Students can explore solar energy, light reflection and convection through this engaging science fair project. Students can engineer a balloon-powered car and construct a geodesic dome.
Science fair projects hinge on asking the appropriate question. Students can explore issues like, “Do new tennis balls bounce higher than old ones?” and more.
1. Balloon Car
Balloon cars are an exciting craft project for kids to help them learn about various forms of energy. Additionally, this activity serves as an excellent way to recycle materials.
This activity teaches children about Newton’s Third Law and energy conversion. For instance, when they release the balloon it converts potential energy to kinetic energy which makes the car move – it must remain steady to avoid tipping over.
2. Geodesic Dome
Geodesic domes can serve multiple functions; they’re useful for camping activities, event structures and green houses.
Climbing domes are round structures resembling half-spheres that make an efficient use of space while being both stronger and lighter than most framed structures. They are frequently seen at playgrounds.
Geodesic domes were initially conceptualized by Walther Bauersfeld and popularized by American architect R Buckminster Fuller; using triangles connected in tension systems to enclose space. Coverings can also be chosen depending on material choice.
3. Solar Oven
Solar ovens take advantage of the sun’s rays to cook food and pasteurize water for pasteurization purposes and sterilize items, and are widely used by those without access to electricity worldwide.
This two-day activity teaches students about using renewable energy sources such as solar and geothermal heat to heat water. Students build and compare various solar cooker designs before measuring how quickly water temperature rises within them.
4. Pinball Machine
For your students who love test tubes, beakers, and Bunsen burners alike, here’s a hands-on science experiment to keep them busy! They’ll use their skills to design, construct and test a geodesic dome!
Kids often enjoy making slime; turn this fun activity into an educational opportunity by using it as part of this chemical experiment. Students will observe how different ingredients affect its properties such as color and texture.
5. Helicopter
Science fair projects typically involve some form of experimentation. Students might test how different surfaces affect how much friction is necessary to move an object over them.
Certain experiments require parental approval before being conducted, especially those which involve animals or food consumption. Students should check with both their teacher and science fair guidebook for guidelines as to what is and isn’t permitted.
6. Electric Generator
The electric generator converts mechanical energy to alternating current electricity through a magnet and rotating inductor, becoming the first device capable of doing this through magnetism and opening up new pathways such as commutators and direct current dynamos.
Show 7th graders the physical reality of sound with this fascinating experiment on density. They will also gain valuable insight into nitrogen’s significance through this plant growth lab that replicates Darwin’s survival of the fittest finch experiment.
7. Cellular Mitosis Model
Mitosis, or cell division, is essential for growth, repair, reproduction and disease prevention – including cancer.
Students use textured paper and toothpicks to construct a model of mitosis using its four phases – prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase/cytokinesis – using this activity. Each plate represents one phase in turn.
8. Copper-Plated Coins
This experiment utilizes lemon juice and copper ions to demonstrate plating and alloy chemistry. (Warning: lemon acid can make you sick if swallowed.)
Place a penny and silver-coloured coin into a solution of copper sulphate and connect them to a battery to observe them turning copper-coloured, as compared to an unsubmerged nail in the same solution.
9. Tea Bag Experiment
The Tea Bag Experiment provides kids with an interactive demonstration to illustrate how heat interacts with air molecules. This engaging DIY demonstration also shows convection – how warm, less dense air rises above cooler and denser air masses – as explained by convection theory.
Cut some tea bags into long cylindrical shapes and place them upright on a metal or stone surface. Light their top tips, and watch as they float upward!
10. Salt and Water Experiment
Salt can provide endless science fair project possibilities, from quickly cooling drinks down to creating lava lamps and crystallizing colourful salt crystals. Furthermore, this project serves as an introduction to density.
Addition of salt to water allows students to alter its density without altering its volume, and can make objects that would normally sink, such as an egg, to become buoyant! This enables objects that would normally sink (e.g. an egg) to instead float!