Windmills are a very practical energy tool that has been used for centuries by humans to do difficult jobs. They are based on a very basic science principle that transfers wind energy to mechanical energy, and in some cases which then transfers mechanical energy into electrical energy. When you are working on a science fair project you can use the wisdom of the ancients to produce a project that deals with modern problems and needs.

Water Pump Windmill

 One of the most popular traditional uses of a windmill is as a water pump. In this scenario the wind turns the blades on the windmill which them moves a pump handle that creates suction up a pipe which is grounded in a well of water. The suction draws the water up through the pipe and deposits it into a barrel or trough. Today water pump windmills are less common, but during the 19th and 20th centuries they were extensively used in the rural areas of the United States.

Decorative Windmills

The aesthetical appeal of windmills has made them not only a functional object, but also a decorative one. While in the past windmills have been used to do work, today many are designed to function merely as a decorative lawn ornament. Some of these ornaments are battery operated and used as the pumping force for a water feature.

Millwork Windmills

 The mechanical energy produced by a windmill can also be used to power mills. Here the blades turn from the force of the wind. The blades’ movement then turns interior wheels and cogs which operate the saws or grinding stones. Millwork windmills were very popular in Holland, and these windmills played such an important role in this country’s history that they came to be an internationally recognizable symbol of Holland.

Windmill Generators

 While most windmills that were used for work have been replaced by modern technology, windmills have in recent years been developed to harness the power of the wind to produce electricity. Windmill generators work by turning wind energy into mechanical energy, which then is used to turn a turbine which produces electricity. Wind energy has been identified as one possible energy source to replace fossil fuels.

Windmill Science Fair Projects

 Windmill science fair projects are a great option for students interested in energy or the environment. These projects deal with science concepts from geology to physics. They are a great learning opportunity and generally a lot of fun to work on.

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Science fair kits are readily available, come with all the supplies that you need for your project, and in the end, saves you time and money. A Young Scientists Club science kit set is the best I have seen for your young scientist because it allows the children to use their imagination and create their own experiments.

For a place to begin for your young scientist is to make a list for science fair projects for 1st grade students with zoology. Before you begin, check with the school to see if they allow the category of zoology because some schools don’t.

Since kids love animals this is the perfect place to start when looking for project ideas for 1st grade students. If you have pets or live on a farm this category of science will be easy. Some of the experiments that you can conduct include: comparing which animal drinks more cats or dogs, determining what type of microscopic animal reproduces the most and experimenting with what flavor cats like better fish or beef.

Another category found on a list for science fair projects for 1st grade students is sports. Again this is a popular topic for kids, and these experiments will help 1st graders work off some of their energy. Some of the experiments that you can conduct that involve sports include: experimenting to determine if boys or girls can kick a ball farther, experimenting to determine what is the best stance to hit a baseball or determine which sports ball has the most bounce.

The third category for 1st grade science experiments will look at psychology topics. For example, first graders can test the hypothesis that kids are motivated by candy. They can also test the psychology hypothesis that girls and boys have the same memory skills in the first grade. These experiments will be very basic, but they will provide the students with a lot of insight into the psychology of first graders.

If you are interested alternative energy projects, then you will have several 1st grade science experiments that you can work with. You can build a windmill then you can design an experiment to test what you have learned. For example, you can create a hypothesis that the size of a windmill’s blade will impact the amount of energy it will be able to produce.

How about doing solar energy science projects for kids? With the help of a parent you can build a solar oven. Which bakes cookies faster, a solar oven or a electric or gas oven? Which oven is more efficient when it comes to using natural resources

What freezes faster… cold water, luke warm water or hot water? What does this have to do with alternative energy? You save on electricity when you use the kind of water that freezes the fastest.

Botany is probably the best category of projects that you can work with if you are a first grader. These experiments will examine basic botany concepts like germination (growth by a seed) and cell structure. Some of the experiments that you can conduct include determining if temperature, light or soil composition impacts how long it will take a seed to germinate. You can advance this experiment by also comparing the germination rates for various types of seeds.

Here is an easy physics project: Which brand battery lasts the longest?

Remember, with science fair projects it is important to compare one variable. For instance, Have the same seed from the same package in the same soil and water it the same amount of water at the same time. Put several pots of soil and seeds in one sunny place and several pots of soil and seeds in a dark closet or room. The variable is the amount of light or dark the seeds receive,
Find the best kids’ science fair projects here!

