Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects help students in many ways. They assist them in developing critical thinking skills, collaborating with peers, and preparing for exciting job opportunities in growing fields.
In other words, there are many benefits to nurturing a love of science in your child. If you’d like to work on this and help keep academic retention high during summer break, try these fun, hands-on projects for Montessori middle school students.
Create Fireworks in a Jar
To make safe faux fireworks with middle school students, you’ll need:
- 16-oz. mason jar
- 1½ cups room temperature water
- A small cup
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 5–10 drops of food coloring
- Fork
Pour water into your mason jar. Place cooking oil in your cup and add your food coloring of choice, one drop at a time.
Swirl the oil to break food coloring into smaller droplets. Then, pour the mixture into the mason jar. As the oil sits atop the water, food coloring droplets will sink and begin to spread through the water below, exploding like fireworks in the sky.
Grow Borax Crystals
Kids are fascinated by beautiful geometric crystals found in nature and will love growing their own. This hands-on experiment is great for Montessori middle school program students, and you’ll just need a few tools and materials:
- 16-oz. mason jar
- Pyrex (or heat-safe) liquid measuring cup
- Tablespoon
- Colorful pipe cleaners
- Thread
- Wooden dowels
- Scissors
- Spoon
- 1½ cups hot water
- 4–6 tablespoons Borax
To start, choose several colors of pipe cleaners and bend them into compact shapes like circles, coils, cones, or teardrops. Try not to leave gaps in your final shape.
Next, cut a length of thread to tie to each pipe cleaner, tying the other end to a wooden dowel. Check the length to make sure that when you lay the dowel across the top of the mason jar, the pipe cleaner is suspended in the middle. It should not be touching the bottom or sides of the jar or other hanging pipe cleaners.
Next, heat water to boiling in your Pyrex measuring cup and pour it into your mason jar. Add 4½ tablespoons Borax to the water and stir until the Borax dissolves and the water is clear. Add more Borax until it begins to settle at the bottom when you’re done stirring. If the water gets cloudy and won’t clear, add a little more hot water until it is clear.
Now, hang your pipe cleaners and cover the top of the jar to preserve heat. Leave the project overnight and come back in the morning to discover how crystals have covered your pipe cleaners. Dry them fully on paper towels before handling them.
Build a Terrarium
If your middle school student loves plants, terrariums are a fun way to get growing, and all you need to get started are these relatively low-cost materials:
- Mason jar
- Potting soil
- Activated charcoal
- Slow-growing plant seedlings
- Wooden spoon
- Decorations
Start with a clean, dry mason jar or other glass container. Create a base layer with about an inch of gravel, topped by a thin layer of activated charcoal to impair bacterial growth. Add enough potting soil to comfortably accommodate the roots of your seedlings.
Using the handle of the wooden spoon, create indentations in the soil to plant seedlings, spaced to ensure roots have room to grow. Use moss, stones, or other decor for ground cover.
Add a lid and open it to water/mist when the soil starts to dry (every few days or weeks). If the glass forms excessive condensation (fog), remove the lid for a few hours to dry it out a bit.
Have Fun With Science
The Montessori Method encourages immersive, hands-on learning. You can support this approach at home during the summer with fun projects that keep kids engaged and excited about science.
Are you interested in enrolling your child at the Montessori School of Flagstaff Cedar Campus? Contact us now to learn more and schedule a tour.
