Fifth Grade Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 17)

Model the Distances between Planets in our Solar System

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Did you know that the Voyager 2 spacecraft took 12 years to travel from Earth to Neptune, the furthest planet in the solar system? This sounds like a really long time! Maybe not that long if you consider what distance the spacecraft had to travel to get from Earth to Neptune. In this activity, you will make a model of the planets in the solar system and specifically model their distances to scale. Will it explain why the Voyager 2 took so long? Try it and see! Read more

Paper DNA Model

STEM Activity

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Ever wondered how DNA, the genetic blueprint of a life-form, can encode and pass on the information on how to grow and maintain that life-form? Just like a cookbook contains a complete recipe for a dish, DNA stores the recipe for the life of an organism. Although each human has a unique DNA sequence, the DNA in all of us is about 99.9% identical! In this activity, you will make a model for a short section of DNA—enough to get a sense of what DNA is like and how it encodes life. Read more

The Science of Launching an Airplane by Catapult

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Naval fighter pilots seem to defy physics each time they fly their jets off of an aircraft carrier. Normal runways are thousands of feet long so that airplanes can develop enough lift to fly. But a runway on an aircraft is much shorter. How can naval pilots get their fighter jets into the air without falling off the carrier into the ocean? Well, because they get a boost from a catapult! Sounds unbelievable? It's not, and you can find out more about catapult-assisted takeoff in this aerodynamics… Read more

Can You Hide in Plain Sight?

STEM Activity

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If you could choose to be an animal, would you rather be a predator or prey? For prey animals, survival in the wild means a daily struggle to escape potential predators. Predators, on the other hand, have to work very hard to make a catch. Some prey animals have evolved clever strategies to protect or defend themselves against predators. One common strategy is camouflage. Camouflage allows animals to blend into their surroundings so predators can't see them. Will this strategy increase an… Read more

Colorful Chemistry Creations: Make Your Own Sun Print with Color and Sunlight!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You've probably heard of hand prints and fingerprints, but what about a Sunprint®? To make a Sunprint, place an interesting object on a special sheet of Sunprint paper, expose it to the sun for a few minutes, immerse the paper in water, and watch as a permanent image appears! Sunprint paper can be used to make beautiful and eerie prints, using just sunlight and water. Sunlight is actually a mixture of different colors of light. In this chemistry science fair project, you will test which… Read more

Fight Flooding and Pollution with...a Garden?!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What looks pretty, stops flooding, and helps fight pollution? A rain garden! Find out how by building and testing your own miniature rain garden in a plastic bottle. Read more

Human-Powered Energy

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You have probably read all about forms of alternative energy like solar and wind power. But what about human power? With the aid of a coil of wire and some magnets, you can generate electricity with nothing more than a flick of your wrist. In this project, you will build a small hand-powered electrical generator that can power a series of tiny lights. Get ready to save the planet and get some exercise at the same time! Read more

Lift a Load Using Hydraulics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Can you lift a car? No? You say you are not strong enough? True, our bodies are not built to lift heavy loads like cars. Fortunately, our brains are smart enough to harness the power of fluids, like water and oil, to create hydraulic lifts. By pushing a button on a hydraulic lift, a mechanic can easily raise a car with one finger. Lifts can also be used to raise lots of other heavy loads - even such massive things as steel girders to construct a skyscraper! In this mechanical engineering… Read more

Make a Kazoo

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Do you remember your last parade, party, or fair? You might have been surrounded by sounds of all kinds: fireworks, music, and, maybe even the famous (or infamous) sound of kazoos. A kazoo is a very simple musical instrument, made up of a hollow pipe with a hole in it. They may be simple, but these little noisemakers are a great way to explore sound. In this activity you'll be investigating how kazoos work by building your own! Read more

Make Your Own Marshmallows

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Whether you are huddled around a fireplace, or drinking hot chocolate after a day in the snow, nothing says fun quite like a marshmallow! Even its name is soft and spongy! Have you ever wondered how marshmallows are made? Long ago marshmallows were actually made from a plant, the marshmallow plant, but today we usually make them using a few key ingredients, namely gelatin, corn syrup, and sugar. In this appetizing activity you will get to explore what ratio of sugar to corn syrup produces… Read more

Fifth Grade Projects, Lessons, Activities (906 results)

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