Explore the World of Science

Middle school science projects almost always have to be done in the form of an experiment. The trouble for most students is that most of the time, projects that are on the internet or in books are either demonstrations or models. Since they don’t follow the scientific method, neither of these meet the qualifications of the middle school science fair.

The good news is that many times, a model can be used in an experiment, and variables can be added to a demonstration, so that it can be one, too. Here are five examples of projects that are modified to become an experiment.

- How can you make a potato canon? – This is a fun activity, and it demonstrates how cool science can be, but it doesn’t test anything. How can you turn it into an experiment? Vary the trajectory, and ask, “At which angle will a potato canon launch a potato the farthest?”

- What happens when seeds germinate? – This is a great lesson, but what are kids comparing? Turn it into an experiment by testing “At which temperature do seeds germinate the best?” Use different watt bulbs to vary the temperature.

- How do bones change when soaked in vinegar? – This is close to an experiment, but the project I saw didn’t have a way to measure the change. The results of a true experiment must be measurable. Come up with a weigh to measure the amount of weight the bones can support before breaking, and you may just win your middle school science fair.

- How hot can a solar heater get? – First of all, finding the answer to this question may result in a fire! Make it an experiment by testing two different solar heater models. Construct two identical heaters, one with a glass front, and the other with a plexiglass front. Measure the temperature over several days, and see which one got the hottest.

- What happens when you mix chalk and lemon juice? – Studying acids and bases is fascinating, but there are no variables – so it’s not an experiment. Change it up. Soak pieces of chalk in water, a basic solution, and an acid, and note the variance in the weight.

One of the hardest things for any of us to do is to say, “I’m sorry.” It is interesting to me that dogs can convey remorse without words, but humans often can’t find the words to smooth over a problem that they created. Kids have a terrible time admitting they did wrong; for most adults, it’s even harder. One skill that we need to teach our children is how to ask for forgiveness. Here’s my formula:

Admit wrongdoing. Don’t make a child say “I’m sorry.” If she’s not sorry, you’re compounding her transgression by making her lie. An insincere, ‘Sorry’, doesn’t make anyone feel better, especially if it’s obvious to the person who was wronged. Instead, have her admit wrongdoing. Even if a child isn’t sorry, she knows what she did was unacceptable behavior. Have her acknowledge this: “Wearing your new blouse without permission was wrong.” Again – this is different from an apology.

If, however, the child is truly sorry, he can say so. And only the child knows if the heart is truly repentent. Here’s a hint to pass along – true repentence means that you aren’t proud of what you did, and you wouldn’t do it again if you had a chance to. If you brag to your friends, “I beat the snot out of him, and I’ll do it again if he messes with me!” then you’re not sorry.

Name the mistake. Have the child specify what she did wrong. Don’t let her get by with a vague acknowledgement. Have her verbalize the ‘crime’: “I should not have eaten your stash of Halloween candy.” Naming the sin makes it less likely to be repeated.

Ask for forgiveness. Finally, teach kids to ask for forgiveness. This is the easiest part for most kids. “Will you forgive me?”

Here are some examples taken from our own family:

“I should not have hit you in the head with the baseball bat. Will you forgive me?” We started practicing this formula early – when the guys were very, very young and did such things with frightening regularity. Thankfully, they’ve moved on to different crimes.

“I should not have eaten the last bowl of Lucky Charms when I knew you hadn’t had any. Will you forgive me?” Truly not sorry. Truly would do it again. Truly happened this week.

“I’m sorry I spilled milk on your science project. It was an accident. Will you forgive me?”

“Mom, I’m sorry I was so rude yesterday morning. Will you forgive me?”

And here is an example from yesterday. Two of our sons had a pretty heated disagreement. One was clearly in the wrong. After I talked to both of them individually, I overheard this conversation:

Child #1: I’m sorry (he really was) that I (transgression omitted in the interest of privacy.) Will you forgive me?

Child #2: Yes.

Child #1: Do you want me to hug you?

Child #2: That’s probably not a good idea. I just f-rted.

I had implored Child #2 to accept the apology graciously, without making Child #1 feel any worse. I declare he chose the perfect thing to say.

And the incident was over. The day was saved, and I knew my boys were on their way to learning to resolve the inevitable disagreements that arise in families.

Fleas are parasites looking for a warm-blooded host. Their mouth parts are made for piercing skin and sucking blood. They are mobile in any direction: they can jump up to 7 inches vertically and 13 inches horizontally. That’s comparable to a human jumping 250 feet vertically and 450 feet horizontally. After emerging from the cocoon and being initially fed, an adult flea can survive from 2 months to 1 year between feedings. For a period of 2 weeks up to 8 months, a female flea can lay 15 to 20 eggs per day. That’s potentially 280 to 4,800 fleas in a relatively short time.

1. Birds. Bird fleas are usually found in nests or nesting boxes, but they can also migrate to the nearest cat or dog or human.

2. Cats. Cat fleas are the the most common variety of fleas – but they don’t limit themselves to cats. These fleas can be found on dogs and humans too. One way to confirm fleas are on your cat is to look for “flea dirt.” Initially, you’ll see what looks like pepper. If you can drop water on the “dots,” smear with a white paper towel and see red, your cat has fleas.

3. Dogs. If your dog excessively scratches or bites at his rear, tail or thigh area, he may have fleas. This means that probably your dog isn’t the only place with fleas. The grass in your back yard or anywhere your pet likes to sleep is a likely flea park. Fleas enjoy a warm, moist environment. Frequent vacuuming in your house and frequent mowing of your yard are good preventive steps.

4. Humans. Fleas can easily find their way into carpets and upholstered items, looking for a warm blooded mammal to occupy. Lower parts of the body (ankles, for instance) are more commonly targeted. Affected skin reveals small raised reddened areas that itch. Flea bites look similar to mosquito bites with a pierced point in the center of a small welt. Some individuals suffer from allergies to the fleas’ saliva and exhibit a rash.

5. Rats and mice. Fleas are more than just an itchy nuisance. They can transmit viruses and diseases like bubonic plague. Even a tapeworm can be passed on when a mammal consumes an infected flea.