By Rameen Naviwala
Are you looking for ways to expand your middle-schooler’s STEM education from the comfort of your home? Are you hoping to have a hands-on educational experience for your child while participating with them? You and your child can participate in many at-home STEM projects and gain a broader knowledge base. This blog will present four at-home STEM projects you and your middle-schooler can partake in to further their STEM journey.
1. Magnetic Slime
What are two things that kids hold dear to their hearts? Slime and magnets, of course! You can gather their attention and allow them to learn more about science by conducting this at-home STEM project, magnetic slime. It is fun to play with and effective at capturing your middle-schooler’s attention. The project itself is straightforward. You must get white glue, liquid starch, iron oxide powder, plastic spoons for stirring, a mixing bowl, and a neodymium (rare earth) magnet. You can then follow easy-to-read instructions on how to make the magnetic slime at the following website: How to Make Magnetic Slime.
2. Crystal Sun Catchers
What kids do not love looking at crystals and playing around with sun catchers? This activity is a great way to engage your kids with science with a project whose ingredients are effortless to get from your local grocery store. The materials are simple: Epsom salt, clear recycled plastic lids – use the clearest you can find, water, an empty jar, a bowl or glass measuring cup, a fork, a microwave (optional), tray, string, and a pin. All materials can be found in your house; if not, you can retrieve them at the grocery store. The steps to make a crystal sun catcher are easy to follow and can be found at the following website: How to Make Crystal Sun Catchers. This at-home experience can give your child a new appreciation for science and the many purposes and ways salt can be used.
3. Stop Motion Animation Video
If your middle-schooler is interested in technology and watching animated shows, making a stop-motion animation video will be something that will grab their notice, no doubt. There are only a few things you need: a phone or iPad to film, a stop motion animation app, and objects to animate (you can use legos or dolls). You can take it a step further and get a tripod to help keep your camera steady and get foam core to use as a background. This more technical STEM project uses a high level of creativity that every kid loves to explore. Also, who knows, you will be having a weekly movie night with stop-motion animation that your child created.
4. Oil Spill
You can always create an oil spill if you want your kids to have a real-world issue to compare and contrast with their projects. All you have to do is mix oil and water in a large bowl and add feathers. Give your child some sponges or spoons and instruct them to fish all the oil and feathers from the water. As they experience difficulty retrieving the items, they can see the real-life impact of oil on other elements and objects and how that translates to real situations. However, this project might become messy, so keep a mop nearby.
These are just some of the few at-home STEM activities you can do with your middle-school children to help further their education in all things STEM; check out NSTEM’s resource library to discover even more!
Do you want more resources on the topic of at-home STEM projects? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of searchable STEM resources by category, school level, and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships, and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.
In middle school, students are transformed, entering as children and emerging as young adults. Project-based learning enrichment helps students connect the dots between STEM and real life, making math and science relevant for them and keeping them engaged and interested. With a meaningful middle school experience, students are far more likely to focus on STEM disciplines in high school and beyond. To start your 6-8 middle school chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.
