Summer Science Activities for Middle Schoolers

When summer arrives, classrooms give way to playing fields, and textbooks are swapped for sports gear. But the science learning doesn’t stop, as summer is filled with opportunities for summer science activities for middle schoolers.

Incorporating summer sports into physics lessons not only makes the subject more accessible but also shows students the real-world applications of the principles they learn in class. From the arc of a basketball shot to the velocity of a swimmer diving into the pool, physics is at play in every sport. In this blog post, we’ll explore creative ways to teach physics through popular summer sports, providing students with a dynamic and enjoyable learning experience that they can relate to their own summer activities.

Bicycle Helmets

Have students use household materials to protect an egg from a fall. Use the opportunity to discuss the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet!

Veggie Go Karts

Take advantage of the summer garden harvest to build go karts from vegetables – I provide 2 skewers for axels and let students pick the veggies. Build a ramp and test out your creations!

Lung Capacity

Test your lung capacity, and practice measurement, by blowing bubbles and measuring the diameters of the circles they leave behind on your picnic table. See who can blow the biggest bubble!

Hydrodynamics

Pull spherical, circular, rectangular, or irregularly shaped objects through a swimming pool. Use a spring scale to measure the force to pull each object and test the effect of shape on drag.

Nature Walk

Take a walk in the park and see how many different types of living things you can find. Or, get up close and in person and use a magnifying glass to really see what’s in the soil between the blades of grass. Use a field guide to identify birds, insects, or trees.

Your middle schooler’s science education doesn’t end just because it’s summer!