| It is every parents nightmare. On Tuesday night, thirty | | | | keep the cars!) with different kinds of batteries. |
| minutes before bed time, your child suddenly | | | | Test and see if temperature affects the strength of a |
| remembers that he has a science project due the | | | | magnet. Buy several of the same magnet, and stick |
| next day. And not just any science project - a science | | | | one in the fridge, on in the freezer, one on the counter, |
| experiment. You hastily dig the assignment sheet - | | | | and one in a slightly warm oven. Take the temperature |
| crumpled and forgotten - out of his backpack and feel | | | | of each before testing their strength in attracting a |
| more exhausted by the second as you read the | | | | growing number of paper clips. Rate their performance |
| requirements: three part whiteboard display, minimum | | | | in number of paper clips |
| two weeks data collection, full use of the scientific | | | | See what the best insulator is to keep ice from melting. |
| method, written summary of findings. | | | | The downside to this experiment for kids is that they |
| You take a deep breath, and think - what could you | | | | don't get to keep any magnets or cars! But the upside |
| possibly do for a kid's science experiment in one night? | | | | for parents is that you can probably reuse the |
| Well, we may not be able to shrink time so that you | | | | different materials for insulation - or you may even |
| can put together two weeks worth of data in 12 hours, | | | | have them on hand: an ice chest, wood, foam, cloth, |
| but here are a few ideas that can help you out in a | | | | and anything else you can think of. |
| pinch: | | | | Pour five different liquids - oil, water, vinegar, soda pop, |
| First: The Scientific Method (A Review for Parents): | | | | juice of the same amount into the same kind of |
| 1. Define the Question | | | | containers and monitor the rate at which they freeze. |
| 2. Locate Resources and Gather Information | | | | Do some liquids reach 32 degrees faster than others? |
| 3. Formulate a Hypothesis | | | | Done: Write it Up |
| 4. Plan Research Collection Methods | | | | After you finish your testing, all you have to do is help |
| 5. Collect Data | | | | your child summarize the findings and illustrate them on |
| 6. Organize and Analyze Data | | | | a white board with markets and construction paper - |
| 7. Interpret Data and Draw Conclusions | | | | your printer might come in handy here too. Voila! An |
| 8. Describe the Results | | | | awesome - and easy - science experiment to the |
| Next: Some Ideas for Kids' Science Experiments | | | | rescue. And if you are really lucky, your child's teacher |
| Test what kind of battery lasts the longest by racing | | | | won't even notice the twelve hour data timeline. |
| five sets of the same car (bonus: your child gets to | | | | |