Science research » Kids Science

Simple Kids Science Fair Project Idea

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:33:13 +0000

You can use Charles Law to show a physical change in an ordinary bar of Ivory soap.

Charles Law states that a gas based material has a constant pressure and if the temperature increases so will the gas and if a bar of soap is made of foam this should cause the foam to increase in size because it is made of cell based gas molecules and will also increase in size.

Let us look at this before we proceed.

Soap is a foam. Foam can be any material that has trapped gas inside of it, somewhat like tiny bubbles. You may not think of soap as a foam because it is solid and hard but foam can come in many forms and they can be solid, hard or soft and spongy. You probably think of whipped topping as a foam as well as foam you use to shave.

We are going to test increasing the temperature on a bar of Ivory soap to see if the gas inside of the foam will cause the soap to expand and cause a physical change.

Here is what we need.

1. A bar of Ivory Soap

2. A paper plate

3. Another bar of soap; not Ivory

Now unwrap the Ivory soap and place on the paper plate.

Microwave the soap and watch it closely while it is cooking to see what happens.

Your soap should finish cooking in 1 to 2 minutes. This all depends on the temperature of your microwave. If you cook it too long the soap will not get any bigger.

Let the soap cool off before removing it or touching it. You may want a parent to help you with this so no one gets burned.

After the soap is cool touch it and examine it. The soap it flaky and hard. It is still soap and you can wash your hands with some of the flakes.

Why does this work?

Well, when you cook the soap it makes it soft and you are boiling the water and gas that is whipped inside of the soap. When you boil water it evaporates and as it heats also expands. When water turns to gas it expands and this causes the soft portions of the soap to also expand and makes it now actually look like a foam.

When you cook the soap there is a physical change but no chemical change. It is still soap. This is also why Charles Law is shown because the volume of gas increase as the temperature increases. The microwaves from your oven excite the energy molecules in the soap and cause them to move very fast and when they do this they move away from each other as they bounce off each other.

If you try another brand of soap, you will probably find that it puffs some but basically melts because many other soaps do not contain the same amount of air. I do not recommend cooking another kind of soap as some have lots of perfumes that have strong odors when they are being cooked.

This is why a bar of Ivory soap will float compared to other brands of soap. It has more air whipped into its preparation and just like a kid with a float on their arms full of air that causes them to float in a swimming pool, a bar of Ivory soap will float because it has lots of air packed inside. Test another brand of soap to see if it will float. Now cut the Ivory soap in half and look at it. Do you see the little holes of air? Look at another bar of soap after cutting in half.

When doing this science project:

Stay at the microwave and do not leave it unattended. Do not put metal items in the microwave This will not hurt your microwave or the soap. You can still use the soap when done. You will notice an odor from the soap as it is cooking. This will make your microwave smell fresh and flowery for a few hours. Only use Ivory soap.

By: Lesa Bolt

Kids’ Science – Measure Stuff

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:13:58 +0000

Measuring stuff around the house is a fun and easy science activity for kids. It’s perfect for Saturday afternoons or whenever you want to spend some quality, stress free time with your child. These simple measurement games are flexible enough to grow with your child’s developing skills.

Here’s All You’ll Need to Get Started:

-Tape measure
-Ruler
-Paper and pencil

Activity 1

The Alphabet Game

Here’s how to play this measuring game…

Hunt for three things around the house that start with the letter A. Measure each item and log the measurement on a piece of paper. (Hint:round to the nearest inch.)

Now hunt for three things around the house that start with the letter B. Measure each item and log the measurement on a piece of paper.

Next hunt for three things around the house that start with the letter C. Measure each item and log the measurement on a piece of paper.

Now put a check mark next to the biggest item. Put a circle next to the smallest item.

(Advanced: how many of the smallest items would it take to equal the length of the longest item?)

Activity 2

1/2 a Sandwich and a Cup of Soup Please

Here’s how to play this measurement game…

Measure the length of your couch. Log the result on a piece of paper. Now find something around the house that is approximately 1/2 the length of the couch–for example: the width of your dining table. Measure it, then log the result on a piece of paper. Now find something that is approximately 1/2 the width of your dining table–for example: a picture on the wall. Measure it, then log the result on a piece of paper. Now find something 1/2 the width of the picture on the wall–for example: your toaster. Measure it, then log the result. Now find something 1/2 the width of your toaster–for example: 1/2 a sandwich. Measure it, then log the result. Keep playing until you find something that is approximately one inch long–a peanut for example. Log the result on a piece of paper.

(Advanced: keep track of how long it took to complete the activity. Compare the result each new time you complete this activity. What’s the trend?)

