Recommended for middle school students! A collection of quick science project ideas you can do in a short time.

Smartphone app development

[No programming required] 3 recommended tools for beginners to develop smartphone apps

It’s an era where you can easily create apps as long as you have a computer.

How about trying to make your own smartphone app? If you search online, you’ll find plenty of beginner-friendly guides on app development, so give them a look.

It’s especially recommended for those who aspire to become engineers in the future.

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Araki Jakkan

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Binchotan charcoal battery

Experimental Recipe: Let's Make a Binchotan Charcoal Battery!

This is a power-generation experiment using binchotan charcoal.

Wrap the charcoal in tissue paper and soak it in salt water.

Then wrap it in aluminum foil, and you’re ready.

If you connect it to a sound-emitting device like in the video or to a small light bulb, you can see that electricity is flowing.

It’s an easy science experiment.

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Cardboard projector

[Experiment] I tried making a cardboard projector using only items from a 100-yen shop! [DIY]

Why not try making your own projector? It’s simple: all you need is a cardboard box, a magnifying glass, and a smartphone.

Cut a circular hole in the side of the cardboard and mount the magnifying glass lens, then just play a video on your smartphone.

That’s all it takes to complete your original homemade projector.

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The Irritation Stick made with 100-yen store items

@rollercoaster002

#Summer VacationIndependent ResearchInvention and ingenuityworkSimple craft#100-yen-shop100-yen shop craftsElementary school craftJunior high school student crafts#IrritationStickElectrical work

Original Song – Craft Team STARSS – Craft Team STARSS

Let’s make a steady-hand game using materials from a 100-yen shop and learn about electricity! The materials are: a foam brick, a personal safety alarm, aluminum wire, copper wire, and vinyl tape.

Remove the switch from the circuit board inside the safety alarm and insert and solder the copper wire.

Wrap the copper wire with vinyl tape to cover it.

Shape the aluminum wire however you like, insert it into the foam brick, and connect one end of the copper wire to it.

Now your steady-hand game is complete! When you touch the remaining copper wire to the aluminum wire, the safety alarm will sound.

If the alarm doesn’t sound, it means the electrical circuit from positive to negative isn’t connected.

Check it again.

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sasashina

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Shiny 10-yen coin experiment

Independent Research for Middle Schoolers: 'The Shiny 10-Yen Coin Experiment and Considerations' (Doyama Kei)

Even though a 10-yen coin is just 10 yen, a brand-new, shiny one somehow feels special, doesn’t it? It shouldn’t be worth more than 10 yen, and yet… The human heart really is a mystery.

Let’s try making a 10-yen coin shine.

This is a popular independent study topic for elementary school students, so as a plus, let’s add a middle-school-level perspective.

For example, experiments using strong acids or weak alkaline chemicals that elementary students likely wouldn’t know about.

You could also add originality by using purified water for rinsing, employing a high-pressure washer, and so on—these touches will give your research more credibility.

Mold Growth Experiment

Independent Research for Middle Schoolers: Checking and Analyzing How Mold Grows (Dōyama Kei)

Mold is something you see a lot during the rainy season.

It doesn’t just show up in the back of closets or storage spaces—it can also grow on foods like bread and cookies, which can be really unpleasant.

However, some types of mold are actually useful for making vaccines.

And of course, they’re the unsung heroes essential for producing things like cheese and bacon.

Doing an independent study on different kinds of mold is also recommended! Researching types of anti-mold agents and the environments where mold grows easily could even lead to unexpected discoveries.

Just be sure not to forget your mask when studying mold!

Let’s try mixing water and oil

[Independent Research by a Former Tutor and Cram School Instructor Mom] Let’s Try Mixing Water and Oil!

This is an experiment to see what happens when you mix water and oil.

First, make colored water by adding food coloring to a glass of water.

In a separate glass, pour in some oil, then carefully pour the colored water on top.

Strangely, the colored water you added last will settle at the bottom of the glass, and the oil will form a layer on top.

Even if you stir it with a stick, they won’t mix at all.

It’s a fun experiment that overturns the common belief that liquids mix with each other.

Give it a try! The non-mixing liquid you make can also be put into a bottle to create a playful decorative piece.

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sasashina

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