Looking for  fun science project ideas for your child’s  next science fair ?

Here are some ideas for a science project that are fun, and quick and easy to boot that we put together at 24 Hour Science Fair Projects

One of the things we tried to do is come up with ideas for a science project that our kids would enjoy doing. There is nothing worse than having to supervise a child with a project, no matter what the subject is, that they hate.  So to avoid the, “Why do I have to do this stupid project?” whines, we aimed to find fun science project ideas that the kids would enjoy and learn some science at the same time.

First things first…

Your first ideas will come from your child as they look around as ask questions like, “I wonder if….. this  would be better if we tried that…” and as long as your teacher has spelled out the step by step process you have to use, you will be good and your search is over.  Things like “Can I use soda instead of water to make popsicles?”  might turn into an experiment with freezing different liquids and an experiment on freezing points.   You will have to go online and do some research on the topic for the report, but honestly, that is how we came up with most of  our ideas for a science project and then we perfected them.  That is exactly how this interesting science fair project about seeds and magnets  came to be!

Here are some fun science project ideas that we like a lot that can be done in 24 hours

Figuring out how much Vitamin C is in popular juices

This is a great experiment where you learn how to use iodine to test Vitamin C levels after you put the juices through a paste making process.  It is cool because you have to go through these  steps that make you feel like a scientist as you label, measure, heat, and test things along the way.  The best part is you can actually use the results in your every day life, and it might even change your buying habits!

Another one you can apply to your buying habits is how biodegradable different toilet papers are.

For this you go through several steps where you put the paper in water and drain out the liquid so eventually all you have left is the paper that did not dissolve.  Once it is dried and weighed, you will know which brand is really the most biodegradable. This is one of the ideas for a science project that comes from every day life and a popular environmentalist topic at the same time.

For these two and more ideas for a science project that can be started today and finished tomorrow go to:

24 Hour science projects!

One of the fun science project ideas that work well in a demonstration

Showing how yeast works

This is a one of the fun  food science fair projects to use when you stand in front of the class and talk about yeast and show with balloons yeast at work.  This one lets you talk about yeast facts while you put the project together and do the project and then when it is over and the balloons do their thing, you can explain the science behind it.  These things working together is what make a successful demonstration project.

To find out more about  fun science project ideas and other demonstration projects,   go to:

Watch This! Science Fair Projects

You can help with homework for kids projects for school by having the right supplies on hand. Once you finish t!he sticker shock from your beginning of the year school supply bill, take breather and then after back to school night when the teacher(s) spell out for you what projects etc will be coming up in the school year. Pay close attention to what the science teacher tells you about their classroom or all school science fair project procedures.

Often at back to school night the teacher(s) hand you a copy of the long term projects for the year or if this is your second or third child, you already know. Check to see if anything looks out of the ordinary and find out now where you can go to get them before everyone else in the class is on the hunt for it and supplies run thin.

You know you are going to need thing like printer ink, paper, colored paper, tag, construction paper, markers post its, etc.  It is basically just making sure you keep your at home school supplies replenished through the year, and don’t let things get lost in the messy bedrooms.

Always keep on  hand good reference materials with real live dictionaries and possible encyclopedias as well as bookmarked links for these places for online research. Then you don’t have to help with homework for kids everyday needs so much!

During peak science fair season some supplies specific to science fairs might be hard to find, so it would be wise to stock up on display boards, poster board, double sided sticky tape, spray adhesive and glue sticks. Might as well get a spare flash drive saved for the project too. (These also make great stocking stuffers!)

Other things it is always good to have on hand that would not be part of your typical school supplies are baby food jars, pint and quart mason jars, manila envelopes the coin size and larger to store little pieces, newsprint, aluminum foil  and old magazines.  Spare cardboard boxes are good if for nothing else but to transport a project back and forth to school.

Basic shop tools should be readily available, so know where the measuring tape is,  your common hand tools and hardware, some dowel rods, plywood and 2x4s. Often you just need a solid plywood base to hold the project .

Help with homework for kids’ science projects can even go a step further by getting instant access to ready to go science fair projects that are set up for you in the format teacher use, yet have the fun cool factor kids get into.

Visit 24 Hour Science Projects today and get your stash of five great science experiments for your kids to use this year!

