Science Activities for Middle School

Every once in a while, kids get bored of studying about science, the rules, and how they are implied to the real life. Whether it is chemistry, life science, physical science, or environmental science, books don't always make sense and the words get forgotten.

As a parent, is there are a number of science activities for middle school kids, that can keep them interested and invoke the will to learn more. In fact, there are tons of science projects that you can perform at your home.

Give the kids some hands-on learning with exciting activities to study from. Let them put all the theories and homework to good use. These activities will test their skills and knowledge about the world around them.

We hear it on the television and radio stations about hundreds of volunteers cleaning the areas where the mess has been made due to oil spills. It is our responsibility to realize the dangers it could do now and in the future.

These oil spills can result in animals getting soaked in them and then getting poisoned by trying to lick it off. This experiment will help your kids learn how to apply water, oil, and soap to a feather, and understand how difficult it is for oil to separate from it.

Get all the materials ready and make three charts by the name of "Absorbed", "Repelled", and "Changes" written on top of each. Ask him/her to make columns by the name of "Water", "Oil", and "Liquid Soap" on the left side of each chart. Take the feather and let him/her examine its structure.

Now dip the feather in the oil and check if the feather has absorbed or repelled it. Check for any other unusual changes in the feather. Sprinkle some water over the feather and see if it absorbs or repels that as well. In a bowl, combine water and liquid soap. Using the toothbrush, try to take out the oil from the feather. Did the feather regain its form?

Birds have the ability to fly because they have hollow, lightweight bones. But have you ever wondered how strong these bones need to be, even if they are hollow? For this experiment, your kid will have to see how strong can a hollow structure be.

First of all, make the concept clear that birds have hollow bones. If he/she already knows about it, then half your work is done. Roll the printer papers into 1 inch diameter tubes and tape the edges to make sure they don't unroll. These three tubes will be your hollow bones. Hold the tubes at equal distance and tape the paper plate over them.

Now ask your kid to make an assumption as to how many pennies can the bones hold? Write down the estimate and start adding the pennies one at a time. Make sure the pennies are evenly distributed around the middle of the plate. This will keep the structure in balance. Keep adding pennies till the bones can't take the weight anymore and collapse.

Bungee jumping is a fun sport and your kid might think so as well. But this experiment doesn't require him/her to bungee jump. We will use an egg to do the job and see if we can answer our question.

The perfect location to perform the experiment is a tree branch or a ladder. Your kid will be lying on the ground as he/she looks up at the hanging egg. The distance between the hanging egg and your kid shouldn't be more than an inch apart. Measure the distance with the ruler.

Before you begin, have him/her hold the egg in the right hand and pennies in the left hand. Till both the weights feel similar, keep adding pennies in his/her hand. Take those pennies and stuff them in one leg of the pantyhose. Take the other leg and tape it to the tree branch or ladder.

Leave the pantyhose and check the distance between the end of the leg and the ground. The distance should be exactly the same as you had calculated before. Make any necessary changes if you have to. Now take the pennies out and place the egg in its place. Have your kid lie underneath the branch or ladder and let go of the pantyhose.

Approximately 70% of Earth is covered in water and out of that, around 96% makes the oceans. Which leaves us with very little water for consumption. So, is there a way we can get salt out of the water? Can the sun lend a helping hand? Let's find out.

In the plastic bowl, place the glass jar in the middle. Mix water and salt together in a separate utensil and pour in the bowl. Keep the water level slightly below the glass jar. Use Saran wrap to cover the entire plastic bowl from top and secure it with the elastic band.

Place the stone on top, in the middle, and keep the bowl where it gets direct sunlight. After this, you need to take note after carefully observing the bowl. Are you seeing any changes inside the bowl? What does the water taste like?

Why do bubbles burst? Is it because of the wind, sun's rays, temperature that affects it? Surely there is a way to determine it. What is the approximate lifespan of these beautiful bubbles? We shall find out soon enough.

First and foremost, you need to determine what are the various locations where this experiment can be held and recorded for results. There's always a difference in temperatures inside and outside the house. You can also keep the jars inside the refrigerator and/or freezer.

Place the jars in water baths so they reach similar temperatures. Wipe them properly. Now what we're going to do is make labels for each jar - ice water, tap water, hot water. Fill the jars with water according to their labels. Take the bubble solution and fill each jar, equally. Mix well so that the solution is combined properly with water.

Don't fill the jars all the way through. Keep the jars in various temperatures. Leave the jars at their specific locations for about 15-20 minutes. After that, shake 1 jar for about 20 seconds with even force. You will see the bubbles forming. What you need to record is the amount of time it took for the bubbles to pop completely at various temperatures.

These experiments are exciting and will never let your kid get bored. Come up with new and improved science activities to keep him/her busy.