Activity 3

Double Double!

Here’s how to play this game…

In this game, start by measuring your child’s nose. If you measure the width, it should come out to approximately one inch. Log the results. (Your child will love seeing something like ‘Claire’s nose: 1 inch’ on your chart). Now find something approximately double the length–for example: a strawberry. Measure it and log the results. Now find something approximately double the length of the strawberry. Measure it and log the results. Keep going until you run out of things to measure.

(Advanced: measure the entire length of your house. Using that figure as a guide, estimate the distance to your mailbox, nearest park or grocery store).

Measuring things goes hand in hand with the fundamentals of science. These activities offer basic exposure to measuring procedures, and can be played again and again. As your child becomes more skillful at measuring stuff, work toward more precise measurements by rounding to the nearest 1/2 inch, and eventually to the nearest 1/4 or 1/8 inch. A good way to engage in even more precise measurements is to measure coins or book ends to the nearest 1/16 of an inch! Be sure to record the results. Have fun!

By: Anthony Vecchioni

Science Project for Kids To Show Egg Strength

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:30:43 +0000

This science project is going to measure the strength of eggs. Eggs are known to be resilient because of their exact shape. The weight is distributed very well around the shell. I will give you several things to test the weight and pressure that an egg shell can absorb.

First get a good dozen eggs. They are only about $1.00 at the store for a dozen. This all depends where you live it could cost more. Test on the egg strength is to see if you can break an egg shell with your hand. Most men will have no doubt they can do this. Make sure the person doing this does not have any jewelry on their hand which includes rings, bracelets and watches.

Place an egg in the middle of the palm of the hand and have the volunteer wrap their fingers around the egg evenly. Do not place this on your hand heel. It goes in the middle or cup of the palm. Now allow them to squeeze the egg. Did it break? If you did this correctly the egg did not break. Why? Due to the shape of the egg and the strength of the shell weight is distributed evenly around the egg and you are squeezing around the full base of the egg.

To test this even further take the egg carton and cut it into 4 sections. Place one egg into each section of the carton holder cardboard and put them in a square about the size of a piece of paper. Take a large book and place it on top of the eggs so that they support the book corners and raises it off the counter or table. You will see the eggs do not break and support the weight of the book. Now add another one on top of the last book. Each time you add a book record if anything is happening with the eggs. Gently keep adding books to determine how much weight the eggs can support. When you find the breaking point remove the books that were support and weigh them to determine how much weight the eggs could handle. This is really incredible.

Be ready with paper towels as this science project will require cleaning up from broken eggs. You may want to do the project next to a sink in the kitchen or an area that does not have carpet so clean up is easy.

By: Lesa Bolt

Engage Your Kids In Learning And Fun With Science Projects

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:41:54 +0000

Make opportunities to learn science available

Many parents want to encourage their kids to have fun learning but simply do not know how. There is actually an easy solution; encourage kids to think scientifically by providing them with opportunities to practice. As a parent you must teach this principle by example. When you go outside for a walk or a bike ride, point out some of the things that you see. Ask your kids if they know why the weeds can push through the sidewalk, or how a scraped knee will heal itself. Ask questions and if you don’t know the answers see if you can think of an experiment that will help you to figure out what is going on. There is science in everything around us, we just have to be opened to seeing it.

Teach your children to explore their curiosity

Curiosity is said to be the most essential trait of a scientist. Encourage your children to ask questions and express an interest in finding out more about what you notice and read. See if you can find out answers to questions by trying things out. Ask your kids if they have any suggestions for an experiment that they could do to answer the question or confirm the theory that they have. Help them through the process and be available for questioning but encourage your child to find the answers for themselves.

Encourage kids to find the answers for themselves

Some questions lend themselves better to casual experiments than others. A good example would be experimenting to find the answer to the question, “Will seeds in the fruits and vegetables we eat grow?” Put them in the dirt and see! It’s most important to communicate the idea that you can find out answers to your own questions, and that the most reliable answers are the ones you find through your own experiments. Yes, you could just answer their questions and save yourself some time and effort, but in doing so you will miss out on an important educational opportunity. Now is this to say that you shouldn’t answer any question without first doing an experiment? No! This is not realistic. But with the occasional science project you can teach a child concepts that will bee more deeply engrained in their minds because they found the answers themselves and didn’t have to take someone else’s word for it.

Other ideas to promote an interest in science

There are lots of mediums that you can use to engage your kids in learning and having fun with science. A blend of many different types of science information exposure is best.

• Visit a science center, zoo or aquarium.

• Garden together.

• Building something together.

