5 Quick and Easy Science Projects for 4th Graders You Should Know

Making 4th graders experiment with quick and easy science projects is an excellent way of teaching kids complex concepts in a novel way.

A science project is a great way of teaching scientific concepts to kids, with a breath of fresh air. Doing projects bring an interactivity to the subject and enables better comprehension. Hence, the topics are learned forever, never to be forgotten. Quick and easy science projects for 4th graders, keeps the kids interested in activities which seem too difficult when taught in the confines of a classroom. These easy, practical ideas make a tough subject like science extremely simple. So, if you have been looking for some project ideas for 4th graders then read on.

Easy Science Projects for 4th Graders

#1: Volcanic Eruption

Gigantic volcanic eruptions cannot be witnessed by each and everyone, and they are a little too preposterous to be imagined by kids at eight. To teach them the aftereffects of a volcanic eruption, make a simple volcano at school or home. Gather the kids and make each child get an ingredient to make the volcanic mountain and the eruption material.

You’ll need-

• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons  baking soda
• 1 soda bottle
• Warm water
• Food colors
• Vinegar
• POP (Plaster of Paris)

Procedure:

1. First, we’ll make the shape of volcano around the soda bottle. For that make a mixture of flour, salt, oil, water, and add a hint of orange color for realistic look.
2. Keep the mouth of the soda bottle open.
3. Fill the bottle with warm water and add red, orange food colors for the illusion of lava.
4. Add few drops of detergent to the water, so you’ll get better reactions and lava.
5. Add baking soda into this liquid.
6. Add vinegar in to the liquid slowly and watch your home-made volcano eruption.

#2: Pulley Project

Simple machines are not so simple to imagine. Assist your students’ power of imagination with a pulley science fair project. This will help them understand how heavy objects are moved to the top floors without labor or a lift.

You’ll need-

• An empty thread spool  
• 2 chairs of the same height
• Ribbon or thread thinner than the spool
• 2 plastic pails with handles
• String
• Broom and marbles.

Now, thread the spool and tie the loose ends together. This will leave the spool hanging like a locket. Next, slide the spool and the thread through the broom handle and then slide it through chairs, so that the handle is parallel to the ground. Then, tie one end of the ribbon to the pail’s handle and slide the other one through the spool which will loosely hang in the air. Now tie the loose end to the other handle. Put a few marbles in the hanging pail and see what happens to the pail on the ground!

#3: Cup Telephone

In the age of cell phones, hardly anyone bothers caring about how sound travels. Well, a cup telephone is a sure way of figuring out how it does.

You’ll need-

• Two plastic cups
• Some string
• Paper clips
• A sharpened pencil for poking holes.

Now, at the bottom of each cup gently poke two holes. Now thread the hole with the string and pin the clip to the inner end to prevent it from sliding out. Once both the cups are strung together, gently pull the cups apart so that the string is taut. Make one person hold the cup to the ear and the other one to the mouth.

#4: Floating Eggs

The usual perception of throwing objects in the water is that they sink. However, seldom do children understand the reasons behind. Teach them what actually happens with a simple egg experiment.

You’ll need-

• One egg
• One glass of water
• 5 tablespoons of salt
• A drinking glass

Fill the glass half way through and add salt to it. Stir it till salt completely dissolves in water. Now carefully pour the remaining water, without disturbing the mix. Next, lower the egg in the water and watch what happens!

#5: It’s Hot

We often tell kids to avoid wearing black clothes while playing in the sun. This experiment will help them understand the reason behind this instruction.

You will need-

• 2 identical drinking glasses
• Water
• Thermometer
• 2 elastic bands
• White paper and black paper.

Wrap one glass with white paper and the other glass with black paper. Put elastic bands around them so that they are held tightly. Now, fill both the glasses with equal amount of water, measure the temperature, and keep them in the sun for a few hours. Find out which glass had warmer water and why.

Most of these experiments do not require any expensive apparatus and neither do they take much time. Hope these experiments help your students understand these simple concepts in the simplest possible way.