By Noah Moster
Things are beginning to heat up in the STEM sphere, and it isn’t just from the fun projects we’ve been planning! The summer equinox has come and gone, but the sun’s been working overtime to ensure that the great outdoors have kept their blazing temperatures to the maximum. It’s no small wonder that, in light of these conditions, fellow scientists out in the field have reported back with many experiments that will allow students both a gratifying lesson in science and a fun way to test the limits of science in a cooler environment! So let’s dive in and look at a few different educational enterprises to beat the heat!
1. Paper Ball Run Challenge
Link to Experiment: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/CE_p030/civil-engineering/paper-ball-run-challenge
Ever since the dawn of time, there have been questions that mankind has yet to answer: What will our future hold, why does music hold such a staple in human culture as a whole, and, of course, why is rolling stuff off an inclined plane so darn fun? To sending tires down a hill to the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, Homo Sapiens seem to have developed a dopamine trigger specifically for viewing an object (or themselves) and thinking, “yeah, that’s some premium-grade hill-rolling material.”
You might as well get some education out of it, right?
The Paper Ball Run Challenge may not seem like much at first, but it’s surprisingly difficult to create with one key ruleset: make the ball take as long as possible to reach the end. This experiment easily comes with innovative thinking attached. For instance, you can make the run longer and taller, but then it’ll become less structurally sound, requiring bracing to keep it sturdy. Or maybe the student wants to maneuver the ball up and down with a simple pulley system. They’ll have to calculate the weight to go down from the ping pong ball settling into the basket but have the counterweight still be heavy enough to keep the basket up when not in use. Furthermore, they would have to place an angled block below the basket to get the ball to spill out. To put it simply, this project can be as creative as the student, which is always a staple for a good lesson.
2. Alka-Seltzer Powered Lava Lamp
Link to Experiment: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/make-a-lava-lamp
Lava lamps are a true advocate of the statement’s validity, “Some things will never not be cool.” They evoke a mysterious, otherworldly atmosphere to the room, something that kids have long since and long after will find a bemused attraction to. Essentially, the student will take two bottles of water, food coloring, and vegetable oil mixture and heat one while cooling the other. Then, you feed the bottle a portion of the Alka-Setzer tablet and watch as the oil and food coloring coalesce into bubbles flying around the hydrosphere! This experiment displays the role that varying temperatures can fulfill in chemical reactions but does it in a fun way that any student can find some level of engagement with.
3. Rock Crystal Candy
Link to Experiment: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/rock-candy
Come on. I won’t need to explain why this one is an excellent and fun choice for kids, right?
This experiment is relatively easy to perform and requires little more than your typical cooking supplies, granulated sugar, food coloring, and yarn. Still, it will need some patience on the part of the student, as the process to grow the crystal will take around a week. Another advisement to be aware of is that sugar cooks at an incredibly hot temperature, so if you allow your students to cook this concoction themselves, keep a stern eye on them, as it could cause nasty burns if touched directly. However, suppose you do have a responsible student (or students) with a craving for geology and a sweet tooth to match. In that case, this is a worthwhile experiment to demonstrate how crystalline structures can form in nature!
Summer is an awesome environment for learning about the great outdoors and all they have to offer. But sometimes, it’s just too hot! Fortunately, science isn’t bound by the outdoors. You can always learn something, no matter where you are, and that’s what matters at the end of the day: learning something!
Do you want more resources on the topic of STEM Summer Activities? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of STEM resources that are searchable 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.
Middle School is where 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.
