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If you have middle school-aged students, these STEM projects for middle school will be great additions to your collection of STEAM activities for kids.
STEM projects are not just for preschoolers and elementary students. They can also be a lot of fun for middle school students too!
They allow students to explore their creative side while still learning important scientific concepts.
In this blog post, we will share some of our favorite STEM projects for middle schoolers. If you are working with kids between the ages of 11 and 15, these projects are going to be right up your alley – I can speak from experience!
You could even share these STEM activities with your high school learners if you wanted! The choice is yours.
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16+ STEM Projects For Middle Schoolers
Your tweens and teens are going to love this collection of STEM projects for middle schoolers!
Middle school science is the perfect time to learn about DNA and what better way to do that than with this edible DNA model?
Composting is a great way to reduce your waste and help the environment.
Did you know that you can do a composting STEM project with your teenager? It's easy, and it's a fun way to learn about science and recycling.
Read on for instructions on how to get started.
My daughter was 11 the first time she made a homemade archery bow from PVC pipe. And with these simple instructions, now your middle schoolers can too!
Who doesn't love a good bath bomb? They make your baths so much more fun and relaxing. Plus, they're pretty to look at. But have you ever thought about how they're made? It's actually a lot of science!
This STEM experiment is great for showcasing chemistry at its finest. Work with chemical reactions, learn about citric acid (C₆H₈O₇), baking soda (NaHCO₃), and how they react when they combine (3NaHCO3 + C6H8O7 → C6H5Na3O7 + 3CO2 + 3H2O).
Learn about catalysts and why they are important. You could even take this adventure further and dive into teenaged entrepreneurship!
It's all very complicated and extremely fascinating. Plus when you're done, you'll have some fun bath bombs to enjoy!
Anybody can grow salt crystals on pipe cleaners. But can your middle schoolers grow crystals inside of egg shells? This STEM project is at a whole new level and your tweens and teens will love it.
This soda bottle rocket is the middle school version of the diet coke and mentos experiment.
Not many kids have made edible stained glass. This STEM project can be enjoyed using melted Jolly Ranchers or homemade hard candy.
Challenge your middle schoolers to learn how different ingredients in a cookie recipe react and then have them design their own perfect recipe!
With this STEM project, middle schoolers will get to experiment with different materials, ingredients, and even architectural designs while building their very own gingerbread structures!
Not many middle schoolers can say they made their very own classroom aquaponics while they were growing up. With this fun engineering challenge, soon yours will!
Learn about graphing and data tracking in an engaging and fun way by testing out various paper airplane designs! This critical thinking activity is perfect for older kids.
Paper mache can be a challenging project but your middle schoolers are sure to learn a lot. What more could you ask for in a STEM curriculum?
Anybody can buy ice cream but can your kids make their own? Without an ice cream maker? This STEM project will get your kids thinking and moving at the same time.
Can your tweens make a bridge that will support a good amount of weight - using only toothpicks and candy? They'll learn about physics while they enjoy this STEM project.
In today's economy, your students will appreciate learning how to regrow food from kitchen scraps. They'll learn about science, biology, botany, and of course, how to save money!
Learn what seedings need to survive and thrive while also learning how to benefit the environment and of course, your garden plants and animals.
What Is STEM?
Have you ever asked yourself, What is a STEM Activity? STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. Oftentimes people will add in an A (STEAM) for art.
A STEM activity is an activity that covers all or most of these topics. It’s a great way to get kids interested in multiple subjects at once. And a great STEM activity is one that is open-ended and challenges kids to discover new solutions to real-world problems with unique challenges.
Why Should You Do STEM Projects With Your Middle Schooler?
There are many benefits to doing STEM activities with kids. They help children to think critically, solve problems, and be creative.
They also allow kids to learn about important scientific concepts in a fun and hands-on way.
In addition, STEM activities often require kids to work together in teams. This is a great opportunity for them to practice communication and collaboration skills.
And finally, STEM activities are just plain fun! They are a great way to get kids excited about learning. So what are you waiting for? Keep reading to find all of our favorite STEM projects for middle school students.
Scientific Method Worksheets – Free Download
Before you move on, we’ve got some free scientific method worksheets for you to download and enjoy. These printable worksheets are useful for any science experiment, science project, STEM challenge, or STEM projects your students might be engaging in.
Turn every science project and STEAM activity into a thought-provoking STEM challenge. Plus give left brain and right brain kiddos alike a chance to utilize their strengths and improve their weaknesses. Get yours now!
More STEM Resources for Middle Schoolers
If you’re serious about gathering some top-notch STEM resources for your middle schoolers’ STEM education, check out these ideas!
- Engineering Projects for Middle Schoolers
- Bacteria Growing Kit
- LEGO STEM Activities for Middle Schoolers
- STEM Board Games
- Cow Eye Dissection Kit
- STEM Made Easy Books
- STEM Activities for Middle School Students
- Team Building STEM Activities
- Edible Science Experiments
- LEGO STEM Activities
- STEM Night Activities
More Middle School STEM Project Ideas
In addition to the projects listed above, be sure to try out these other fun STEM activities with your middle school students! Whether you homeschool or school traditionally, these problem-solving activities will give your students a boost in any future STEM career.
- Build a bridge out of popsicle sticks (AKA craft sticks) or paper towel rolls (a great way to build engineering skills!)
- Make a popsicle stick exploding bridge (an exciting STEM activity for elementary school, middle school, and high school students!)
- Create a Rube Goldberg machine that performs a simple task
- Code a basic computer game
- Extract DNA from strawberries
- Have an egg drop (would also make a good team-building activity)
- Create a pipe insulation roller coaster (a fun way to teach students the engineering design process)
- Create a simple circuit
- Make a solar oven
- Experiment with chemical reactions
- Make your own simple machines
- Design and code a simple app (a fun STEM challenge!)
- Make lava lamps
- Build a geodesic dome out of straws
- Design and launch a water bottle rocket
- Design and build a go-kart
- Create a stop-motion animation
As you can see, there is no limit to the amount of STEM learning projects and science experiment ideas for tweens and teens.
Do you have any other great STEM project ideas for middle schoolers? We’d love to hear them! Share your ideas in the comments below.
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