Science research » Adult Supervision

Easy Elementary Science Projects – Doing Tests With Yeast

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 12:32:55 +0000

In this easy elementary science project we are going to experiment with yeast. I wonder if you know what yeast is? Well, it is a type of fungus that lives on the skins of many fruits. A spoonful of yeast contains millions of little single-celled organisms (it is very simple organisms.) These organisms work like tiny factories to by taking sugar and making alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. This is the process that turns the mixture of grain and water into beer and the bubbles it produces are used to make bread light and fluffy. We are going to have a look at the conditions that are necessary for the yeast to grow.

This is one of our easy elementary science projects where adult supervision is vital as we are going to use hot water. Ask an adult to help you with the boiling of the water.

The purpose of this science project is to find the ideal conditions for yeast to grow in.

What you need for this experiment:

A kettle A measuring jug Water 4 Small glass jars Dried yeast 2 Heatproof bowls A teaspoon Dried yeast granules Clear film 3 Elastic bands 4 Colored stickers, green, red, blue and yellow Sugar Ice cubes Scissors Pen

How to do this easy elementary science project:

Fill the kettle about half full with water. Boil the water to kill any organisms that might interfere with the working of the yeast. Now place the stickers on your glass jars. For safety’s sake also mark the stickers a (green), b (red), c (blue0 and d (yellow). With a teaspoon, place a level teaspoon of yeast into each jar. Now you place the same amount of sugar in each jar. Place the jar with the yellow dot (d) away in a warm place. In the remaining jars, pour about 2/3 cup of the cooled, boiled water in each of the remaining bottles. Cut a piece of clear film for each of the remaining 3 jars that is about twice the width of the jars. Stretch one piece over the neck of each of the remaining jars and secure it with a elastic band. Place the jar with the green dot (a) in a warm place. Pace the jar with the blue dot (c) in one of the bowls and put some cold water and ice in this jar too keep it cold. If the ice starts to melt, add more ice to keep the water cold all the time. Now you place the jar with the red dot (b) in the other jar and pour some very hot water in the bowl. Ask and adult to help you with this. The water must be very hot but, not boiling as that may cause the jar to break. If the water start to cool down, add extra hot water to keep it hot all the time. Check on your jars regularly for the next 2 hours, keeping the conditions for each jar as it started. Make meticulous notes of everything that happens. Can you explain why it happens? How do you think this knowledge can be used in baking bread?

If you did this easy elementary science project correctly, the following will happen:

The yeast in the jar that was kept in the hot water (red, b) lies in a cloudy layer at the bottom of the jar as the yeast was killed by the hot water. In the jar that was kept in the cold water (blue, c) there is only a little froth at the top of the jar as the cold slowed down the yeast. (I wonder if you can think how this information can be of some use to a baker.) In the jar that was kept in a warm place (green, a) the yeast has fed on the sugar and water and the resulting carbon dioxide should be pushing up the clear film already. The yeast in the last jar (yellow, d) shows no sign of any activity as the dry yeast is hibernating and will only become active in the presence of water, sugar and warmth. (Not too hot, because we have already established that overheating will cause the yeast to die.)

This easy elementary project is proofs that even doing the simplest experiments can teach us all something of value. How do you think what we learned today can be of practical use to us? In fact it has been used for years in the process of baking bread, making wine and making beer.

By: Magrietha Du Plessis

Fun Science Projects

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:23:33 +0000

Hello, I have prepared a couple really fun science projects that any student can do at home with household items.

These Fun science projects should be done with adult supervision.

The first fun science project is called “The Balloon Inflater”

MATERIALS:

A carbonated soft drink in a bottle, a balloon, and a twist tie from a bread or a garbage bag.

WHAT TO DO: 1. Place the balloon over the mouth of the bottle and securing it to the bottle with the twist tie. 2. Have the adult hold the bottle and place their thumb over the mouth of the bottle covered by the balloon. 3. Now shake the bottle for five seconds and release your thumb. 4. The balloon fills with carbon dioxide that was dissolved in the soda pop. That’s why they are called carbonated drinks.

