Grades 6-8

These exciting, interdisciplinary resources are easy to do at home with everyday materials. Keep your middle schooler’s science skills sharp and have a little fun along the way!

Kinetic Art: Sculptures in Motion
In this investigation, students create and study unique sculptures that move in interesting ways when acted upon by the force of the wind. Focus on pages 38-40 for (brief article) and 2-5 (activity).

Rocket Activity: Soda Can “Hero Engine”
Construct water-propelled engines from soda cans and investigate ways to increase the action-reaction thrust produced by water shooting out of the cans.

E-Book: The Index Elephant
In this story, young students track a mysterious illness that is killing baby elephants. They learn how doctors and scientists identified the pathogen, found a treatment and are working to make a vaccine.

What is a Neuron?
Build a model neuron (nerve cell) using easy-to-find items, and learn the structure and function of these specialized cells of the nervous system.

Energy for Life
Conduct a real science experiment in your kitchen! Students observe what happens when yeast (a single-celled fungus) is provided with food (table sugar).

Heart Rate and Exercise
Students learn how to measure heart rate by taking a pulse. Then use the “Procedures” tab to conduct an experiment to determine the effects of exercise on heart rate.

Gravity and Buoyancy
Students use water in a plastic bag to predict and model the effects of gravity and buoyancy.
They infer how their findings might impact astronauts during spaceflight.