Boys and girls may be equal, but in middle school they can act like complete different species. Sometimes as teachers you have to bite the bullet and so whatever it takes to get your students motivated and if coming up with separate science fair projects for girls will do the trick, why not try it?

It has nothing to do with if girls like science and has everything to do with peer pressure and coming across as being cool. Teaching guides have been written just on this subject! So here are some thoughts on ways you might get girls who need a little push happy to do a science fair project.

Ideas Science Fair Projects for Girls in Middle School

1. Food – Food is something everyone is familiar with and is great for testing one variable of a recipe. They don’t realize that they are testing chemical reactions. You look at sweeteners, leavening, acids or even box vs home made.
2. Comparing Brands- Take a look at which brand works best, which tastes best, which last longer, which cleans best etc. Comparing to a generic or home made product always adds a fun twist.
3. Lotions and Creams – You can test chemical make-up, compare ingredients, scents, and again compare to a home made product.
4. Hair Products- What is stronger, lasts longer, cleans the best. Is there really a difference between oily and dry products? Do hair styles stay put with gels and sprays?
5. Animals- Anything to do with animals will always be a big hit with most girls. It could be dealing with their food, hatching eggs, raising chickens is usually a hit. Reptiles and mice on the other hand might not be such a bit hit! (Although I have seen lots of girls scare the boys with their snakes….. !)
6. Television- what middle school student, boy or girl, won’t love saying they have to watch TV for a science homework? I’ve even seen kids look at televisions shows/commercials and count the number or times sweets are talked about out pushed at different age levels!

These are just some quick thoughts, but you get the picture. Tap into an interest and you can hook the middle school girls.

Lets think for a minute:

In middle school, the curriculum really zone in on teaching the scientific method. They love to have the kids do projects where they question something they run into in their normal lives and then run experiments. This gives them practice coming up with a specific question and then creating a hypothesis ( prediction) that you can prove or not with the experiment. This makes a middle school science project different than elementary.

What works great for middle school science project for girls (and boys too) is when the predictions can be outrageous, which suits their contrary nature, but the experiment will be pure and just prove them right, wrong on non-conclusive.

In addition in middle school they expect research and written reports and might as well make them research something they like or have some interest in.

Want some great middle school science fair projects for girls? You can get kid tested and teacher approved experiments at  Middle School Science Fair Projects…Now!

http://www.elementary-science-projects.com/ezGaffurl.php?offer=s7n17y&pid=16&tid=ms110911

Middle school in general is a whole new ball game when it comes to parent help with homework. Middle School science is a whole new ball game when it comes to how hard it is and the amount of homework you get. The best place to get tips for how to help with science homework for middle school is directly from the teacher.

There are three ways to do this:

1. Parent/Teacher night often called Back to School or Meet the Teacher night in September (for tips on this night, click here)
2. Parent Conferences scheduled typically in October or November and sometimes again in February
3. Check the backpack regularly for message and paperwork, and use the Homework Hotline if your school has one.

This is where you will find all the details about the study units, the due dates, goals, expectations and policies for homework assignments and how middle school science fair project differ from elementary. You also have the chance to ask them for tips on helping your child based on what they see their learning style is.

Here are things you will be able to help with science homework in Middle School

Become their Time Management guide

Sometimes a parent needs to be a time manager guide. In addition to marking due dates on the calendar and making sure there is time to do the homework and long term projects, by understanding the weights given to them for a grade will help tell you when spending two hours on a regular nightly homework assignment is too much and to and when they are not putting enough time into their science fair project.

Become their Quality guide

You want to avoid parent micro management, but when you know the teacher’s policies and what they expect you can then look the papers and assignments and point out when they should go back and make it presentable. If the paper is torn or messy you can make them re-write it. You reinforce the policies set out by the teacher and you let them know that your standards include quality work. You can check for spelling and complete sentences as long as you make them fix it on their own! Be careful, don’t go too far, and make the kids nuts with satisfying you, just reinforce the teachers expectations.