This is a great fun science project that can give you that A you want in science class! Here is another great science experiment that anyone can do .

THE BALLOON ROCKET

MATERIALS: A balloon

WHAT TO DO: Simply blow up the balloon. Then, holding it between you thumb and forefinger, let it go and watch it fly.

EXPLANATION: You already know that the air escaped from the opening in which you blew up the balloon. You also noticed that the balloon flew in the opposite direction – this is action and reaction. The first force, air escaping, is the action. The balloon moving in the opposite direction of the air is the reaction.

We use this principle everyday. We push down on a chair to get up. We push our feet to the back to walk forward. A basketball pushes down onto the floor just before it bounces. You can probably think of many other examples.

I hope you have enjoyed these fun science projects. Please remember that these science experiments should be done with adult supervision.

By: Tyler Horvath

Chemistry Science Projects Sure to Get a Reaction

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 05:12:32 +0000

Chemistry science projects are all about the study of substances and their transformation; finding out what happens when they are combined together and how they react to one another. Chemical reactions can make exciting projects; just think of the classic working volcano project. The classic working volcano has been done many, many times, but that’s because it is a lot of fun to watch, but if you want to score points for originality you should choose a different project.

One fun (and delicious) chemistry science fair project is to make your own sugar crystals. Also known as rock candy, you have likely seen these in gift shops at pretty much any major attractions; science exhibits, the zoo and so on. They are pretty to look at and tasty to eat. In addition they are also extremely easy to make. All you need is sugar and water, plus a glass jar to grow them in and some string for them to grow up. It only takes a day before they begin to grow.

Another fun chemistry project might be to see if colored candles burn faster or slower than white candles. All you need for this project is a white candle, a few different colored candles, a lighter and adult supervision. Light each candle at the same time and observe the rate they burn at. Be sure to record your results.

One other project you could try is a project to see which type of tape sticks best to different types of surfaces. You can experiment and see which brands work better on which surfaces.

By: Dee Schrock

4th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:59:15 +0000

It’s time for the school’s annual science fair competition. Now that your child is older, what are some good 4th grade science fair project ideas? Magnets? Plants? Electricity? No need to worry, 4th grade science ideas are not that hard to come up with. Here is a sample project:

Materials Needed

-scissors
-spoon
-tape
-crazy glue
- nails (same length)
-medium size cardboard box
-balloons
-bowl
-bag of sugar
-two thin wooden boards (Make sure they have lengths/widths that are equal to or less than the length and width of the bottom of the cardboard box.)

Step by Step Procedure

1. Adult supervision might be required. Take one of the thin wooden boards and crazy glue/tape a nail right in the middle of the board. Put crazy glue/tape on the head of the nail and stick it on the board so the point side of the nail faces up.

2. Take the other thin wooden board. Glue and tape the nails in the same manner as the first board (pointy side up). Instead of one nail, take four nails and arrange them in a square shape in the center of a board. Make sure the nails are about the same height.

3. Take the cardboard box. Using scissors, cut off the top and one of the sides.

4. Place the one pined wooden board into the box. Make sure the nail is in the middle.

5. Blow up one balloon and put it lightly on top of the nail. Make sure to be careful. You do not want the balloon popping!

6. Take the lid of the cardboard box that you cut off with the scissors. Put it on top of the balloon.

7. Put the plastic bowl on top of the cardboard lid, right in the middle. The sole needle should be holding everything up.

8. Add one spoonful of sugar into the bowl. Watch what happens. Keep adding spoonfuls of sugar until the balloon pops. Record how many spoonfuls of sugar it took for the balloon to pop.

9. Now it is time for a different setup. Take out the wooden board with the one nail. In its place, put in the wooden board with four nails. Make sure the nails are in the middle.

