Stand out with your junior high school independent research! A collection of fun experiment and craft ideas

Wasei-Eigo (Japanese-made English)

Is “mansion” Japanglish? “Condominium” [#026]

Words that look like English but are used uniquely in Japan, such as “consento” (electrical outlet), “one-piece” (dress), and “cunning” (cheating), are called wasei-eigo, or Japanese-made English.

These days, katakana words are full of wasei-eigo.

It often turns out that the katakana words we casually use every day are actually wasei-eigo.

Simply collecting and compiling these terms could be considered highly practical research.

If you take it a step further and investigate the origins of the words, it will feel even more like proper research.

Jomon pottery making

[Independent Research Festa 2022] Making Jomon Pottery — Provided by: Tsurumi University Junior High School

Jomon pottery, which supported the lives of ancient people, might be something you only ever encounter in history class.

How about trying to see for yourself how such pottery was made, using your own hands? The process is simple—knead the clay, shape it into a vessel, and let it dry—so it’s easy to enjoy casually as well.

You can try faithfully recreating pieces by referring to textbooks and other sources, or you might have fun coming up with an original design.

If you manage to make something sturdy enough to actually use, it will make the experience even more rewarding.

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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!

Experiment to make clear ice

[Independent Research] An experiment to easily make clear ice in one day! Recommended for elementary and middle school students. [Light] [Reflection]

If you take a close look at the ice in drinks served at shops or the ice cubes sold in stores, they’re beautifully clear.

Meanwhile, the ice you make at home often looks cloudy, doesn’t it? That’s because clear ice contains fewer impurities and is frozen slowly over time.

Once you know the trick, it’s nothing special—but turning this mystery into a science project could be fun.

People often say you can make clear ice by wrapping water in bubble wrap (the cushioning material) and chilling it, but it would be great to run comparative experiments on those conditions.

Ultra-clear ice really draws attention!

Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment

Independent Research for Middle Schoolers: How to Conduct and Analyze the Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment (Kei Doyama)

A highly recommended project for anyone looking for a classic, science-focused independent study is the “baking soda and vinegar experiment.” If you’re in middle school, you’ve probably produced various gases in science class.

For example, oxygen is generated by mixing manganese dioxide and hydrogen peroxide.

In the experiment introduced here, mixing baking soda and vinegar produces carbon dioxide.

There are many ways to present it, such as inflating a balloon or a glove with the generated carbon dioxide.

The “baking soda × vinegar” experiment is also a versatile idea that can be adapted into a project like “making different gases using everyday materials.”

If you cool a ping-pong ball to -196°C, it turns into a Beyblade.

If you cool a ping-pong ball to -196°C, it turns into a Beyblade [Shocking]

You can actually recreate the Beyblades we used to play with using ping-pong balls! The method is simple: just put a ping-pong ball into liquid nitrogen at -196°C and warm it up! Why does the ping-pong ball end up spinning so fast like this? How about turning this super fun experiment into a science project?