Science Buddies'
elementary school science projects are the perfect way for
elementary school students to have fun exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our
elementary school projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the
elementary school grades. Students can choose to follow the science experiment as written or put their own spin on the project.
For a personalized list of science projects,
elementary schoolers can use the Science Buddies Topic Selection Wizard.
The wizard asks students to respond to a series of simple statements and then uses their answers to recommend
age-appropriate projects that fit their interests.
Have you ever heard the expression, "You can't judge a book by its cover"? What do you think that means? That a book with a very plain cover might have a very exciting and interesting story inside? Well, in this geology science project, you'll see if the same expression holds true for a rock, but not just any old rock, a special type of rock called a geode, which looks rather plain and ordinary on the outside, but inside can hold crystals and beautiful colors! You'll discover if the texture or…
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Geo_p042
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
You will need to order geodes from a science supply store. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
A kaleidoscope is a fun toy that creates amazing images when you look into it. Wouldn't it be fun to create those images yourself? Check out this project to learn how to build your own kaleidoscope and to learn how the inside of a kaleidoscope works. Then you can create and adjust your own amazing, colorful images!
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Phys_p095
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- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
This project requires a kaleidoscope-making kit. See the Materials list for details.
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision is recommended when assembling the kaleidoscope.
Have you ever seen a magician float an object in the air? If so, you might think that levitation (making things float) is just a magic trick, but the truth is you can use an invisible physical force to levitate a magnet! Try this science project to find out how.
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Phys_p067
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- Less Details
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
The magnets needed for this experiment can be bought online from science supply stores.
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
When placed next to one another in certain configurations, magnets are attracted and can move toward one another, so be careful not to get your fingers pinched between the magnets.
Doctors use many complicated tools to check the health of patients. But you can make some medical tools at home—like a stethoscope! A doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to a patient's heart. In this science project, you will make three of your own homemade stethoscopes and figure out which stethoscope design works best and why.
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HumBio_p033
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- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult assistance is needed for cutting tubing and hoses with the scissors.
How do conservation biologists know which places are important to protect? How do nature guides know which animals can be found in which places? In this experiment you can discover how maps can be used to show how different animals are distributed in a local environment.
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No matter what your favorite card game is, we all wish we could use psychic powers to draw the card we want on our turn. You may not have psychic powers, but you might have the power of probability on your side. In this science project, you will discover how math can help you avoid the words, "Go fish!"
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Have you ever had fun making different figures or colorful creations using some Play-Doh? You can squish and stretch a single piece of Play-Doh® to make all sorts of shapes. How does changing the shape of a piece of Play-Doh affect its volume? In this science project, you will find out by testing how changing a piece of dough's shape affects its dimensions (length, width, and height), and how these changes are related to the dough's volume.
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If you leave an ice cube out on the kitchen counter and come back to check on it in awhile, what do you find? A puddle! The same thing happens to ice in nature—if the temperature gets warm enough, it melts. In this ocean science project, you will find out what happens to sea levels if the ice at the North Pole melts, or if the ice at the South Pole melts. It is an important question for the millions of people who enjoy living along the coasts of the world.
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OceanSci_p015
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision is required when making the homemade dough.
Have you ever wanted to build your very own robot from scratch? Bristlebots are a cheap, easy, and fun-to-build robot made from the head of a toothbrush, a battery, and a small motor. Once completed, they buzz along the top of a table like bugs. How can you make a bristlebot go faster? In this project, you will build bristlebots from two different types of toothbrushes, and race them against each other to find out.
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Robotics_p010
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- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
A kit is available for your convenience from our partner
.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision is required when cutting the head off a toothbrush.
A tried and true balloon activity is to rub a balloon on your head to make your hair stand up. How does the rubbing build up static electricity? Do this experiment to see if the number of rubs makes a difference.
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