Unique science project ideas you can experiment on include: making your own fossil; how fogs form; gravity and the plant growth; processed food and the amount of gas; and level of pollution by day.
It’s science fair time again in Middle School. You don’t want to show the same project as you did last year like the very common mechanical volcano or the solar system models. This year, plan on something new and fascinating, check on the following ideas.
Make your own fossil
Demonstrate how fossils form. You can make use of cardboard, plaster of paris, leaver, water, and petroleum jelly. This method is to demonstrate how fossils form in mud. Mix the water and plaster of paris, spread the mixture on a cardboard. Cover the leaf with petroleum jelly and place it on the plaster. Allow it to dry then remove the leaf when the plaster dries, you now have a model for a fossil.
Describe how fog forms
Explain the 2 kinds of fogs, the advection and radiation. Advection fog forms from warm moist air blown inward. The radiation fog is the warm, moist air that forms too close to the ground. Create your own fog using two bottles with narrow necks. Fill 1 bottle with hot water and the other one with cold water then place an after several minutes place an ice cube on the mouth of each bottles. See what happens after.
Gravity and growth of plants
This experiment tackles on how plants know which direction grow. For the experimentation, observe the position of the stems and leaves of a house plant over a period of a week while laying it on it’s side and leaning on a book. Plants contain a chemical called auxin causing it to elongate. Gravity pulls it downward, the cells elongate where there is auxin accumulated, therefore causes the stem to grow upward.
Processed food and the amount of gas
The purpose is to determine whether processed food tend to produce more gas. Obtain small pieces of different kinds of processed food and place each in a test tube. A a small amount of distilled white vinegar in each tube then shake for 30 seconds. Fit a balloon on the opening of the test tube. Leave it for eight hours then measure the width of the balloons after.
Level of pollution by day
This project aims to answer if there is a relationship of the time of day or week and the amount of air pollution. Use different microscope slides and coat it with petroleum jelly. Select different places where you can place your slides and label it. Expose all slides at the same time frame daily. Collect the slides after then view it under the microscope. Observe which slides accumulate most particles.
Be creative and enthusiastic in your approach. With the right science project and confidence, that science fair ribbon would be yours.