Fourth Grade Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 17)

Robot, Make Me a Sandwich!

STEM Activity

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72 reviews

Have you ever wanted a robot assistant that could do all your household chores? Science fiction has been showing us such robots for decades, but they're still not available! What's taking so long? In this project you will investigate some of the challenges in programming a "robot" to do a simple household task, such as making a sandwich. 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

Soil Color and Moisture

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever taken a step onto what appeared to be dry ground, only to find yourself ankle-deep in mud? Yuck! When you walk through damp soil, it can be a very messy experience. How can you tell if soil is wet or dry before you step on it? In this science project, you will investigate whether the color of the soil can help you determine how dry or wet it is. Read more

Tallest Paper Tower Challenge for Grades 3-5

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-5th

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Teach your students about the engineering design process with this fun lesson plan. They will design and build the tallest possible tower using nothing but paper and tape, but there's an additional twist on this classic activity. The tower must support a heavy weight at the top without collapsing! Teachers, note that middle school and high school versions of this lesson plan are also available. The 2021 Engineering Challenge is over, but you can still try this fun lesson with your students,… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

The Effect of Temperature on Chemical Reaction Time

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Alka-Seltzer® tablets fizzle furiously when dropped into water. The moment the tablet starts dissolving, a chemical reaction occurs that releases carbon dioxide gas. In this science project, you can even measure how long and loudly your tablet fizzes using a smartphone equipped with a sensor app. Do you think you can make Alka-Seltzer fizz faster or more loudly by changing the temperature of the water? How big of a difference in the rate of a chemical reaction can temperature make? Read more

The First Cartoon: Make Your Own Thaumatrope!

STEM Activity

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It's probably difficult to imagine a time with no television, no movies, and no cartoons. But believe it or not, those times weren't so long ago! What did those kids do when they couldn't watch movies? One of the most popular toys during that time was a great-grandfather of the modern cartoon. This toy was called a "thaumatrope," and in this activity you're going to make (and test) your own thaumatrope to learn about how vision works! Read more

The Wagon Wheel Effect Optical Illusion

STEM Activity

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Have you ever seen a video where it looked like a car's wheels were spinning backwards even though the car was driving forward? This is called the wagon wheel effect, named after old movies where it looked like wagon wheels were spinning backwards. Even though you cannot see the effect in person, it can show up in videos of spinning objects. Find out why in this project and make your own videos of the wagon wheel effect! Read more

Vibrobots— Tiny Robots from Scratch

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-5th

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Vibrobots are tiny robots powered by a vibrating motor, like the type found in cell phones. In this lesson plan, your students will learn about engineering design as they build their own vibrobots from craft materials. No previous experience with robots is required! Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Yeasty Beasties

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

While looking at a package of dry yeast it is hard to believe that the package has organisms in it that are alive. But add the right ingredients and presto, the mixture becomes a bubbly, oozing, mess of life! What are the right ingredients? What does that yeast need to become active? Do this science project and figure it out for yourself! Read more

2026 Ball Run Challenge for Grades K-5

Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-5th

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Add a twist to a classic activity with this fun lesson plan. Your students will design and build a ball run for a ping pong ball using nothing but paper and tape. Their goal is to make the slowest ball run possible. How long can they make it take for the ball to go through their ball run? An optional variation is available if you would like to give students an extra challenge. The 2026 Engineering Challenge has ended. You can still do this challenge with students informally. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Fourth Grade Projects, Lessons, Activities (609 results)

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