Science Buddies'
middle school science projects are the perfect way for
middle school students to have fun exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our
middle school projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the
middle school grades. Students can choose to follow the science experiment as written or put their own spin on the project.
For a personalized list of science projects,
middle schoolers can use the Science Buddies Topic Selection Wizard.
The wizard asks students to respond to a series of simple statements and then uses their answers to recommend
age-appropriate projects that fit their interests.
If you were in a raiding army in the Middle Ages, a catapult would come in mighty handy for taking down castle walls. But only if you could aim it reliably! With this science project, you will try your hand at catapult technology. Using a rubber-band-powered catapult you will send ping pong balls flying through the air. The catapult's design makes it easy to measure and repeat how hard the ball is launched and its direction, so you can find the right catapult settings to hit the target reliably.
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ApMech_p008
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
A kit is available from our partner .
See the Materials tab for details.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Do not aim the catapult at breakable objects or people; minor injury possible.
3... 2... 1... 0— blastoff! In this science project, you will use a bottle rocket launcher to launch your own bottle rocket. You will load it with water and pressurized air, make several launches, and find out what makes your rocket soar the highest.
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Phys_p096
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- Less Details
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Average ($40 - $80)
Safety
Adult supervision is required at all times. See the safety note at the beginning of the Procedure for details.
Do you dream about making deep, undersea voyages? Let this project take you 20,000 leagues under the sea! Investigate how submarines dive and surface by changing their buoyancy in this fun project.
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Aero_p034
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Have an adult help you when using the razor blade or knife, as well as the drill. Always wear safety goggles when working with power tools. If you are performing the experiment in a pool, be sure to have an adult with you at all times.
Playing basketball can be hard work. Players not only constantly run around the court, but just dribbling the basketball takes a lot of effort, too. Why is that? It has to do with how the basketball bounces. When the ball hits the court, its bounce actually loses momentum by transferring some of its energy into a different form. This means that to keep the ball bouncing, players must continually put more energy into the ball. In this sports science project, you will determine how high a…
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Sports_p037
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
You have probably heard about using renewable energy sources like wind and solar power to provide electricity to homes and buildings, as well as hybrid or fully electric cars that use less (or zero) gasoline. But what about solar-powered robots? As robots become more common, it is increasingly important to use "green" energy sources to power them. In this project, you will build and test a popular robot called a bristlebot — a tiny robot made using toothbrushes—that can operate on…
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Robotics_p026
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
A kit containing all the electronics parts needed for this project can be found in a kit from our partner
.
Have you considered where the gasoline that your parents put in your car comes from and how long that source will last? The fuel that most vehicles use, gasoline, is a petroleum product. Petroleum is a fossil fuel and is a nonrenewable form of energy, meaning we use it faster than it is able to be reproduced. Burning fossil fuels also produces pollutants that might hurt our environment. Using a kind of fuel from a renewable source would help save Earth's natural resources and cut down on…
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Energy_p030
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- Less Details
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Average ($50 - $100)
Safety
You will be working with flammable materials. Wear safety goggles and other safety gear to prevent injury. Adult supervision is required. Perform this science fair project in a well-ventilated area, away from combustible and flammable objects.
Have you ever seen butterflies fluttering around outside, gliding through the air and landing on flowers? While they are delicate and fragile, butterflies are actually excellent flyers. They are so good, in fact, that scientists at Harvard University studied butterfly wing shapes as an inspiration for building a miniature flying robot. In this science project, you will do your own version of the Harvard scientists' experiment to measure the flight performance of butterfly wings.
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Here's a fun project idea to learn about compression forces. For this experiment you'll need some empty toilet paper tubes, masking tape, sand (or table salt), pebbles (or marbles), a funnel, a cardboard box, and a sturdy chair to help you balance while testing the column. Seal one end of the tube with masking tape. Use the funnel to fill the tube with sand (or salt). Seal the other end with tape. Place the tube on end inside the paper box. Place the chair with its back to the box and hold…
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Some plants grow only in water-logged environments. These plants are usually native to wetlands and are important for the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. Wetland ecosystems are very fragile and susceptible to the toxic dumping of sewage and fertilizer run-off from neighboring farm land. One very common aquatic plant called duckweed inhabits many wetland marshes. Duckweed grows by asexual reproduction and floats at the surface of the water with tiny roots extending into the water below.…
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PlantBio_p030
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- Less Details
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Duckweed can be purchased from plant nurseries, or you can also find it growing naturally in local ponds and marshes. If you find the duckweed in a local water source, make sure you get permission from the land owner or town before taking any.
Have you ever wondered what sounds you can hear in space? The answer is simple: none! In outer space there is utter silence. There are no sounds of traffic jams or thunderstorms or crashing waves. No buzzing bees or babies crying. Just silence. In this experiment, you will discover why empty space is void of sound and prove it with the help of Google's app.
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Phys_p017
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Use adult supervision when using the stove. To prevent burning yourself, always protect your hands when touching the hot flask and make sure to avoid direct contact with hot surfaces and liquids. Be especially careful when closing the flask with the stopper as it might pop out again.
