Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 115)

The Power of Suggestion

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Can an authority figure make someone question their own memory? How reliable is eyewitness information? This project looks into these questions. You'll need a poster-sized image that includes many faces, and a volunteers to act as "eyewitnesses." The volunteers are tested individually. The instructions are that they have one minute to examine the poster, and then a fixed amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes) to write down brief, accurate descriptions of all the faces they can remember. They'll… Read more

The Role of Fats in Making a Delicious Pastry

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Apple pie is one of America's traditional desserts. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool sweetness of the ice cream combines with the warm apples and flaky pastry to create a taste sensation. However, if the pastry that surrounds the apples is heavy or chewy then that can really affect how much you enjoy this treat. But how do you make a pastry that is light and flaky? In this cooking and food science fair project, you will find out by experimenting with… Read more

The Science of Spin: A Baseball Pendulum

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

For this project, you'll use a baseball as a pendulum weight, studying the motion of the ball with and without spin. Wrap a rubber band around the ball, and tie a string to the rubber band. Fasten the string so that the ball hangs down and can swing freely. Mark a regular grid on cardboard, and place it directly beneath the ball to measure the motion. You can also time the oscillations with a stopwatch. Lift the ball along one of the grid axes, and let it go. Observe the motion and record… Read more

The Scientific Secret of Stretchy Dough

STEM Activity

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Do you remember the last time you baked cookies, bread or cake? Did your baked good turn out perfectly? Or was it a bit too flat, or perhaps rubbery and tough, or maybe with clumps of dry ingredients? The problem might have been in how you mixed the dough, or with the type of flour you used. In this science activity, you will knead, stretch and punch some pretty remarkable doughs and discover what provides structure and elasticity to your baked goods. Next time you prepare dough for… Read more

The Swimming Secrets of Duck Feet

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you wish that you had duck feet? Aside from being a fun Dr. Seuss story, there is a lot you can learn about hydrodynamics by looking at the feet of birds. How are the feet of birds that swim unique? Find out in this experiment. Read more

The Taylor Swift Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Taylor Swift famously got in shape for her three-hour-long Eras Tour concerts by singing all 40+ songs...while running on a treadmill! Have you ever tried running while singing at the top of your lungs? How hard do you think it is? In this science project you will measure the impact talking and singing have on a group of volunteer runners. Is anyone in better shape than Taylor Swift? Read more

The Tree of Life — I (basic)

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Imagine that a biologist arrived at your big family reunion and had no idea who were sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., but tried to sort it out by how all of you look. Just based on how you look, would s/he be able to guess whether the kid standing next to you is your sister or your cousin? The biologist might be able to make some good guesses this way, but by using samples of your family's DNA, s/he could construct your whole family tree. In this project, you'll use a Web-based… Read more

The Tree of Life – II (advanced)

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Imagine that a biologist arrived at your big family reunion and had no idea who were sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., but tried to sort it out by how all of you look. Just based on how you look, would s/he be able to guess whether the kid standing next to you is your sister or your cousin? The biologist might be able to make some good guesses this way, but by using samples of your family's DNA, s/he could construct your whole family tree. In this project, you'll use Web-based computer… Read more

The Trick to Beating a Carnival Game

STEM Activity

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Have you ever played a game at a carnival, trying to win a stuffed animal or other prize? It might look easy, until you try it. Why are those "simple" games at the fairs and carnivals so hard? Is it really lack of skill or coordination or do those concessionaires use some basic laws of science to help them set up the games in their favor? In this science activity, you will investigate how physics can help you win — or lose — at the classic game of trying to knock over a pyramid of… Read more

The Wagon Wheel Effect

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever seen a video where it looked like a car's wheels were spinning backward even though the car was driving forward? What about helicopter blades that looked like they were spinning very slowly, or even not moving at all? This illusion is called the "wagon wheel effect," named after old movies where it looked like wagon wheels were spinning backward. In this science project you will learn how the wagon wheel effect works and how you can film it yourself. Read more

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