Student Science and the Real World: Ebola, Spherification, Big Data, and More

All science kits

New in the Science Buddies Store!

Spherification Kit Enables Human Biology Exploration or Tasty Kitchen Science!

With the new Spherification Kit from the Science Buddies Store, students can use molecular gastronomy to create spheres of juice (or another liquid) and experiment to understand the role of pH in the process. If your kids are fans of popping boba, you can make your own with this kit!

Interested in biology or medicine? The spherification kit can also be used to take a hands-on look at the way human blood clots for a better understanding of human biology and of a condition like hemophilia.

Visit the Science Buddies Store to view more convenient science kits.

All Project Ideas

Engaging Students with Computer Science

Making a Game of Learning Computer Programming

An assortment of playful and puzzling activities and lessons available as part of Code.org's Hour of Code initiative encourage kids to give computer programming a try, and the sixty minute format makes it easier for teachers to contemplate adding computer programming to crowded class schedules.

For kids just getting started with computer programming concepts, a game-like approach may make all the difference in showing them that programming is both fun and something they can do. Drag-and-drop and "snap together" programming environments may also help retain student interest. See these posts for more information and for links to exciting computer science projects and resources at Science Buddies for kids ready to move beyond an "hour" of code--or for students looking for a computer science-based science fair project:

Drag-and-drop App Creation

Don't miss our two new computer science projects that use MIT's App Inventor! With App Inventor, students can create apps for Android using a drag-and-drop coding interface. In these two science projects, students design and build their own apps and explore very different real-world scenarios for mobile app use:

Science Buddies Project Ideas in Computer Science are sponsored by Symantec Corporation.

Exploring Big Data Science

Creating and Using Massive Data Sets

Even before there was a term for it, scientists have been amassing and analyzing big data. From the number of base pairs sequenced in the human genome to the number of known asteroids, science is full of big data, and scientists are constantly gathering more and working on tools to better analyze and interpret big data sets.

Students can get a feel for what big data is all about by working on science projects from a wide range of fields. Get started with one of the projects listed on our new Big Data resource.

Science Buddies Project Ideas related to Big Data are sponsored by EMC.

Taking Student STEM Projects 3D with Autodesk

Explore a Medieval Device with Autodesk 3D Design Software

In the Middle Ages, a trebuchet was an important siege tool used to help invading armies break through castle walls. Using the Ping Pong Catapult and one of several Science Buddies Project Ideas, students can explore various factors that affect a catapult's success. But students can really launch an investigation into the physics of trebuchet design using Autodesk computer-aided design software like Autodesk Inventor. More information and starter files are available in the Effect of Trebuchet Arm Length or Counterweight Mass on Projectile Distance* project.

To see more Science Buddies projects which integrate Autodesk software as a way to level up the science project experience, visit our dedicated Science Buddies and Autodesk page.

Science Buddies Blog

Making Student Science Connections

Ebola Outbreak in West Africa Highlights Antiviral Research Process

The current Ebola crisis in West Africa has already topped charts for all Ebola outbreaks in history, and no Ebola-specific antiviral currently exists. Medical biotechnology science projects let students get hands-on with the kinds of bioinformatics tools scientists are using, right now, as they face the ongoing Ebola health crisis.

Project Ideas in Medical Biotechnology are sponsored by

the Amgen Foundation.

A Cool Caterpillar Sighting Leads to Citizen Science

Spotting an unusual caterpillar brings some "eeeews!" for this family but also inspires contribution to a citizen science project. Find out how you can get involved and check out related science projects.

New Project Ideas

Project Guide

Building a Solid Bibliography

Tracking and Citing Your Sources

Doing background research is an important part of a science project, but keeping track of those sources is also very important. Your bibliography should include all of the sources you consult during your project. You can find key information and a handy checklist for preparing your bibliography in the Science Buddies Project Guide.

Citing Science Buddies

If you use a Science Buddies resource or project idea, you will need to include Science Buddies in your bibliography. Did you know that all project ideas contain citation information on the Summary tab in a section called Cite This Page? Take a look at this project to see a sample!

For information regarding citing other pages and resources from Science Buddies, see our FAQ.

The Science Buddies Project Guide is sponsored, in part, by Elmer's Products, Inc.,

our official classroom sponsor.

What is Your Science Project?

Share your science, technology, math, and engineering stories!

Send us photos of your students' projects. Your students might end up featured in a success story on the Science Buddies Blog, in the spotlight at Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or in the newsletter. Let us know, in photos, how the science project went!

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