• Watching science programs on television (good examples include Zoom, Beakman’s World, Bill Nye: The Science Guy, or Mythbusters. Of course, these shows vary in age appropriateness so it is important to always monitor what your children watch).

• Purchasing or borrow books from a library on topics that interest your child.

• Visit JustScienceProjects.com to find science project ideas that you can do as a family.

• Participating in programs that expose children to nature (i.e. scouting, a science team/club, or 4-H).

By: Chuck Lunsford

Getting Your Kids To Love Science

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:16:19 +0000

It seems that kids love to do anything and everything, but schoolwork and science is just another extension of schoolwork, or is it? What kids might not realize is that science is all around us in our world. While kids may not realize it science includes outer space, growing flowers or vegetables, animals, and even dinosaurs. So pretty much any thing you do with your kids whether it is going to the park for the day, going to the zoo or going to the animal shelter you can turn it into a science lesson, most of the time without them even realizing what you are doing.

Because kids are naturally curious it is easy to get them to love science because science will give them the answers to the numerous questions they have. One of the keys to getting your children interested is to get them to enjoy reading, while a lot of science can be hands-on you still have to do research and you also have to be able to read the directions. Kids who do not like to read will not have much fun researching information or worse they might not read the directions for the science projects that they want to do.

One of the keys to getting your kids to love science is to start early. Do not wait for school to start before trying to teach your child about science. Start teaching them stuff at a young age. The great thing about science is that you can gear it towards any age. For example when you are taking a walk in the spring you can talk with your child about why flowers are starting to grow this time of year. Or in the winter when your preschooler asks why their snowman melted you can explain to them about what snow is and why it melts.

Another important thing is to take advantage of your child’s natural curiosity. Kids love to ask questions, they always want to know how something works, why something does that, how something is made, and anything else that they can think of to ask. Rather than telling them the answers you can ask them what they think the answer is. Getting the right answer is not as important as letting them think the process through. Giving them this opportunity will make them feel good about themselves, which can lead to a love of science.

Part of getting your kids to love science is to become actively involved in what they are doing. This lets you spend quality time with your kids something both of you love to do. Simply set aside a weekend and do hands-on projects with your kids. For example you can bake cookies with children and teach them about how mixing the ingredients together turn the separate ingredients into something else entirely. You can also teach them about temperatures when the cookies are in the oven. Another great science project for kids is planting a garden, include them in all the steps and let them help you tend it. During the different stages of tending the garden talk to your child about what you are doing and why you are doing it. Or if they are old enough ask them about the processes, this can even work with preschoolers.

Getting your child to love science can be fun for the both of you. And who knows you might find that in getting your child involved in projects you love science too. Just remember to keep the projects at an age appropriate level, but also make the projects challenging so your child does not grow bored.

By: Chuck Lunsford

Keys to Great Science Fair Projects Using Kids Science Kit

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:38:56 +0000

To get really good science fair projects from pre-packaged kits takes some creativity, but it can be done. Though many kids science kits are designed with specific experiments in mind and may even come with detailed instructions, it’s probably best to approach the kit as a set of tools that will help you in your own unique research. With this approach, a great kids science kit can help you stand out from other science fair projects.

For instance, one student selected a “miniature greenhouse” science kit, which contained seeds, a flat plastic container of soil, and a clear plastic “greenhouse” lid. He made his experiment unique. He did not study how little he could water with the lid compared to without. Instead, he covered the clear plastic with various colors of translucent plastic to test the effects of colored light on the growth rate of his seedlings.

The most important thing to remember when starting your project is to choose a question you are genuinely interested in, or relates to something you are interested in. Hone your question down making it as precise and concise as possible. Continue to seek simplicity in carrying out your experiment. Question yourself at every stage. Is there any way to get the data in fewer steps or a simpler way? Is there a less complicated way to understand things? Is there a more straightforward way to explain the observations?

Another tip, which should be obvious: Do your own work! Don’t let your science partner take over; don’t even let mom or dad take over. This is your project and if they do it instead, you will only be embarrassed come judging day. The experiment, no matter how nicely it turned out will feel like a lie when you try to explain to the judges all about “your” research. Be a real scientist and do the work yourself. Then, when the big day comes, you will be able to take genuine pride in your research. You will speak with a familiarity you’ve earned all about the details of “my project.”

Start early! Even if you have a pre-assembled kids science kit, which can reduce the workload of an experiment, it is still a good idea to start early. To really learn anything usually requires a series of measurements taken over time. Starting early not only shows responsibility, it allows you the time needed to really gather enough data. It allows you to pursue new angles if you learn anything unexpected, or start over if something goes wrong in one of your trials. Good science fair projects can take several weeks or even more, for planning, setup, and performing the experiment. So start early.

