elementary school science projects hypothesis

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7 Easy Scientific Method Experiments

Kids’ natural curiosity never fails to amaze me. Their imaginations and observation skills run wild, especially at the elementary level. And the classroom is the perfect place to explore and exercise their curious minds!

When it comes to introducing younger students to scientific concepts like drawing observations and conclusions, the scientific method is a great place to start. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy. I’ve seen some pretty intense resources that teach the scientific method for kids, and they’ve been anything but kid friendly!

My preferred way to teach science is to boil the scientific method down to these 5 steps:

• Asking a research question
• Making a hypothesis
• Doing the experiment
• Taking observations
• Writing a conclusion

Keeping the scientific method for kids simple lets them explore their world without confusing them too much. When it comes to science concepts, we want to ease younger students in — not overwhelm them. This helps kids build a love of science that will last their whole lives!

With all that being said, I’ve gathered my favorite easy scientific method experiments for younger students into one bundle for you! These 7 Easy Science Experiments to Teach the Scientific Method are amazing because they all follow the same framework. This helps students know what to expect when it’s time to experiment and keeps your curriculum cohesive. Once we do one or two, my class gets into a nice groove and doesn’t need much direction on my part.

Plus, each of these experiments are available in a digital format, so they’re perfect for in-person or distance learning! And since they are so easy for students to follow, students will have no problem completing them at home.

What are the 7 easy scientific method experiments?

I’m glad you asked! Here is everything that is included in the scientific method for kids bundle:

1. Rainbow Milk Experiment

In the Rainbow Milk Magic Experiment, students will combine milk, dish soap, and food coloring to learn all about why the colors begin to swirl and look as if they are exploding into a rainbow. This is such a simple science experiment that works great with students of any age!

2. Tornado in a Bottle Experiment

This Tornado in a Bottle Experiment is the perfect way to teach the scientific method to kids. Students will practice measuring to fill a water bottle, then add dish soap and of course some glitter! They will then create a vortex to simulate a tornado and learn all about tornadoes.

3. Fingerprint Science Experiment

In the Fingerprint Science Experiment, students will become detectives and investigate their fingerprints while learning about the scientific method! This STEM fingerprint science experiment will cover the three types of fingerprints and super fun facts about fingerprints in humans and animals.

4. Marshmallow Toothpick Tower Science Experiment

The Marshmallow Toothpick Tower Science Experiment teaches students about building structures. They get to build their own masterpieces with marshmallows and toothpicks. As a bonus, this one ends in a tasty snack that students can enjoy!

5. Coffee Filter Digital Science Experiment

Students will learn about pigment and chromatography through this engaging experiment. They will get to draw a picture on a coffee filter using markers and observe what happens when it is sprayed with water. This is a fantastic way to introduce students to the concept of chemistry!

6. Slime Experiment

What kid doesn’t love slime?! This fun experiment lets them make their own with just a few household supplies. I love using this one during Halloween — it’s got the perfect spooky vibe!

7. Clean a Dirty Penny Science Experiment

Students love to collect and bring in a dirty penny for this science experiment. Students discover which cleaning solution works best to clean it and why using the scientific method! All you need are pennies, water, dish soap, salt, and vinegar. It’s a great option for Presidents’ Day, too!

What’s included in each scientific method for kids experiment?

I recently edited this bundle of experiments to include a table of contents, digital versions on Google Slides, and some great teacher tips to help your experiments run smoothly and make life easier for you. Each experiment includes…

●       Explanation of the experiment, great for parents to follow at home!

●       Guiding Question and Hypothesis

●       Experiment (Picture and written)

●       Observations (Picture and written)

●       Conclusion

●       The science behind the experiment explained (includes fill in the blank option as well)

There you have it: everything you need to teach the scientific method to your students or a child at home!

Teaching the scientific method to kids doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s best to stick to 5 steps and use the same experimental format to keep science lessons cohesive. My 7 Easy Science Experiments to Teach the Scientific Method are an amazing option for anyone looking to introduce students to key STEM concepts!

How often do you experiment in your classroom? What’s your favorite experiment to do? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Elementary School Science Fair Project Guide

by Science Explorers | Dec 5, 2018 | Blog | 0 comments

Science fair projects are activities that are both fun and educational for students. They can pick topics that pique their curiosity, test their hypotheses by creating their own experiments and learn how to   use the scientific method   — a practice used by professional scientists around the world.

However, there are many steps to take to make this project a success, and we’re here to guide you through each one of them.

What Is a Science Fair?

A science fair refers to an event, often held in elementary schools, where   students share experiments   that they’ve conducted and the results that they have found. In some fairs, students will compete for prizes, while others are less competitive.

Science fairs in the U.S. can be traced back to the E.W. Scripps’ Science Service. The mission of this organization, which was established in 1921, was to increase interest and awareness of science by teaching scientific concepts in simpler, less technical terms. This organization was instrumental in organizing the Science Clubs of America, which in 1950 held a national science fair for the first time.

How to Make an Elementary School Science Fair Project

Follow these steps to get your scientific investigation underway:

• Pick a topic you love:   You’re much more likely to enjoy this process — and do it well — if you pick a topic you’re passionate about. Don’t limit yourself to scientific topics, but rather think of your most intense interests and   how they can be related to science . A science experiment can be created using practically any topic. For instance, if your passion is art, you could investigate the reaction of paint chemicals or how to make artificial colors. Choose a topic that is suitable for your age. While you can pick a topic that is challenging, you don’t want to choose a topic so difficult that you can’t complete it in time.   
• Think of a question:       Once you’ve decided on your topic, think of a question    that you can test   .   
• Formulate a hypothesis:     A hyp   othesis is an attempt to answer your question. 
• Think of a procedure:      A procedure is an experiment that can be conducted to affirm or deny your hypothesis.
• Acquire materials:      Once you know how you’ll conduct your experiment, start gathering materials you’ll need to do it.   
• Record r   esults:      By experimenting, you can see if your hypothesis was correct.   
• Arrive at a conclusion:       Take a good look at the result you got, and determine whether your hypothesis was right or wrong. Also, think of ways you could further explore the question.   As you’re doing your experiment, take notes so that afterward you can more easily share what you did and what you learned.   

How to Prepare Your Poster

After you’ve finished your experiment and drawn your conclusions, the project is only halfway done — now you create a poster that provides a clear overview of what you did.

Creating Your Display Board

Elementary school students create posters with basically the same format as those presented by professional scientists at conferences.   In general, display boards at science fairs are tri-folds, meaning that they’re folded on both sides so that they can easily stand. It’s not uncommon for boards to measure up to 14 inches deep and 3 feet wide. You can find these boards at office supply, craft and drug stores, or you can make your own with cardboard or poster board.

If you decide to make one yourself, it’s probably best to create three separate pieces then attach them with duct tape so that they can easily bend.

Organizing the Display Board

When it comes to organizing your poster, you’ve got several options. However, no matter you decide to do the layout, make sure that it includes these key sections:

• Title:   When writing your title, you can simply go with your question or some other message that grabs your audience’s attention.
• Question:   Clearly state your question. Also, provide some background why this topic interests you and how you thought up the question.
• Hypothesis:   Tell your audience what you guessed the results would be before you conducted the tests.
• Procedures:   Clearly explain the steps you took to test your question and why you decided on that procedure.
• Equipment and materials:   Include a list of the things you needed for your test.
• Data and results:   Describe what happened when you conducted your experiment. Use graphs, charts or other visuals to help convey your results.
• Conclusion:   In your previous step, you just described the data. In this step, you want to make sense of them. Mention whether your hypothesis was correct or not, and explain why you think you got those results. Also, if you were to redo the tests, mention what you would do differently.
• References:   Include the resources you used, whether they’re websites, books or people.
• Your Name:   Also add your grade and the name of your teacher.

Below is an example of a science fair project, including a detailed account of the procedure, results and conclusions.

