10 Awesome & Easy Homeschool Middle School Science Projects

Got a middle schooler ready to tackle some cool science projects? Over the years I have done some pretty cool projects involving the scientific method with my kids, these are the middle school versions. I’ve gathered ten tried-and-true experiments that my own kids loved—and they’re perfect for the hands-on learner in your house. These activities are easy, fun, and (thankfully) low-mess! Plus, I’ve got some free scientific method printables for middle school to help your young scientist record their observations like a pro. Let’s dive into my 10 easy homeschool middle school science projects.

Structure

In no particular order, I will walk you through the materials required, how we did the experiment, and what my students learned. This will help you get a gist of how you can perform the experiments with your students. But BEWARE, just like in my articles “10 Fun and Easy Science Projects for Grades 1-5,” and “10 Awesome & Easy Homeschool High School Science Projects,” as the homeschool dad, my projects can get pretty crazy and never lack fun!

1. DNA Extraction from Strawberries (Yes, Really!)

You can actually pull the DNA out of a strawberry, and your kids will think it’s the coolest thing ever. It’s like uncovering the secrets of life right in your kitchen.

Materials: Strawberries, dish soap, rubbing alcohol, salt, and a resealable plastic bag.

What We Did: We mashed up the strawberries, mixed in some dish soap and salt, strained the goop, and then added cold alcohol. Like magic, the DNA clumps together!

What They Learned: They got to see DNA, the very stuff that makes up living things. It’s pretty amazing!

 2. Balloon-Powered Car

This one’s got some serious speed and lets your kiddos explore the basics of physics and engineering.

Materials: Balloons, straws, rubber bands, and any lightweight materials you have around the house for the “car” (think bottle caps and cardboard).

How It Went: My kids designed their own car frames, attached the balloon, and then raced them across the floor. Cue the sibling competition!

What They Learned: Thrust, propulsion, and a whole lot about trial and error. And guess what? My free scientific method printables are perfect for keeping track of all those car tweaks!

 3. Build a Simple Circuit

Let’s put those electronics skills to work! This experiment is a hit if you have a tech-loving kiddo.

 Materials: Batteries, light bulbs, copper wire, and tape.

 What We Did: We made a simple circuit to get a light bulb glowing, then played around with different configurations.

 What They Learned: They got hands-on with how electricity flows and learned about conductors and insulators.

4. Invisible Ink with Lemon Juice

Be careful with this one, have you ever gotten lemon juice in your eye? Not good!

Materials: Lemon juice, paper, a cotton swab, and a heat source (like a light bulb or iron).

What We Did: We Wrote a secret message with lemon juice on paper and let it dry. Heat it up, and watch the message reveal itself.

What They Learned:  Acidic reactions and oxidation.

5. Grow a Crystal Garden

This one was terribly fun but does require patience from your students. Here, there is delayed gratification, but the perfect project for the scientific method writing!

Materials: Salt, water, a jar, and a string.

What We Did: Dissolve salt in hot water and tie a string to a pencil, dipping it in the solution. Watch crystals form over days.

What They Learned:  Crystallization and saturation.

7. Egg in Saltwater Density Experiment

Will the eggs sink or float? I remember asking my students this very question. I had them write their guesses on their scientific method printable and it was fun to watch them make their hypothesis and draw pictures.

Materials: Eggs, salt, and cups of water.

What We Did: Place an egg in plain water and saltwater to see if it sinks or floats.

What They Learned: Density and buoyancy.

6. Homemade Barometer

This project is very versatile, you can also include younger students! If you are doing a weather unit study, this project would be perfect!

Materials: A glass jar, a balloon, rubber bands, a straw, and tape.

What We Did: Cut the balloon and stretch it over the jar. Tape the straw to the balloon top and mark changes in the straw’s angle.

What They Learned: Air pressure and weather patterns.

8. Build a Catapult

Listen to this, “a catapult is a forked stick with an elastic band fastened to the two prongs, used by children for shooting small stones; a slingshot.” I thought this was interesting so we went about building it!

Materials: Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and a small spoon.

What We Did: We used rubber bands to assemble a simple catapult and test launch small items.

What They Learned:  Force, energy, and trajectory.

9. Homemade Compass

You know the saying “follow the northern star,” when you get lost. Well, we don’t live in the country, and I am not sure how true this is. As the father, I need to give clear directions, so this one got me brownie points with my wife, lol.

Materials: A bowl of water, a needle, a magnet, and a piece of cork.

What We Did: We rubed the needle with a magnet, placed it on cork in water, and watched it point north.

What They Learned:  Magnetism and Earth’s magnetic field. Score!

10. Make a Periscope

This science experiment came about when my daughter asked “What’s a periscope?” During our read aloud time. We looked it up together, “an apparatus consisting of a tube attached to a set of mirrors or prisms, by which an observer (typically in a submerged submarine or behind a high obstacle) can see things that are otherwise out of sight.”

But we needed to know more, and this project came about!

Materials: Two small mirrors, cardboard, Scissors or a box cutter (adult supervision required!), and tape.

What We Did: Construct a periscope and let your kids see around corners. This project took us about an hour and was the biggest in my opinion.

Here are the full instructions:

Prepare the Cardboard Tube:

If you’re using a single, longer tube, measure and mark two rectangular cutouts on each end. These cutouts should be slightly smaller than your mirrors, positioned at a 45-degree angle from the top and bottom openings.

Cut out these rectangles so that each one faces the opposite side (top cutout facing forward, bottom cutout facing backward).

Position the Mirrors:

Place the first mirror inside the top cutout, angled at 45 degrees, so it reflects light down the tube.

Tape the mirror securely to keep it in place.

Now, place the second mirror in the bottom cutout, angled at 45 degrees so that it reflects light from the top mirror toward the user’s eye.

Make sure both mirrors are aligned so that when you look into the bottom opening, you can see out the top.

Test Your Periscope:

Hold the periscope up to your eye and angle it to look around a corner, over a table, or around any object blocking your view.

Adjust the mirrors if needed until you have a clear line of sight.

What They Learned: The two mirrors inside the periscope are set at angles that bounce light from one mirror to the other. When you look into the bottom opening, the top mirror reflects what’s above or around a corner, allowing you to see things that are out of your direct line of sight!

This project demonstrates reflection and the basic principles of how periscopes (like those used in submarines) allow people to see things from a different angle. It’s an easy and exciting way for kids to learn about light and optics!

Don’t Forget the Free Scientific Method Printables!

Each of these projects is a fantastic opportunity for middle schoolers to practice using the scientific method, and my free middle school scientific method printables will help them record hypotheses, observations, and results. Grab these printables to make your science time even more organized (and to get a little bonus writing practice in, too! You’re welcome).

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