Science Buddies has adapted some of our more popular project ideas into at-home, in-class,
or after-school activities. Each activity comes with student instructions and a facilitator
guide with just enough information to help anyone lead a good discussion on the science behind the activity.
Science Buddies Classroom Activities provide background science information, straightforward steps,
and the opportunity for hands-on inquiry for students seeking science inspiration. Plus, many of these activities can be prepped and completed in a short amount of time, making them easy to integrate into a classroom setting.
Inquiry-based Classroom Science Activities
(Click the "show activities" link(s) to see classroom activities in each area of science.)
Turn Milk into Plastic!
How can plastic be made out of milk? Find out how an acid, along with a measuring cup and teaspoon, a mug, a stirring spoon, and paper towels can turn hot milk into plastic.
Lifting with a Lever
How can you lift a heavy object without straining your muscles too much? Using the power of a lever is one way. See how levers make lifting easier by using one you create with a ruler, a pencil, and a plastic bag.
Investigating Surface Tension with Paper Fish
What causes dew to form into drops on plants, water to bead on a waxed car, and bubbles to accumulate in soapy water? The answer is surface tension. Learn more about surface tension with a pan of water, some dishwashing liquid, and a paper fish.
Measuring Heart Rate with Your Own Stethoscope
What happens to people's heart rates when they exercise? Measure another person's heart rate using a stethoscope you create with a cardboard tube, a funnel, and tape.
How Does Gravity Affect Root Growth?
How do plants respond to gravity? See how gravity affects plant root growth using plant seeds, plastic ziplock bags, paper towels, and a large cardboard box or dark closet.
Discovering the Colors Behind Afterimages
What happens when you stare at one color for a long time? Why do you see a certain afterimage? Discover why afterimages have certain colors by using a computer, a stopwatch or clock, and colored pencils.
Modeling Blood Flow with Straws
What happens to the flow of blood when heart disease narrows a person's arteries? Create a model to illustrate the answer using straws, disposable cups, and colored water.
Measuring Wind with Your Own Wind Meter
Wind can be a very powerful force, especially at high speeds. But just how much faster is a strong wind compared to a gentle breeze? Help your students measure wind speed using a wind meter (or anemometer) they create with paper cups, straws, a pencil, and a pin.
Coin Toss-up
If you toss a coin, there is a fifty-fifty chance it will land tails-side up. But what if you toss it five times, can you predict how often you'll get one tails and four heads versus three tails and two heads? In this activity, use a coin and some graph paper to explore how the accuracy of predictions is influenced by sample size.
Extending Science Activities with Creative Displays
Students are often excited about what they saw or learned while engaged in a science activity. Teachers and science activity leaders can help extend that excitement by encouraging students to invent exciting ways of displaying their newly gained science knowledge. This process can be fun and creative, while also reinforcing the scientific information and further incorporating other academic skills, like reading and writing.
With a box of glue sticks, foam board, and other Elmer's® school products, along with their own creativity, students can create displays like these. The displays enable them to share their enthusiasm about science and the scientific principles they have learned. For instructions on putting together these and other fun displays, visit Elmer's School Projects page. Images courtesy of Elmer's Products, Inc.
Support for Teachers from Elmer's
Elmer's Teachers' Club is a great source of additional tips on integrating projects into the classroom. Sign up today and get full, free access! Join the Elmer's Teachers' Club, an online club where members receive email newsletters with project ideas, new product information, chances to win prizes, and other news of interest to teachers. Once you register you are a Teachers' Club member for life! It is just one more way Elmer's helps teachers in the classroom.
