Middle School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 93)

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When pesticides are applied to protect crops, run-off of potentially harmful pesticides is a major problem. Can water plants such as hardstem bulrush, common cattail, parrotfeather and smooth scouring rush promote pesticide breakdown? If so, diversion of irrigation run-off into plant-filled ponds could help reduce pesticide pollution. Mix malathion at 12.5% of the recommended application strength (to simulate dilution by rain or irrigation water). Use 5-gallon buckets for testing various… Read more

Do String Players Have Longer Left Fingers?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Physical activity is needed for maintaining normal bone strength and mass. Can physical stress on finger bones during development lead to an increase in finger length? Check out this project to see how violin players are an example of a "natural experiment" that you can use to answer this question. Read more

Do Video Game Players Have Faster Reaction Times Than Non-Players?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When someone yells, "Think fast!" and throws you a ball, are you able to catch it? When the bell rings at the end of class, are you the first one out of your seat? Can you make it through a sudden hairpin turn in a video game without crashing? If so, then you likely have quick reaction times. In this science fair project, you'll look at reaction times (how fast people react to sensory events), and see if people who play video games have faster reaction times than those who do not. Read more

Do You Hear What You See?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered how virtual reality works? With virtual reality, people feel like they are in one place while knowing they are somewhere else. In this project, you will show the same phenomenon on a smaller scale. You will use the McGurk effect to show how you can hear one sound, while knowing a different sound is physically there. First, you will produce such an experience using audio and video, and then measure the strength of the phenomenon. Read more

Do Your Storm Drains Keep the Ocean Trash Free?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that there is plastic in the ocean? It probably isn't too hard to imagine that some of the plastic that litters roadways, sidewalks, and parks finds its way into the ocean. So, how much do you think is in there? Hundreds of pounds of plastic? How about thousands of pounds? No one knows for sure, but estimates, based on scientific surveys, suggest the amount is in the range of millions of pounds of plastic! Of course, the ocean is big, over 300 million square kilometers, so… Read more

Does Body Size Matter?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Animals come in all shapes and sizes, even humans. You can look up different statistics about different kinds of animals using the Internet: average body size, brain size, life expectancy and generation time are some examples. Is there a correlation between body size and life span? Is there a correlation between body size and brain size? Is there a correlation between body size and generation time? Is there a correlation between body size and the size of your footprint? (Comparative Mammalian… Read more

Does Chemical Lightening Affect the Structure of Human Hair?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Does your hair go crazy when the weather turns damp? Did you know that strands of hair can relax and lengthen when the humidity increases and then contract again when the humidity decreases? In fact, hair strands can be used as the basis for a hygrometer, a device which measures the humidity level in the air. Can a human hair hygrometer also detect changes in hair structure caused by chemical lightening? This project shows you how to find out. Read more

Does Gender Affect Color Preference?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you compare products made primarily for boys with products made primarily girls, you will probably notice differences in colors for the two groups. Why do you think this is? Is it the marketplace responding to gender-based color preferences? Do you think it's the other way around, and the products create gender-based color preferences? Design a survey study to find out if gender actually make a difference in color preferences. Here are some questions you might want to consider when… Read more

Does Sense of Touch Impact a Cat's Behavior?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever seen a cat slowly move its head and whiskers into a small space before crawling through it? They’re using their sense of touch to see if they can fit into the space! In this science experiment, you’ll test how cats use their sense of touch to move through the world by using a maze to determine if they prefer big or small spaces. Read more

Does Temperature Affect the Rate of Butterfly Development?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This is an interesting experiment if you are 1) curious about insect metamorphosis and 2) patient! You will need to set up different controlled environments for the chrysalides, and then check on them regularly as you wait for them to hatch. Read more

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

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