“Keeping Flowers Beautiful”

2. Question

“What Solution Can Keep Flowers Fresh for the Longest Period of Time?”

I chose this topic for several reasons. First of all, I love flowers, and I’m always trying to figure out better ways to keep them fresh for longer. Also, this issue is of great importance to many industries and consumers since they buy flowers for many occasions including weddings, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas.

Flower shops often provide customers with an additive to put in the water in their vase, but I wanted to question whether this additive is the most effective solution and whether another could work better. In my project, I tested homemade solutions, commercial preservatives and old wives tales.

3. Hypothesis

I believe that some home remedies will be just as effective as the preservative provided by florists. I hypothesize that the most effective solution will be lemon-lime soda because it contains sugar as well as several chemicals that I believe will inhibit the growth of bacteria that could damage the plant.

4. Procedures

Follow these steps to test your hypothesis:

• Thirty (30) daisies (bellis perennis) will be bought from the same store at the same time to make sure they are all equally fresh.
• Using a lab coat, gloves and goggles, certain solutions will be mixed together in 10 one-pint jars with an 8-ounce measuring cup, a tablespoon and a teaspoon. To avoid contamination, wash hands after making each mixture.
• The solutions used are   tap water, distilled water, tap water with a teaspoon of salt, tap water with an aspirin pill, lemon-lime soda, tap water with 1 tablespoon of bleach, tap water with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar, tap water with 1 tablespoon sugar, tap water with 1 tablespoon of mouthwash and tap water with 1 tablespoon of commercial preservative Floralife.
• The stems of the flowers will then be submerged in lukewarm water and clipped at a 45-degree angle. Afterward, they will be put into the solutions. Three specimens will be placed in each of the 10 solutions.
• Every other day, the stems will be cut again and put in fresh solutions. These are considered good florist practices.
• The state of each flower will be examined once a day until either 14 days have passed or nothing remains in the vases. The number of specimens remaining in every solution will also be documented every day, as will their color and droopiness.
• Once their state has been recorded, specimens that are wilting, drooping or browning at the edges will be removed so that the bacteria won’t harm the other specimens in the container.
• A chart that shows how long each specimen stayed fresh will be made, accompanied by photos of the changes.

5. Equipment and Materials

Here’s what you’ll need for this experiment:

• Ten 1-pint jars to contain the flowers in the solutions
• A teaspoon measure
• A tablespoon measure
• An 8-oz. cup measure
• A pair of gloves
• A protective lab coat
• Distilled water
• 30 cut daisies (bellis perennis)
• A 1/2 cup of cider vinegar
• 12 cans of lemon-lime soda
• A 1/2 cup of sugar
• A 1/2 cup of Floralife
• A 1/2 cup of bleach
• A 1/2 cup of mouthwash

6. Data and Results

• In the tap water, mouthwash and aspirin solutions, the flowers stayed fresh for seven full days. Every other homemade solution that I used in my project caused the flowers to wilt faster.
• By 14 days, the freshest specimens were the ones in the sugar water. One of the flowers in the lemon-lime soda solution browned in the middle, as did all of the Floralife specimens.
• By 21 days, the specimens in the sugar water still had not browned, although they had significantly wilted. The specimens in the soda had wilted. The Florarlife specimens still had the brown color, but no wilting of the petals occurred.

7. Conclusion

My hypothesis that the lemon-lime soda would be most effective was incorrect. The specimens in the soda, the floral additive and sugar water solutions all remained at Stage 1 for seven days and fresh enough for display for a full 21 days.

Although Floralife research suggests that it is more effective than any alternative, my results showed that both lemon-lime soda and sugar water can help keep flowers fresh for the longest time. This suggests that florists and consumers could save by using sugar water instead of the more costly floral preservatives.

Science Fair Project Ideas

If you’re having trouble coming up with a topic that interests you, below are some science fair ideas for inspiration:

• Soaking pennies:   A long-time favorite of elementary school students, dirty pennies are collected in this experiment and soaked in a variety of acidic liquids such as lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar and salsa. This experiment is best for kindergartners or first graders.
• Creating circuits:   Students interested in technology can make simple circuits using everyday objects. This is also most suitable for kindergartners or first graders.
• Rainbow rubber eggs:   This fun experiment involves submerging eggs in vinegar, adding a few drops of food coloring and waiting a few days to see some cool results.
• Teleidoscopes:   These objects are like kaleidoscopes but do not have an end, allowing you to view anything you want. Looking through one of these is a fantastic experience. This project is most appropriate for kids between second and fourth grade.
• Density tower:   This experiment involves layering liquids of different densities on top of one another without having them mix together.
• Growing salt crystals:   Salt crystals can be grown overnight in the fridge.

General Tips

In addition to the necessary steps mentioned above, we’d also like to share some general tips to boost the quality of your presentation.

• Document everything:   Through the entire process, record all your activities, thoughts and findings in a journal. Some science fairs actually request that you include your notebook as part of your presentation. For professional scientists, keeping a detailed log of their experiments is critical.
• Write on separate pieces of paper:   It’s much easier to write all titles and other text on pieces of paper and then glue them to your board than to write directly on the board. You can also type them out with a computer and use attention-grabbing colors and fonts — just make sure that the font and font size are easy to read from a few feet away.
• Take photos:   One of the easiest ways to help explain the process is with pictures, so remember to keep a camera nearby and take photos throughout the experiment. Then, print out your best photos and include them on your board — breaking up the text with pictures will make your project easier to digest.   
• Make it colorful:   If your teachers allow it, consider buying a colorful board. Other ways to add color include printing out your titles and text on colored construction paper, scrapbook paper or cardstock. You can also make your project pop with stickers, cut-out letters or colored paper.
• Lay everything out before pasting:   Before grabbing the glue, first lay everything out that you want to include on your board. The hypothesis, procedures and materials should be on the right, the data and results should be in the center, and the conclusion, personal information and resources should go on the right. Depending on how much you include for each section, you may need to adjust this layout. Once you’re happy with the placement of everything, paste it to the board.
• Use glue dots or glue sticks:   These two types of glue are the easiest to use. You can use regular glue as well, but it sometimes causes wrinkles in the paper and can be difficult to change the position of things after the glue has dried.
• Limit parental involvement:   Parents should give their children the opportunity to do as much of the work as they can for their age. Although requirements vary from school to school, parents are usually allowed to type up the notes their children have made — just make sure that your child is telling you what to write. Your child should be able to explain every step of the process to the panel of judges. It’s a good idea to have your kids practice explaining what they did to you or other members of your family.

How Does the Judging Work?

Some science fair projects are assessed by a panel of judges and the winners may advance to regional or state levels. At elementary school science fairs, however, it’s less common to award placements. Instead, judges may point out the best parts of each project, award ribbons and leave commentary. At the elementary level, the objective is usually to just encourage students to continue participating in these events.

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The Ultimate Science Fair Project Guide – From Start to Finish

When our daughter entered her first science fair, we kept seeing references to the Internet Public Library Science Fair Project Resource Guide .  However, the IPL2 permanently closed… taking the guide with it.  Bummer !  After now participating in over a half-dozen elementary school science fairs (including a first-place finish!), we created our own guide to help other students go from start to finish in their next science fair project.  If this is your first science fair, have fun!  If you’ve done it before, we hope this is your best one!  Let’s science!

*Images from Unsplash

How to Use the STEMium Science Fair Project Ultimate Guide?