PS.  If you want to go all out and stock you closets with everything and anything you could possibly need,  look for a complete supply list at: Help with Homework for Science

http://www.24hourscienceprojects.com/ezGaffurl.php?offer=s7n17y&pid=2&tid=ur091411

What I want you to look is how many of these projects seem so simple to do and use common every day things. It is not simple science, some of these concepts are beyond what most of us can grasp, but the project itself was made from every day materials that can be found at home. Some are quick and easy projects that can be done in one day. Others are more involved. Most you will recognize as the kind cool science project ideas that have been around for ages, but still work and still interest kids.  Just add a 21st century twist!

 Here are just some of the cool science project ideas I have seen come through a Google search:

•  Does sunscreen in the water affect sea life?
• Do video games affect your heart rate?
• Simple experiments with just plastic bottles and buckets of water
• Building a laser transmitter
• Looking at mold and different kinds of bread
• Creating hovercrafts out of fizzy drinks bottles.
• Magnetizing seeds to see if they germinate faster
• Freezing fruit with liquid nitrogen
• Why will an egg float in salt water, but not in fresh water?
• Which paper towel is more absorbent
• Make water filters with different materials

 And from the Google Global Science Fair 2011:

• chicken marinade and carcinogens

There were a couple of these things on that list that would involve a buying something special, like liquid nitrogen or the sea creatures and electrical components for the laser. But these are not hard to find and some might come in kits. The point is cool science project ideas do not have to be new and do not have to be fancy.  They just have to be good, fun science!

 Visit 24 Hour Science Projects today and get your simple yet cool science project ideas for your kids!

Here is how to turn them into a “cool” science projects for kids!

Here is and idea for fun, “cool” science projects for kids to do in the summer. Whether they believe it or not, towards the end of the summer, kids start to get bored. Now, the kids who have not done any of their summer reading , will have plenty to do, but in general this is the time parents might be looking for summer science projects for kids to do to help pass the time until school gets started again. We are always on the lookout for new ideas for school science fair projects, so when I run across something, I can’t help but share it here!

Of course you will want any summer activity to be fun and not seem too much like school, so bringing in a favorite food is always a good plan. Add in something kids like a lot, like ice cream, will make it the “ice”-ing on the cake! For this project you do not have to make the kids line up and churn the ice cream machine, which as we all know, is fun at first, but quickly loses its appeal.

One great summer science project for kids:  Make Ice Cream without a machine!

This works best with a couple of kids, as you will see why as you read, but it could be just as fun with one.

 Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

¾ teaspoon vanilla

Zipper lock kind of plastic bag– medium sized

Zipper lock freezer bag

2 ½ pounds of ice

1 ½ pounds of rock salt

Options:

other flavors besides vanilla,

crumbled cookies

sprinkles like you put on cookies

1. Mix the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and optional items and put in medium zipper lock bag. Be sure to whoosh the extra air out before you close it. To be safe, you can put in in a second bag, and whoosh the air out of that one too. (you can experiment one with the double bag, one without!)
2. Fill the freezer bag with the ice and salt. Carefully, place the mixture bag in and whoosh the air and seal. Be sure when whooshing, not to break the mixture bag!
3. Now the fun begins. For the next 15 minutes the kids will throw the bag around any which way, shake it, play catch with it, throw it up in the air and catch it on the way down. Pretty much anything but stomping on it will do, just as long as it is always moving in some fashion for 15 minutes.
4. When 15 minutes is up, open it up and you should have some ice cream for a summer treat.

My advice for this “cool” science projects for kids is to have enough cream, milk and sugar on hand for several more batches, I can almost guarantee you they will want to do it again!

I can’t help myself, but as a science project I might try throwing the bag with ice around both indoors and outdoors in the sun to see if temperature makes a difference. My hunch is outdoors in the sun the ice might melt too soon so it might not work as well, but I am not sure! That is where it could turn into a summer science project for kids, as you will change things from one batch to the next!

You never know,  cool  summer projects for kids could turn into a full fledged school science fair project where you compare the different methods, or use different flavors, or does it work with “light” cream, half n half , whole milk or 2%?

Find five additional cool science projects for kids where we have kid tested and teacher approved science fair projects that can be downloaded in an instant,

Visit 24 hour science projects….

PS—  Turn this same idea around to winter and times when there are lots of snow days.…..

You can read the complete article I found on making ice cream without a machine by clicking here.

