I need ideas for my son's 6th grade science project.

[Rella Bella]

Hi, I am hoping some of you can share some ideas that will catch my son's imagination.

He doesn't like science, his science teacher doesn't like him (long story), but it will be a large portion of his second quarter grade.

I am hoping to help him find a topic that he will enjoy and just perhaps actually learn something. So if you've seen one or done one I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[mickeyboat]

What are his other interests? Maybe he can incorporate one of those into his project.

When I was in 9th grade, I did one on fingerprinting.

Denae

 

[Nikel]

Yeah, what are his interests? Science is in pretty much everything, so he should be able to find a project to do on whatever interests or hobbies he has. IME, at that age, the grading is primarily on the student's following the instructions and using the scientific method correctly.

 

[KelNottAt]

What type of unit are they studying? photosynthesis? the digestive system? the water cycle? solar system?

 

[Tazicket]

What about growing plants in different colored lights? Sunlight, blue light, red light, green light, etc...

 

[got2travel]

We did one on the Space Shuttle. But then again my DS loves science and wants to be an astronaut.

He likes to eat right? How about growing some veggies or something? Or the digestive system, what happens to his food after he eats it. Is he into sports? How about something on muscles or bones and tie it into sports.

If you are not limited to a particular part of science, there is so much that can be done. He may actually learn to like it after this.

 

[Rella Bella]

Great ideas already... and it also helps me to know how to talk with him about it. I don't think it has to be connected to thier class topic, so it's pretty broad... like you say science is everything!

I don't plan on doing this for him, I just hoped to help him find something that will make it more fun & learning and less "I have to".

Thanks so much!

 

[schmitty]

Let him make pure water from pee. Dig a hole in the ground and pee in it. Then put a cup in the middle of the hole with plastic wrap on top then put alittle bit of sand over the plastic wrap where the cup is. It shows the water cycle and how to purify water.

 

[Briarmom]

When I was a kid I put things (my old lost teeth, pennies, screws) in Coca Cola for 1, 5, and 10 days (so three of each thing) to see how much damage it would do.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I did one as a junior on forensics, blame a huge CSI addiction for the idea.

 

[wowsmom]

We went to this website http://www.sciencebuddies.org/ to get some ideas. They have a "test" you can take to see what you might be interested in and then give suggestions for projects.

I think I got this website from the DIS originally.

 

[liamsaunt]

I placed first in 7th grade with a project on plate tectonics. My other projects (not placed) were on butterflies (6th grade) and allergies (8th grade).

My sister placed first for her grade in science fair every year, the stinker. Her projects were DNA (7th), arteriosclerosis (8th), and....I can't remember the other one.

At our school, I think the biggest portion of the project was the interview-speech part. You would talk about the project with a judging panel and then they'd ask lots of questions. You really had to know your topic inside and out, not just have lots of fancy displays (though those helped too!)

Good luck!

 

[agentpleakley]

Try this website for some cool ideas
http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/

My son has (1) collected meteorites (micro) in our backyard; (2) rock formation & cave formation experiments; and (3) built his own montessori type punnit square box (genes).

His projects have been limited to certain subject areas by the teacher. If you have no limit -- wow - he could really have fun. My DS is more a hands-on learner -- these projects were a great way to help him learn. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Rella Bella]

What great ideas!! I so appreciate them... especially the websites! You guys are the best!!

 

[Frantasmic]

I have tried to talk my daughter into doing this after I heard about (from where I can't remember), but she doesn't want to touch hot dogs.

Get 4 hot dogs and 4 different levels of sunscreen.

Leave one dog unprotected.

Put sunscreen on each of the other dogs. Mark which dog is what level of sunscreen.

Place them under a lamp for 20 minutes a day for 10 days.

Monitor and report results. I think you put the dogs in plastic baggies and still keep them refrigerated between tanning sessions.

 

[darlene9947]

Wow, these are great ideas. I hated science in school (still do!) and my kids are grown now. I would have loved to Have had some of these ideas for them to choose from. I was so glad when they didn't have to do projects anymore!! It was pure torture for me.
Now, hopefully, I'll remember some of these to share with my grandson when he has to start doing projects!