If you are just starting off and this is your first science fair, here’s how to get started:

• Start with the STEMium Science Fair Project Roadmap . This is an infographic that “maps” out the process from start to finish and shows all the steps in a visual format.
• Getting Started – Why Do a Science Fair Project . Besides walking through some reasons to do a project, we also share links to examples of national science fair competitions, what’s involved and examples of winning science fair experiments .  *Note: this is where you’ll get excited!!
• The Scientific Method – What is It and What’s Involved . One of the great things about a science fair project is that it introduces students to an essential process/concept known as the scientific method.  This is simply the way in which we develop a hypothesis to test.
• Start the Process – Find an Idea . You now have a general idea of what to expect at the science fair, examples of winning ideas, and know about the scientific method.  You’re ready to get started on your own project.  How do you come up with an idea for a science fair project?  We have resources on how to use a Google tool , as well as some other strategies for finding an idea.
• Experiment and Build the Project . Time to roll up those sleeves and put on your lab coat.
• Other Resources for the Fair. Along the way, you will likely encounter challenges or get stuck.  Don’t give up – it’s all part of the scientific process.  Check out our STEMium Resources page for more links and resources from the web.  We also have additional experiments like the germiest spot in school , or the alka-seltzer rocket project that our own kids used.

Getting Started – Why Do a Science Fair Project

For many students, participating in the science fair might be a choice that was made FOR you.  In other words, something you must do as part of a class.  Maybe your parents are making you do it.  For others, maybe it sounded like a cool idea.  Something fun to try.  Whatever your motivation, there are a lot of great reasons to do a science fair project.

• Challenge yourself
• Learn more about science
• Explore cool technology
• Make something to help the world! (seriously!)
• Win prizes (and sometimes even money)
• Do something you can be proud of!

Many students will participate in a science fair at their school.  But there are also national competitions that include 1000s of participants.  There are also engineering fairs, maker events, and hackathons.  It’s an exciting time to be a scientist!!  The list below gives examples of national events.

• Regeneron Science Talent Search
• Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
• Google Science Fair
• Conrad Challenge
• Microsoft Imagine Cup
• JSHS Program
• Exploravision

What’s the Scientific Method?

Before we jump into your project, it’s important to introduce a key concept:  The Scientific Method .  The scientific method is the framework scientists use to answer their questions and test their hypothesis.  The figure below illustrates the steps you’ll take to get to the end, but it starts with asking a question (you’ve already finished the first step!).

After we find a problem/idea to tackle, and dig into some background research, we create a guess on a potential solution.  This is known as our hypothesis.

Example of a Hypothesis

My brother can hold his breath underwater longer than I can (“our problem”) –> how can I hold my breath longer? (“our question”) –>  if I drink soda with caffeine before I hold my breath, I will be able to stay underwater longer (“our solution”).  Our hypothesis is that using caffeine before we go underwater will increase the time we hold our breath.  We’re not sure if that is a correct solution or not at this stage – just taking a guess.

Once we have a hypothesis, we design an experiment to TEST our hypothesis.  First, we will change variables/conditions one at a time while keeping everything else the same, so we can compare the outcomes.

Experimental Design Example

Using our underwater example, maybe we will test different drinks and count how long I can hold my breath.  Maybe we can also see if someone else can serve as a “control” – someone who holds their breath but does not drink caffeine.  For the underwater experiment, we can time in seconds how long I hold my breath before I have a drink and then time it again after I have my caffeine drink.  I can also time how long I stay underwater when I have a drink without caffeine.

Then, once we finish with our experiment, we analyze our data and develop a conclusion.

• How many seconds did I stay underwater in the different situations? 
• Which outcome is greater?  Did caffeine help me hold my breath longer? 

Finally, (and most important), we present our findings. Imagine putting together a poster board with a chart showing the number of seconds I stayed underwater in the different conditions.

Hopefully you have a better sense of the scientific method.  If you are completing a science fair project, sticking with these steps is super important.  Just in case there is any lingering confusion, here are some resources for learning more about the scientific method:

• Science Buddies – Steps of the Scientific Method
• Ducksters – Learn About the Scientific Method
• Biology4kids – Scientific Method
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – Scientific Method

What Science Fair Project Should I Do?

And science is no different.

Just know that if you can get through the idea part, the rest of the science fair is relatively smooth sailing.  Remember to keep an open mind and a positive outlook .  Each year 100s of 1000s of kids, teenagers and college students come up with new projects and ideas to test.  You’ve got this!

What Makes a Great Science Fair Project?  Start with a Problem To Solve

As we discuss below, good science experiments attempt to answer a QUESTION.  Why is the sky blue?  Why does my dog bark at her reflection?  First, we will step through some ways to find TESTABLE QUESTIONS.  These questions that you create will be what you work on for your science fair project.  Pick something fun, something interesting and something that you are excited about.  Not sure what that looks like?  Step through some of the tips below for help.

Use the Google Science Fair Idea Generator

Are you surprised Google made a tool for science fair projects??  Our post called the low-stress way to find a science fair project gives a more in-depth overview about how to use it.  It’s a great first stop if you’re early in the brainstorming process.

Answer your own questions

• What type of music makes you run faster?
• Can boys hold their breath underwater longer than girls?
• How can I be sure the sandwich I bought is gluten free?
• If we plant 100 trees in our neighborhood, will the air be cleaner?

Still stuck? Get inspiration from other science fair projects

Check out the Getting Started section and look at some of the winning science project ideas, our STEMium experiments and our Resource page.  We’ve presented a ton of potential idea starters for you – take time to run through some of these, but our suggestion is to give yourself a deadline to pick an idea .  Going through the lists could take you longer than you think, and in many cases sometimes it’s just better to pick something and go for it!  The next section will take you through how to create testable questions for your project.

Starting Your Project: Find A Testable Question

The best experiments start with a question.  Taking that a step further, the questions you useyou’re your science fair project should be ones that are TESTABLE.  That means something you can measure.  Let’s look at an example.  Let’s say I’m super excited about baking.  OH YEA!!  I love baking.  Specifically, baking cakes.  In fact, I love baking cakes so much that I want to do a science project related to cakes.  We’ve got two questions on cakes that we created.  Which question below could be most useful for a science fair project:

1)  Can eating cake before a test improve your score?

2)  Why isn’t carrot cake more popular than chocolate cake?

The second question isn’t necessarily a bad question to pick.  You could survey people and perhaps tackle the question that way.  However, chances are you will get a lot of different answers and it will probably take a lot of surveys to start to pick up a trend.

Although, the first question might be a little easier.  How would you test this?   Maybe you pick one type of cake and one test that you give people.  If you can get five people to take the test after eating cake and five people take the test with no cake, you can compare the test results.  There might be other variables beyond cake that you could test (example: age, sex, education).  But you can see that the first question is probably a little easier to test.  The first question is also a little easier to come up with a hypothesis.

At this point, you’ve got an idea.  That was the hard part!  Now it’s time to think a little more about that idea and focus it into a scientific question that is testable and that you can create a hypothesis around .

What makes a question “testable”?

Testable questions are ones that can be measured and should focus on what you will change.  In our first cake question, we would be changing whether or not people eat cake before a test.  If we are giving them all the same test and in the same conditions, you could compare how they do on the test with and without cake.  As you are creating your testable question, think about what you WILL CHANGE (cake) and what you are expecting to be different (test scores).  Cause and effect.  Check out this reference on testable questions for more details.

Outline Your Science Project – What Steps Should I Take?

Do Background Research / Create Hypothesis

Science experiments typically start with a question (example: Which cleaning solution eliminates more germs?).  The questions might come up because of a problem.  For example, maybe you’re an engineer and you are trying to design a new line of cars that can drive at least 50 mph faster.  Your problem is that the car isn’t fast enough.  After looking at what other people have tried to do to get the car to go faster, and thinking about what you can change, you try to find a solution or an answer.  When we talk about the scientific method, the proposed answer is referred to as the HYPOTHESIS.

• Science Buddies
• National Geographic

The information you gather to answer these research questions can be used in your report or in your board.  This will go in the BACKGROUND section.  For resources that you find useful, make sure you note the web address where you found it, and save in a Google Doc for later.

