The Most Inspiring Science Experiments For Middle School Students (+ 6 Science Worksheet Bundles To Get You Started)

It goes without saying that kids will remember the lessons that are fun, interesting, and really engage them. And luckily science is a subject that they can be really hands-on with!

Science experiments are particularly important for middle school kids to encourage more children into vital STEM careers, and to get them loving a subject which is ultimately all about understanding the world around us.

Whether you’re a school teacher wanting more engagement, or a home teaching parent dipping your toe into at-home science lessons, this guide has got you covered.

The necessary elements for a memorable science lesson

Experimentation is an important ingredient in helping kids get engaged with science. The activity should fit into a science lesson plan like this:

• An observation – you see something happen in the natural world.
• Hypothesis – you attempt to explain that phenomenon with an educated guess.
• The scientific experiment – you try to recreate the phenomenon.
• Analysis of results – did the experiment support or reject the hypothesis?
• A possible new hypothesis.

Why are science experiments important?

Middle school kids are at the age when they begin to widen their view of the world and grasp more complex concepts. As parents and teachers, it’s our responsibility to help them navigate through these by sparking their interest in various subjects and issues.

Science experiments offer an exciting break from the norm in their school day; with the opportunity to actively participate and learn. This type of kinesthetic learning can really stick with them and encourage a real passion for the sciences!

The golden rule when conducting a science experiment for middle school kids

Experimentation is all about having a controlled environment. You want to make sure that you don’t tamper with the experiment in any way, so you don’t skew the results. Of course, with 11- to 13-year-olds this can be a little tricky. But just make sure you explain the importance of control for the outcome, and you should get them on board.

Okay, now onto the good stuff. Here’s our list of really inspiring science experiments for middle school kids:

#1: How the Greenhouse Effect contributes to climate change

This is a great experiment to show just how much of an impact we have on climate change, and how we can help by reducing our carbon footprint. It explains the role of the greenhouse effect on balancing the temperatures around the globe.

You will need:

• A large bowl
• Plastic/paper cup
• A thermometer
• Some plastic wrap.

How to conduct the experiment:

1. Place the large bowl into the sun and put the plastic/paper cup inside.
2. Put the thermometer on top of that cup (this way you measure the air temperature inside the bowl).
3. Take note of the temperature, and then cover the bowl with a clear wrap on top and take another reading.

Results you should get:The second temperature reading will be higher because the heat is staying trapped inside.

Teaching notes: This naturally occurring process is caused by greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and a few artificial chemicals).

The problem happens when there are too many of these gases and the temperature rises too much — and the artificial gases found there are created by factories and cars and trapping too much heat.

Accompanying Worksheet: Climate change facts & worksheets

#2: Paper cups can hold your weight

This is a simple experiment to demonstrate how smart solutions can make otherwise frail materials super strong. This is always a crowd-pleaser (even among the adults as a party trick) because no-one believes weaker materials can do it. It’s also a bit of a metaphor for being stronger, together!

You will need:

• Some paper cups and cardboard is all you need for this one.

How to conduct the experiment: 

1. Test the paper cups and let kids try to stand on them individually. They will break (this is fun for them in itself usually!).
2. Then, distribute the cups evenly and put the cardboard on top and let them try again.
3. Once they hold the weight initially, get them to try out different designs and layouts of the cups to see if some designs work and some don’t. Then ask them why they got the result they did.

Results you should get: They will hold weight.

Teaching notes: This teaches kids a fair amount about engineering, defying gravity, and how to create strong structures that can withstand changes in force. It also touches on weight distribution, so it’s an excellent all-rounder experiment. Plus, it’s always fun to see the kids’ reactions when they manage to stand on the cardboard and it holds their weight!

Accompanying Worksheet: Gravity facts & worksheets

#3: Purifying water

Drinking water is a rare commodity in some parts of the world and many kids don’t realize how lucky they are! This experiment will not only help them on a scientific level to purify and filter water with charcoal (something that is in modern-day water filters) but also a valuable life lesson in other cultures and lifestyles.

You will need:

• A measuring cup
• 2 food jars
• Activated charcoal
• Some water
• A spoon
• Red food coloring.

How to conduct the experiment:

1. Fill the measuring cup with about half a cup of water and add food coloring.
2. Pour the mixture into the food jars (half in each).
3. Add activated charcoal into one (about 2 teaspoons) and label the jars so they know which is which.
4. Leave for a few days.

Results you should see: After a few days, the jar with the activated charcoal should become clear.

Teaching notes: Even in areas with natural hazards, or lack of access to clean water, there are simple ways to create filtration systems. It’s also an excellent chemistry experiment discussing how activated charcoal binds to other molecules (food coloring) in the water allowing the water to be purified

Accompanying worksheets: Water cycle worksheets, and Natural hazards worksheets.

#5: Creating geode crystals

Geodes crystals look beautiful, but they also link all the way back to the formation of the Earth’s crust from igneous and sedimentary rocks. And creating your own geode crystals with supersaturated solutions explains how crystal formations are created.

You will need:

• Eggs (the shells specifically)
• Soluble solids such as table salt, sugar, rock salt, baking soda, and borax
• Some water
• Food coloring
• Spoons
• Coffee cups.

How to conduct the experiment: 

1. Prepare the eggs first by cracking near the narrow end, empty, and use the hot water to cook the lining and remove the skin.
2. Now take boiling water and pour it into coffee cups. Half a cup is enough.
3. Add different soluble solids to each cup (about ¼ cup) and stir until it dissolves.
4. Keep adding until the solids can’t dissolve anymore. This means the solution is supersaturated.
5. Add food coloring and then pour the solution into the eggshell, as much as possible, and let the water evaporate.

Results you should see: As the water evaporates, crystals will begin to form.

Teaching notes: Crystals form because the water is losing temperature, and therefore, its energy. Since it doesn’t have the energy to hold the dissolved solids anymore, they are forced out of the water in the solidified form of crystals. You can use this process to also explain the different layers of the Earth’s crust, and how different materials are turned from a solid to a liquid. It’s an interesting science experiment that can be linked to many scientific phenomena you want to teach! 

Accompanying worksheets: Sedimentary rocks, and Rocks and mineral facts & worksheets.

Ready to take these to the classroom?

We hope this article sparked some new ideas on science experiments for middle school classes, and the activities which will inspire them to learn more about the world of science.

There are plenty of science worksheets available to dive deeper into each subject area, so don’t forget to check them out here! And most importantly, have fun!