Middle School Science Projects (Page 4)

Sustainable Construction: Building with Mushroom Roots

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Does growing your own house sound futuristic? If so, this project might surprise you! An overlap of biology, material science, and environmental science has resulted in some intriguing self-assembling materials. In this project, you will grow one of these materials: mycelium composite. It is made of agricultural waste and mushroom roots. You will explore two ways to grow your own construction material. Try it out and see which method proves to be the strongest! Read more

Moss is Boss: Using Plants to Determine Direction

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever gone camping, looked up at the stars, and found the Big Dipper? Two stars in the dipper part of this constellation point to Polaris, the north star, which people have used for thousands of years to help them find their way. In this plant biology science fair project, you'll investigate whether plants, like moss, can help you find your way, too. Read more

How Does Color Affect Heating by Absorption of Light?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Why is it more comfortable to wear light-colored clothes on a hot summer day? Why wear a dark-colored jacket for early-morning fishing on a cold lake? How much difference can it make? Here's a project where you can quantify how much difference color makes for absorbing heat. Read more

Can Biodegradable Materials Replace Plastic as Protective Food Packaging?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Many foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, or eggs, are packaged in plastic to protect them from damage during handling and transport. But is plastic the best choice? What if a more sustainable and biodegradable material could replace it? Researchers have begun exploring hydrogels—squishy materials that can hold a lot of water—as alternative packaging materials. In this science project, you will make your own hydrogels from gelatin and cornstarch and investigate what ratio of… Read more

The Surprising Strength of Eggshells

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever seen an arch structure in a building, such as over a doorway or surrounding large windows? Arches have been used for structural engineering since ancient times. This experiment tests the strength of a naturally occurring arch shape: the shell of an egg. How much mass do you think an eggshell can support? Read more

Take a Candle Carousel for a Spin

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever ridden on a carousel, or a merry-go-round, at an amusement park? On a carousel, you usually get to take a seat on a wooden horse or other animal that spins around and around as the carousel is turned on and powered by electricity. Another smaller type of carousel that people can have in their homes is a candle carousel, which is powered by heat from candles. In this science project, you will get to make your own candle carousel and investigate how the spinning speed of the… Read more

Remove Silver Tarnish with a Homemade Battery

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why silver jewelry that starts out nice and shiny turns brownish-black and dull over time? The brownish-black stuff is called silver tarnish, and it is the result of a chemical reaction on the silver's surface. Luckily, there are many ways to clean tarnished silver and make it shiny again! In this science project, you will explore how to clean tarnished silver using electrochemistry. The electrochemical silver cleaning reaction requires aluminum and a salt solution. Your… Read more

Wearable Limp Detection Device

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Have you (or anyone you know) ever sprained an ankle or broken a leg? It might have taken some practice to walk again after recovering from an injury. Some people might even need to work with a physical therapist. In this project you will program a wearable device to recognize when someone is limping instead of walking normally. Read more

Ocean Bioluminescence: Investigate When and How Dinoflagellates Glow

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Imagine the ocean water turning bright red or seeing ocean waves glowing a beautiful blue color. Sounds impossible—but it is not! Red tides and glowing waves are caused by microscopic organisms living in the ocean called dinoflagellates. Some dinoflagellates have the ability to produce light through a process called bioluminescence. When and how do these organisms glow? In this science project, you will investigate how changing the dinoflagellate's exposure to light and dark affects its… Read more

How the Strength of a Magnet Varies with Temperature

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Physicists sometimes study matter under extreme conditions. For example, think of the emptiness of interstellar space vs. the unimaginable crush of pressure at the center of a neutron star, or an object dipped in liquid nitrogen vs. the tiles on the space shuttle during re-entry. Here's an experiment on permanent magnets in "extreme kitchen" conditions that you can try at home. Read more

Middle School Science Projects (252 results)

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