Science projects give students an engaging hands-on way to explore biology, physics, and chemistry. 5th grade science fair experiments are an engaging way of introducing children to new concepts while simultaneously keeping them engaged and motivated.
Kids love this fun experiment to discover more about air’s properties, as well as learn an eye-opening lesson in density.
Mini Trampoline Experiment
Students will discover that a jump on a trampoline depends not only on weight, but also how much energy is put into jumping. This experiment shows that when more energy is put into jumping, the higher one’s rebound height.
Kids can create and test a catapult to see whether its trajectory flies farther when launched from different heights, as well as observe the effects of different music genres on memorisation.
Leakproof Bag
The no leak magic bag is an engaging way for kids to learn about polymers. Plastic bags consist of long chains or strands which bend and flex. When punctured by sharp objects such as pencils, these chains re-seal themselves so no water escapes through leakage.
Other creative science fair projects could involve testing the buoyancy of various liquids or measuring how sugar affects yeast dough. Students could also experiment with force and motion concepts by pushing skewers through inflated balloons.
Convection Currents
Students can explore convection currents through an experiment conducted with materials commonly found in kitchens. This experiment shows how warm air rises due to differences in temperature and density within gases and liquids.
This classroom challenge tests student engineering abilities while also providing them with basic physics concepts such as potential and kinetic energy. Perfect for cold days!
Density Experiment
This delightful experiment shows how liquids of different densities form layers on top of one another and why certain objects or materials sink or float.
Encourage students to record qualitative observations in a journal with detailed notes, drawings or photos, then collect quantitative data using tools like scales, timers or timers. Finally, assist them in analyzing their results and drawing conclusions.
Lava Lamp
A lava lamp is more than just an attractive decoration; it also serves as an eye-opening demonstration of some amazing chemistry. These colorful jars of fun-colored liquid contain two immiscible liquids — mineral oil and water (sometimes with glitter or color added for extra fun! ).
As soon as it gets hot, oil becomes lighter (or less dense) than water, rising to the surface before eventually sinking back down as it cools.
Archimedes’ Screw
Named for Greek mathematician Archimedes, this device (commonly referred to as a screw pump or water screw) works using an open helix with two open ends within a cylindrical body encasing it. Once placed into water, successive revolutions lift it thread-by-thread up toward the top of the cylinder.
Transport of powdered and grain materials employs the same principle.
Bile Demonstration
Students can investigate the relationship between bile salts and fat in this fun but gross science experiment.
Encourage students to critically review their own results and explain why they reached the conclusions they did. Even failed experiments can still serve as opportunities for growth if students are able to identify sources of error and suggest ways they could improve in future experiments.
Teach students the principles of potential and kinetic energy by building a catapult using household materials.
Volcano
Deep within Earth’s core, rocks melt to form magma. When magma rises to the surface and rises again as lava, volcanoes appear.
Eruptions from volcanoes create clouds of ash that block out sunlight, cooling Earth dramatically – as happened after Mount Tambora erupted in 1815 and caused one year without summer!
Orange Plate Tectonics
Students use oranges to represent Earth’s various tectonic plates and teach about continental drift theory. This activity allows students to build understanding about this concept.
At a divergent boundary, more dense, older and cooler OC are subducted beneath less dense CC to form rift zones and volcanic activity. At transform boundaries, plates slide laterally past each other creating fault lines which lead to faulting and earthquakes.
Eggshell Arch
Arch-shaped buildings and bridges use arched support beams to distribute weight across their span to piers along their sides – this same principle holds for eggshells.
Use a kitchen scale to determine how much mass eggshells can support without breaking. Chart out your findings using bar graphs; you might be amazed at just how much an average eggshell can support!