, and you'll be able to spool it to demonstrate its strand-like structure. Read more

How Eco-Friendly is Your Sunscreen?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Imagine a wonderful summer day at the beach. You play in the sand, swim in the ocean—and, of course, put a lot of sunscreen on. The sunscreen protects your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Special ingredients absorb or reflect the UV rays so they do not harm your skin. Different types of sunscreen have different types of ingredients, and some of them can be harmful to the environment—especially if they get into the ocean. In this science project you will put your… Read more

What Materials Can Block a Wi-Fi Signal?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever suffered from poor Wi-Fi reception for your smartphone, tablet, or laptop? Certain materials can actually block a Wi-Fi signal; do you think that could be part of your problem? In this science project, you will do an experiment to find out which materials cause the biggest drop in signal strength from a wireless router. Read more

What's the Fastest Way to Cool a Soda?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

So you've just finished mowing the lawn on a hot summer day, and you'd like a cold, refreshing drink as a reward. You look in the fridge, and oops! it's empty. The sodas are still sitting in the cupboard, at room temperature. What's the fastest way to get that soda down to a cold, drinkable temperature with materials readily at hand? Read more

3D Print a Drone Frame

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Drones come in all shapes and sizes. In this engineering project you will design and 3D-print your own frame for a miniature drone. Read more

Do Antibiotics Change Your Gut Microbiome?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

There are thousands of bacteria in your gut that help you digest your food, recover important nutrients, and maintain your health. What happens to those bacteria when you take antibiotics? In this science project you will find out by accessing and analyzing a real data set of the gut microbiome (bacteria and other microbes) from healthy adults before and after they are given antibiotics. Read more

How Do We Breathe?

STEM Activity

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176 reviews

We breathe a lot—roughly 12 to 16 times a minute for adults and even more for children! Have you ever wondered how the process of breathing works so smoothly? Our lungs allow us to inhale the oxygen our body needs, but they do much, much more. They also allow us to get rid of carbon dioxide, the waste product created in the body, and they play a vital role in singing, shouting and even giggling. In this activity you will make a model of a lung and use it to discover how air flows in… Read more

Is It Ripe Yet? Build a Circuit to Detect Ripe Produce

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you go to the supermarket, how do you pick out ripe fruits and vegetables? You might look at their size or color, or feel them for firmness. That might be easy to do when you pick out a half dozen apples, but imagine if you had to examine thousands of apples growing in a field, or strawberries coming down a conveyor belt getting ready for packaging. Suddenly, it is a lot harder to do yourself! What if a machine could pick and sort the produce for you? In this project, you will address part… Read more

Junkbots: Robots from Recycled Materials

STEM Activity

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Building "junkbots" is a fun activity where you can turn recycled materials—like plastic bottles and cardboard tubes—into robots! This is a great activity for a classroom or a group of friends, because you can race your robots against each other and even make them sumo wrestle. You do not need any previous experience with robotics to build junkbots. A Science Buddies kit is available with all the electronic parts you need, including motors, batteries, and clear instructions for how… Read more

Rocket Catcher Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Inspired by real-world reusable rockets, in this engineering challenge, you will design and build a device to catch a falling rocket so it lands vertically. Drop the rocket from higher and higher heights to get a better score! The 2025 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge is over, but you can check out this page to see our other past engineering challenges and what this year's challenge will be! Teachers, lesson plan versions of this challenge are also available. Read more

Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (1,334 results)

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