SEAFORD, New York—When you're a teenager, it's hard not to be swayed by glossy ads in magazines and trendsetting commercials on TV. But students at Seaford Middle School are learning to be educated consumers in Kevin Mullany's sixth- and seventh-grade science classes where they're designing science fair projects to investigate the world around them.

Students, naturally inquisitive, come up with questions about things they observe—for example, claims made in advertising. They're then able to investigate their questions through well-designed science fair experiments that incorporate computer probes. The probes allow the students to acquire quantitative data to support or disprove their hypotheses.

One such science fair project involved a group of students investigating the effectiveness of foundation cosmetics. Since the goal of such makeup is to cover up blemishes, students decided to compare five brands of foundation to see which was the most effective. They placed 200 µL (volume measurement) of each liquid on separate glass slides with a cover slip over the top. The glass slides were then placed one by one on their sides on a stand 5 cm away from a light source. A lux indicator probe was placed on each cover slip opposite a light source. Using this probe, students were able to take measurements of the amount of light showing through each sample. The students used this data to infer each product's ability to cover up blemishes. Students found that the brands investigated were comparable in the amount of lux (meter-candle) allowed through each product.

"The interesting side point to this experiment," Mullany reports, "was that the less-expensive brands, which can be one-fifth the price of the more expensive name brands, worked just as well." He adds: "I like the fact that students are using the computer probes to compare and contrast products that they may purchase. It can create an educated consumer. Kids and adults sometimes just rely on advertisements and brand names to purchase a product. This gives them the ability to test the validity of a product's claim, and they learn how to use the scientific method in the process."

In another science fair project, one of Mullany's students examined levels of radiation in common objects. Mullany explains, "When people hear of radiation, they think of nuclear bombs and nuclear power plant leaks, but radiation is a normal part of our environment. We are constantly being bombarded with radiation from the skies and substances in our environment." In this experiment, the student used a Geiger counter to measure radiation in his everyday environment, testing for alpha and beta emission in such things as sunlight, televisions, and cell phones. Mullany says students learned that "in small doses, radiation is rather harmless."

Seaford Middle School is a suburban school with an enrollment of 750 students. Six science teachers serve the diverse student body, offering a range of science courses including classes in aerospace, biotechnology, and forensics. Mullany reports that while he only has one computer in his classroom, students do have access to a computer lab with 25 terminals, all with Internet access. Additionally, approximately 70 percent of his students have home access to a computer.

Mullany observes the students at the middle school level "still have that sense of 'wow' about science that they seem to lose somewhat in the higher levels of education." Mullany says he designs all his own labs and tries to make them as fun as possible for the students. "My goal," he says, "is to help change the national trend, where students lose interest in science at the middle school or junior high school level."