VanCleave's Science Fun

Your Guide to Science Projects, Fun Experiments, and Science Research

ABOUT THE SOUND PICTURE

With mouth wide open, vibrating air coming up the throat from the vocal chords leaving the open mouth and spreading in all directions. Hi, I am Janice VanCleave, author of 50+ best-selling science experiment books for children ages 4 through high school. I taught science for 27 years and now am creating this science website.   My scream was not staged. The picture was to be of two adult cats, which I was holding. A microsecond before the camera snapped, the two cats dug their claws into my skin as they prepared to leap out of my arms. A picture like this is great for making inferences. Kids could make "guesses" as to why I am screaming. They would be drawing on facts from the photo, such as I look like I am in pain or maybe I am just pretending.

Sound Supplies and Sound Investigations

Educational Innovation Sound Supplies A black and yellow logo for Educational Innovations. A place to find fun science supplies.

Growing Rock Candy: Variables

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Experiment for Growing Sugar Crystals Variables Dependent Variable: amount of sugar crystals collected Independent Variable: The independent variable is a part of the experiment that if changed could affect the dependent variable.I have identified all the possible independent variables in the following descriptive experiment. Notice that instead of just making a list of the variables, […]

Balloon Rocket Projects

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Science Fair Project Category: Astrophysics Topic: Balloon Rocket Introduction The development of the science fair project described in this booklet can be used for any 6th through 12th grade student. This is because the basic process is the same no matter what grade you are in. The difference is in the complexity of the project. […]

Science Project: Halite Crystals

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Halite is a mineral with a cubic geometric shape.  Halite crystals form when water evaporates from a sodium chloride solution. Crystals forming due to evaporation are called evaporites. Thus, halite crystals are evaporites. Discover for Yourself You can grow halite crystals using table salt, which is the common name for sodium chloride. Make a saturated solution […]

Scientific Method Scripted Lesson

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Following is a lessons prepared for a pre-K class. It can be adapted for any age group. ——————————————————————————- This lesson uses the mixing of primary colors to teach how the five senses are used to make observations. Hypothesis, called guesses for young learners, will be made and testing done to determine if the hypothesis is […]

Science Fair Projects: Topics

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If your goal is to get an A+ on your project, win awards at the science fair, and learn many new things about science, then choose a topic that interests you. If you find after some work that your topic is not as interesting as you originally thought, if possible stop and select another one. […]

Science Fair Project: Energy

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Hi, All of the links on this post are not working—I am in the process of correcting this problem. Janice Before you start your project, acknowledge that you are preparing an entry to a contest. Contests, whether they are associated with sports or academics have rules. Football players must follow the rules to score. Science […]

Engineering Projects

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Engineering projects may be part of a science fair, but each has a different set of guidelines for solving problems or finding answers to questions. The process for science fair projects is called the Scientific Method. The process used to develop an engineering fair project is called the Engineering Method. These different methods stem from […]

Engineering Project Judging

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Janice VanCleave’s Engineering for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning About Engineering Fun   Ideas that can be developed into Engineering Projects. The following guidelines are set by the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Note that these guidelines address judging of both science projects and engineering projects. This comparison gives you clues about […]

Science Fair Committees

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Judging Committee This group invites and and notifies judges of date, time and location where they will work. Familiarizes judges with the judging criteria for the grade level they will be evaluating (a ratio of one judge per 20 projects is recommended, with three judges per project); provides judges materials, such as a clip board […]