I read this cool story about a  girl in Canada who took an old wives tale story  that hat been passed down from her grandmother  over the years and turned it into n informative and interesting science fair project, and not only that it ended up being an award winning science fair project to boot.

Here is how it went, the family are farmers  in Canada wheat is a major crop. So the grandmother kept telling her family that using magnets with seeds would increase the germination time which would end up increasing the crop yield, since they would start growing sooner.  No one knew for sure if it was true, it was a story that had been told in the family for years.  The daughter did not keep up with the farming side of things and so the grandaughter only knew the story from the stories.

So the granddaughter and her friend get together and decide to create an entire science fair project around this story that the grandmother swears she and her husband experimented with back in the day.  It had all the makings for a super project.

What they did was gather 50 seeds from seven different varieties like golden wheat, niger, barley, etc.
Then they split the seeds with each variety having two groups, magnetized and not. From there is was a matter of putting the seeds on a paper plates covered by a paper towel. One group they used water to dampen the paper town to get germination started and the other they just ran a magnet over the seeds. In this experiment, the magnetized seeds showed shoots sprouting from the seeds in just three days.

Is this an interesting science fair project or what?   And on top of that is is based on sound science. There is a with a clear question, and prediction.  There was only one variable, the magnet, and it would be  easy  to observe and record the data! Conclusions would be easy to come up with as germinating seeds are  something you can see, right in front of you.

Just think of all the old wives tales out there that could be turned into some fast and easy science fair projects! Lot of them are based on trial an error experience,

• Does the full moon really affect the planting cycle?
• Does it really turn out better is seeds are planted in the morning?
• Do adding stones to a planter improve drainage?
• Is tea a good fertilizer for potted plants?
• Do coffe grounds keep slugs out of your compost?
• Do you really have to snort honey to get read of allergies?

It does not matter if you prove it right or wrong, an old wives tale can make your experiment  fun. You will probably be surprised at how many of those old wives tales hold some truth to them!

This girl’s grandfather was so impressed with everyday use of magnetic fields that his bed was always turned so his head faced the magnetic north and he lived to be 99 years old. I wonder if anyone would do a long term science experiment on that idea! You can read the complete article on this award winning, interesting science fair project here.

The point is of course that you look to the world around you and ask questions about “Why this or why that,” and then it turn into, “I wonder if this or that will make a difference?” This is the seed for some ov the best science fair projects you see.

Here is a great source of quick, easy, yet interesting science fair projects that have been kid tested and teacher approved that can be completed in one weekend. Some have ended up being award winning science fair project to boot.

Two good things are coming to and end, happily the school year and sadly the Space Shuttle Program.

Science teachers of all ages can use this sort of news of science and technology from the Space Shuttle to create teachable moments and simple science experiments for kids to do that can help keep them occupied at the end of the school year. The Space Shuttle’s Endeavor’s successful lift off with a pay load that included a $2 billion science experiment to install on the space station that is going to some how or another measure cosmic rays is a good example.

You don’t have to be an astro-physics teacher and focus on the advanced science involved, most of us will never quite understand all of that.   You can use it as an example of how science experiments are a part of our lives and they just get more complicated as you get older, but the principle you teach in elementary, middle and high school are all the same.

Here are some ways a creative science teacher can use news of science and technology from the winding down of the Shuttle program to build an excitement about science and how science can be fun for all ages.

• One would be to take a look at the many science projects that the Shuttle has taken into space over the life of the program. Some of those were designed by school children.

• You can have the kids write a hypothesis for a science experiment they think would be cool to do instead of on the Shuttle,  may-be on Mars. The space station will still be there, it is just that the Shuttle will not be going back and forth any more.

• Use a cross curriculum idea and have them write in a journal a a creative writing assignment about cosmic rays, or what mystery of space they might find in this experiment.

• Review the steps to the scientific method by starting a discussion on what NASA  must have had to do to create this billion dollar experiment.

• NASA is known to create study guides for students of all ages for their missions, and backgrounds on the astronauts. It might be possible to find out what cool science fair projects they did when they were in school. Check out this interactive link on nasa.gov on making a new planet and look for other similar interactive activities.

• Create a time line for this mission and keep track of what they did each day . Younger children might enjoy keeping track of the daily wake up song, where middle school kids might be more interested in the food they eat, and middle school kids would be looking into the actual experiments.

