Topic: Science Project Suggestions?

[Weisshaupt]

Hi All,

Well my kids are back in the brick and Mortar charter ( I went to Back to School Night and didn't see any posters or hear any comments that made be desire to throttle anyone, so that is a good sign. )  and my son has a mandatory science project for the science fair..  but doesn't have a clue what he wants to do.  I am all physics  and engineering, but I was wondering if anyone here has suggestions for cool and unusual projects they have done, seen or been exposed to...

Right now I am pushing him towards a Thermo-acoustic project - either a electrical generator using a bunsen burner, or a refrigerator  using a sound generator. I like this one largely because I wasn't exposed to it till I found it on my own, and I don't think it typically shows up at science fairs - plus you can push the whole 3rd world stove angle and convince the libtards to promote you to the State competition. (because its not about the science, its about the agenda. It always is with these people)

Other ideas involve a Stirling engine ( yeah, I just want an excuse to buy one - and this ones a beauty)  - a Wimhurst generator ( Yeah, I want to buy one of those too) ,  do something with a Peltier Junction or do a real mock up of a PV array, or even a Fuel cell ( like the one I was talking about in the Teotwawki thread)   We also suggested doing Aquaponics or working on the control system for such a setup since we will be doing that anyway, but he didn't seem interested.

Anyone have other cool ideas I can present to him?

[Libertas]

I reckon we're talking about more than goofing off with pop bottles and Mentos.   

Perhaps those with kids got some ideas but I think something like demonstrating geothermal energy might be fun and could go far competition wise.  Something a little more elaborate than the typical household items fare, make a powerplant that not only produces heat and turns something, but turning something to pump water and generate a small electrical current that lights something up would be kind of neat.

Anyway, good luck and have fun.   

[benb61]

Those choices are all really cool, but the easy standard is robotics and Lego has some cool kits here.

[Weisshaupt]

Those choices are all really cool, but the easy standard is robotics and Lego has some cool kits here.

Yeah, He is already participating in First Lego League at School , and really the robotics stuff is too easy for him unless I push him to an Arduino or Strawberry PI  platform and make him actually try to make something from scratch. (Like an aquaponics control system..) 

[Glock32]

How about a formal proof of 3 x 4 = 11?

[pisskop]

Hohoho

How about a formal proof of 3 x 4 = 11?

Pass that to me when you finish, because I'm still lost about it. . .

[Weisshaupt]

They have got to be kidding me..  apparently there is a limit on what one can spend on this project - of $35.  Yeah, I get why there needs to be a limit, but $35?
How much is a big poster board now? $8? Sorry kid, but your display board just took 1/3 of your project money.  So Thermoacoustics it will be - probably can do refrigeration or electric generation, but not both, and no you can't use your Father's  PC based Oscilloscope,  or PC based signal generator.  much less the bazillion project materials he has lying around ( switches, transformers, hookup wire, heating element wire, etc) because you have to provide a receipt for it all.  After all, this is public school, and you should be prevented  from actually learning anything by your budget - which is too small to buy the family a single  meal at Chili's. .   Calling it a science fair is just a ruse to make others think you are learning science.

SO Yeah, I am still figuring out the rules- maybe they aren't as stupidly restrictive as all that.   But if he uses my el-cheapo $30 Digital Multimeter with temp probe- does that blow his budget too?  What about my good $15  chemistry thermometer? What about a home PC instead of a School PC to write up his reports and generate the posters for the poster board.  On No Kinko's printed them-- now his entire budget is gone. Want to Hamsters and a maze? Nope. Hamster and Costs $30. You don't have enough money for a poster board, much less materials to build a maze out of. Better capture your rodent in the wild kid (don't get rabies) and don't forget to get a receipt for it from mother nature. Otherwise how will they know you got it for "free"?

 Seriously. What year do they think it is?  1975? The Budget needs to be at least $80, and probably should be closer to a  $150 max.  That doesn't mean anyone is obligated to spend that,  but it does mean your kid can do serious project if they want to. If they wanted to do a Stirling engine, or a wimhurst generator and they wanted to build it from scratch (and yeah both would be possible to do - and I have seen stirlings made form test tubes.. that but it would  require some serious machining skills)  be enven then your materials costs are likely to exceed $35.

[LadyVirginia]

They have got to be kidding me..  apparently there is a limit on what one can spend on this project - of $35.  Yeah, I get why there needs to be a limit, but $35?

Well, to be fair to everyone you know...
And to ensure no one does anything really interesting...!


Anyway for 20 years I've said I homeschool for my kids' sake (which is true) but last year I realized as a parent I would've never survived public school!

[Libertas]

I take it that is out of pocket, or do they assign retail cost to something just laying around the house if it was used to augment the new $35 spent?  Jeesh, what killjoys?  $35?!  OK, I don't even know if a basic kit of some kind bought online at Edmund Scientific or someplace like that can be that cheap!

[pisskop]

Scavenge for wires and parts! Id tell you to turn that into a social science report on the troubles of blah-blah, but I rather like it here.