Additional Research Tips

For your own science fair project, there will likely be rules that will already be set by the judges/teachers/school.  Make sure you get familiar with the rules FOR YOUR FAIR and what needs to be completed to participate .  Typically, you will have to do some research into your project, you’ll complete experiments, analyze data, make conclusions and then present the work in a written report and on a poster board.  Make a checklist of all these “to do” items.  Key things to address:

• Question being answered – this is your testable question
• Hypothesis – what did you come up with and why
• Experimental design – how are you going to test your hypothesis
• Conclusions – why did you reach these and what are some alternative explanations
• What would you do next? Answering a testable question usually leads to asking more questions and judges will be interested in how you think about next steps.

Need more help?  Check out these additional resources on how to tackle a science fair project:

• Developing a Science Fair Project – Wiley
• Successful Science Fair Projects – Washington University
• Science Fair Planning Guide – Chattahoochee Elementary

Experiment – Time to Test That Hypothesis

Way to go!  You’ve found a problem and identified a testable question.  You’ve done background research and even created a hypothesis.  It’s time to put it all together now and start designing your experiment.  Two experiments we have outlined in detail – germiest spot in school and alka-seltzer rockets – help show how to set up experiments to test variable changes.

The folks at ThoughtCo have a great overview on the different types of variables – independent, dependent and controls.  You need to identify which ones are relevant to your own experiment and then test to see how changes in the independent variable impacts the dependent variable .  Sounds hard?  Nope.  Let’s look at an example.  Let’s say our hypothesis is that cold weather will let you flip a coin with more heads than tails.  The independent variable is the temperature.  The dependent variable is the number of heads or tails that show up.  Our experiment could involve flipping a coin fifty times in different temperatures (outside, in a sauna, in room temperature) and seeing how many heads/tails we get.

One other important point – write down all the steps you take and the materials you use!!  This will be in your final report and project board.  Example – for our coin flipping experiment, we will have a coin (or more than one), a thermometer to keep track of the temperature in our environment.  Take pictures of the flipping too!

Analyze Results – Make Conclusions

Analyzing means adding up our results and putting them into pretty pictures.  Use charts and graphs whenever you can.  In our last coin flipping example, you’d want to include bar charts of the number of heads and tails at different temperatures.  If you’re doing some other type of experiment, take pictures during the different steps to document everything.

This is the fun part….  Now we get to see if we answered our question!  Did the weather affect the coin flipping?  Did eating cake help us do better on our test??  So exciting!  Look through what the data tells you and try to answer your question.  Your hypothesis may / may not be correct.  It’s not important either way – the most important part is what you learned and the process.  Check out these references for more help:

• How to make a chart or graph in Google Sheets
• How to make a chart in Excel

Presentation Time – Set Up Your Board, Practice Your Talk

Personally, the presentation is my favorite part!  First, you get to show off all your hard work and look back at everything you did!  Additionally, science fair rules should outline the specific sections that need to be in the report, and in the poster board – so, be like Emmett from Lego Movie and read the instructions.  Here’s a loose overview of what you should include:

• Title – what is it called.
• Introduction / background – here’s why you’re doing it and helping the judges learn a bit about your project.
• Materials/Methods – what you used and the steps in your experiment. This is so someone else could repeat your experiment.
• Results – what was the outcome? How many heads/tails?  Include pictures and graphs.
• Conclusions – was your hypothesis correct? What else would you like to investigate now?  What went right and what went wrong?
• References – if you did research, where did you get your information from? What are your sources?

The written report will be very similar to the final presentation board.  The board that you’ll prepare is usually a three-panel board set up like the picture shown below.

To prepare for the presentation, you and your partner should be able to talk about the following:

• why you did the experiment
• the hypothesis that was tested
• the data results
• the conclusions.

It’s totally OK to not know an answer.  Just remember this is the fun part!

And that’s it!  YOU DID IT!! 

Science fair projects have been great opportunities for our kids to not only learn more about science, but to also be challenged and push themselves.  Independent projects like these are usually a great learning opportunity.  Has your child completed a science fair project that they are proud of?  Include a pic in the comments – we love to share science!!  Please also check out our STEMium Resources page for more science fair project tips and tricks .

STEMomma is a mother & former scientist/educator. She loves to find creative, fun ways to help engage kids in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math).  When she’s not busy in meetings or carpooling kids, she loves spending time with the family and dreaming up new experiments  or games they can try in the backyard.

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Do a Science Fair Project!

How do you do a science fair project.

Ask a parent, teacher, or other adult to help you research the topic and find out how to do a science fair project about it.

Test, answer, or show?

Your science fair project may do one of three things:

Test an idea (or hypothesis.)

Answer a question.

Show how nature works.

Topic ideas:

Space topics:.

How do the constellations change in the night sky over different periods of time?

How does the number of stars visible in the sky change from place to place because of light pollution?

Learn about and demonstrate the ancient method of parallax to measure the distance to an object, such as stars and planets.

Study different types of stars and explain different ways they end their life cycles.

Earth topics:

How do the phases of the Moon correspond to the changing tides?

Demonstrate what causes the phases of the Moon?

How does the tilt of Earth’s axis create seasons throughout the year?

How do weather conditions (temperature, humidity) affect how fast a puddle evaporates?

How salty is the ocean?

Solar system topics:

How does the size of a meteorite relate to the size of the crater it makes when it hits Earth?

How does the phase of the Moon affect the number of stars visible in the sky?

Show how a planet’s distance from the Sun affects its temperature.

Sun topics:

Observe and record changes in the number and placement of sun spots over several days. DO NOT look directly at the Sun!

Make a sundial and explain how it works.

Show why the Moon and the Sun appear to be the same size in the sky.

How effective are automobile sunshades?

Study and explain the life space of the sun relative to other stars.

Pick a topic.

Try to find out what people already know about it.

State a hypothesis related to the topic. That is, make a cause-and-effect-statement that you can test using the scientific method .

Explain something.

Make a plan to observe something.

Design and carry out your research, keeping careful records of everything you do or see.

Create an exhibit or display to show and explain to others what you hoped to test (if you had a hypothesis) or what question you wanted to answer, what you did, what your data showed, and your conclusions.

Write a short report that also states the same things as the exhibit or display, and also gives the sources of your initial background research.

Practice describing your project and results, so you will be ready for visitors to your exhibit at the science fair.

Follow these steps to a successful science fair entry!

If you liked this, you may like:

The Scientific Method Lesson Plan: Developing Hypotheses

Submitted by: charlie conway.

This is a lesson plan designed to be incorporated into a elementary or middle school general science class. Using BrainPOP and its resources, students will be introduced (or further exposed) to the steps necessary to undertake scientific experimentation leading (perhaps) to a Science Fair project. The Scientific Method is a core structure in learning about scientific inquiry, and although there are many variations of this set of procedures, they all usually have similar components. This lesson should take 45-60 minutes, with opportunities for extending the lesson further.

Students will:

• Students will use BrainPOP features to build their understandings of the Scientific Method.
• Students will learn how to identify and write effective hypotheses.
• Students will use game play to write an appropriate hypothesis for an experiment.
• Students will identify and utilize the tools necessary to design a scientific investigation.
• Laptops/Computers
• Interactive White Board
• Pencil/Paper
• Class set of photocopies of the Scientific Method Flow Chart
• BrainPOP accounts (optional)

Vocabulary:

Preparation:.

These procedures may be modified according to the needs/resources of each teacher & class. For example, you may decide to do the quiz with pencil/paper, or do the quiz as a class.

