Although I have a list of middle school science fair project ideas, I realize it can be really hard for students (and their parents) to design an experiment. I got an email about one of the project ideas earlier this week. The topic was "Does Light Effect the Rate at Which Food Spoils?" The problem was figuring out a way to examine the topic. I wrote back the following ideas:
- Compare how quickly bread molds in the light compared with the dark. If your house has low humidity, I'd probably put bread into sealed ziploc bags for this, since bread that is left out in a dry place will just harden.
- Compare how long it takes milk to get 'chunky' in the light as compared with the dark, at the same temperature.
- You could compare the rate at which foods discolor, though that is sort of subjective. Do apples brown at the same rate in light compared with dark? Does meat discolor in the same time?
The student can brainstorm to try to come up with other ways you can tell that food has spoiled. When you stop to think about it, I think some foods stay fresh longer when they are exposed to light, while others benefit from being kept in the dark.
If you find yourself getting stuck figuring out an experiment for a project, let me know. The quickest way to get project help is probably to post a question to the forum. There is a new section in the forum devoted entirely to science fair project ideas and help.
Comments
Thanks so much this really helped! Im glad someone takes their time to help students like me with this extremely hard assignment we all know as science fair.
howw did u do
thanx i did my science fair project on this havent got my grade yet but fingers crossed thanx again!!!
thanx this helped alot!!!! i was dreading wat i was gunna do and im still dreading science fair but this was alot of help thanx again!!!!!
thanx.! this helped a lot ii aint kno wut i was guna du bt now i kno hahah thanx again
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!! YOU REALLY HELPED ME OUT ON THIS ONE!!!! ALL THE OTHER KIDS PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE SO ELEMENTRY!!! MINE IS GOING TO GET AN A FOR SURE!!!:D
What grade are you in?
thanks so much ……you really helped me do the science fair project….. onces again thanks alot………….. :0 :>
thnxs so much ur a real help luv jow sum1 taks dere time to help us stundents out nd again tank uuuuu
awesome
this is da best wevsite ever
WOW THIS IS REALLY A GREAT ONE…THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS GREAT WEBSITE…
i luv this website its so kool! rock on
this website is so cool!
i think the same just i cant find a project to do
Ok This is what im gonna do(: This helped so much!!(: thxx!! so much!!! But i still dont kno how im gonna tell every1 bout tha project!!!!
Do you know if it really works cuz i need it for a science fair project.. i better not get it rejected!!
Im Am Also Glad Myself!
I loved your ideas about science project.
its brave and very generous of u to share your vast knowledge free!!! your website has been of tremendous help to me as a science teacher.
thanks alot.
thats a good idea…but where would you place the project? It can’t go inside because it will smell, and you can’t put it outside because it won’t work, thanks to the sun
mane i dont want to do tthis. but i got to pass science class
sounds like a weird but informational project!!
What type of science is this for example; chemistry, Earth and Planetary Science?
Like OMG ! this really works i like love coming here and like picking topics . i mean like its like awesome like when i need to you know like do a project i mean like i know that i can like count on you guys to like help me with my decision . thanks like so much for everything ive used like seven topics of here and all 7 of them i
OMG!!!!This project helped mii sooo much. At first i had no idea what i was gonna do, but no i have a full head going right now. This website is awesome!!! thank you Thank You THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you so much at first i didn’t know what to do i thought i was going to be kicked out of honors THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you sooooooooooooooo much!!!!!! for helping me!!
it help me a lot!!!!!
I hav no idea wat i want to do i might try this for this year
thank u so much i got a A on my science fair project with some of your ideas thank u
thx soooo much but wat material do u need for this ??????? :/
this helped alot i was stuck wat i was gonna do but science isnt for anotha month sooo im in luck i found something this soon usually im not this lucky thanx alot
I love this website i found one and it’s so cool!!!!
IF YOU NEED INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ENCLOSED INSTRUCTION BOOK, CHECK OUT THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ENCLOSED INSTRUCTION BOOK.
I hope i get a good grade im using this project haha. Thanks
thans sooo much. i love this website. i got to get a a on this project!!!!!!!!!!wish me luck!!!!!!!
omg! i love your site! it will help me get an A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thnx very much
thnx so much i won da science fair first place
i need help!!! i need to know if i can test 3 different foods for the same experiment?? what do you recommend me to do??/
i need help!!! can i test 3 different food types for the same esperiment???
umm im doing this project , but i need to know for approximetly how much time do i need to do it?? ( can i do it for one week or its not enough??)
im definetly going to use this on my science fair and thanks for the information. All i need to know is like carolinie said how long will it take? i need to know the exact time please. Especially since im doing this project alone. Thanks for the information.
thanxs very much
OMG i dnt get this my science project is due tomorrow and i havent even started or picked a topic or anything!!! Please help me?
OMG thank you sooo much i didnt have a idea and i have to tell my teacher tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i need help
Thank u so much i finally found my topic i searched about five websites
i need help on a project for the science fair please help me
i think that you should do fireworks of all the same kind and see which 1 blows up better
I need a topic and i dont know what to do… im thinkuing about doing it on mullets
WOW!!!! That mullet idea is cool but i like to blow things up so i wanna do the fireworks if thats ok with you?
ya thats fine but i was telling some1 else that soooo u should do something on different types of bees and if they have the same poisin and if the stinger depends on the pain
Any other cool ideas
Thanks 4 the Help !!!!!!