Fifth Grade Science Experiments (Page 136)

Why Won't it Mix? Discover the Brazil Nut Effect

STEM Activity

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Have you ever noticed that the dried fruits or nuts in your breakfast cereal are not evenly spread out inside the box, or that in a container of mixed nuts Brazil nuts gather at the top? This phenomenon is commonly called the "Brazil nut effect," and the science behind it is surprisingly complex and far-reaching. This phenomenon can be a nuisance when you want to fill silos, bags, or bins with different types of materials. It can also be used to our advantage: an avalanche airbag uses the… Read more

Willy Wonka Science and Make-Believe STEM

Blog Post

Inspire students to explore science and engineering with activities that bridge the world of make believe and STEM. Fans of Roald Dahl and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can put on their own Willy Wonka inventor hats with these activities and experiments. Everlasting Fun with Willy Wonka Science For readers of all ages, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory wraps up the whimsy and excitement of science and engineering like an oversized,… Read more

Wily Waves: Build an Oscillating Water Column to Extract Energy from Ocean Waves

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The ocean is a wondrous force of nature. It affects the weather, and provides us with food and renewable energy to power our lives. How can the ocean provide us with renewable energy? One way is to extract the energy that is in the waves. There are many kinds of power systems that can be installed to extract energy from the waves, depending on the location. In this energy and power science project, you will build and test a simple model of an oscillating water column device to create power. How… Read more

Wind Turbine Efficiency

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Try different wind turbine/propeller (chord length, pitch) designs by making models from balsa wood. Connect the spinning axle to a DC motor and measure the voltage produced across a resistor to measure power output. Use fan as wind source. (Judge, 2004) Read more

Winglets in Wind Tunnels

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Winglets are the short vertical "fins" at the wingtips of some airplanes. Have you ever wondered why they are there? If you have access to a wind tunnel, you can build model airfoils with and without winglets and see for yourself. If you're really ambitious, you can also build your own wind tunnel. Read more

Winter Science Projects, Lessons, and STEM Activities

Blog Post

Warm up with hands-on science and engineering! Match winter's cold weather, snow, and ice with these free lessons and activities for engaging hands-on STEM. STEM Activities to Bring Winter Themes to Science Class 1. Make Foamy Snow In the Foaming Fake Snow activity, students use baking soda and water to make fake snow they can then use to make snow people or other small sculptures. Like real snow, the fake snow won't last. What happens when… Read more

Wizard Experiments for Science Class

Blog Post

Making learning fun is sometimes half the battle! With the right activities, educators can ensure learning about science and engineering involves hands-on fun for students of all ages. Build in some "spellbinding" science fun with STEM experiments on a wizards theme! Wizardly STEM! Connect science with popular stories of magic and wizards, from Merlin to Harry Potter, for hands-on science exploration that will have students eager to mix up… Read more

Wood vs. Alternative and Recycled Materials

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Our forests are a very important natural resource that need to be managed wisely. We use wood products for many different purposes: building materials, paper, cardboard, furniture, fuel, etc. How can we use wood products in a sustainable manner? You can do experiments that examine the growth time of different tree species to see which are good candidates for tree farming. Which types of lumber are most sustainable? You can also compare the effects of clear cutting vs. thinning a forested… Read more

Write and Read Braille

STEM Activity

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Have you ever been in an elevator and wondered what the many little dots on the buttons are for? You can also find these dots in public buildings on room number signs or on ATMs. These arrangements of dots are a special writing system for the visually impaired called braille. By feeling the dots with their fingers, people can read what is written on a sign or elevator button. Do you want to find out how to read with your fingers? This activity will show you how! Read more

Write Your Own Calculator Program

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

When you need a calculator, what do you use? A physical calculator? An app on your phone? A web browser? What features does the calculator have? Does it just do basic arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)? Can it do other mathematical functions, like square roots or exponents? Can you use parenthesis? Does it have a backspace button? That is a lot to consider for a seemingly very simple device or program! For a computer science project, can you write your own… Read more

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