Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 29)

Measuring Magnetic Fields

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever noticed how magnets appear to have no effect on each other when they are far apart? Then, when you slowly move them closer together, you will start to feel a gentle pull until they suddenly snap together? How exactly does the strength of a magnet change with distance, and how would you measure it if you wanted to find out? In this project you will build a circuit that can measure the strength of a magnetic field and see how the field strength changes with distance. 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

Paper Circuits: Make Electrifying Art

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

"Paper circuits" are a fun way to mix electronics and art by adding lights directly to a painting or drawing. These lights need a battery to power them, and typically you would use wires to connect them. In paper circuits, though, many materials can be substituted as "wire," including special types of paint, ink, and even aluminum foil. There are also different options for what type of battery you can use. Which materials do you think will work best? Try this project to find out! Read more

Rocket Science: How High Can You Send a Payload?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Rockets are definitively an engineering challenge. These amazing gravity-defying machines have lifted test material, people, and even animals into space. Feel like building one yourself? In this science project, you will transform a water bottle into an aerodynamic bottle rocket with two compartments, one for the fuel and one for a payload. You will then test how well it performs when lifting mass vertically up into the air. Ready, set, soar! Read more

Rusting Out: How Acids Affect the Rate of Corrosion

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever left your bike outside in the rain? If so, you might have discovered unpleasant surprises afterwards—reddish-brown patches, known as rust, and your wheels, brakes, and gears might have stopped working so smoothly. In this chemistry science fair project, you'll learn why rust, a type of corrosion, is a serious problem. You'll also discover that not all rains are the same! Find out which ones can speed up the rusting process. Read more

Saturated Solutions: Measuring Solubility

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Many essential chemical reactions and natural biochemical processes occur in liquid solutions, so understanding the chemical properties of liquid solutions is fundamentally important. This project asks the basic question, how much of a substance can dissolve in water, for three different substances: ordinary table salt, Epsom salts, and sugar. Read more

Take a Musical Step Back in Time: Make Your Own Phonograph from Everyday Items

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Don't you just love listening to music? In the 1980s, people listened to music on the Sony® Walkman®. Now, people listen to their favorite tunes on MP3 players and on their Apple® iPhonesTM. But listening to music on devices actually started in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In those days, people would gather around their phonograph to listen to their favorite tunes—people were just as amazed with the phonograph as you would be to handle an iPhone. In this physics science… Read more

Testing Sunscreen Effectiveness and Water Solubility

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What should you NOT forget when going outside on a sunny day? To put sunscreen on! Sunscreen is important because it protects your skin from sunburn. But there are so many sunscreens to choose from: different methods of application (sprays and lotions), different Sun Protection Factors (SPFs), and different ingredients. Which one is best? In this science project, you will test the effectiveness of different sunscreens and find out how water-soluble they are. Read more

The Reasons for the Seasons

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you live someplace where you get to experience the full glory of all four seasons? If so, you know well the heady blossoms and dramatic skies of spring; the long, sun-drenched days of summer; the trees shaking in crimson and gold in fall; and the sparkling, brittle snows of winter. But you might not know why we have these seasons, over and over again, in a cycle as predictable as the rising and setting of the Sun. The reasons for the seasons are surprising and have to do with Earth's tilt… Read more

The Wagon Wheel Effect Optical Illusion

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

12 reviews

Have you ever seen a video where it looked like a car's wheels were spinning backwards even though the car was driving forward? This is called the wagon wheel effect, named after old movies where it looked like wagon wheels were spinning backwards. Even though you cannot see the effect in person, it can show up in videos of spinning objects. Find out why in this project and make your own videos of the wagon wheel effect! Read more

Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (1,335 results)

Explore Our Science Videos