Elementary School Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 13)

2022 Paper Ball Run Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

In this engineering challenge, you will build a ball run from paper and tape, but there's a twist! You want to make your ball run as slow as possible. How long can you make it take for the ball to get from the entrance to the exit? You can see how other students have tackled this and other annual Science Buddies Engineering Challenges. Read more

Build a Mini LED Lightsaber

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

142 reviews

Build your own mini LED lightsaber with a straw in this quick Star Wars-themed STEM activity. May the Force be with you! Read more

Do Submarines Need Fins?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What keeps a submarine from spinning out of control? In this science project, you can investigate how submarines use stabilizing fins to move forward. You might even figure out the secrets to maneuvering a submarine! Read more

Extracting Onion DNA

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In this project, you'll learn how to isolate DNA from onion cells, separating it from other cellular components in a manner that still preserves its structure and sequence. In the end, you'll have enough DNA to see with the unaided eye, and you'll be able to spool it to demonstrate its strand-like structure. Read more

How Do We Breathe?

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

174 reviews

We breathe a lot—roughly 12 to 16 times a minute for adults and even more for children! Have you ever wondered how the process of breathing works so smoothly? Our lungs allow us to inhale the oxygen our body needs, but they do much, much more. They also allow us to get rid of carbon dioxide, the waste product created in the body, and they play a vital role in singing, shouting and even giggling. In this activity you will make a model of a lung and use it to discover how air flows in… Read more

How to Make a Homopolar Motor

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

229 reviews

What do you need to make a motor? Not much! In this quick activity, you will make a simple motor using nothing but a battery, magnet, and a piece of wire. Read more

Investigate the Motion of a Pendulum

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

"Swing me higher, Mommy, higher!" Kids love to ride the swings at the playground. The back-and-forth motion of a swing demonstrates the physics of a pendulum. In this experiment, you will investigate the factors that affect the speed and duration of a pendulum's swing, also called an oscillating motion. You can even use your phone and a sensor app to record your pendulum's movement and determine its period of oscillation. Read more

Make Your Own Hot Air Balloon

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever looked up into the sky and seen not a bird, not a plane, but a hot-air balloon? They are definitely amazing and fun to watch! Do you think they are all the same size? Does size affect how long the hot-air balloon can fly? In this science fair project, you will launch hot-air balloons, powered by a toaster, and see how the size of the balloon affects its flight. Read more

Making Homemade Bath Bombs

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

95 reviews

Have you ever had a refreshing bath using a bath bomb? It can be quite the relaxing experience, especially if your bath bomb has a nice fragrance or includes some bath salts. Have you ever wondered what causes a bath bomb to become so fizzy when it touches the water in the bathtub? It is due to a chemical reaction taking place between different ingredients within the bath bomb. In this activity, you will get to make your own homemade bath bombs and explore how changing the amounts of the… Read more

Rocket Catcher Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Inspired by real-world reusable rockets, in this engineering challenge, you will design and build a device to catch a falling rocket so it lands vertically. Drop the rocket from higher and higher heights to get a better score! The 2025 Science Buddies Engineering Challenge is over, but you can check out this page to see our other past engineering challenges and what this year's challenge will be! Teachers, lesson plan versions of this challenge are also available. Read more

Elementary School Projects, Lessons, Activities (1,087 results)

Explore Our Science Videos