Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 46)

STEM Activity

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Have you ever wished you could copy a drawing but make it larger or smaller? If you've tried to create a larger or smaller copy of your work, you've probably realized that it is very hard to get the details right. A machine called a pantograph, however, could help. It makes copies that can be scaled up or down or made the same size. In this activity you will make your own pantograph and then duplicate your drawings. Can you figure out how it enlarges, shrinks or turns drawings upside down? Read more

Electric Paint: Light Up Your Painting

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Electric paint is a fun way to include a circuit with lights in an art project, but it presents a challenge not found in traditional electronic circuits. What happens if you change the length or width of your strokes of paint, such as by painting longer, curvier lines or using a thicker brush? Could this affect the electrical properties of your circuit? Try this project to find out! Read more

Excess Volume: Investigate the "Shrinking Liquids" Effect

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Cooking, washing, and many industrial processes involve the mixing of liquids. How liquids behave when they are mixed is dependent on many factors. Sometimes, the mixing behavior of liquids can be quite surprising! For example, when you mix 50 mL of one liquid with 50 mL of another liquid, you might not end up with a 100 mL mixture! In this science project, you will explore this phenomenon, which we call the "excess volume" of mixtures. How do you think your mixing volumes will… Read more

Explore Enzyme Activity with Toothpicks

STEM Activity

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Do you know what enzymes are? They are like little machines that carry out many different chemical reactions that are essential for nature and our bodies. For example, they help break down the food we eat, or help make yogurt and cheese! In this activity, you will simulate an enzymatic reaction and explore what factors affect the activity of an enzyme. You only need a few simple items, including your hands, lots of toothpicks, and a timer. Read more

Explore Matchstick Rockets

STEM Activity

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If you have wondered how rockets are propelled forward or if you enjoy the excitement of launching a rocket, this is an activity for you! You will learn how to make tiny rockets from aluminum foil and matchsticks, and how to ignite them safely. Soon, you will be launching one rocket after the other! Your challenge will be to find the most reliable launching mechanism. Read more

Field Goal! The Science Behind a Perfect Football Kick

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that throwing, kicking, and punting a football all involve the science of projectile motion? A star NFL® quarterback, kicker, and punter each need to have a very good understanding of how a football moves through the air in order to help them win games. In this science project, you will set up a rubber band-powered catapult to represent a field goal kicker, and study how changing the distance from the goalposts affects how hard it is to accurately kick a field goal. Read more

Find the Best Place to Put a Solar Panel

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Imagine trying to put a solar panel on your roof or outside your home to generate clean, renewable energy. Where would you put it so it generates as much power as possible throughout the day? What direction should it face? Is there a way to take measurements to find the best location before you install the panel? In this project, you will use a tiny programmable device called a micro:bit to record light data and find the best place to put your panel. Read more

Find the Horsepower of a Toy Car

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever heard someone describe how much horsepower a car has? Why do we use horses to measure how powerful cars are? What exactly is horsepower? How is horsepower related to things like speed and torque? Find out in this fun science project as you use a simple setup to find the horsepower of a battery-operated toy car. Read more

Finding the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy Using Globular Star Clusters

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The Milky Way is the edgewise view of our home galaxy, a disk made up of billions of stars. The Sun resides on one of the spiral arms of the disk, 30,000 light-years from the thick hub of the galaxy. The actual center, with a black hole 3-4 million times the Sun's mass, is hidden by dust clouds in space. In this astronomy science fair project, you will use astronomical data to locate the center of this galaxy. Read more

Foldable Paper Robotic Gripper

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-12th

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When your students think of robots, they probably think of materials like metal or plastic—but what about paper? In this lesson plan, your students will learn to make robotic parts from readily available classroom materials. Optionally, they can apply the engineering design process to improve the design or come up with their own designs. Read more

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