Middle School Science Experiments (Page 191)

Eco-Friendly Squishy Robots

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In our introductory VoxCAD project, you were challenged to use the VoxCAD software to design the fastest possible robot using different materials. However, we did not ask you to think about one big thing — efficiency. It is great to design a robot that is very fast, but what if it also consumes a lot of energy? Engineers must consider this when designing robots in the real world — robots that use more energy to move will drain their batteries faster, which can be a problem. This is… Read more

Eeew, Dog Breath! Does Active Play Take Your Dog's Breath Away?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you're chasing after your dog, do you ever stop and say, "Wait, I have to catch my breath!"? Do you think that there are times when your dog feels like that, too? Does your dog's respiration rate change when you two are playing active games together? Try this playful science project to find out! Read more

Egg Rockets - Silliness and Celebrations: Doing Fun Science at Home during School Closures (Activity #10)

Blog Post

Follow along with a Science Buddies parent who is using family STEM activities to keep her kids learning at home during the COVID-19 school shutdown. New posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Today's adventure... launching rockets made out of plastic Easter eggs. Embracing Silliness, Themes, and Celebrations I find myself forgetting what day it is more and more. I'm used to keeping track of the day by the hustle of our family-life schedule. … Read more

Elephant Toothpaste: Doing Fun Science at Home during School Closures (Activity #27)

Blog Post

Follow along with a Science Buddies parent who is using family STEM activities to keep her kids learning at home during the COVID-19 school shutdown. New posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Today's adventure... foaming fun with elephant toothpaste. Magic, Otherwise Known as Chemistry Why are Harry Potter and unicorns so popular? I think it is because kids love magic. They delight in the possibilities and transformations that magic can bring. … Read more

Energetic Two-Ball Bounces

STEM Activity

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How many ball sports can you name? How many of those have several balls at once in the game? Almost none, right? Games that do use several balls at a time most likely use balls of the same mass, volume, and material. Would having two balls of a different mass make a game very difficult? In this activity, you will explore what might happen if you were to add a tennis ball to a basketball game, or a tiny ping pong ball to a tennis game, or any other combination. Ready to be surprised? Try it out! Read more

Estimation and Population Size

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wanted to take a short cut? How about when doing your math homework? In this experiment you can learn how estimation can save you time doing math calculations. But beware, some estimations are better than others! Can you match this sample size with the best population? How accurate are your estimation skills? Read more

Explore Interplanetary Spacecraft Maneuvers with FreeFlyer®

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you are interested in space travel and willing to do some coding, this project is for you! It uses FreeFlyer®—powerful software that allows you to simulate space travel—to explore essential mission questions. Space travel is complex. Many factors influence the trajectory of a spacecraft. Simulations like the ones generated by FreeFlyer are powerful, as they allow you to analyze each factor in isolation, and then visualize the effects in various ways. Once you familiarize… Read more

Explore Satellites with Powerful Simulation Software

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The first man-made satellite, the Sputnik 1, was launched in 1957. As of late 2020, more than 2,600 man-made satellites orbit Earth, with a little over 70% of them in low Earth orbit. If you would like to delve into how satellites and their sensors are configured, or into how their orbits are planned—and do not shy away from a little programming—this project is for you! With the help of FreeFlyer®—powerful software that allows you to simulate satellite orbit and… Read more

Exploring Bridge Beams with Spaghetti

Blog Post

How do engineers ensure that bridges and other structures can support weight properly so that they don't collapse? In this week's materials science-themed family science activity, families can use uncooked spaghetti noodles to explore the forces that come into play when weight is applied to a beam. What happens when the spaghetti bends in response to weight? If the noodles break, where do they break? Was the breakage the result of compression or tension? Does using more pieces of… Read more

Exploring Surface Tension: Doing Fun Science at Home during School Closures (Activity #18)

Blog Post

Follow along with a Science Buddies parent who is using family STEM activities to keep her kids learning at home during the COVID-19 school shutdown. New posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Today's adventure... exploring surface tension by making wire water striders. A Spill Leads to Exploring Surface Tension What happens when you put a freshly laundered tablecloth on the table? Well, in my house, it immediately triples the chance that someone… Read more

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