reply to post by yeahright
I think the problem with many science fairs is that kids end up doing projects that have little scientific value and do well in science fairs, just
because their projects "look cool." Kids should focus more on learning.
My suggestion to the poster is to have your kid build a simple working model of some piece of technology that they are interested in. If he is able
to take apart and reassemble his model, not only will he gain great insight into it, but he might have fun with it.
If your kid likes cars, for example, you get build a crude engine. You can attach a bladder full of air to a cylinder. (Perhaps attach a balloon
full of air to a toilet paper tube.) The air can push a piston in the cyllinder. The piston can be pulled back into place with a rubber band or
spring. This crude engine works like an internal combustion engine in that the piston i an internal compustion engine is driven by expanding gasses,
just like the piston in the model is driven by gas from the balloon.
If your kid likes telephones or computers, you can have him build a crudely working telegraph as someone suggested which would involve wire, a light
bulb, a battery, and a swich. You would put the switch, lightbulb, and battery in series and connect them with wire. The switch can be far away from
the light bulb. Your child can send morse code messages by opening and closing the swith, causing the light bulb to tun on and off.
