Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 93)

How Flocculation Cleans Up Drinking Water

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Your drinking water probably started out brown and muddy. Are you surprised? Maybe you were picturing it flowing from a clean mountain spring instead? All over the world, including in 68% of American homes, people get their drinking water from rivers, lakes, and other surface waters. This water is filled with dirt, debris, and other contaminants as it travels hundreds of miles. So, how does your drinking water go from brown and muddy to crystal clear? Often, flocculants—substances that… Read more

How Gene Mutations Change Your Ability to Taste

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

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Explore genetic variation through the world of taste in this problem-solving lesson plan. Working both individually and collaboratively, students figure out what kind of tasters they are, what this means about their own genetics, and how genetic mutations can lead to functional differences. This activity provides a hands-on, personalized opportunity to learn about how genotypes and phenotypes align. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-LS3-1. Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.
MS-LS3-2. Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.

How High Can You Throw a Baseball? A Tennis Ball? A Football? A Golf Ball?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How high can you throw different types of balls, like a golf ball, a basketball, and a football? Would one of them go higher than the others? Do factors like mass, shape, and volume influence the final height? You can measure the approximate maximum height a thrown ball reaches by measuring the time it spends in the air. To do this project, you'll need at least one ball and a helper with a stopwatch. Your helper should start timing just as you release the ball, and stop right when the ball… Read more

How Long Does Trash Last?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Even though many cities have recycling programs, a lot of trash still ends up in the dump. Find out which materials will break down and which materials won't. Will the results of this experiment change which products you often buy? Read more

How Many Numbers Can You Remember?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you good at remembering addresses and phone numbers? How many numbers do you think you can remember? Try this experiment to test your digit span, the maximum number of digits that you can remember. Read more

How Old Is That Rock? Roll the Dice & Use Radiometric Dating to Find Out

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What do rocks and clocks have in common? Both keep track of time. Yes, radioactive isotopes present in rocks and other ancient material decay atom by atom at a steady rate, much as clocks tick time away. Geologists use those radioactive isotopes to date volcanic ash or granite formations like the giant Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Anthropologists, archeologists, and paleontologists also use radioactive isotopes to date mummies, pottery, and dinosaur fossils. Does this sound abstract and… Read more

How Protective is Your Helmet?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Every time you hop on your bike or gear up for football or baseball practice, your helmet is your first line of defense. Whether you’re coasting downhill or tackling on the gridiron, impacts happen — and they can cause more than just bumps and bruises. Scientists tell us that forceful hits to the head can lead to concussions or even more serious brain injury over time. Correct helmet design, proper fit, and good cushioning all help reduce those risks. For example, bicycling is one… Read more

How Rain Gardens Fight Pollution and Flooding

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd

Students might think rain gardens are only there to make an urban area look nice. In this lesson, students will make mini rain gardens and discover how these can filter out pollution and soak up excess rainwater. Will they find how rain gardens help prevent natural disasters? Try out this fun lesson and see! Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.

How Strong are Eggshells?

STEM Activity

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Have you ever seen an arch structure in a building, such as over a doorway or surrounding large windows? Arches have been used in structural engineering since ancient times. In this activity you will test the strength of a naturally occurring arch shape: the shell of an egg. So grab some eggs and put them to good engineering use in trying to answer the following question: Just how much mass can an eggshell can support? Read more

How Sunlight Warms the Earth

Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten

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Kindergarten students associate the sun with light and warmth. This lesson helps them expand this knowledge by getting their hands dirty! They will fill cups with soil, water and rocks and place them in the sun and shade for a while. By finding out how they can tell where a cup has been stored, they will learn how the sun affects Earth's surface. In a follow-up lesson, Create Shade to Protect from the Sun, students figure out how to protect a territory from getting too hot in the sun. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

K-PS3-1. Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface.

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