8th Grade Science Project Help?

[Tony P]

My daughter needs to come up with an 8th grade science project & she wants something that has do with hunting or fishing. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Tony

[Takedown]

Hunting;
Maybe have her do a little research on how the weather patterns move deer around to migrate to their winter feeding grounds. I have hunted all over calif. a long time ago, before all these different zones. Back in those days we hunted about 20 different locations depending on the weather coming at us.

Fishing;
How water movement, helps set up a feeding opportunity for bass on the Ca. Delta.
The delta tides are a great story in it`s self.

Good Luck,and the best of luck.

[brambo0311]

Here is a science project that wasn't fully developed.

http://mobile.theonion.com/articles/sup ... ding,1113/

Just an idea.

[Jim V.]

You might try the DFG website - http://www.dfg.ca.gov. They have a keep me wild campaign and I bet she could get plenty of ideas on putting together a project such as what can you do to keep coyotes, bears or even mountain lions from becoming nuisance animals in your area. Or, why are non-native species so harmful to California, etc., etc.

[schreecher2]

My son won the district with his science project, but it was in 6th grade, not 8th grade. The science project was using a pellet gun, and involved flat head pellets vs pointed head pellets. His theory was that the pointed head pellets would go fly farther than the flat head pellets when fired out of a spring loaded pellet rifle from a distance of 26" into ballistic gel (modeling clay). We split the clay with a knife so you could see the path. My wife said when I suggested it that it was not politically correct to use a "gun". Then he went on to win it! She had to eat crow......

[Randy Walker]

oh... got a good one... how about having her due a project on how the Delta is going to be affected by pumping the water around the Delta to So. Cal... you know, the proposition that Bobby B and Cooch are passionate about... Having her bust something out like that may open up eyes of others that would not realize the impact of what will happen in the future...

Whatever she decides... I wish her the best of luck and hope she does great.

Randy

[Oldschool]

A good 8th grade science project is determing the percentage of water in fruits, example orange http://www.miniscience.com/projects/WaterinOrange/
How does this apply to fishing or hunting; water in CA is extremely important and very politcal. The biggest industry in CA is farming and water is critical.
Your daughter can use grapes or avocado, both are popular CA crops.
Tom

[barse41]

+1 Randy

Good way to spread the word also

http://www.westernbass.com/forum/viewto ... 63&t=72957

[bayscotter]

Fishing knot streghth.

[Gene Buchholz]

How about the patterns and life span of Salmon? How they migrate into the river systems lay their eggs and die off and the importance of or affect fresh water has on a salt water fish.

[Guy Kelley]

Keep it simple and show her work. As example *Graph of results* my son's 7th grade science project. Oxygen from plants. 8th grade Was Water from plants ! Both required him to collect samples of the leaf or plants from the wild and do his experiment. Results ! two 2nd place finishes !

Suggestion. How dose the weed species of Elodea or Hyicen impact a small area of the delta. as in one small dead end slu ?

She could over a season or two if enough time. Photograph an area, if boat is involved, grid off the area and measure the results. Collect samples, measure growth over the covered or impacted area. Document results. Take samples of water and measure oxygen content or aquatic life of area. like crayfish or snails or clams..

Determine Hypotheses first and then guess results , then do experiment and determine results.

[gabuelhaj]

I would have her do the project centered on the Ca Delta and the imminent destruction of it using any peripheral canal or other (bypass) conveyance system and use Iraq's marshland as a basis/referrence point to prove this outcome. This will affect BOTH hunting and fishing....

You see, Saddam Hussein built a canal around the marshland in southern Iraq and devastated that ecosystem in doing so, just like the peripheral canal will if/when it's built.

Good luck!

[Oldschool]

The suggestions that an 8th grader become involved with something as controversal as the peripheral canal may work in the opposite direction as hoped for. 8th graders tend to look at things objectively and the science could lead to removal of all canals and let the delta revert to a fluctuating salinity estuary.
Whatever she chooses, she should be able to do on her own.
Tom

[gabuelhaj]

The suggestions that an 8th grader become involved with something as controversal as the peripheral canal may work in the opposite direction as hoped for. 8th graders tend to look at things objectively and the science could lead to removal of all canals and let the delta revert to a fluctuating salinity estuary.
Whatever she chooses, she should be able to do on her own.
Tom

I thought the delta was (used to be) a freshwater marshland therefore science should be keeping it that way?

By objectively using the events/facts/results in the outcome of adding peripheral conveyance systems around the marshlands in southern Iraq could prove that this proposed science for the Ca delta is a bad thing waiting to happen. I believe they are currently building certain dams/canals in southern Iraq to restore this marshland today which would indicate not all canals or dams are bad if used adequately.

Not to mention the political element to this whole deal.....

Just an idea in answer to the posters request....

Glenn

[Ceaser]

An easy but informative one would be fish pH preference. All you need is an aquarium and pH meter. pH adjustments are easy with common things laying around the house.