8th grade science fail project ideas needed

My 8th grade daughter needs to do a science project, but we can't come up with any good ideas.
We were going to build sugar rocket motors but they said she can't do that because of the fire hazard. "Sissies!"

She also doesn't want the same ole generic project either.

Ideas ATS?
Any help would be appreciated

originally posted by: Bluntone22
My 8th grade daughter needs to do a science project, but we can't come up with any good ideas.
We were going to build sugar rocket motors but they said she can't do that because of the fire hazard. "Sissies!"

She also doesn't want the same ole generic project either.

Ideas ATS?
Any help would be appreciated

Pulse detonation engine using hybrid power?? May take a few hours mind..

Eternal life pill..

What about something in the Astronomy field?? maybe a way of calculating the terminator on the moon, (Not the cyborg) but the shadow that is cast that moves at a "do not quote me" 700mph..

Or a spectra scope "Rainbow" that shows the chemical elements of our Sun..

How old is a 8th grader anyway???


RA

a reply to: Bluntone22

Check out hackaday.com there are a bunch or projects of every level of comfort usually with step by steps.

a reply to: slider1982


14 and I think the eternal life pill project isn't until 10th grade.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: slider1982


14 and I think the eternal life pill project isn't until 10th grade.

Oh 14, older than I thought...

In that case get her to fly a demo of the old shuttle, just dust it off get some unleaded fuel and away you go, she could read the flight brief and hand book on the bus .. Should get her a decent grade but then I do not know what teachers want these days??..




RA

a reply to: Bluntone22

Do you have a microscope? I had an old one years ago and in 8th grade I did an experiment growing bacteria in all kinds of conditions and temps then differentiated what I found best I could. Was really fun too.

a reply to: Bluntone22

How much time does she have?

You could set up a small aquarium and she could raise some easy fish. Livebearers like mollies or platies. I would say guppies because they are livebearers too, but I've always found them somewhat delicate.

She would need a month or so to get her tank running properly before introducing fish. She can do cycling which opens the door for all kinds of chemistry testing and charting of water quality conditions and changes. I don't know how complicated it would be for her to actually try isolating the bacteria that change in the water column during that time, but that's a possibility too if you do some research on it.

She can continue to chart her water quality after adding the fish, but then she can add her observations of fish health and behavior.

It takes roughly another month for livebearers to bear their first spawn of fry (assuming you don't buy them pregnant which is a distinct possibility).

Anyhow, that's my thought.

It can be a costly little experiment if you are starting from scratch -- you will need a tank, substrate, filter, etc. However, with livebearers, you can scrimp some. Tank can be bought fairly cheaply if you don't get a kit. Then just buy sand at a hardware store and rinse it well. Get a simple corner sponge filter. The heater will need to keep the tank between 72 to 75 if you don't have somewhere in your house that stays there naturally. Plastic plants are fine.

Have her research how to cycle and invest in the testing kits to track the cycling progress. And have her keep careful charts and observations.

Raspberry Pi and get it to do the national anthem? theres probably loads you can do with the Pi imagine setting off a load of small explosive caps in some sort of order with different colours etc.

The best thing with electronics projects is generally you can test them till it works near 100%

Statistical probability study of psychic occurrence using the cards.

a reply to: ketsuko

She has about a month.

a reply to: Bluntone22

are there any rules on what can or cannot be done?

a reply to: Maxatoria

No explosive or flammable.
No animals.
No drugs or alcohol.

a reply to: Bluntone22


Even if you don't want to grow things.....she can still buy prepared slides with all kinds of stuff. Then make charts/graphs and explain different types of bacteria to the judges and classmates on the scope.

isnt the point of a science project to :

THINK

not simply regurgitate someone elses ideas and copied apparatus ?

i am not being negative - but i would be more impressed with a very simple concept that was 100 % the childs own idea than some elaborate act of plaigarism

a reply to: ignorant_ape

It is also to learn science. Show and present....doesn't have to be novel.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Determine the accuracy of the weather report from 5 days out, 4 days out, 3 days out, 2 days, out, 1 day out.

Do it for all 3 network news stations.

Pick any "day" and start recording what they say the weather will be.

It uses math. You can get charts that show accuracy.

Might even get one of the local news stations to help her.

a reply to: Bluntone22

You could get a lantern battery and a couple of wires and a iron bolt (not stainless steel) and make an electro-magnet. I did this as a boy and rigged it up into a magnetic crane and made a auto junkyard diorama with matchbox cars

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: Maxatoria

No explosive or flammable.
No animals.
No drugs or alcohol.

Hmmm. same rules my wife laid down to reconcile or relationship

a reply to: ignorant_ape


Well I'm not asking to copy somebody else's project.
She will do all the work but needs some inspiration to get started.

a reply to: Bluntone22

If you know anyone who works in a microbiology lab, get some agar and sheep's blood plates and sterile swabs. I did that one year with my daughter. We swabbed the teacher's restroom door handle...the inside, not the outside, the office phones, keyboards and desks, the water fountain and a few other things and plated the samples, incubated for 36 hours in the micro lab, and published our results with photos identifying each contaminant that colonized.

It was such a hit that to this day, her project sits on display in the school library behind glass. We found gobs of yucky whatnot. Mold, staph bacteria, enterococcal bacteria, dead skin cells and other flora on every surface we tested. The kicker was the teacher's inside restroom door knob...it was covered in E. Coli and that is a direct result of people not washing their hands after they use the bathroom.

Needless to say, hand washing quickly became a major focus in the school. She also did a demonstration on how to properly wash hands...most people don't even come close to actually sanitising their hands when they wash them, regardless of how much or what type of soap they use. That is a fact.

A hospital laboratory would probably be happy to donate supplies and show you how to plate samples...improper hand washing is the number one cause of the spread of disease in the world. It's super easy to do this project and it's an excellent learning tool for everyone that can be applied in every day life.