Your science fair can stand out with projects that spark kids’ interests, such as making glow-in-the-dark sticks, learning about planet distance and growing salt crystals.
Do caffeine injections really boost performance? Discover for yourself with this straightforward 7th grade science experiment!
Students explore thermal energy, reflection and convection through parachutes they make themselves. (This project may require supervision as it could get messy!)
Balloon Car
Students use household materials to build and race cars as part of a fun STEM activity that also teaches force and thrust. This project serves as a great introduction to Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Begin with a water bottle and attach a film canister as its body, then stretch a balloon over a stretchable rod and create a nozzle from a straw for your car!
Perform an experiment on different surfaces to see how far your car can travel. Examine why some vehicles travel further than others and how friction impacts results.
Geodesic Dome
The geodesic dome is an architectural structure that maximizes interior space while minimising surface area. Comprised of a network of triangular frames called struts, its self-balanced design requires minimal materials for construction and can even self-balance over time. Invented by architect Buckminster Fuller who famously lectured about its potential to address housing crises across the globe.
Students in 7th grade science class can put Fuller’s theory to the test with this hands-on science activity. Students use an assembly kit to assemble a dome that they compare against an icosahedron, a three-dimensional solid composed of identical equilateral triangles. Furthermore, they conduct a simple density experiment which involves layering different liquids – this engaging hands-on activity is great way to teach about water’s properties.
Parachutes
Students use the same equipment used by aviators to safely land, to gain knowledge of aerodynamics and air resistance. Using different paper materials as parachutes, students design them then test them by measuring how quickly or slowly each one drops from a height of equal size. Following discussion of their findings and contribution towards an assignment that summarizes them all together.
Can a parachute constructed from plastic bags and string save an egg from falling two stories? Learn the answer in this gravity-defying experiment! Students will also gain an understanding of resistance (drag force), which car designers take into consideration when developing vehicles’ acceleration capacities.
Oven
If your students are intrigued by physics and engineering, creating solar ovens will be an enjoyable activity to teach them thermal energy concepts such as convection and radiation.
Students can gain insight into why oil floats on water and density with this interactive experiment that utilizes bubbles. Furthermore, they’ll gain knowledge of cell membranes.
Help your students grasp evolution by recreating Darwin’s “survival of the fittest finch” experiment, which brings together biology and chemistry.
An effective and enjoyable way for children to understand electricity is with this fun homemade battery project, which showcases chemical reactions and electrical circuits with ease. Plus, minimal supplies are necessary!
Water Swing
Use this exciting experiment to teach 7th graders about centripetal force with this simple but fun physics science fair project, which lets them swing several objects at the same time. Not only will students get acquainted with lab work but this project is also great way for getting students comfortable with lab work!
Make this biology activity even sweeter by using Oreo cookies to build mitosis models of cells! Students will gain valuable hands-on experience while learning safety measures while making themselves into real scientists by mixing, pouring and swirling.
Bring students closer to understanding the significance of nitrogen to plant growth through this chemistry experiment, while they enjoy making copper-plated coins!
Instant Ice
If your students are exploring chemistry, this exciting experiment allows them to witness water turning instantly from liquid to solid state. Ideal for introducing lab work and safety procedures.
This science activity illustrates how ice crystals form without using microwaving or refrigeration, making an excellent opportunity to demonstrate exothermic chemical reactions and teach students about them.
Are certain foods making us tired and lethargic? Middle school students will use the scientific method to discover whether food items contain bacteria. Next, they’ll conduct an experiment to see whether an injection of caffeine helps improve performance.