![[Middle School Students] Easy One-Day Science Projects and Crafts Ideas](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/bfdaAKcAKH4/maxresdefault.webp)
Have you already decided on your summer vacation independent research project? It’s easy to panic when you feel you have to do it but don’t have much time.
For junior high school students like that, here are some simple research and craft ideas you can complete in a day.
Once you gather the necessary materials, you can start right away! For example, there are experiments using everyday items and fun crafts you can make.
If you enjoy it, you’ll finish in no time.
After the experiment, write up your summary and reflections in a report.
That’s the most important part of the project.
Start thinking about it early so you can enjoy your summer vacation!
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[For Middle Schoolers] Simple One-Day Science Project & Craft Ideas (1–10)
Making an instant cold pack
Are you familiar with instant cold packs that get cold when you smack them? They’re really handy in the hot summer—basically the cool version of a hand warmer.
In fact, you can make one yourself! The necessary material, urea, is sold as a fertilizer, so it should be easy to get.
When water and urea mix, an endothermic reaction occurs.
Let’s put together a report on how that works!
Let’s make a leaf vein specimen
Let’s make a leaf vein specimen using leaves you can find around you.
First, bring water with 3 tablespoons of baking soda to a boil and add the leaves.
Simmer for about 15 minutes, then when the water turns brown and the leaves become limp, remove the leaves.
This softens the pigments other than the veins.
Next, rinse the leaves under running water and gently tap them with a toothbrush to scrape away everything except the veins.
Be sure to choose sturdy, relatively tough leaves for this experiment.
Telescope Making
Let’s try making a telescope that lets you see distant objects large and clearly using materials that are easy to get.
Precisely because we’re building it with familiar items, it helps dispel the idea that it’s difficult while also teaching how a telescope works.
The tube section will be made from cardboard and a potato chip can, and the lenses will come from a magnifying glass and reading glasses.
It’s a simple process of mounting each lens inside the tube, but small touches—like surrounding the lenses with black paper—are also important.
It’s recommended to make small adjustments as you go, thinking about how to achieve a clearer image.
Create a sunset with a plastic bottle
This is an experiment that analyzes how the beautifully spreading sunset in the sky occurs and uses that mechanism to create a sunset-like light gradient.
We use a plastic bottle filled with water and a flashlight shining light through it, and observe how the light changes depending on what we add to the bottle.
A clear example is adding soapy water—you can see the colors shift more as you move farther from the light.
This is a phenomenon caused by the scattering of light as it passes through the medium, and it could be interesting to take cues from what is contained in the atmosphere.
Snow globe made from an empty bottle
Many people have probably received or bought snow globes as souvenirs or gifts.
Why not try making one with an empty jar? It’s easier than you think, and the result is beautiful and soothing.
All you need is an empty jar, a melamine sponge, liquid laundry starch (or thick laundry glue), small figurines or similar parts, and some glitter.
You can get them cheaply at a 100-yen shop.
First, attach the melamine sponge to the inside of the jar lid, then glue the figurines or other parts onto the sponge.
Put glitter into the jar itself, add laundry starch and water, mix, and screw on the lid—that’s it!
Make ice cream with salt and ice
This is a study that lets you make ice cream—an essential summer treat—while also experiencing elements of science through a cooking-based method.
Put ice in a large bowl and sprinkle salt over it, then place a smaller bowl containing the ice cream mixture on top so the cold can transfer, and stir.
Use a thermometer to record how the temperature changes with the combination of ice and salt, and think about what you can do to lower the temperature even more.
The key is understanding the mechanism that lowers the temperature, and a fun bonus is that you can make your favorite kind of ice cream.
An experiment to make a raw egg float in water
This is an experiment to test how to make a raw egg that sinks in water float.
The procedure is simple: mix table salt into water and place a raw egg in it.
Gradually add more salt and record the amount needed until the egg floats.
The point at which it floats can vary depending on the condition of the egg, so it’s recommended to try several eggs and take the average.
It could also be interesting to explore variations, such as whether you can make things float using substances other than salt, or whether you can float objects other than raw eggs.