Science fair projects provide fifth graders with meaningful opportunities for hands-on scientific discovery and analysis, under the careful guidance of an adult mentor. Such projects foster research, critical thinking and communication skills development.
Explore how surface texture impacts friction with this simple experiment or discover which household chemicals repel insects.
Archimedes’ Screw
Archimedes Screw is a device that utilizes buoyancy to move water. It consists of a long helix open at both ends that is enclosed within a hollow cylinder; when tilted and turned, water trapped between its threads rises up the spiral helix and can then be dispersed into other parts of the system.
Take part in this fun science experiment to observe how it works and introduce the concept of simple machines! Plus, this fun demonstration shows children the basics behind these simple devices!
Baking Soda Balloon Experiment
Baking soda and vinegar interact to produce carbon dioxide gas that fills a balloon, inflating it as it goes. This easy yet educational experiment teaches students about acids, bases, states of matter and more!
Pour one ounce of vinegar into a water or soda bottle. Secure a clean balloon over its opening and use a funnel to pour baking soda into it.
Let the reaction occur naturally. After it has completed, the balloon will continue to inflate on its own.
Ball Run Challenge
Students are challenged to engineer an innovative ball run that can slow the descent of a paper ball. This experiment provides an exciting way for them to explore concepts from both physics and engineering.
Students develop designs for ball runs that meet certain criteria, then build and iteratively test these designs. Students gain insight into choosing an effective design while understanding trade-offs.
This project presents an ideal opportunity to practice the Engineering Design Process while encouraging teamwork and creativity. Additionally, this activity fosters STEM culture within a classroom.
Catapult Challenge
This STEM activity introduces students to basic physics concepts like elastic potential energy and projectile motion. Participants build catapults and compete against each other by launching pom-poms into bowls (distance challenge) or onto targets (accuracy challenge).
Encourage students to follow the engineering design process and use math measurements when developing catapults. Teach them how to adjust and enhance its performance through adjustments such as adding sticks or shifting its fulcrum on its stack. Measure launch distances and analyze data gathered on launches as they test different alterations or make necessary modifications.
Volcano Experiment
Building with play dough to form a volcano is an engaging experiment that helps children develop fine motor skills while providing an opportunity to discuss what happens when magma (melted rock) reaches Earth’s surface.
Chemical reactions between baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) produce carbonic acid, triggering volcanic eruptions. Experiment with different combinations of ingredients until you discover which combination results in the largest eruptions. If doing this activity outdoors, use colored pencils to mark graph paper as each eruption occurred – each eruption will leave its mark!
Orange Plate Experiment
Students can explore plate tectonics with this hands-on science activity, in which they’ll need safety goggles, lab coats and gloves.
Work on a clean tray to minimize spills and any citric acid-related injuries for students. Peel an orange and separate its parts into what represent plates.
Have one piece of orange float and the other sink, explaining this difference as evidence that an unpeeled orange has greater density and therefore weighs more.
Eggshell Arch Experiment
This experiment is a fun way to demonstrate how structures that appear fragile can bear considerable weight. Kids of all ages will be delighted to see eggshells support quite a substantial mass before cracking or collapsing under its pressure.
Egg shapes have the unique ability to distribute pressure more evenly than flat surfaces would, such as rings. This explains why crowns of arches can hold heavy books securely.
Paper Airplane Challenge
With some paper and an easy airplane design, students can test how far their planes fly. Different designs will experience differing flight distances; further, students will observe how force affects performance of their plane.
Students should assemble one of the provided airplane designs and record flight data in their lab notebooks. Next, have them design and build (fold and cut) an original aircraft design of their own creation before testing it – finally collecting and graphing class data for collection and graphing purposes.