Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 4)

What Makes Ice Melt Fastest?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you live in a place that gets cold in the winter, you have probably seen trucks out spreading a mixture of sand and salt on the streets after a snowfall to help de-ice the road. Have you ever wondered how this works? This basic chemistry project can give you some clues. Read more

Erupting Diet Coke® with Mentos®

STEM Activity

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298 reviews

Have you ever seen the Diet Coke® and Mentos® experiment, which is all over the Internet, and wondered what makes the reaction work? You might think that there is some ingredient in a Mentos candy causing a chemical reaction with the soda, like the way baking soda reacts with vinegar. But the amazing eruption that takes place when Mentos are dropped into Diet Coke is not a chemical reaction at all! Instead it is a physical reaction. That means that all of the pieces of the reaction… Read more

Build a Mini Trebuchet

STEM Activity

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460 reviews

You probably know what a catapult is. In the Middle Ages armies would use them to hurl stones at castle walls. But did you know about an even bigger type of medieval siege weapon called a trebuchet? Try this project to build a miniature version! Read more

Rubber Band Car Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

In this engineering challenge, you will build a car powered by nothing but a rubber band. The farther the car goes, and the fewer materials you use to build it, the higher your score. The 2024 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

Build a Robot Hand

STEM Activity

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Do you know anyone who has had a hand or an arm injured in an accident? What if you could build them a robotic hand to help them accomplish everyday tasks like writing, picking up a glass, or opening a door? This activity will show you how to build a simple robotic hand using common household materials. Read more

Build a Rubber Band-Powered Car

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Admit it, you've probably launched a rubber band at least once—pulled one end back, and let it go flying. Did you ever suspect that rubber bands could also be a fun way to learn about physics and engineering? Find out in this project where you'll build a rubber band-powered car. Read more

Make Your Own Harmonica!

STEM Activity

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Can you name the bestselling musical instrument in the world? If you said harmonica, you are right! The harmonica was said to be patented in 1821 by Christian Buschmann, a 16-year-old German boy. Since then, it has become the top-selling instrument in the world and a household item in many places. Luckily, creating beautiful noise is not just an art—it is also a science! In this activity, you will design and explore your own harmonica-like instrument made from household items. Time to… Read more

DIY Mini Drone

STEM Activity

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Quadcopters, also called drones, are a fun and popular toy. Explore the world of drones as you build your own mini drone using popsicle sticks in this fun activity. See this page for a complete list of our mini drone projects. You may wish to do the projects in order. Read more

Ball Launcher Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Try your hand at this engineering challenge. Can you build a "launcher" device to launch a ball as far as possible and a "receiver" to catch it? Building a receiver provides an extra twist to a traditional catapult project. Add to the challenge by using a limited set of materials to build your machine and calculate a score based on your throw distance and materials used. Read more

Explore Glow-in-the-Dark Water!

STEM Activity

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Have you ever been fascinated by things that glow in the dark? It can be a lot of fun to play with bracelets, wands, and other toys that are glow-in-the-dark, like some stickers and creepy, crawly, plastic insects! Have you ever wanted to make something at home that glows? It turns out that it is not that hard to do — all you need is tonic water and a black light! Some common household chemicals can also affect this beverage's glow. In this science activity, you will make tonic water glow… Read more

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

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