• It might be a good time for a gravity experiment, like the egg drop where kids create cardboard and tape contraptions and drop them from the roof.

• There is not a kid alive who would not enjoy “rocket day” where you go out on the soccer field and shoot stuff off and measure the distance and for more advanced kids calculate the height.

Most science teachers will probably have even better ideas than these simple science experiments for kids, but you get the picture. The point is to use the current real life news of science and technology events to keep building science as a fun subject that shows up in everyday life.

For some well organized, kid tested and teacher approved quick and easy science fair projects,that can make science fun both at home and school….

…Go to 24 Hour Science Fair Projects

Teachers don’t do science fairs for the award-winning science fair projects, they do it for the science.  Having a reward of some kind can be a great motivator for the kids.  You won’t be bringing home any blue ribbons if your final presentation is sloppy.

First you need an awesome project that was fun to do and not too hard.  However, the science fair projects that win awards have display boards that will most definitely be attractive and professional looking.

Here are five tips on how to make an attractive display  for award winning science fair projects that make judges  happy .

1. Formatting.  You want it to look professional!  Use fonts that are easy to read and not too cute, an don’t go higher than 14-16 point. Justifying  the margins is a nice touch.
2. Color.  Use a color plan with one or two colors only.  One main one and another to accent.  Hand written reports should be in blue or black ink.  Keep the printed  stuff in black or a complementary dark color.   Use colors that kind of go with your project topi, like green for recycling or if you have items on display that go with them.
3. Borders. Put a border around the whole display, around pictures.  Use the same style all the papers. This is where the color pattern will be used. part of the color pattern.  White paper with the data on construction paper looks really cool.
   
4. Bullet Points.  Bullet points make for easy reading, but don’t be silly.  Arrows, large dots, check marks and shapes work well.  There is a large variety of these that will look good. Stay away  from smiley faces. There could be topic related ones like light bulbs for electricity . Whatever you choose, stick with the same bullet point for the whole display.
5. Glue not tape.   Glue sticks, spray sticky stuff,rubber cement will post the papers without seeing the folded tape underneath or the tape edges. Tape is known to lose its stick just when you need it most.

REMEMBER:  The quality of a project is the key to an award, but if it doesn’t look good, chance are some of the best  award-winning science fair projects will get lost in the shuffle.

You can find all sorts of tips and advice on creating award winning science projects with the free download  The Non-Scientist Parents’ Guide to a Science Project on my One Day Science Fair Projects Blog. We also have a whole science homework help with a great supply list here!

Ready to WIN your next Science Fair?  Get an award winning science fair projects that can be done in a day! Click here!

]]> http://www.your-science-project.com/award-winning-science-fair-projects-tips-to-make-them-look-good/feed/ 2 http://www.your-science-project.com/quality-fast-and-easy-science-projects-to-be-completed-in-one-weekend/ http://www.your-science-project.com/quality-fast-and-easy-science-projects-to-be-completed-in-one-weekend/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:13:01 +0000 SFegan http://www.your-science-project.com/?p=176 How to Find Weekend Fast And Easy Science Projects That Are Still High Quality

Has procrastination caught up with you?

Is there a science fair project is due on Monday and it is Friday night?

Have you run out of tomorrows to put it off to?

Do you need to get a hold of fast and easy science projects to do over the weekend that teachers will think are worthy?

It can be done, but it is not always easy to do.  The Google search is not magic beause you can run into problems.  Quick ones don’t always meet the requirements listed on the assignment.  You run the risk of just going through the motions and not learning some real science.  You don’t want to do a project just to do it.  Since you have a whole weekend, there is still time!

 Here are five things to look for as you search for really good fast and easy science projects that can easily be done over  one weekend.

1.  Check out the directions and look for the type of project they assigned. Is is a  collection, a report, and experiment or a demonstration? The mos popular ones are experiments that follows the scientific method, but don’t assume!
2. Include your child when looking online.  They will pipe in with ideas you don’t think of, and remember tid-bits of advice the teacher gave.
3. Start out with the words “science projects on…” when searching Google.  then add in words like for 4th grade, or elementary or the topic the teacher assigned (electricity, rocks, friction etc)
4. Check the supply list and look for ones that use things you already have at home or a quick trip to the store will take care of. You don’t have time to be running around searching for specialized ingredients.
5. Make a list projects that look good, and weed out the ones that take too much time, are too complicated or for older kids.