Lesson Procedure:

• Ask the students how scientists answer questions and solve problems. Take a few minutes to explore students' prior knowledge with a short discussion.
• Tell the class that you're going to watch a BrainPOP movie about answering a scientific question about plant growth.
• Show the BrainPOP movie on the Scientific Method two times. The first time, students should just watch and listen. The second time they should take notes. Pause the movie at critical STOP points.
• Students should log on to their individual student accounts and take the Scientific Method Quiz to give the teacher some immediate feedback. (This can also be done as a pre-assessment, or at the very end of the lesson). NOTE: If you choose to, you can give a pencil/paper quiz also; students who work best with electronic media can be given accommodations). If you don't have access to individual student logins via MyBrainPOP (a school subscription), students can take the Review Quiz or paper quiz instead.
• Discuss the main points from the movie: a. Write the definition of the scientific method: the procedure scientists use to help explain why things happen. b. Make a list on the board of the steps mentioned as part of the scientific method: problem, fact finding, observation, inference, hypothesis, experiment, conclusions. c. Tell students that there are various versions of the scientific method that they may see, but they are all basically the same.
• Hand out the Scientific Method Flow Chart . Introduce the "If...then...because..." format for writing hypotheses. Give the students 10 minutes to complete the sheet with their group. They may use their notes from the movie to help them, and/or work collaboratively with other students.
• Discuss some of the student responses in class. Focus on the hypotheses, and explain that a good hypothesis is a testable explanation of the problem. For example, a good hypothesis to the third problem would be, "If I move farther away from the microwave oven, then the cell phone signal will improve because I am further away from the source of interference." Show how this is a TESTABLE hypothesis that can lead to a scientific experiment.
• Introduce the students to the Pavlov’s Dog game in GameUP. Allow time for the kids to explore the game without telling them why they are playing it.
• After 10-15 minutes, have the students take a break from playing, and have a short discussion about the game. Ask if anyone was able to complete the task successfully, and have them share how they got the "diploma." If time allows, show the students how to complete the task so that they all understand that the dog has been conditioned to respond to a stimulus (noise before food has been introduced).
• Have the students write a hypothesis that Pavlov may have written before he started his experiment. Students can either do this with pencil/paper, or the teacher may create a BrainPOP quiz and have students submit their hypothesis electronically. This may be used as a part of the assessment.
• Choose some sample responses from the students, highlighting the hypotheses that are TESTABLE, and not just guesses or predictions.

If this lesson is an introduction to allowing students to plan and carry out their own experiments, then all that follows is naturally an extension to the lesson.

Other, shorter extensions are easy to develop as well.

Extension Activities:

• BrainPOP Jr. (K-3)
• BrainPOP ELL
• BrainPOP Science
• BrainPOP Español
• BrainPOP Français
• Set Up Accounts
• Single Sign-on
• Manage Subscription
• Quick Tours
• About BrainPOP

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Trademarks & Copyrights

50 of the Best Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids

• February 10, 2021

So you have a science fair coming up at school and want to make a project that’s sure to win a prize ribbon? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Choosing the right project requires plenty of research. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best science fair projects ideas to help you along your search.

50 STEM Experiment Ideas for Kids

These 50 science fair project ideas are all great for kids- early and older elementary school students, with a few suitable for middle school students as well. Make a topic that fascinates you, come up with a hypothesis, and see what happens next!

Plus, once you’ve chosen your topic, use this science fair project how-to video from NASA as a helpful guide.

Important note: Some of these science fair projects require the help or supervision of an adult. Always make sure an older family member is nearby and knows what you’re doing as you work on these projects.

1. With this science fair experiment , you can learn what factors affect melting ice.

2. Try this magic milk experiment for an easy science fair project that younger students can accomplish.

3. How much sun does a seed need to sprout? Discover the answer by trying this project you can easily complete from home.

4. Build your own water clock and see how well you can get it to measure time.

5. If you’re interested in a little microbiology, try out this egg cell experiment .

6. What’s the best way to prevent apples from browning? Find out for yourself and make sure to record the results.

7. Do birds eat more food if it is a certain color? Find out with this intriguing experiment .

8. Discover how clouds turn water vapors into rain and diagram a few common types of clouds through this kid-friendly science fair project .

9. Make your own plant cell model using styrofoam and playdough.

10. Learn about aerodynamics by experimenting with paper airplane shapes and seeing which one flies best.

11. Learn how to accelerate the rusting process with this quick and thought-provoking science project .

12. Want to learn about water and density for your project? Perform this floating egg experiment and try out the follow-up questions at the bottom.

13. This project about bending light is perfect for older elementary school students who want to dip their toes into physics.

14. This biology-based science experiment asks, “Will plants grow towards a specific light source?”

15. Learn about greenhouse gases with this science fair idea .

16. Experiment with what makes fruit ripen quickly and write down your results to present at your science fair.

17. Use this hands-on experiment to explore how carbonated drinks affect teeth.

18. Which factors affect evaporation? Find out for yourself with this project that’s perfect for students who can complete it with a little adult supervision.

19. Find out which types of toothpaste work the best and, after measuring your results, try and come up with a conclusion.

20. If the weather is warm out during your science fair, try building a solar oven .

21. For a simple chemistry project , you can make sugar crystals and see what material works best for growing them.

22. Which common material is the best heat conductor? Find out with this science fair project that can be done with adult supervision, as it needs boiling water.

23. Craft your own thermos bottle and test it out for a project all about insulation.

24. Make a DIY thermometer and test it out for a practical and hands-on science project.

25. Try this celery experiment to learn how plant capillaries work.

26. How does the air temperature affect movement? Try one of these fun science fair project ideas as a model for your own experiment.

27. If you’re passionate about the environment, try this recycling experiment for your science fair project

28. How does paint color affect drying time? Make your predictions and test it out for yourself.

29. Learn which soil is best for growing tomatoes if your science fair takes place during warm weather.

30. Build your own lemon battery and see if you can get it to work to learn about electricity.

31. If you want to try the epitome of science fair projects, try making a science fair volcano.

32. How much sugar is in different popular foods? If you’re interested in health science, try this fascinating experiment .

33. If you’d rather look at prompts and create your own project, use these science fair questions for inspiration.

34. Does music affect plant growth? Discover for yourself with this project .

35. Do you need science fair project ideas that will encourage others to recycle? Learn about how to make your own paper .

36. If you have a few furry friends in your neighborhood, consider testing if dogs are colorblind with this project .

37. How does temperature affect air pressure in a ball? Find out the answer with this sporty science project .

38. Build your own pulley and see what kinds of objects you can make it carry.

39. Learn a little about chemistry with this science fair experiment that asks which paper towels are the most absorbent.

40. What is the dirtiest spot in the average home? Find the answer by cultivating bacteria growth in this experiment .

41. Discover how to test thermal energy by observing water temperature.

42. Can you grow seeds with liquids other than water? Find out with this kid-friendly science experiment .

43. This Sun or Shade science fair projec t is perfect for elementary school students.

44. This cool science fair project asks an intriguing question about insect biology: what sweetener do ants prefer?

45. Make a working model of lungs for a science fair project that’s sure to fascinate.

46. Want to try a science fair project that can only end with tasty treats? Bake some cookies and try one of these sweet experiments .

47. Interested in astronomy? Try out this experiment that teaches why the moon’s shape seems to change every day.

48. What are the effects of disinfectant on germs? Use this science fair project as inspiration for your own.

49. Put your math skills to the test with this science fair project centered around the game tic tac toe.

50. What’s stronger: magnetism or gravity? Find out with this science fair experiment that’s perfect for early elementary students.

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Science Projects > Science Fair Projects > Science Fair Projects for Elementary  

Science Fair Projects for Elementary

Why consider elementary science fair projects.

Science fairs aren’t just for older kids!

If you’re an elementary school student, you can have a blast doing your own project – and you can learn a whole lot in the process!

For grades K-3, a demonstration of scientific principles is usually okay, although many fairs require more experiment-based projects. Science Fair projects for this age range are great for developing their scientific with projects that include sorting and classifying, sustaining their attention for long periods, using deductive or inductive reasoning, and applying a concept to more general situations. For 4th-5th graders, a complete experiment that answers a question using the scientific method is usually required.

Before you start the experimenting part of your project, do some research about your topic! You can then use questions (like the ones below) to develop your own hypothesis – what you think will happen in your experiment, based on what you know (or want to find out) about science.