In addition to choosing a kids science kit, you will need to find research sources for background information and ideas. The Internet is an excellent starting point, but also visit your local library for more advanced details on your topic. You will need a lab notebook or research journal in which you write down all your observations. Remember, “If it isn’t in the notebook, it didn’t happen.” You will also need a detailed, written plan, including a supply list (this can be the first entry in your notebook).

Good preparation is the key to success. Do your research, gather your supplies, write your plans. And be sure to get people’s permission for everything (even if it’s just a minor bother, such as the fact that your radio will be going several additional hours per day longer than usual, while you test the effects of music on plant growth). With a good question, a simple approach, and thorough preparation, you are off to a great start turning your kids science kit into your first of many successful science fair projects.

By: Joe Kanooga

Easy Kids Science Fair Project Idea and Demonstration

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:03:31 +0000

In this science project you will learn how to create a thermometer to measure heat.

This is an instrument used in various applications to measure temperature. Doctors use them to check our body heat and we use a gauge outside to see how cold or warm the weather is. In the United States we general use Fahrenheit to measure the temperature but you can also use Celsius. With Fahrenheit 32 degrees is freezing and 0 degrees is freezing with Celsius measurements.

Here is what you will need to get:

Water Alcohol (rubbing alcohol – DO NOT DRINK) Clear plastic bottle. Use a common water bottle which is empty Food color Straw Play dough

Instructions to make this equipment:

Mix equal parts of the water and alcohol together to make about ¼ cup. This means you will need 1/8 cup of water and 1/8 cup of alcohol. Do not make more than this amount. Pour the liquid into the plastic bottle. Put a few drops of food coloring into the bottle. This will be your measure for the thermometer so make it interesting. A normal gauge uses red as its color because it stands out so if you want it to look traditional use a red food color. Mix the color with the liquid until blended. Insert the straw through the opening but do not let it touch the bottom of the bottle. The bottom of the straw should sit in the liquid but not touch the bottom. Use the play dough or clay and put it around the mouth of the bottle securing the straw in place. You can actually wrap the dough around the lip a little to make sure it seals the bottle and holds the straw where it should be. DO NOT DRINK THIS!

Now warm your hands up by rubbing them together quickly and then place them around the bottle. Hold them on the bottle and watch the straw in your thermometer rise.

Congratulations! You just made a thermometer and it is showing the heat created by holding your hands on the bottle.With a thermometer when the solution inside gets warm it expands and pushes the mixture up the opening because it no longer fits in the bottom of your plastic container. If your mixture would get very hot the alcohol would end up spilling out the stop of the straw.

Leave your thermometer on a counter and watch it through the day and over a week time period to graph how it changes. Does it go up if the bottle is placed in the sun? What happens when it is shaded? Now this won’t show the exact temperature outside but it does show change in warmth and coolness by the expansion of the mixture.

When finished with your product. Make sure to have your parents dispose of the material in a proper place and you will have to throw away the bottle. It cannot be used for anything else. Enjoy this science project. You could demonstrate this at a fair by having a light to place the bottle by and a bucket with ice.

By: Lesa Bolt

Easy Elementary Science Projects – Physical Changes Science Projects

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:34:21 +0000

Doing easy elementary science projects with the kids can be fun and it does not only have to be done for science fairs. Kids love learning in a fun “Play” way and we can use easy elementary science projects to teach them about the wonders of science without them actually realizing that they are learning. Doing easy elementary science projects with the kids is also a great way for homeschoolers to teach the kids science. I think we must start doing a lot more “little” projects with the kids. Here are a few short fun ones to do with the kids.

Physical changes easy elementary science projects

Physical changes can happen when two substances interact or when energy is applied to one or more of the substances. In this easy elementary science projects we are going to see how substances change and then we are going to reverse the physical changes.

The salt solution physical change experiment

What you need for this science project:

Salt A measuring cup A teaspoon A heatproof glass or container Water

How to do this easy elementary science experiment:

Pour ½ cup of warm water into your glass or container Dissolve 2 teaspoons of the salt into the warm water What happens now? The salt becomes invisible, this is a physical change. Now place the glass in a warm place and leave it for a few days until all the water has evaporated. Observe what has happened. The water evaporated and the salt was left behind in the glass. Once again a physical change took place. The salt is now visible once again.

The rock candy physical change experiment

In this easy elementary science project we are going to do more or less the same with a sugar solution.