Become their Test Study guide

Helping study for tests is one of the best ways to help with science homework. Quiz them on the vocabulary, go over the study guide the teacher sends home, help them memorize steps to procedures by making index cards and keep flipping through them, separating out what they need extra help on. You may even need to do some re-teaching or explain things to them. For the sake of stress level, it is best not to wait until the last minute for this!

Become the Science Fair Project guide

Bone up on what elementary teacher look for in good science fair projects and you will see that simple, and the least complicated is usually the best. Your job is to make sure the project I the right type, they have time to do it, get the supplies, make sure they followed the directions and probably help get it to and from school

Need to help with science homework for Science Fair so you can get your Middle Schooler’s Project DONE? Click here!

Here is a quick an easy rocks and minerals project for kids that  can then easily turn into an  all inclusive science fair project ideas for middle school.

Test for hardness of different types of rocks.
First you would have to collect sample of rocks or anything made from rocks.  The way you test for hardness is by how easy or hard it is to make a scratch on the surface of the rock.  If you can do it with  your fingernail  it the first level of hardness,  The next level up let you scratch it with a penny. Other harder rocks need a knife and the hardest rocks can only be scratched using glass. The purest can’t be scratched by any of these methods.

You can see how easy it would be to set up a project.  You gather the materials,  your fingernail, a penny, a knife and a pieces of glass.  Then you line up a bunch of rocks and  first try  your finger nail and separate out all the rocks that show a scratch.  Then with the penny, ( they should scratch all the ones you set out, you can check) then  try to scratch the rest, separate out the ones that work.  Do the same for the knife and the glass, an you should have categorized your rocks by hardness.

Follow it up with research on characteristics of each type and you can put names to each category (igneous, sedimentary etc) and  see if you can discover exactly what type of rock it is, (sandstone, granite). As an added bonus, as part of a middle school science fair experiment, once you have the rocks  you could easily do an in class demonstration by getting an eye dropper and drop vinegar on each rock  If it fuzzes it tell you about calcium carbonate levels in the rock.

Rocks and minerals projects for kids lend them to a cross over event for middle school students by making a collection different types, doing an investigation experiment,  adding in some research and for fun do a demonstration. It is like  four types of science fair projects in one. You will find this a lot when choosing science fair ideas for middle school kids, you need a combo event.

Rocks and minerals projects not your thing? Do you need to get your Middle Schooler’s Science Fair Project DONE? Click here!

When your middle school child needs to do a science fair project, you will notice that it is a bit more complicated than elementary school. This makes perfect sense since everything in middle school is a bit more involved! They are training your for the demands of high school science.

Here are some of things that makes a middle school science project different:

• One: They want the kids to dig into topics further to understand both the How and Why, so you could do practically the same experiment, from elementary, only this time with research and explanations as to why it works that way.

• Two: They want to teach the kids to really use and understand the scientific method, so many projects will be more about the process than the science it self. There might me more frequent, quick and easy experiments at first, to teach the steps.

• Three: They want to do more cross curricular things, so they kids will use their language arts skills and structured report writing when doing research and writing reports.

• Four: They will be ask students to do more in class demonstrations that let you show show how some different sides of science work..

• Five: There will be more times when the kids have to explain what they are doing in front of the class without many notes.

• Six: There is a whole lot more independent work. More homework, more reading about science, more writing up and organizing experiments on your own. With science, this is often where the aha! moments come.

• Seven:  They have to come up with their own science fair project ideas without a list from the teacher

The trick of course with anything you do with middle schoolers, is to keep them interested, keep them moving, and at the same time to challenge them. So it is not really how to make a middle school science project different, but how middle schoolers in general are different

Need a middle school science project, different than most others?  Use for those quick experiments and for those last minute projects, Go directly to:  24 hour Middle School science projects.

