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.
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…
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EnvEng_p025
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- 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.
Plants need nitrogen to grow healthy stems and leaves. Although nitrogen is the most abundant element in the air we breathe, that form of nitrogen cannot be used by plants. Nitrogen contained in fertilizer, on the other hand, is readily taken up by plants. In this experiment, you will compare plants grown without nitrogen fertilizer to plants grown with nitrogen fertilizer.
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PlantBio_p012
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- Less Details
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision recommended during preparation of nitrogen fertilizer solution
If you browse through a candy cookbook, you might notice that many of the recipes call for corn syrup in addition to sugar. Both sugar and corn syrup are sweet, so why do you need corn syrup if you already have sugar? In candy making, corn syrup is known as an interfering agent. But what does this mean and how does it work? You can find out for yourself by making two batches of rock candy, one with corn syrup and one without. For example, you could alter the science project by replacing 1…
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FoodSci_p017
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- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
This science fair project requires adult help. The boiling sugar solution is extremely hot.
Have you ever looked around and noticed the plants and animals that grow in your neighborhood? Have you ever visited friends in another part of your city, state, or even another part of the country? Have you noticed whether the plants and animals where they live are similar to those growing near you? What would it be like to live where they do? Why do certain plants and animals grow in one area, but not in another? In this science fair project you will learn about biomes and how different…
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EnvSci_p046
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- Less Details
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Minor injury possible. Adult supervision is recommended during knife and scissor use.
Would you like to add an unusual twist to a yummy food like ice cream? In this kitchen science project, you will make mind-bending hot ice cream. You will experiment with, and of course munch on this gastronomic treat. It is easy, it is delicious, and it is fun! Go ahead and try it out!
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FoodSci_p079
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- Less Details
Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
This project requires special materials. See the Materials and Equipment list for details. Estimated project time includes time for shipping specialty materials.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision while using the microwave recommended.
One way to save water is to turn the faucet off while you brush your teeth. But did you know that there are products that can help save water even while the water is on? In this experiment find out how low-flow faucets and aerators work to reduce the flow of water. How much water can you save?
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On a rainy day, do you ever wonder what the weather is like on the other side of the planet? Different regions around the globe can have very different seasonal weather patterns. In this experiment, you can test if these seasonal variations are related to which hemisphere each region is located in.
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One of America's favorite snacks is potato chips. Although potato chips are very tasty, some varieties are not very healthy for you. A typical 1-ounce (oz.) serving of a well-known national potato chip brand contains 150 calories, 90 of which are from fat. How greasy are your favorite potato chips? Try this science fair project, and you'll get a visual understanding about how much oil a potato chip can hold.
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Are you in charge of feeding your family pet? How much food do you think your pet eats compared to other kinds of pets? After adjusting for your pet's body weight, you might be surprised how it will compare to other kinds of pets. What type of pet do you think will eat the most for its body weight?
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Germs are everywhere! We try and clean our home with disinfectants, but do we really get rid of all the germs? Find out with this "hands-on" experiment.
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