Science Ideas (5)

Welcome to the Science Area

Meaningful Learning in Science with Reading Comprehension and Writing

Science IDEAS is an instructional model designed to accelerate student achievement in science, reading comprehension and writing. Researched and developed during the last two decades this knowledge-based comprehension model integrates science learning with reading comprehension and writing in a daily two-hour time block.

Students in grades 3-5 are engaged in a variety of inquiry-based hands-on, reading comprehension, writing and concept mapping activities to build students' conceptual understanding of core science concepts while improving their ability to read challenging content area texts. Students in grades 6-8 and Post Secondary classes participate in a modified Science IDEAS model in their content-focused science courses.

The current project is funded through the National Science Foundation, in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) as part of the Interagency Educational Research Initiative (IERI). This initiative focuses on the attributes of successful scale-up of researched validated educational interventions. Science IDEAS was originally validated through five year study in which findings indicated a strong positive impact on student academic achievement in science, reading comprehension and writing as well as attitude and self-efficacy.

Below are some cool site for Science Fair Project:


Grade 4:

• Chemistry 1 - The Magic Of Copper Oxidation The purpose of this science fair project is to create a verdigris finish on a piece of copper. In this science fair project, you will oxidative copper using ammonia. This process will create a verdigris finish on your copper object.

• Chemistry 2 - Find The Bacteria Hiding In Your Milk The purpose of this science fair project is to determine how much bacteria is present in the milk that you drink. It is necessary to find the amount of bacteria present in your milk to make sure that the milk is safe to drink. You can use the "Methylene Blue Test" to determine the amount of bacteria in the milk. Adult supervision is required.

• Chemistry 3 - How To Make Natural Plastic Using Household Items The purpose of this science fair project is to create natural plastic using everyday household items. We use plastic in our lives everyday, but this plastic is synthetically made. In the past, plastic was created from household objects such as plants and the fat of animals. Synthetic plastic of today does not breakdown or deteriorate very easily.

• Chemistry 4 - The Color Removing Properties of Bleach The purpose of this science fair project is to determine the strength of a solution based on the amount of bleach it takes to remove the color from the solution. The solution will consist of water mixed with a specific strength of food coloring. (ie. One drop, two drops, three drops of food coloring and so on.)

• Chemistry 5 - How To Grow Crystals The purpose of this science fair project is to grow beautiful crystals through chemistry. Crystals are solids that have formed in an orderly pattern known as crystallinity. You can create your own crystals by heating water with potash alum. The water absorbs the potash alum which then forms crystals. These crystals can have different shapes such as cubic, hexagonal, tetragonal and many other geometric shapes.

Grade 5:

• Chemistry 1 - Copper Plating without the use of Electroplating Process The purpose of this science fair project is to copper plate a nail by placing the nail in a chemical solution. Often times, items are copper plated or plated by some other type of metal using electroplating.

• Chemistry 2 - Exploring pH Levels - Is the Product Safe? The purpose of this science fair project is to find the pH level of various cosmetics, foods, household cleaners, and medicine. Determining the pH level of an item helps to indicate whether the item is safe for the skin, or to eat or drink. pH is the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance based on a scale of pH 1 to 6. An acidic substance can have a pH ranging between 1 to 6. A pH level of 7 indicates that the substance is neutral. pH levels of 8 to 14 indicate that the substance is a base.

• Chemistry 3 - How To Create Recycled Paper The purpose of this science fair project is to recycle paper using a chemical process. Recycled paper is created through a bleaching process. In this science fair project you will convert old newspapers into useable recycled white paper. Paper can be recycled because it consists of durable wood pulp.

• Chemistry 4 - Vinegar And Baking Soda, The Chemical Secret Behind A Fire Extinguisher The purpose of this science fair project is to create your own fire extinguisher. The chemical process behind a fire extinguisher will be demonstrated, explored, and discussed. A fire extinguisher used in the past was made without the aid of air compression. Instead, a fire extinguisher had to reactive chemical agents.

• Chemistry 5 - How Does Oil Pollution Affect Animals? The purpose of this science fair project is to simulate an oil spill and to test its effects on animals. It is an unfortunate fact that oil spills have occurred in the past and will likely occur again in the future. Scientists and volunteers work together to clean the oil from the animals. What types of substances do they use to clean the animals? Are these substances safe and effective? Which is easier to clean, fur or feathers?

Grade 6:

• Chemistry 1 - What Happens To Chlorine During Water Filtration? The purpose of this science fair project is to determine if chlorine exists in our local rivers and lakes. Why would chlorine be in local rivers and lakes? Chlorine is a chemical substance used to purify water. Chlorine is also used to purify wastewater from water sewage treatment plants.

• Chemistry 2 - The Chemistry Tug-Of-War In Your Stomach The purpose of this science fair project is to explore the acids and bases that play a tug-of-war in your stomach. Your stomach contains strong acids that help you digest food. These stomach acids are so powerful that they could eat a hole through a piece of wood. Therefore, your stomach produces bases to even out the acids. Your stomach produces a basic solution which is known as bicarbonate.

• Chemistry 3 - Why Does An Apple Turn Brown? The purpose of this science fair project is to explore enzymes and how they affect the coloration of various fruits and vegetables. Enzymes are proteins that act as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions. Enzymes are present in a variety of situations from digestion in your body to turning a sliced apple brown. Enzymes are necessary because without enzymes it would take a significant amount of time to digest foods, etc.

• Chemistry 4 - Road Salt - Is It The Fastest Way To Melt Icy Roads? The purpose of this science fair project is to explore the effect of road salt placed on snowy and icy roads. The freezing point for water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature water freezes into ice. Road salt is placed on snowy and icy roads because the salt causes the ice and snow to melt. The chemistry behind this reaction is that salt lowers the melting point or freezing point of water. The salt acts as foreign particles in the water to help the melting process.

• Chemistry 5 - Using The Saponification Process To Make Your Own Soap The purpose of this science fair project is to create your own soap through the saponification process. The formal definition of the word saponification is "A reaction in which an ester is heated with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide, producing a free alcohol and an acid salt, especially alkaline hydrolysis of a fat or oil to make soap." In other words, you will use the highly alkaline chemical called lye and convert it into fats and fatty acids. This will yield soap.