What you need for this science experiment:

A small heatproof container such as a beaker A piece of string long enough to hang to the bottom of the beaker ½ Cup of hot water 1 Cup of sugar A pencil

How to do this experiment:

Dissolve the sugar in the water in your beaker Once again observe the physical change Tie the string around your pencil and place the pencil over the top of the beaker so the string dangles in the water. Leave your beaker in a hot dry place for a few days and observe what happens. Sugar crystals start forming on the string, a physical change again. There you have your rock candy!

A salty work of art easy elementary science project

In this experiment we are going to have fun. This experiment can double up as an easy kids craft as you will be making a lovely painting.

In this experiment we are going to show how salt and food coloring dissolves in water and reverts back when the water evaporates. You will be amazed at the beautiful painting you will end up with. This experiment needs a little more preparation, but is well worth the trouble.

What you need for this experiment cum craft:

As many containers as colors you intend to use Warm water As many colors food coloring as you want to use Lots of salt Thick paper Paint brushes

How to do this experiment:

By: Magrietha Du Plessis

Science Fair Projects – Secrets to a Great Project

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:55:56 +0000

Science Fairs are a great way for kids learn about science on their own with only a little help from Mom or Dad. Deciding on a good idea for the project can be the most difficult part of all. So, how do you know you have a great idea in mind for your project?

Look around and ask questions when you are trying to choose a project.

The science teacher will probably have a list of some good science projects. You can choose one from the list or come up with an idea on your own. As you are choosing a science fair project there are a few things to keep in mind.

Science Fair projects are nothing more than an experiment, write-up and presentation. This means you are trying to answer a question that you have. If you have an interest in the environment you may want to find out the effects acid rain has on plants. You will have to find a way to create your own acid rain to water one of your plants with and record each plants progress.

Don’t choose a project because it seems easy.

It is not considered to be a good project if you just do a report or a demonstration. These are tests performed by someone else and you are merely showing what information you know, not what you have learned through your experiment. Diagrams or models are also not considered to be a good science project because an experiment is not being performed. You are not asking a question for the purpose of running a test to find out the answer.

Choose a project, which is about something you are curious about. You will enjoy doing your project more and you will learn something in the process. Make sure your project includes a test or an experiment, which will answer a question. Science fair projects can be done on your own. You may need a little help from your parents, teachers or friends. The more of the project you do on your own the more you will learn and as long as you are interested to know the outcome of the experiment you will even have fun while doing it. Choose a project that will not harm anyone or anything. Make sure your project is safe. You don’t want to hurt or scare any animal, or people, especially you. You don’t want to choose a project that might be likely to explode. You could get hurt along with those around you. On the other hand you don’t want your project to scare people. Accidentally letting a snake or other creepy crawlers on the loose would not go well. If you are using animals or other creatures in your experiment, make sure they will not be harmed and they are securely confined. Also keep in mind that using dangerous chemicals in a science fair project is not allowed. Choose a project that will make you want more answers. You want the project you choose to make you think of other questions you might have. One of the sure fire ways to tell if you have chosen a good project is the results of your experiment makes you think of other questions you might want answered. Also if you had fun and you learned something while doing the project, it is a good sign you have chosen a great project.

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

By: Aurora Lipper

Teaching Kids About Science

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:27:53 +0000

As adults if we hate science then it is because we were not taught right when we were kids. Science can be a captivating subject instead of a bore…runaway subject. If classroom science is boring for your kids then it is time you take up the book and drill your kids about it. But first you should enjoy what you are teaching.

To get your kids interested in science induces them to have a questioning nature. Why, how, when…these are a few questions they should ask themselves or you whenever you teach them something. This way it keeps their mind functioning and builds their logic.

Why is the sky blue? How does the sea get filled with water? From where do waves arise? Why does one feel hungry? What is the body made up of? How does one get the urge to attend natures call? Why do stars shine? Why is the moon visible only at night? How are we living on this planet? Is there any other planet that has living organisms? Were humans the first things on earth?

This way they will find answers to their nagging questions and build new ones. They will understand better and have a clear idea of what they are learning. If you stub their questions then it does not get answered, not is school nor at home. Some kids will try to find it out on their own while most of them will prefer to forget about it and thus stun their IQ.

Another interesting way to deal with it is to have causal quiz contests at home. Let your kids do their school homework and also get some basic general knowledge. Then you have a question answer, buzzer, fast answer round and the one with the most answers wins an extra piece of cake after dinner.

You can hold science quizzes in your neighbourhood. Or among your family members when everyone meets. This way you will motivate your kids to get out of bed and get studying. Buying them science books, taking them to the planetarium or science exhibitions is nice way to expose them to the happenings in the world. All in all your motivation and cadence will help them build interest and take on science as a fun loving subject.

By: Jennie Gandhi