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Archive for the ‘science fair’ Category

If you are one who is searching for that perfect undertaking that will surely win the year’s award for the best science fair project then don’t look any further beyond constructing the simple still. For those who do not have any idea as to what a still is, it is an apparatus that is meant to distill, or separate, liquid mixtures by boiling since different liquids have different boiling points.

Before starting with the construction, it is important to note that building a still may lead one to run-ins with the law which makes it important for one to be knowledgeable of the regulations in one’s area and to devote the project entirely for scientific and educational purposes.

To start the construction process of the still: the following materials are needed: a 4-gallon size copper boiler, a copper sheeting that is 18” in diameter, a copper pipe that is 36” long and 2” in diameter, a 24-inch copper tubing that is 1” in diameter, lead-free solder, glass thermometer, milk can made out of stainless steel, two reducing coupler that have the following dimensions: 1” x 1-1/2” and the other 1-1/2” x 2”, an elbow joint that has a 1” diameter, a 3” nipple, 1” x 2-1/2” nipple, a large copper tub, 1-1/2” copper elbow pipe, copper coils, standard spigot faucet, any container that can be easily sealed, a siphon, an airlock, a rubber stopper, flour and water (a silicon kit can be used as an alternative), a connecting ring, yeast, a large amount of cold water, and the mixture to be fermented.

For the tools, one would need a holder gun, a drill, a saw, and a heat source.

To assemble the boiler, one would have to saw the copper boiler in half and lay on its open end the copper sheeting. Cut a piece from the sheeting that is 1 centimeter larger in diameter than the copper boiler’s open end. Solder then the sheeting to the open end of the copper boiler. After this, place the boiler flat side down and drill a 2” hole on the boiler’s top. Solder a connecting ring directly on top of this hole.

To construct the still’s column, bore a hole on the top of the elbow connector that will be big enough for it to be soldered to the 3”-sized nipple. Soldering is also done to the 2” pipe to fasten it to the ring on top of the boiler. The elbow connector is in turn soldered to top of the pipe with the help of the 1 x 1-1/2” reducing coupler. Solder then the nipple in place after which the thermometer is inserted there and secured into place with the use of the silicon kit or flour and water. The elbow pipe is then soldered to the other coupler. The 1” elbow joint is then fastened with the end of the pipe in a way that makes the elbow point downward. This end is then soldered with the smaller nipple. The nipple is then soldered to the coiled copper tubing and the spigot is soldered into the drilled hole present on the side of the metal container. The heat source is then placed below the boiler.

Everyone has seen the tired old science fair project, such as the volcano or the styrofoam solar system, which have been favorites of many parents for what feels like generations. These projects are relatively simple and easy from the parent’s point of view, but they are incredibly bad choices for the children involved. Why?

These are the kind of projects that are so well-known that even the students know what is going to happen. And when that happens, the students are not learning anything, and their performance suffers during the presentation portion of science fairs because of it. Science fair judges have gotten bored with these types of projects, and that’s a big problem for students who endeavor to win prizes in their science fair. In the end, this kind of project is only really good for the parents, and surprisingly, these kinds of projects are not even particularly cheap!

What you need to find is a unique science fair project, or at least something that beats those tired old projects. Not only will this help your child learn more, it can give them a much better chance of winning the science fair. Often, these competitions can include a scholarship or a nice cash prize, and even those that do not can often lead to a science scholarship later on down the line. That’s a nice benefit, and aside from the grades, the knowledge, and the experience your child is getting with their participation, it gives you a great reason to try and do something unique.

So what kind of unique science fair projects are there? The internet seems like a decent first option, but given the prevalence of use, you can guarantee that large science fairs include a duplicate project, especially if you took your idea from a popular science fair blog or website. Even in a small science fair, or an in-class science fair, you have to guess that there are more than a few people who are visiting the same websites that you are, including the judges and the teachers who are grading your students. Duplicate projects mean trouble for the judges and the teachers, as it negates the true benefit of science fairs: having an exploratory experience. They want you to come up with something unique, on your own. In addition, you have to think about what kind of experience your child is having. A science fair is a chance for them to express their own creativity and interests, and plucking an easy or cheap project off of a website isn’t helping them out any.

You can try visiting the library for books, or looking at news sites as well, but these sources often provide out-of-date, boring, or incredibly difficult projects.

Have the child come up with something of their own, or if that doesn’t work, then have them add their own input into some aspect of an interesting and more unique science fair project. You can take some help from the internet, especially from the “members only” sites on the internet that have really solid projects, and books or suggestions with more unique ideas, but make sure to add something to them!

If your child needs help with their science fair project and you lack computer skills or scientific knowledge, don’t be afraid to look for help. Many of those members only sites will offer helpful downloads like ready-made charts and spreadsheets for your child’s use. You can also get help from online tutors, who are usually science majors in college who can help you out with some simple advice.

Who said Science fair projects are boring and a chore? With a little bit of imagination you can come up with a winning science fair topic that will not only be interesting but one that you will enjoy doing.

Yes, a middle school science fair project can be a really exciting time for all middle school children. Having fun working on a science fair project while learning different aspects of scientific spectrum is a great and fun way to teach all children and students that the sciences are, contrary to popular belief not a boring chore but can be a lot of fun, which is something far too many schools seem to neglect telling pupils these days.

Below is a fun and interesting middle school science fair project. This example is intended to give you an idea on how to help your child with his or her science fair project. The example is merely a blue print which can easily be built upon.

Four Eyes? Oh Please!

Everyone knows someone who wears glasses. All you need for this science project is a friend or two who wear glasses. Then before the fair, a poster board could be made with a picture of the eye, the different parts (Retina, cornea, etc) labeled, and a brief description on how we see things.

Take a pair of your friend’s glasses and hold them at arms length, does what you’re looking at look smaller? Or does it look Larger? If the view looks smaller, it means your friend is nearsighted also referred to as short sighted. They can see things that are close to them, but may not be able to see things that are far away, this would be a likely indication that their eyeballs may be too long. On the other hand if the view that they see is big, or even upside down, then they are farsighted also known as long sighted. In other words they can see things that are far away, but not when things are closer up to them, the probable of this is that their eye ball is too short.

Advice to Parents.

Have your child to do some research on the eye itself, for example they could find out why it is that some people need glasses? And in what way do glasses help? The local library should have plenty of information geared up for middle school students that would help.

Let Them Create Their Own Ideas.

Of course, you could read dozens of different science fair projects, but none would be as fun or as personal as you and your child working together to come up with some ideas, you may even be surprised at the ideas that your child can come up with. When thinking of ideas you could take into consideration his or her likes and dislikes, and imagine how such a project could be fun and exciting, as well as educational.

I’m sure that when you and your child sit down and really think about it, the two of you could come up with a topic that blows everything else out of the water.

Remember that this is your child’s science fair project, not yours, and he or she needs to complete it. Not you, so left him or her take the lead.