Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 27)

From Dull to Dazzling: Using Pennies to Test How pH Affects Copper Corrosion

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Pennies are bright and shiny when they are new, but become quite dull with time. What causes such a drastic change? Oxygen in the air combines with the copper in the penny to form copper oxide, which makes the penny look dull and dingy. You can make the pennies look like new again by soaking them in water that is corrosive enough to strip off the copper oxide layer. It turns out, however, that the same process that makes the pennies shiny has bad consequences when it comes to copper pipes: it… Read more

From Genes to Genetic Diseases: What Kinds of Mutations Matter?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Our genes are made up of hundreds to millions of building blocks, called DNA nucleotides, and if just a single nucleotide of DNA becomes mutated it might cause a devastating genetic disease. But sometimes a mutation actually does no damage. What kinds of mutations have to occur to cause a genetic disease? In this science project, you will explore online genetic databases to identify how a mutation in a gene can result in a dysfunctional protein, and how other mutations may have no effect at all. Read more

Harvesting Fresh Water With a Fog Catcher

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that about 1 in 10 people worldwide do not have access to clean water? Collectively, girls and women worldwide spend an average of 200 million hours every day collecting the water they need from rivers, water holes, or lakes. What if there was a way to capture water from another source—like the air? In areas where there is a lot of fog, a device called a fog catcher makes this possible. Fog catchers use fine meshes to capture and collect water droplets from the foggy air.… Read more

Is Plant-Based Milk as Protein-Packed as Dairy Milk?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What kind of milk do you drink in your household? Do you drink 2% dairy milk, whole dairy milk, or plant-based milk like almond milk or soy milk? Have you ever considered why you drink it? As more sustainable and alternative food options become increasingly available, people are interested in the nutritional value of plant-based foods. The US government dietary guidelines state that dairy milk is a good source of protein. Are plant-based milk sources also a good source of protein? In this… Read more

Make a Milk Rainbow

STEM Activity

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Have you ever seen a rainbow after a rainfall, or drawn a rainbow for fun? They can be fun to make using colorful markers or other craft supplies. But did you know you can actually make a simple rainbow using milk, liquid detergent (i.e., soap), and food coloring? How the rainbow is created by this mixture might surprise you! In this science activity, you will make your own milk rainbow and explore how detergent and surface tension are involved in its creation. Read more

Make a Straw Siphon

STEM Activity

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What's an easy way to move liquid from one place to another? A siphon! With just a little effort to get it started, you can then sit back and watch liquid flow from one container to another, as it seemingly defies gravity by going uphill. Try this activity to make your own simple siphon using straws. Read more

Make an Automatic Braille Display to Help Blind People

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

We take it for granted that computer screens can update the text on their displays. What about braille, the writing system used by blind and visually impaired people? Braille writing usually consists of a series of permanently raised bumps on a surface like a piece of paper or a sign. How can you make these bumps change or "update" to display different text? Find out in this engineering project as you design and build your own refreshable braille display. Read more

Measuring the Amount of Acid in Vinegar by Titration with an Indicator Solution

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why some foods taste really sour? Vinegar is one example that you might know from salad dressings or pickles. They taste pretty sour, right? There are many different types of vinegar that you can buy to use around the kitchen for cooking and pickling. The chemical compound that gives vinegar its tart taste and pungent smell is acetic acid. Do you think all the different vinegars contain the same amount of acetic acid? Are there some that are more sour than others? How… Read more

Mixing Light to Make Colors

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You know how to make new colors by mixing paint or crayons. For example, you get green by mixing yellow and blue, or orange by mixing red and yellow. With paint, blue, yellow, and red are primary colors, which you can use to make other colors. Have you ever tried making colors with light? Are the primary colors the same ones you use for paint? Do this experiment and find out. Read more

Modeling the Chances of Getting an Autoimmune Disease

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you know someone who has an autoimmune disease? Autoimmune diseases are fairly common, affecting more than 23.5 million people in the United States, which is about 1 in 13 people! You may have heard of some of them, such as diabetes (type 1), rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease. Many autoimmune diseases are poorly understood, but they all have one thing in common: they happen because a person's immune system (which normally fights off germs to keep the person healthy) attacks the… Read more

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

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