It’s okay if your experiment doesn’t turn out like you predicted – that’s part of the scientific method too!

Browse our Science Fair Supplies product category to look for more project ideas and find the supplies you need.

Life Science Project Ideas: Plants and Animals

Lots of factors affect plant growth . Try experimenting with soil type, light, temperature, water, and more. See if using water crystal beads in the soil affects watering and growth. Or grow two of the same plant—one in soil and one in water. Use a root viewer to experiment with root vegetables.

Other great science fair project ideas include:

• Does calcium really make our bones stronger ? What would happen if we didn’t get enough calcium? Science Fair Supplies
• What’s the best way to wash our hands to keep us safe from germs? Use lotion and glitter or Glo Germ gel to simulate germs. Experiment to find out if warm or cold water works better, which kinds of soap work best, and how much time you should spend washing.
• Have you ever watched ants carrying bits of food? What food from your kitchen do you think an ant or another insect would like best? What ‘bait’ will probably attract the greatest number of different insect species? Can you test the effect of temperature on ants?
• Can bees recognize pictures? Perform a simple honeybee memory experiment to find out. Do bees remember patterns? What about location? Or do they find ‘nectar’ a different way altogether? Science Fair Supplies
• Do a project to find out if temperature affects brine shrimp . Do ones in a warmer environment develop faster than ones in a colder place? Is tap water, spring water, or distilled water better for hatching the eggs?
• How does the membrane and shell of an egg help protect a baby chick?
• Test green leaves to find out what other pigments are present in them.

Chemistry Project Ideas: Crystals, pH, Slime, and Glue

Here are some great chemistry science fair project ideas.

• Water is sometimes called ‘the Universal Solvent” because it dissolves other substances so well. Compare how water dissolves salt or sugar compared to other liquids (like oil, corn syrup, or vinegar).
• Experiment with surface tension by making bubbles . Can you make them in different shapes? Can you poke scissors through them without popping them?
• Make crystals from sugar, salt, and baking soda. How do their crystal shapes compare? Does the rate of evaporation of the crystal growing medium (water, vinegar) affect the size of the crystals? Does the rate of how fast the crystals cool down affect the size of the crystals? Do impurities (such as iodized salt versus salt that is not iodized) affect the growth of the crystals?
• What happens when saltwater from the ocean evaporates? Science Fair Supplies
• Chemical energy can produce power! Try making a voltaic cell battery from food items (judges love these types of elementary science fair projects!). Which type of citrus fruit works best? What about vinegar? A potato?

• Make your own slime using a slime science kit . Does more or less of an ingredient make the slime more stretchy? What about slippery or gooey? Science Fair Supplies
• Why do apple slices turn brown? Can you stop this from happening by using lemon juice? What else could you use?
• How does yeast make bread rise ? What conditions make yeast react faster or slower?

Earth Science Project Ideas: Weather and Dirt

The sun causes water to evaporate into the air, where it forms clouds and comes back down as rain or snow. Can wind speed, humidity, or temperature have an effect on the rate of evaporation? (Do one of these weather experiments to find out more.)

Try these earth science science fair project ideas:

• How good is soil at breaking things down? What can you find that is biodegradable? How can you test to see whether something is or not?
• What holds more water, sand or soil? How does this affect what kinds of plants can grow in each?
• Can you learn to predict the weather from the clouds? Try using a cloud chart to make your own forecast every day for a few weeks. How accurate was the cloud-forecast method?
• How does a thermometer work ? What kind of liquid works best to show changes in temperature?

Physical Science Project Ideas: Force and Energy

Can you use a magnet to find traces of iron in food, dollar bills, and other household materials? Are some magnets stronger than others?

What type of flooring creates the most or the least friction? Try carpet, wood, tile, linoleum, etc. Younger kids might test this by rolling a ball or toy truck over different surfaces. (Or use spring scales to measure the force of friction.) Use this to decide what kind of flooring is safest (least slippery) for someone wearing socks. Science Fair Supplies

Why does a balloon stick to the wall after you rub it against your hair? Experiment with a static electricity kit to find out how positive and negative charges in household items interact. What causes static electricity to increase? What are some ways to decrease static electricity, and which ways work best?

Here are some great physics science fair projects:

• Can salt conduct electricity ? What about sugar? Do a project to test the conductivity of different materials using a battery and a light bulb or a buzzer.
• Use a spectroscope to compare the spectra (which looks like a rainbow) of different types of light. Do different light sources contain different colors? How does daylight compare with a fluorescent light bulb? (Note: Never look directly at the sun!) Research to find more about the different elements that are in each light source.
• Do an experiment with density of different liquids. Which is denser, oil, corn syrup, or water? If you add all three to the same glass, which liquid will float on top of the others? Compare how well some objects (e.g., raisin, paper clip) float in each of the three substances. You can also experiment with colored water (e.g., red for hot, blue for cold) to find out whether different temperatures affect water density.
• Make electric playdough to build squishy circuits.

We hope this diverse list of elementary project ideas has been a helpful starting point this science fair season! Remember, too, that advanced science projects can often be simplified into elementary science fair projects.

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100+ Easy & FUN Science Fair Project Ideas

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Looking for FUN   science projects for kids ? Science is one of our favorite subjects around here. I have a huge list of over 100 easy science experiments for kids. You can use these classic science fair ideas when helping your child create their next science fair project. Kids will love these fun projects and experiments!

See my Scientific Method Worksheets and Posters to help teach the process of the scientific method including these 6 steps:

• Ask a question
• Make a hypothesis
• Record Data

These science fair project ideas can be used for may grade levels including elementary school aged kids, middle school aged kids and some would even work for high school. Many of these science activities are quick and easy to put together and will not break the bank either.

I divided the science fair project ideas out the best I could by topic and category for you. That way if there is a certain interest, you can find just what you are looking for. You will find science fair experiment ideas in biology, physics, chemistry, electricity, magnetism, earth science, and more!

All of these simple experiment ideas can be used in some way to create an awesome science fair project. Most are from my site, but many are from some other great bloggers! Click the links to get instructions and demonstrations on how these projects work.

Want more ideas? See also my post with 200 + Elementary STEM Projects .

Easy Energy and Physics Science Fair Projects

Kinetic Energy with Rubber Band Boats – this science project is a blast to create with kids!

Kinetic Energy- Shooting Star Spinner – This is a fun one on kinetic and potential energy

Kinetic Energy Gravity Spinner  – Do this experiment to show gravity!

Perpetual Motion Candle See Saw – This is a cool way to learn about motion!

How Does a String Telephone Work?  ~Raising Life Long Learners

Which Cup Will Keep Water Cold the Longest?  ~ Really, Are you Serious?

Light Refraction Science Experiment  ~ Look We’re Learning

Heat Conduction Experiment  ~ Look We’re Learning

Color Changing Sensory Bottle  ~ The Science Kiddo

Exploring Magnetic Fields

Magnet Pendulum

Levitating Magnets

Train Chain Reactions

Static Electricity Slime

What are Electrolytes?

Color and Light Reflection and Refraction Experiments

Simple Machines- Gears

Light Box Magic  ~ True Aim Education

Balloon Air Pressure Experiment  ~ Darcy and Brian

Make A Giant Catapult

Technology & Mechanical Science Projects for Kids

Is it Conductive? – test different objects to see if they conduct electricity.

How to Make a Coin Battery  – use coins to power a light!

How to Make a Lemon Battery – the power of lemon juice is pretty amazing.

What to Make a Dirt Battery – a battery out of dirt?  yup!

How do you Make a Potato Battery? ~from STEAM Powered Family

How to Make a Hydraulic Elevator ~ Make a water powered elevator

How to Make a Bubble Blower Machine

Paper Circuits – learn about circuits and electricity with this simple project.

Solar Powered Lego Car – harness the power of the sun!