10. Repeat the other steps. Blow up a balloon and put it on top of the nails. Put on the cardboard lid. Then put the bowl in the middle.

11. Add spoonful of sugar until the balloon pops. How many spoonfuls did it take this time?

By: Alan Wagner

5th Grade Science Fair Projects For Winning Science Experiments

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:26:51 +0000

5th grade science fair projects are a little bit more involved than the previous grades. At this age students are expected to come up with their own topic, perform the majority of the experiment on their own and be able to write a small report on it with minimal adult assistance. This isn’t too difficult because fifth graders are full of questions about the world, so they shouldn’t have any trouble coming up with a topic and conducting a little experiment to find out the answer.

Though if a student is looking for some ideas, there is one great 5th grade science fair project where one will create a fire proof balloon. To test this, the student will need adult supervision. The adult will assist the 5th grader to blow up the balloon, tie it shut, and place it over a match. The balloon will pop as you bring it close to the flame. The student will then take the second balloon and put ¼ cup of water into balloon, blow it up and tie it closed. When placed over a lit match, the student will find that the balloon will not pop, even if it touches the flame, though it may get a black patch on it from soot.

The reason why the balloon will not pop is because the flame heats the liquid behind the rubber, rather than the rubber itself. The student can do another project involving heat and rubber by gathering a few rubber bands and examining the rubber as it relates to heat, a form of energy. All they will need for this experiment is their forehead and some rubber bands. They are simply testing to see if the rubber bands get warmer or cooler when stretched. You can judge this by holding the rubber band to your head while stretching it.

By: Dee Schrock

Elementary Science Fair Projects – Growing Crystals

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:31:55 +0000

In this elementary science fair project we are going to look at crystals and we are going to try and grow crystals. In nature we find crystals in all shapes and sizes. We get ones that are considered valuable, like diamonds, and others that are not considered so valuable. All crystals have their own quality and are beautiful. Crystals are easy to grow and are therefore a very suitable elementary science fair project.

The definition of a crystal according to the Oxford Dictionary:

A piece of a homogeneous solid substance having a natural geometrically regular form with symmetrically arranged plane faces. Chemistry: any solid consisting of a symmetrical, ordered, three-dimensional aggregation of atoms or molecules. A clear transparent mineral, especially quartz.

For our elementary science fair project we are going to grow crystals in a gelatin solution. Because heat is going to be used, this science experiment should be done under adult supervision.

What you will need for this experiment:

A 1-pint glass jar A ¼ cup of table sugar A ½ Cup of distilled water 0.25 ounce of unflavored gelatin A small saucepan Spoon

The method for this elementary science fair project:

First you have to pour the water into your saucepan. Now you sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow it to soak for a few minutes. Place the saucepan on the stove and heat the water while you are stirring to dissolve the gelatin completely in the water. Continue stirring while you add the sugar. Continue until the sugar is completely dissolved in the water. After the solution (what is a solution?) has cooled down for about 5 minutes you have to pour it carefully into your jar. Now you have to leave the jar undisturbed for at least two weeks. Make daily observations and write them down carefully. It might even be a good idea to take photos of your elementary science fair project every day to use in your display. Remember a good display is almost as important as the experiment! Take note that more than one thing happens at a time with this experiment. What are the two things? Why is it happening?

If you did this elementary science fair project right, the gelatin in the water will cause the water to set. (Think jello!) The other thing that happens is that after a few days clear crystals form inside the gel and it appears to be suspended throughout the gel. Remember to take photos every day to show how the crystals grow bigger and bigger every day. You can also draw charts to show how the crystals are formed throughout the gel.

Now you also have to be able to explain why it happens:

As you heat the water, more of your solute (that what is dissolved in the water) will dissolve in the water (called your solvent) as would have when the water is cold. Now when the water starts to cool there is more sugar dissolved in the water than would normally have been dissolved in it. Now we get what is called a supersaturated solution.

