Learning the different forms of energy and how they interact with one another and create outcomes in our world, is an important concept to cover in middle school science lessons. As with many other science topics, the energy of motion and transfer can be demonstrated in tons of fun and interactive ways.
We teachers can show the differences between an object with potential energy versus an object with kinetic energy using props, experiments, crafts, and games. Here are 20 of our most creative ideas for you to try in your next science class!
1. Wind-Up Bottle
This experiment demonstrates how winding a rubber band around the top of a plastic bottle creates stored potential energy, and how this transfer of energy can result in the bottle spinning around until the energy of motion is depleted.
Learn More: Exploratorium
2. Cookie Tin Race
Take your students to the races, with this fun classroom experiment using two identical round containers. The purpose of this test is to see if the distribution of weight inside the containers will change how quickly they roll down the ramp.
Learn More: Exploratorium
3. Swinging Apple
Talk about some simple and fun classroom exploration! For this experiment showing energy transfers, all your students will need are some apples and string. Tie the string to the ceiling so the apple hangs in front of your student’s forehead, then ask them to step back and swing the apple to see if it comes back and hits their face!
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4. What Makes the Biggest Splash!
Your students will be in the “splash zone” for this hands-on activity! Gather different size/weight objects from your classroom to drop in a bucket of water. Grab a ruler and have your students take turns dropping objects from the same height into the water to measure the height of the splash and water displacement.
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5. Balloon Ball Launchers!
Grab a few ping pong balls, balloons, and paper cups for this explosive lesson on energy flow. Putting these launchers together is simple, your students can make their own and test to see how changing their methods or variables affect how far the balls fly.
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6. Transferring Energy Through Marbles
You may get some surprised looks from this energy-in-motion activity. All you need are marbles and a ruler to show how energy is transferred and stored as potential or kinetic.
Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys
7. Star Wars Science
No Yoda toys were harmed in the making of this experiment! This is just a fun activity to show how energy in motion can affect different objects. Depending on the height of your ramp, the toy droid car will knock Yoda farther from its standing position.
Learn More: Kid Minds
8. Double Ball Bounce
Your middle school students know that 2 balls are more fun than 1! You’ll need a basketball (or large ball) and a tennis ball (or small ball). The key is to drop both balls together with the small one on top. When the big ball hits the ground its gravitational energy will bounce into the small ball pushing it back into the air!
Learn More: YouTube
9. Balloon Zipline
Wind energy has a lot of potential uses in science and conservation. This experiment tests students’ designs to see how they can move their balloons from one side of a string to the other. They can alter their approach by adding more air to the balloon.
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10. Penny Changes
Energy transfers can cause chemical reactions when you introduce new variants to a substance. The common materials you need are a few dirty pennies, salt, and vinegar. See how the color of the copper coins changes depending on what mixture you soak them in.
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11. DIY Bowling
You don’t have to take your middle schoolers to the bowling alley to teach them about energy transfer! You can create your own fun experimental game using plastic bottles as the pins and different-sized balls to throw. Have your students write down the results regarding how far the pins moved depending on the size of the ball, how hard it was thrown, and how far away the thrower was.
Learn More: Mommy Crusader
12. DIY Spool Racers
These clever little race cars use household items to create elastic energy by winding a rubber band around a toothpick. You can explain how the spool uses the potential energy from the rubber band, which turns into kinetic energy once you let it go.
Learn More: Teach Beside Me
13. Hot Air Balloon Science
This simple demonstration shows how thermal energy can blow up a balloon. Place a deflated balloon in the opening of a glass bottle and pour hot water around the bottle to watch the air rise and fill the balloon!
Learn More: Fizzics Education
14. Boats Powered by Chemistry!
Grab some vinegar and baking soda and do a fun boat race with your students! The chemical energy created by the reaction between the acid (vinegar) and alkaline (baking soda) propels the boat forward.
Learn More: Tiny Beans
15. DIY Kinetic Sand
tThis messy and colorful DIY project teaches your students about chemical bonds and how they make substances react in different ways. This sand is really fun to mold and mix and shows the energy potential found when you mix certain materials together, like cornstarch and dish soap!
Learn More: Teach Beside Me
16. Chain Reaction Domino Toys
Let’s see how the energy of motion will cause a domino effect when the moving toy train hits the first toy lined up on the track. Show your learners how the energy is transferred from the first toy down the line knocking all the toys over!
Learn More: Inspiration Laboratories
17. Ball Drop Flying Machine!
Show your students a step-by-step engineering design process that uses the kinetic energy of a ball dropping to make a paper airplane fly!
Learn More: Blend Space
18. DIY Electromagnet
This battery and wire tool uses electromagnetic forces created from a battery wrapped around a copper nail to attract paper clips. You can show your students the power of electrical currents in making a magnetic field.
Learn More: Science Learn
19. Defying Gravity!
With just a few household items, you and your students can defy the laws of gravity using electromagnetic waves. Magnets can interfere with the Earth’s gravitational field, and this paper clip and string experiment will show your students just how it works!
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20. Surface Tension Soap
When we alter the surface tension of a substance, the type of energy it holds shifts as well. This experiment shows how pepper reacts on the surface of the water when soap is added to the mixture. Watch and see how the surface tension gets weaker and the pepper moves as a reaction to this change.
Learn More: Mommy Poppins
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