One thing you need to be sure to do is leave enough time to make a great poster, do a decent write up,  and make charts and graphs.  Even a quick and easy project can win awards if the poster is done right!

You will see that fast and easy science projects are not always quite so fast and easy to find, both your child will be able to work together and find a project that is fun to do, meets the teacher requirements and most importantly can be finished in one weekend.
Fast and easy science projects to do over a weekend do not have to be a hassle. They can be fun and save the day at the same time.

Ready For A Weekend Fast and Easy Science Project? Click Here to Get Started!

Science experiments for middle school students are usually a long term homework assignment. Parents may or may not  know about this project. It might be a regular homework assignment or for a Middle School science fair project.   So here is what the  good news and bad news about this kind of assignment is for families.

The good news about science experiments for middle school:

• Independence becomes  a key lesson and hopefully, cross your fingers, they will be getting some great study habits in line for high school, when parents really never know what is going on.
• Good study habits  stay with you for a long time, and will make school and  life time learning in general go smoothly.
• Parents are happy to get out of the homework police role and become an “adviser” or “problem solver.” This takes some of that friction between kids and parents that shows up during these years out of the picture.
• In general middle school projects are more interesting than the ones they did in elementary school.
• They also are more complicated so chances are the parents will end up being involved in some way,  double checking to make sure all the pieces are in place, proof reading,  and an extra pair of hands, and the audience for when the practice their presentation.

Hopefully they have been give a list of quality fast and easy science  projects to choose from to make things go smoothly for everyone.

The bad news about your middle school child and science experiments:

• Middle school kids have the tendency to skim through the directions.
• Or they claim they ” remember” it all from what the teacher explained in class.
• They also don’t do the double checking so well.
• What can happen with these pitfalls is  eventually they will see the directions and do the double checking ( or the  parent steps in and points it out) so they may have to start over a few times, or a last minute mad house getting all the required data and paperwork done.
• Without checking directions and double checking the final grade on the experiment might be doomed.
• Another problem can be the kids who ask for too much help and drag the parents into the project.
• It can be stressful for parents to figure out when to step in, and when to let them learn the hard way.

Parents can be help in a lot of ways.

You want to teach them, and at first it will be by example, how to get these good homework study habits  become part of the plan.  So parent can be the organizer or supervisor.

• Checking the materials list ahead of time and with your child get the supplies needed.
• Proofreading is a pretty standard parent role.  Don’t give them the corrections, just tell them something is amiss.
• Printer  and computer trouble shooting  can be a parent role, although often the kids know more than we do!  Anyway having enough ink and paper on hand is a good idea.
• Learn more about what middle school expectations  are. Check this article :  Myths About Science Fair Experiments For Middle School

Growing pains work both ways as we all know with kids this age, and there is nothing better to bring these to the surface than science experiments for middle school!

Need to get your Middle Schooler’s Project DONE? Click here!

Why a science project and not something else? Simple home science projects for kids are set up around common household items. You can find interesting projects for middle school students or younger elementary students that only need things typically found around the house. For a snow day, this is perfect, as you cannot get out to the store to buy materials needed for something like a craft project, or baking.

Will this project take an entire 24 hours to do? There might only be this one snow day. The idea of 24 hour science projects is just a way to let you know it is a simple self contained unit that can be done in one sitting. The reason for calling them 24 hours is because often a project will get started one day, then it has to sit overnight and the results recorded the next day. Most can be started in the morning and get the results later on the same day.

How much help will they need from a parent? When I am home on a snow day I try to get some things done. The best thing about one day science projects is they are supposed to be simple, and should be written with easy to follow directions. They are designed for the kids to do themselves! All a parent needs to do, it provide the project and may-be help gather the materials. Children will be able to do the project on their own.

Where do I find good projects to use? A good digital resource will have projects available for different types or projects, like investigation or demonstrations, different ages and even different lengths of time, like a one day project or a weekend project. Having these on hand, or knowing it is there when you need it, will assure that you always have fun 24 hour science projects available for a snow day, or any other time your child is bored. As long as you have an Internet connection, you have access to these projects.

Running out of time to do your Science Project? Get fast, easy, and winning science projects now by clicking here!