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If you are interested in 24-hour science fair projects as well as eggshell science fair projects, then consider starting with a basic project. Look at the make up of an egg and its shell. For example, you can develop a hypothesis and experiment that examines the chemical makeup of the egg’s shell.

The first option that you have for eggshell science fair projects is to see if the eggshell is water permeable. This means that water can be transported through the eggshell. If the shell is water permeable what does this tell you about eggs?

A variation on this project is to see if an eggshell is oil permeable. This means that oil based compounds can cross the eggshell. If the eggshell is not oil permeable does this put the chicken embrio at risk for poisoning? If it is what does this tell you about the protective nature of the eggshell? Also if the eggshell is not oil permeable can its design be used to prevent oil spills or to contain oil spills? Why or why not?

We have looked at the water and oil permeability of an eggshell, but how effective is this shell at keeping smells from being transferred to the inside of the egg. The set up of this experiment is a little more complex. First of all you will need to find a container that has a lid. Next you will hard boil and egg and place it in the container. Now place something stinky in the container like a crushed clove of garlic. Close the lid and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. The next day remove the egg and remove the shell. Smell the egg white, does it smell like garlic?

Sound is another element that you will want to test for. Your hypothesis is how much sound does an eggshell keep out? For this experiment you will need to blow out the contents of the egg through a pin hole. Then drill a hole that is just big enough to fit a small microphone into. Stop up the hole with fun tack. Turn on your audio recorder and talk normally. Play back your recording and see how clear or muffled your recorder sounds. What does this tell you about the eggshell?

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Why is newspaper used to start campfires and barbeques? This hypothesis question works well for newspaper science fair projects. To complete this experiment you will want to determine what makes newspaper so flammable, after all this is why people use it to start fires. Think beyond just moisture content of the paper, also look at surface area and chemical components in the paper.

Newspaper is more absorbent than paper towels. This is a hypothesis statement that you can design 24-hour science fair projects around. In this experiment you will want to measure out fluid to be absorbed. You will want to test the absorption speed and amount of fluids in a container and on a flat surface. Is your hypothesis true or false?

Newspaper can be used to purify water. This is another great idea for a hypothesis. To test this hypothesis you will need to see if newspaper can filter impurities out of contaminated water. To complete this project you can take regular water and contaminate it with dirt and sand. Then filter the water by pouring it over a doubled up piece of newspaper. Collect the filtered water and examine it for particles. Did the newspaper clean the water?

Newspaper is bacteria resistant. This is an interesting biology science fair project idea that you can work on. To test this hypothesis you will want to introduce bacteria cultures to a newspaper sample and see if they will grow on it. Another interpretation of this experiment is to compare the bacteria resistency of newspaper to terry cloth towels. To complete this experiment you will want to place a pile of newspapers and a pile of towels in the locker room and let them stay their for about a week. Then take samples from each item and test it for bacteria.

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Does processed dog food replicate the natural diet wild dogs would eat? This hypothesis is great for science fair projects on dog food. To test it you will need to research what members of the dog family eat in the wild. The closest relatives to the dog are foxes, wolves and coyotes. After conducting this research you will want to compare the wild diet to the ingredients found in dog food.

How do dogs digest their food? The purpose of this project is to see how dogs process food. You will want to set up safe observation sessions to examine how dogs pick up food and chew it. You will then need to conduct background research to determine what happens next. To advance this project you can examine dog poop to see how well they digest their food, and what extra items they are eating, like toys, cotton and fabric.

Can a dog be a vegetarian? This hypothesis is very interesting. Currently there are no natural dog vegetarians. Dogs are mainly carnivorous, and generally only eat vegetation for medicinal purposes. In this experiment you will want to examine if a vegetarian diet would be able to (1) be digested by a dog’s digestive system and (2) provide the dog with the nutrients that it needs to stay healthy.

What dog foods produce the most gas? This is a fun and gross experiment that is definitely unique. To complete this experiment you will want to set up several experiments. You will feed your dog a different dog food brand each week and chart how gassy they seem to be after eating each dog food brand. In your journal you will want to note how many times they break wind, how loud it is and what it smells like. I told you this was a gross one.

The final dog food experiment that you can conduct will be to determine if dogs prefer sweet or savory flavors. This is a great hypothesis for candy science fair projects. To test this hypothesis you will need to set up two feeding stations that are fairly close together. One station will have a piece of candy an done station will have a meaty treat. See which station your dog goes to first. Repeat this experiment several times over a week. You can advance this project by using the data from this experiment to predict a trend for dogs in general. Then run a lot of dogs through this experiment to see if your predictions were correct.

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