Now, as the water evaporates your solution becomes even more supersaturated and it becomes unstable, now any disturbance will cause the microscopic molecules of the solute to stick together and form crystals. At first the crystals are too small to be seen but, as they grow they become bigger and visible as they form clumps throughout the gel. The reason for the gel in your elementary science fair project is to keep the crystals suspended and thus ensuring that many crystals form.

For an even better elementary science fair project you can do more than one experiment. Repeat the above but change some of the conditions. See what happens of the solution cools down slower by maybe placing your jar in a big thermos flask. You can also use a bottle with a narrow mouth instead of the jar and see if the slower evaporation of the water makes a difference. You can even make a solution with different kinds of sugar such as sucrose glucose and fructose and see what happens then. The possibilities are endless and this elementary science fair project can be as simple or as involved as you would like.

By: Magrietha Du Plessis

Science Fair Project Ideas – Quick and Easy Project 2 – Rocket Science

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:27:40 +0000

Building a rocket is one of the best science fair project ideas – especially for students interested in physics and flight. If this is one of the science fair project ideas that interests you, read on to learn exactly how to complete this project.

Remember: in order to complete the science fair rocket project, you will need to have safety equipment on hand, such as goggles. This is also one of those science fair project ideas that might be best performed with adult supervision. Safety first

Objective
The objective of the rocket is to determine what rocket design changes actually change the speed and projection of the rocket itself.

Introduction
Many children have played with model rockets. After all, they are loud, fast, and provide an excellent way to learn about physics. This particular science experiment will help you build your own rocket that will travel up to hundreds of feet in the air. Many real rockets can travel for thousands of feet into the air. From this experiment, you’ll also learn about aerodynamics and safety when working with rockets.

Terms and Concepts You’ll Need to Know
When you work on this model rocket, you’ll need to know about the four forces that impact flight. They are weight, thrust, drag, and lift. You’ll also need to know the equation for drag. This experiment will also help you to learn about how to stabilize a rocket by using center of gravity and center of pressure.

Materials You Will Need
You will need to buy a model rocket and related components for the rocket. You should be able to find a model rocket between $50 and $100 online or through a local toy store. Make sure the rocket you purchase is reusable!

Procedure Tips
In order to perform this procedure, you’ll be testing the rocket based on variables that you choose, such as flight duration, distance, and more. You can choose your own variables. This is one of the cool science fair project ideas because you are able to customize the project for your own needs and interest. For example, if you are interested in what will happen to the launch of your rocket if you remove a propeller or modify the tip of the rocket, you can experiment.

Here are some specific tips for you, no matter what variations you use.

Plan several launches for each variable. In order to complete this experiment, you’ll need to perform the rocket launch several times. Each rocket launch will measure a different variable. For all rocket launches, you should use the same engine (or an identical engine) to ensure that the launch is the same as the others. It may also be best to take an average of three flights per each different variable that you measure in order to ensure that your reading is as accurate as possible. Use trackers to measure altitude. Unless you are able to get on top of a very high building or latter, it can be difficult to measure the altitude of your rocket. However, by using trackers on taller items, such as trees, you may be able to get a close estimate. Look for rockets that have radio attachments on them (as long as they are within your budget). Consider wind and thermal lift conditions when measuring flight duration. If you are measuring flight duration as one of your variables, be sure that you consider environmental conditions as well as conditions directly related to your experiment. Only change one variable per flight. By changing only one variable, it will be easier to measure how those variables actually impacted the flight of your rocket.

Remember: this is one of the science fair project ideas that I like the most because it is fun to build and execute. Safety should always come first. It might also be good to have a back-up rocket in case your rocket gets lost or damaged during the experiment. Most of all – have fun!

If you’re ready to get going with your own rocket project, your next step is to download a free copy of “Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects” from the link below right now.”

By: Aurora L.