Middle School students really need take control of choosing their own science fair project ideas for middle school assignments and do them on their own, but there are several things parents can do to make sure that they are on the right track.

First: Be sure to choose the difficulty level to match your grade

Sometimes they make it easy as the project says, 6th grade, 7th grade or 8th grade. The best science fair project ideas for middle school, that will challenge them enough and keep their interest are the ones writteen with middle schoolers in mind. Often the science teacher wants the projects done on a specific topic that they are studying in class, like weather, electricity or geology. If you are lucky, a list will come home from the teacher.

Many time you will find there is not a whole lot of difference between 6th grade and 8th grade project ideas, as sthey are topics since science curriculum is spread ovet the three years with each topic covered once before they hit high school. The difference will be in the requirements while doing the project, the amount of and teh length of the research report, how to write the hypothesis, power points and oral presentations.

If the teacher does not send home a list, just adding the grade level to the search terms in Google will help weed out the ones that are too easy or too hard.

Second: The project will need to follow the standards the teacher expects

Most science teachers in middle schoool follow the same scientific standards based on what all the scientists world wide use. The expectations, and directions are spelled out in the directions. If you are choosing your own science fair project ideas for middle school, the thing you will be looking for is “scientific method”, as those are the steps to follow that make sure the experiment is valid and you can draw specific conclusions.

I have a free guide for middle school parents that has more in-depth explanation on the scientific method, vocabulary and other tips and advice that you can get Here.

Third: The concepts will be more advanced, and so the results may not be as obvious; there will be more drawing conclusions

In elementary school you run into more measuirng, or keeping track of time, which are things that have clear, obvious data to make your conclusion around.  In middle school you might be looking at sound waves,  static electricity, and chemical reactions. Or projects that you measure time, distance etc, but you will have to explain the science behind it.  Say you were measuring which hot wheel cars go the furtherst, well an explanation of  Distance = Speed x Time might need to be included.

Fourth:  Just because the middle school science is more complex, the experiments do not have to be complicated.

If you really want any of the science fair project ideas for middle school students to be done with no parent help, the experiment itself needs to be easy to do.  You will not want a whole lot of confusing steps, the simpler the better.  When you use the scientific method as you base for organizing an experiment, the experiment can be easy to follow, and easy to do.  So when you go choosing science fair experiments for middle schoolers, keep in mind that simplicity will be your friend.

Need to find some great simple, easy to follow science fair project ideas for middle school? We have kid tested and teacher approved science fair project ideas for middle school at Middle School Science Projects. We are the same folks that developed 24 hour science projects!

]]> http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/blog/blog/tips-for-choosing-science-fair-project-ideas-for-middle-school/feed/ 0 http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/blog/blog/tips-for-choosing-science-fair-project-ideas-for-middle-school/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tips-for-choosing-science-fair-project-ideas-for-middle-school http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MiddleSchoolScienceProjects/~3/6ramUvK4VmM/ http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/blog/blog/how-do-science-projects-benefit-you/#comments Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:44:17 +0000 Middle School Science Mom http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/blog/?p=321 I’m not a very big fan of science and it wasn’t my favorite subject at school; however, if there’s one thing about science that I remember fondly and would still be interested in today, it’s the practical projects we did in middle school. It was a time when I enjoyed science class, simply because most lessons were hands-on in that we were taught how and encouraged to make working models of theories we had listened to the previous class. And so we made working volcanoes that spouted realistic ash in chemistry class; we designed siphons that allowed us to see how water and other liquids could flow in the upwards direction, defying gravity, in physics class; and we grew our own plants and learned about photosynthesis by observing it firsthand in botany.

