Science Buddies'
fourth grade science projects are the perfect way for
fourth grade students to have fun exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our
fourth grade projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the
fourth grade. 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,
fourth graders 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.
You've seen that a magnet's attractive force can cause a small object (like a paper clip) to "jump" to the magnet. So a magnetic field can act through the air, but what about other materials? Here's an experiment you can do to find out. You'll need a strong bar magnet, a stack of books, a paper clip, some thread and tape. Place the bar magnet underneath the top book in your stack, so that it sticks out. Tie a piece of thread (as long as the stack of books is high) to a paper clip. You…
Read more
Advertisements for high-tech sports gear or the latest and greatest outdoor material promise lighter and stronger products every season. Is it a scam? How can engineers keep creating materials that are both lighter and stronger than anything known so far?
The answer is in the nanoscale! Using nanotechnology, scientists can play around with the detailed structure of matter, leading to a whole new range of materials, some with amazing qualities. In this science project, you will get a glimpse…
Read more
Have you ever wondered how many different types of animals live around your home, like in your backyard or a local park? Animals come in all shapes and sizes, each a small part of the amazing diversity of life. These differences can also help us to classify animals into different groups. One way people classify animals is by their phylum. Do you know which phylum you belong to? In this science project, you will investigate the diversity of the animal life around your home and try to figure out…
Read more
Have you ever seen a robot dance? In this project you will build your own simple flipping, tumbling robot that can dance around on the floor or a tabletop! If you have never made a robot before and would like to get started with a fun, easy project, this is a great place to begin. You will follow directions to make a basic robot, and then make your own additions to make it even better!
Read more
Robotics_p027
+ More Details
- Less Details
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
This project requires robotics parts from an electronics vendor. See the Materials and Equipment list for details. Estimated project time includes shipping for the parts.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision is required when using a hot glue gun or super glue.
Have you ever thought about being stranded on a desert island? How would you find water to drink? What would you need to survive? In this science fair project you'll discover how to turn the ocean into a source of freshwater by using the power of the Sun.
Read more
EnvEng_p027
+ More Details
- Less Details
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision required when boiling, stirring, and pouring hot water, or when using a microwave oven or knife. Students who are allergic to red dyes should use beets for coloring.
Through the ages, creative minds have made an amazing variety of paper toys, many of them delicate, beautiful, and inspiring. All too often, though, they do not withstand very well the wear and tear of play.
This science project is your chance to fix that. You will make paper dolls with movable parts and study how the choice of materials influence the strength of the toy. Beginning with a strong design, you will finish by making a durable paper doll (or toy) with moving parts.
Read more
MatlSci_p043
+ More Details
- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available. Adult help to download and print the paper doll template is needed for this science project.
Do you like to read? Did you know that most people read without even thinking about it? Find out in this experiment how a simple reading/color test called the Stroop Effect can show you how your brain works.
Read more
HumBeh_p031
+ More Details
- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Specialty items (Nintendo DS™ and Brain Age™ game cartridge)
Have you ever had fun playing with sand and water, observing how little rivers you create carve their way down to the lowest point of the sandbox, backyard or beach? Some meander, others braid, and some carve a path straight down.
Hyrdologists (or scientists who study water) do very much the same thing! Only they set up the model in a particular way, so observing their mini-rivers helps them answer questions about how water flow affects the environment. In this geology science project, you…
Read more
Geo_p045
+ More Details
- Less Details
Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None.
Material Availability
Readily available. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult help is required to cut the water or milk jugs.
Up, up, and away! If you have ever made a wish and blown the fluff of a dandelion, you have witnessed how some plants are adapted to spreading their seeds using the wind. The tiny, furry parachute allows the seeds to be picked up by the wind and to be carried far away from their parent plant. In this experiment, you will make models of seeds and fruit to investigate dispersal by wind and to evaluate
the relationship between the structure of the seed and its ability to be dispersed by the…
Read more
Have you ever seen news coverage or other pictures of an oil spill in the ocean and wondered how all of that oil could be cleaned up? Oil spills can devastate wildlife by covering them with oil, and they can damage our precious water resources by contaminating them with oil. Part of the problem of dealing with oil spills is that the oil can be challenging to clean up. In this science project, you will test the absorptivity of different materials (called sorbents) to discover which ones are best…
Read more
EnvEng_p025
+ More Details
- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Wear eye protection and gloves when preparing coconut husks. Adult supervision required when cutting sorbents with scissors or cracking coconuts with hammers.
