Your child is sure to impress at their science fair with these awesome projects, whether testing whether sports drinks contain more electrolytes or discovering how much sunlight is necessary for seed germination. These fascinating science fair projects will astonish and delight.
As with any project, children should get approval from their teachers before embarking on any experiment that might use electrical devices or could lead to physical harm.
Make a Rain Gauge
A rain gauge is a tool designed to measure how much precipitation falls over time, providing kids with an opportunity to explore weather patterns such as droughts and floods while learning more about them. An easy science fair project for kids!
To create a rain gauge, cut off the top of a plastic bottle and fill it with approximately one cup of small pebbles. Set up your funnel on the bottle opening, using tape to secure it to the bottle itself and the weight of pebbles will keep your DIY rain gauge standing upright during windy conditions. Choose an area on your DIY rain gauge as your zero mark or baseline, marking this spot by drawing a line vertically using tape or ruler.
Install your rain gauge outside in an area with minimal wind, where there are no obstacles that might block or restrict rain from entering (e.g. trees, powerlines or roofs). On days where precipitation is expected, check the rainfall amount against your record chart and make note of it on that particular day.
Make a Weather Vane
Wind direction is an integral factor of weather prediction, and meteorologists utilize tools like the weather vane to track its direction. You can make your own simple wind vane using just paper plates, an arrow and some craft foam.
Write N, E, S and W on the plate using a marker. On the other side of the plate, draw an arrow with an outsized tail on one end. Cut 1/2-inch slits in both ends of a straw to allow it to slide easily through its slot containing the point and tail of an arrow point and tail.
Stick a pin through the straw and into the pencil eraser (an adult may need to assist). Finally, set up the plate atop of the straw so it can spin freely.
Take the plate outside, using either a compass or your best guess to orient the directions that were marked on its base so that the arrow points towards north. This will indicate which way the wind is blowing.
Make a Barometer
Air pressure is one of the primary measures meteorologists rely on when making weather forecasts, with variations depending on temperature and air density. With this simple DIY barometer, students can learn all about air pressure’s relationship to weather forecasting.
An effective science fair project hinges on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. These eighth grade projects make perfect examples for such fairs while helping students practice important skills such as measurement.
Make a homemade barometer by blowing up and tying off a balloon, stretching it over a jar or can, making sure the opening of both is covered completely by balloon. Attach a wooden kebab stick to the center of balloon and tape it on paper with either upward- or downward-pointing arrows for sunny and cloudy conditions respectively, before checking daily readings on a graph.
Make a Model of the Water Cycle
Science fair projects often begin when children ask a question they find intriguing, much like how scientists get started; reading up on topics and conducting observations around them to answer an inquiry of their own.
Students can create a model of the water cycle with this 3-D paper craft activity using regular copier paper or card stock. Tape or glue tabs onto a base, and attach an atmosphere cutout before watching runoff enter rivers, lakes and streams back into the ocean.
An experiment to spherify salt can be an engaging science fair project for kids to learn how it dissolves in liquid and forms spheres, as well as demonstrate key chemical concepts like freezing point depression and evaporation. Furthermore, this project offers kids an excellent way to understand greenhouse effect phenomena.