Make an EASY Water Pump Sprinkler

Chemistry Science Projects for Kids With Chemical Reactions

Cabbage Juice pH Experiment – test different chemicals and substances to see their pH levels.

How too Make an Erupting Volcano (with salt dough)

How Do you Clean Pennies?

Why Do Baking Soda and Vinegar React?

How to Make Dry Ice Bubbles

Does it Dissolve?

How Do you Grow Crystals? (borax crystals)

Elephant Toothpaste with Two Types of Peroxide

What is Non-Newtonian Fluid?  (Oobleck Experiments)

Does it Rust? Oxidation Experiment

Rainbow Absorption

Film Canister Rockets

Blooming Paper Flowers

Dancing Acorns  ~ Hands-on Teaching Ideas

States of Matter Experiments – solids, liquids and gases

Rubber Bouncing Egg Experiment

Color Changing Flowers Experiment  ~ Messy Little Monster

Paper Burning Experiment  ~ Preschool Powol Packets

How to Make a Paper Mache Erupting Volcano  ~ Red Ted Art

Mentos and Soda Geysers

Anatomy Science Fair Projects

How Do Ears Work?

Play Dough Anatomy

Animal Digestion Experiment  ~ Schooling a Monkey

Why We Need Muscles & Bones  ~ I Can Teach My Child

How Do Lungs Work?   ~ Sciene Sparks

DNA Experiment

Earth Science and Nature Science Fair Projects

How do Earthquakes Happen ?

Can You Build a House to Resist an Earthquake?

Make your Own Crystal Rock Candy Geodes

What are Convection Currents?

Study surface tension with Water Strider Insects

How are Rainbows made?

How to Clean Dirty Water

Geology Experiment: Stalactites and Stalagmites Formation

What’s In My Water? 

What are Shells Made of?

How Can We Stay Dry During the Rain  ~ Pink Stripey Socks

What Surfaces in my House are the Dirtiest? Mold Science

Density Experiment with different liquids, also tests buoyancy!

Why Do Leaves Change Colors? Leaf Chromatography Experiment

Rising Tide Experiment

Soda Bottle Compost  ~ Busy Mommy Media

Build a Sun Shelter  ~ Buggy and Buddy

Hurricane Model Experiment  ~Preschool Powol Packets

Easy Condensation Experiment  – Look We’re Learning

Salt Water Density Experiment  ~ The Science Kiddo

Plant Science- Observing Bulb Growth  ~Buggy and Buddy

How to Make a Compass  ~ Parenting Chaos

Why do Pinecones Open & Close?  ~ Parenting Chaos

Leaf Transpiration Experiment – how leaves breathe, use a plastic bag to collect the moisture from a tree.

Pumpkin Petri Dishes  ~ Hands-on Teaching Ideas

Rainy Day Science – learn about filtering rain water

Making a Solar Still – harness the power of the sun with this cool science experiment!

Make Your Own Human Sun Dial

How are Sedimentary Rocks & Fossils Made? 

How Do Sharks Float?  ~ Preschool Powol Packets

How to Make Square Bubbles

What Soil is Best for Growing Seeds?  ~ Schooling a Monkey

Simple Food Science Fair Project Ideas

Want a food-based science fair project?  These ideas are fun and edible, too!  Who doesn’t love learning with food?

Food Science: Make a Loaf of Bread in a Bag

Why Does Gelatin Not Set with Certain Fruits ?

What Foods will Grow the most Mold?

Cake Chemistry Experiment

Popcorn and Salt Science Experiment  ~ Awe Filled Homemaker

What Prevents Apples from Browning?

How to Make Plastic with Gelatin  ~ STEAM Powered Family

Melting Ice Science Experiment  ~ The Chaos and the Clutter

Pie Crust Experiment

Food Chemistry~ Turn Juice into Noodles !

Green Eggs Food Chemistry (no food coloring required!)

How Strong are Eggs?  ~ Hands-On Teaching Ideas

Make Solar S’mores

Hot Chocolate Science Experiment  ~ Creative Family Fun

Bread Mold Science Project  ~ Schooling a Monkey

Other Fun & Easy Science Project Ideas

Toilet Paper Comparisons   ~ Pink Stripey Socks

Egg Drop Challenge 

Press n’ Seal vs. Saran Wrap

Hockey Science Experiment  ~ Creative Family Fun

I hope you found an idea that will work for your little scientists next science fair project. I’d love to hear what you did and see pictures of the finished project!

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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Home » Tips for Teachers » Discover the Joy of Science: 16 Experiments Perfect for Elementary Students

Discover the Joy of Science: 16 Experiments Perfect for Elementary Students

When I am continuously going over worksheets or books with my elementary class, I notice my students’ long and bored faces, their eyes drifting away from the material. Because of this observation, I try to integrate at least one hands-on science experiment into my weekly schedule. This approach not only keeps the children entertained, engaged, and focused but also fuels their innate curiosity. The objective is to spice things up every once in a while to keep my classroom fun and the learning experience vibrant.

The future is dependent on humans who know how to use science to make sound decisions, innovate, and take part in cultural, political, and civic conversations. Understanding this, I felt a responsibility. With that being said, I wanted to help other teachers around the world learn how to introduce science in fun, practical, and interactive ways for their elementary-aged students. Therefore, I am sharing my ultimate list of 16 science experiments for elementary school in this article.

This is how experiments are held at Northridge Elementary School:

WOW! The 5th graders at Northridge Elementary School participated in our lesson NEWTON’S 2nd LAW OF MOTION. Their experiments helped them understand force, mass, and acceleration. https://t.co/IRMc0iv6RJ pic.twitter.com/a93gleNPnL — WPAFB EO Office (@wpafbeo) March 2, 2022

How to Make a Baking Soda Volcano

Step-By-Step Instructions for a Classic Science Fair Project

busypix / Getty Images

• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

The baking soda and vinegar volcano is a classic science project that can help kids learn about chemical reactions and what happens when a volcano erupts . While it's obviously not the real  thing, this kitchen equivalent is cool all the same! The baking soda volcano is also non-toxic, which adds to its appeal—and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete.

Did You Know?

• The cool red lava is the result of a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.
• In this reaction, carbon dioxide gas is produced, which is also present in real volcanoes.
• As the carbon dioxide gas is produced, pressure builds up inside the plastic bottle, until—thanks to the detergent—the gas bubbles out of the mouth of the volcano.

Volcano Science Project Materials

• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• plastic soda bottle
• dishwashing detergent
• food coloring
• baking dish or another pan
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Make the Chemical Volcano

• Start by making the cone of your baking soda volcano by mixing 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (add more water if needed).
• Stand the soda bottle in the baking pan and mold the dough around it to form a volcano shape. Be sure not to cover the hole or drop dough inside the bottle.
• Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food coloring. (You can do this prior to sculpting the cone as long as you don't take so long that the water gets cold.)
• Add 6 drops of detergent to the contents of the bottle. The detergent helps trap bubbles produced by the chemical reaction so you get better lava.
• Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid in the bottle.
• Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle, and then watch out...It's eruption time!