While some teachers would argue that projects are a waste of time, the majority know that they’re the best way to not just learn about science, but also remember what you’ve learnt throughout your life. Besides this, projects offer the following benefits too:

• They make science more interesting: There’s no doubt that a class that involves hands-on work is much more interesting and preferable to one that comprises only boring theoretical lectures. Projects generate interest in science by inducing curiosity in students and encouraging them to delve deeper into the many layers of the subject. They pose a challenge that students are driven to achieve, and because of this, they look forward to science classes instead of dreading them.
• They bring out the engineer in you: The link between science and engineering comes out strong and clear when you get down to creating working models for your project. You combine out your mathematical and engineering knowledge to come with the perfect scale models that not only look authentic but which also work without a hitch. You go back to the drawing board when there are errors or when your results are not accurate and you research other sources so that your project is better than those of your classmates.
• They tap your creativity: The theory may be the same, but there may be many practical ways to implement it. So even if your whole class is given the same project, your team strives to be the most creative. You don’t have a whole lot of room to maneuver and the competition is tough; this is a situation that gets your juices flowing and encourages you to come out with a stunning design and implementation of the theory.
• They help you understand science better: It’s easy to see that science becomes simpler to understand and learn when working models demonstrate the theoretical equations and principles you read from your textbook. You look at the subject as a means of explaining our world and how things work rather than as just text that must be memorized in order to secure a passing grade in your exams. 
• They encourage teamwork: And finally, projects foster teamwork and encourage bonding with the others in your team. This helps you prepare for real-life situations in work environments where you will most likely be part of a team and must know how to interact with the others smoothly and in good cheer.

Science projects must be encouraged not just by teachers, but by school administrations as well in order to boost interest in the subject and encourage more students to base a career on it.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Beatrice Owen, she writes on the topic of bachelors of science . She welcomes your comments at her email id: owen1.beatrice(@)gmail(.)com.

I thought it would be appropriate to discuss limiting reagents after such a long hiatus from writing.  First, it is often difficult for students to comprehend.  Second, I have had my own issues with personal “limiting reagents” in the last year (kids, school, motivation, sleep deprivation, etc!).  Lastly, though, and perhaps most importantly, it was my absolute favorite type of problem in Chemistry class.  Much like a moth to the flame, Romeo to Juliet, a bee to the flower, a redneck to huntin’ season—I just can’t help myself but to return to one of my first loves.  AND, with a bit of creativity, you can easily turn this concept into a science project.

Why do I love the concept of limiting reagents so much?  Well, mostly because it is a principle that you can literally see every day in your life.  But I digress.  And get ahead of myself.

What is a limiting reagent?  In very simplified terms (I’m not trying to write a chemistry text here), the limiting reagent is the part of a chemical reaction (or equation) that determines how far a chemical reaction can go.  Or, another way to think of it is as the component that is “used up” first.  “WHAT?” you say (yes, I’m a Mom…I heard that). 

Let’s take an imaginary chemical reaction :  A  +  B  =  C.  [Now, if you were in an actual chemistry lab, you would be discussing moles (not the blind vermin), molecular weight, etc…but in this scenario we are just trying to see the big picture.]  Because both A and B have the same coefficient (number in front of them, which is 1), we need 1 part A combined with 1 part B to equal 1 part C.  Think of it like a recipe, with A being flour, B being sugar, and C being cake.  For simplicity, we’ll refer to the “parts” as cups.  What happens if you “double a recipe?”  If you have twice as much flour AND twice as much sugar, you get twice as much cake.  BUT, what happens if you look in your cabinet and find out you have 10 cups of flour and 2 cups of sugar…do you get 12 cakes?!?!  NO!  You would only get 2 cakes (and have 8 cups of unused flour for next time).  It doesn’t matter if you have 10 million cups of flour; if you only have 2 cups of sugar (Ah!  The limiting reagent), then you’ll only get 2 cakes.  Likewise, if you have 2 cups of flour (Ah!  There is that limiting reagent label again) and 10 million cups of sugar, you’ll only get 2 cakes. 

