Introduction
As your kids head back to school, it’s important to make sure they’re keeping up with their science studies. But don’t worry, you don’t have to spend hours in the library doing research. These five science experiments are easy enough for kids to do at home, and they’ll absolutely blow their minds. Who knows, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two yourself! Be sure to have your camera ready – these are pics that will amaze everyone on Instagram.
5 best middle school science experiments for your kid!
1. The Dancing Oobleck
You’ve probably heard of oobleck, that weird slime-like substance made from cornstarch and water. But did you know that it can also dance? All you need is a speaker and some oobleck. Turn up the volume on your speakers and watch the oobleck jump and dance around. It’s like a little mini-rave right in your kitchen!
What’s happening? The sound waves from the speakers are causing the oobleck to vibrate. The cornstarch particles constantly move and bump into each other, making the oobleck act like a liquid. But when the sound waves hit it, the particles are forced apart, making the oobleck behave more like a solid. This is called shear thickening, and it’s pretty amazing to watch!
2. The Walking Water Rainbow
This one is so cool, you might not even believe it’s real. But we promise it is! All you need is some clear cups, water, food colouring, and paper towels.
Start by filling three cups with water. Add a different colour of food colouring to each cup. Then, cut three strips of paper towel long enough to reach from one cup to the next.
Dip one end of each strip of paper towel into a different cup of coloured water. Then, carefully lay the strips of paper towel across the three cups so that each strip is touching two cups of water.
Let the strips soak for a few minutes to allow the colours to travel up the paper towels. Then, watch what happens when you lift one end of a strip of paper towel! The colours will mix where the paper towels touch, creating a new colour.
You can conduct these science experiments with different colours and see what happens when you mix them together. What happens if you use two strips of paper towels? Or four? Try different combinations and see what colours you can create!
3. What is chromatography?
Chromatography is a process used to separate out the different components of a mixture. This can be done using various methods, but one standard practice is paper chromatography.
In paper chromatography, a mixture is separated by passing it through a piece of paper. The different components of the mixture will travel at different rates, depending on their size and how much they stick to the paper. This allows the different components to be separated.
You can conduct these science experiments with paper chromatography by using a coffee filter and some markers. Draw a line of each colour along the edge of the coffee filter. Then, dip the bottom of the filter into a cup of water. The water will travel up the filter and start to separate the different colours. You can see how far each colour travels and how much they mix. Paper chromatography is a standard method for separating mixtures of compounds. It relies on the different rates at which the compounds travel through the paper.
4. Science Experiments for showing a Volcanic eruption
To create an experimental volcanic eruption you just need some ingredients that you can find around your house.
You need
– Baking soda
– Vinegar
– A clear plastic bottle
– Red food colouring
– Some small stones or gravel
– A funnel (optional)
– dish soap (optional)
First, add about 1/4 cup of baking soda to the bottle, then add a few red food colouring drops. Next, use the funnel (if you have one) to add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the bottle. You will see the baking soda and vinegar start to react with each other and fizz.
Suppose you don’t have a funnel, no worries. Just pour the vinegar into the bottle a little bit at a time. Once you have added all of the vinegar, add a squirt of dish soap. This will help the eruption last longer. Finally, add some small stones or gravel to the bottle.
Now it is time for your eruption! Place the bottle on a hard surface and quickly step back. You may want to put on safety goggles at this point. In a few seconds, the eruption will begin! The mixture in the bottle is safe and non-toxic, but it can be messy. If you are doing these science experiments outside, it will be much easier to clean up.
5. Experimenting with a solar cooker
To make a solar cooker, you will need:
-A large box
-Black paint
-Aluminum foil
-A cardboard pizza box lid or another piece of flat, clear plastic
-Tape
-Scissors
Decide where you are going to put your solar cooker. It should be in a sunny spot where it will not be disturbed. Paint the large box black. This will help it absorb more heat from the sun. Cut a piece of aluminium foil to fit the inside of the box. Tape it to the bottom of the box. This will reflect sunlight up into the box. Cut a hole in the centre of the pizza box lid or piece of clear plastic. This will be your cooking surface. Place the lid or piece of plastic over the hole in the top of the large box. Tape it in place.
Your solar cooker is now ready to use. Put whatever you want to cook inside the box, close the lid, or cover it with plastic. The sun will heat the air inside the box and cook your food. You can use your solar cooker for cooking all sorts of things, from hot dogs to baked potatoes. Remember that it will take longer to cook food in a solar cooker than in a regular oven or on a stove. So be patient and enjoy your delicious solar-cooked meal!
Conclusion
If you are looking for a way to blow your kids’ minds this summer, why not try out some of these middle school science experiments? They are sure to keep the whole family entertained (and educated) for hours on end. And don’t worry – even if you don’t have a background in science, most of these science experiments are simple enough that anyone can do them. So get ready to amaze your kids with your mad scientist skills and parenting tips! Do you have any favourite science experiments that we didn’t mention here? Share them in the comments below and let us know how they turned out.
Also Read:
The Benefits Of Progressive Teaching In Your Child’s Development
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