How concerned are seventh graders with their own health? You survey 100 seventh graders about four areas of daily life:
- Nutrition and diet
- Sleep habits
- Exercise routines
- Stress levels
The results show some surprises. Most students eat fast food about three times per week. They average eight hours of sleep per night. That is one to two hours short of what adolescents need. School is the top stressor for 49 percent of respondents. Overall, most seventh graders are more health-conscious than expected.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that if one hundred seventh graders are surveyed about their health habits, then three fourths of the students will imply that they are not very concerned with their health.
A ten-question survey asking 100 seventh graders about their nutrition and diet is one way to collect self-reported data on what people eat. The responses reveal patterns — most students eat fast food about three times per week — showing how survey methods can surface health habits across a group.
A balanced diet means eating a mix of different foods so your body gets all that it needs. When seventh graders report eating fast food about three times per week, that pattern can crowd out the variety of food groups a growing body requires. Surveying nutrition alongside sleep and exercise shows how diet fits into overall health.
Method & Materials
You will compile a survey, issue it to 100 7th graders, and research the amount of sleep, exercise, and servings of different food groups that 7th graders need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
You will need 100 7th graders and a ten-question survey concerning nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress.
Tinker Crate — science & engineering build kits for ages 9–12 — real tools, real experiments, delivered monthly. (Affiliate link)
The results showed that 7th graders are more concerned with their health than expected. They get an average of 7.5 hours of exercise per week, 8 hours of sleep per night, and are mostly concerned about proper nutrition.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it shows how 7th graders are taking care of themselves and how they can improve their health habits.
Also Consider
Variations to consider include surveying different age groups or surveying students in different countries.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