This gets interesting (or more fun if you love math) when reactions have different coefficients.  For example:  2A + 3B = C.  Now, I need 2 cups of flour and 3 cups of sugar to produce one cake.  So, if I have 6 cups of flour and 6 cups of sugar, what is my limiting reagent, and how many cakes will you get?  The limiting reagent is sugar (B) and you’ll get 2 cakes.  What about 10 cups of flour and 30 cups of sugar?  You’ll get five cakes and the limiting reagent is flour (A).  Easy as pie….err, cake!

So, where do we see this in real life? (Aside from the baking examples listed above) Everywhere!  What if I need half a cup of laundry detergent and a quarter cup of fabric softener for each load of laundry.  If I have 2 cups of detergent and a quarter cup of softener, how many loads of laundry can I do?  What is my limiting reagent?  Well, I can only do one load before all of the softener is used up.  Thus, the softener is my limiting reagent. 

A final example:  I need to pack three lunches for my kids.  I have four pieces of bread and 15 slices of meat.  Assuming that each sandwich takes two pieces of bread and five pieces of meat, how many lunches can I pack?  What is my limiting reagent?  Well, I can only make two sandwiches because the bread is my limiting reagent.  I would have two sandwiches and five leftover pieces of meat…looks like one of the kids will be doing the Atkins diet (no carb) for lunch!

I hope this helps to settle some uncertainty on this cool concept.  Now that you understand completely, go out and tackle some science projects…or at least bake a cake?

Sincerely,
Cecilia

PS:  Did the discussion of limiting reagents spark some interest in jumping into your next science project?  Need more explicit instructions and ideas?  Try:

The Middle School Science Project

Begin choosing your science project topic by talking with your child’s science teacher. They can give you advice based on your what the science class is currently studying, and make sure that the project your child chooses fulfills the project requirements for the class. Their teacher might also be able to recommend a good science project book.  Our next useful tool is the public library. The library is full of kid friendly science books, even books geared specifically toward science projects for any age. A great science project book might be helpful as you know you’d be using reliable information that will walk you through the experiment. 

Another great resource for finding 6th grade science projects is the internet. Either by searching specifically for a type of project i.e. “6th grade science project, chemistry,” or by searching for a database full of science projects like http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx or http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html, you’re sure to be able to find an assortment of science experiments that your child will be interested. Another great find on the internet is the free science project guide at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf. 

For your science experiment

go to 24 Hour Science Projects!

Next,  begin by searching for science projects that suit your 7th grader’s science interests. For example, if they want to do a science experiment that has to do with star gazing or space, you can search  ”7th grade science projects, astronomy” to be sure to find a project that is appropriate for their grade level. However, you will need to find a more specific science project website in order to get the best results. 

Some websites exist that host whole databases of science projects for kids of all ages, and can be searched by grade level or subject area. Some great science project databases include http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx as well as http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html.  These websites that are intended specifically for students searching for feasible and fun science projects will likely be more reliable and easy to use than doing a broader search, where the results might be hard to verify.

Another good resource are the 7th grade project guides available for free at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf, that are designed with the usual hypothesis through results structure in mind.

Visit 24 Hour Science Projects today

and get started on your science experiment for your kids!

First you need to decide what type of project your child would like to attempt and then you can search for projects along with more specific search criteria like their grade level, or the subject matter. For example, “8th grade science project ideas, butterflies.” This should hopefully yield plenty of results. It’s important to narrow your results with criteria like your child’s grade level, age, or a subject matter so that you can be sure you are getting results that will be useful to you. 

Finally, if your student isn’t exactly sure what subject matter they want to do a project on, it might be wise to browse an online database of 8th grade science projects, like those found at http://www.akronlibrary.org/DBS/SFDB/Default.aspx or http://www.youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html, which you can look through by grade level or subject area. Databases like these are full of ideas and instructions, and are easier to use than just a simple general search that might bring you to an unreliable site. Another great resource for one-stop 8th grade science project ideas are the free guides found at http://www.middle-school-science-projects.com/guide.pdf.

Visit 24 Hour Science Projects today 

to get your science experiments!