Experiment With the Volcano

While it's fine for young explorers to tackle a simple model volcano, if you want to make the volcano a better science project, you'll want to add the scientific method . Here are some ideas for different ways to experiment with a baking soda volcano:

• Make a prediction about what happens if you change the amount of baking soda or vinegar. Record and analyze the effect, if any.
• Can you think of ways to change the volcano to make the eruption go higher or last longer? This might involve changing the chemicals or the shape of the volcano. It helps to record numerical data, such as the volume of liquid, the height of the "lava," or the duration of the eruption.
• Does it affect your volcano if you use a different kind of chemical to color the volcano? You could use tempera paint powder.
• Try using tonic water instead of regular water to get a volcano that glows under black light.
• What happens if you substitute other acids instead of vinegar or other bases instead of baking soda? (Examples of acids include lemon juice or ketchup; examples of bases include laundry detergent and household ammonia.) Use caution if you decide to substitute chemicals because some mixtures can be dangerous and may produce hazardous gasses. Never experiment with bleach or bathroom cleaners.
• Adding a bit of food coloring will result in red-orange lava! Orange seems to work best. Add some red, yellow, and even purple, for a bright display.
• Baking Soda and Vinegar Chemical Volcano
• Take Your Volcano Science Project to the Next Level
• Ketchup and Baking Soda Volcano
• Baking Soda Science Projects
• Safe Science Experiments
• How to Make a Volcano Using Pop Rocks
• Have a Vinegar and Baking Soda Foam Fight
• You've Got Ingredients for a Chemical Volcano
• Equation for the Reaction Between Baking Soda and Vinegar
• Fizzy Sherbet Powder Candy Recipe
• How to Make a Mentos & Diet Soda Chemical Volcano Eruption
• Easy Science Projects
• Middle School Science Fair Project Ideas
• Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids
• Top Chemistry Projects for Bored Kids
• Modeling Clay Recipes Using Home Ingredients

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5 solar eclipse activities to do with children

From building an eclipse viewer to using the sun to pop balloons, here's a child-friendly activity guide for April's eclipse

By Abigail Beall

6 April 2024

There are plenty of fun eclipse activities to do with kids

Edwin Remsberg/Alamy

If you are planning to enjoy the total solar eclipse on 8 April with your children, here are a few activities you can do with them before and during the eclipse, to help them understand what causes a solar eclipse and get the most out of the experience.

1. Build an eclipse viewer

On the days leading up to the eclipse, you and your children can get excited about the big event by building an eclipse viewer . There are a few ways to do this – the first of which is a simple pinhole camera using two pieces of paper. Cut a hole in one piece of paper and cover it with aluminium foil, then poke a small hole in the foil. On the day of the eclipse, hold the paper up to let the sun beam through the hole and it will project a version of the eclipse onto a second piece of paper you place on the ground.

A slightly more complicated version involves a cereal or shoe box, placing paper at one end and cutting two holes in the other end. Over one of the two holes, you place some tin foil and, again, pierce it so that the sunlight can get through. More details on how to make both versions here .

Solar Eclipse 2024

On 8 April a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the US and Canada. Our special series is covering everything you need to know, from how and when to see it to some of the weirdest eclipse experiences in history.

2. Build a solar eclipse model

Another activity that can be done ahead of the eclipse is building, or acting out, a model of the sun, moon and Earth to understand what a solar eclipse is . To build it, all you need is three sticks and three balls to place on top of the sticks. You can paint them or colour them in so that they resemble the sun, moon and Earth. Make sure the sun is bigger than the moon. Then, you can show your kids what an eclipse is by placing the sun in the centre, and moving Earth around the sun and the moon around Earth. When the three line up, with the moon in between the sun and Earth, we get a solar eclipse. When the moon is on the other side of Earth from the sun, we get lunar eclipses.

Your kids can also act out a solar eclipse. Give one of them a torch or flashlight, making them act as the sun, and ask them to shine the torch on a wall. The other, who is the moon, can move around until they block the torch light. They can both play around with moving forwards and backwards, to show why the distances between the moon, Earth and sun matter when it comes to eclipses.

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3. Pop a balloon using sunlight

This is something that can be done on any sunny day. But on the day you are waiting for the total eclipse, you can show your kids how to use the power of sunlight to pop a balloon. You need a balloon and a magnifying glass for this activity. Blow up the balloon and then hold the magnifying glass up so that it magnifies the sunlight onto the balloon. Wait for a few minutes and, eventually, the balloon will pop. You can also make this more exciting by blowing up a white balloon inside a black one, and doing the same trick. The black balloon should pop, leaving the white balloon intact inside. You can use this to explain how black surfaces absorb sunlight, while light surfaces reflect them.

4. Play with shadows

On the day of the eclipse, while you are waiting for totality, the partial eclipse phase will last a few hours. You and your kids can get excited about the eclipse by noticing how shadows change, and playing around with this. If you have a tree nearby, look at the shadows it casts on the ground throughout the eclipse and you will see that they start to look like a sun with a bite taken out of it. This also works by crossing your fingers over each other and casting shadows on the ground. Another way to show the eclipse through shadows is using a colander, or anything with small holes in it. As the eclipse progresses, the shadows cast will start to take on the shape of the eclipse. You can punch a series of holes in a piece of paper to spell out a word or your kids’ names in these crescent shapes.

5. Draw shadows

This is another activity that can be done in the hours leading up to and after totality, again making the most of the interesting shadows created by a partially eclipsed sun. You can lay a big white piece of paper or sheet on the ground, and ask your kids to draw the shadows cast by different objects. If you do this at the start of the partial phase, and again closer to totality, they will be able to see how these shadows change as the eclipse progresses. You should notice that, in the lead-up to totality, shadows become much clearer as the amount of ambient light is reduced.

• solar eclipse 2024

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How to Do the Classic Baking Soda Volcano Science Experiment

Categories Science Experiments

For our creative STEM activities for kids series, I wanted to do science experiments for kids that were easy, but also impressive at the same time. This made a volcano science experiment a must.

We’ve made a volcano science experiment before, but this time, we decided to make it look a little more impressive by adding a play dough mountain around our bottle and making the inside of the volcano a deeper red.

Although everyone has does the volcano science experiment at least once (at least everyone should!), it still remains a classic science fair project. If your student(s) haven’t tried this project yet, add this activity to your list of elementary school science fair projects .

The Classic Volcano Science Experiment for Kids

Every child should get to make a volcano as a science project at least once! Follow along with these instructions if you’re making a ketchup and baking soda volcano!

How to Turn the Volcano Science Experiment into a Science Fair Project

A science fair project requires variables. Good variables for this project is to test if different acids create bigger or smaller eruptions. Kids may also want to try different bases or what happens when they add other materials to the volcano to see how the reaction changes with each variation.

What Makes the Baking Soda and Ketchup Reaction?

What causes the volcano to explode in the volcano science experiment is the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.

Baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. When a base and an acid are mixed, it creates a byproduct of carbon dioxide, which causes the mixture to overflow just like a shaken soda bottle.

When dish soap is added to the mix, it makes things even more foamy and bubbly.

Supplies for the Volcano Science Experiment

Here is what you will need to complete the volcano experiment as an addition to classic science fair projects .

• Ketchup or tomato paste
• Baking soda
• Small bottle

What You Need for a Science Fair

You’ll want to have these supplies on hand before doing your science fair project. Shop the included Amazon storefronts to make things easier and don’t forget to download the free science fair planning checklist before getting started!

Science Fair Project Planning

When you’re planning your project, you want to keep everything organized. Click the image below to get my free science fair project checklist so you can start organizing your project from the start.

You may also want to check out this list of science fair project research supplies.

Supplies for a Science Fair Project

There are so many supplies for science fair projects that are individual to each project, but if you want a general list of possible supplies and inspiration for your project, check out my selection of science fair experiment supplies on Amazon.

Supplies for a Science Fair Presentation

Your science fair presentation is important! It should look presentable and eye-catching. Check out this list of my favorite science fair presentation supplies.

How to Make a Baking Soda Volcano

Place about 2 tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl. Add about 10 drops of dish soap on top of the baking soda and about ¼ of a cup of ketchup or tomato paste.

Mix together gently with a spoon so you don’t make too many suds at once.

Cover the bottle with play dough and place it on a tray. We put ours in a garden box. Carefully pour the baking soda mixture into the bottle using a funnel.

Add vinegar to the bottle slowly, a little at a time. We ended up adding too much vinegar to ours (as you can see in the video), which made our eruption a little less impressive.

Monkey loved seeing the science demonstration and had a lot of fun setting up the volcano and watching the reaction.

If you want to go further with this experiment, you can experiment with various additives to the vinegar and baking soda mixture to see if you can make the eruption more impressive or change the speed at which it leaves the bottle.