Fourth Grade STEM Activities for Kids (236 results)

Create a Painting with Genetically Modified Bacteria

STEM Activity

13 reviews

Did you know that you can change the genetic code of an organism? This technology is called gene editing or genetic engineering. Using gene editing tools, researchers can delete or modify existing genes in an organism, or even add new ones! With this ability, they can alter the way an organism—such as a bacteria, a plant, or an animal—looks or functions. For example, crops can be modified to become more drought-resistant, or bacteria can be engineered to produce medicine such as… Read more

Design a Cell Phone Stand

STEM Activity

88 reviews

Why buy it when you can build it? That is the attitude you will need for this project. You have probably seen cell phone holders or stands around the house or in a car. They might seem like a very simple object, but they are a great way to learn about the engineering design process. In this project, you will design and build your own working phone stand. Read more

How Do Viruses React To Soap?

STEM Activity

67 reviews

Have you ever wondered why we wash our hands with water and soap to get rid of bacteria and viruses? Good hand hygiene becomes especially important during viral outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic! The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommendations for handwashing say to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds with water and soap. But how does soap kill viruses such as SARS-COV-2? In this activity, you will find out by experimenting with models of different virus types to see how they… Read more

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Make String from Algae

STEM Activity

230 reviews

Did you know that the seaweed you've seen in the ocean or even eaten as a snack is inspiring innovators to imagine new materials? Large brown algae, like kelp, contains polymers—long chains of molecules—that are more environmentally friendly than the ones in most plastics. These natural polymers (alginates) could eventually be used to create sustainable everyday objects. Try your hand at using a bit of chemistry to turn biodegradable polymers from algae into your own custom… Read more

How Does a Hovercraft Hover?

STEM Activity

57 reviews

Have you ever ridden on a hovercraft? It is like gliding on a cushion of air! In fact, this is exactly what is going on. A hovercraft is a vehicle that glides over a smooth surface by hovering upon an air cushion. Since a hovercraft can travel on top of flat land or water, it is an amphibious vehicle. In this activity, you will get to build your own mini hovercraft using a CD or DVD, a pop-top lid from a plastic bottle, some glue, and a balloon. How will different amounts of air in the… Read more

How Strong Is Your Hair?

STEM Activity

30 reviews

Have you ever wondered how strong hair is? When we talk about our hair we usually discuss color, length or texture. But what about hair strength? If you look at a strand of hair, it looks like a very thin string. In fact, it is on average only about 0.1 millimeters thick. It doesn't seem like such a thin string could withstand much force. How much weight do you think a single strand of hair can carry? In this activity you will put a hair to the test and find out. You might be surprised by your… Read more

How Tails Help a Kite to Fly

STEM Activity

59 reviews

Have you ever tried to build your own kite? Kites have been a source of entertainment for centuries for kids around the world. How do some features of a kite, such as its tail, affect how it flies? In this activity you will have a chance to build your very own kite, a simple sled kite, and use it to investigate how tails help kites fly. How well will your kite fly? Read more

Make a Night-Light

STEM Activity

30 reviews

Are you ready to move beyond paper circuits and squishy circuits? This is a great intermediate circuit project where you will build your own working night-light. And of course, you will have some fun decorating it! Read more

Make Tie-Dye T-shirts with Permanent Markers

STEM Activity

24 reviews

Have you ever made a tie-dyed t-shirt? It can be a lot of fun to dye a shirt in bright colors with spiraling designs (especially when it is done on a warm day outside to prevent indoor messes)! In this science activity, you will get to dye a t-shirt with your own colorful artwork using permanent markers. Along the way, you will find out how solubility helps your drawings leave beautiful designs on the fabric. Read more

Milk Curdling with Enzymes!

STEM Activity

43 reviews

Have you ever gone to pour yourself a cup of milk, and all you get is clumps? What happened to the milk is called coagulation, which is the mechanism that occurs when proteins in the milk clump together. While you do not necessarily want this in your milk, without coagulation (or curdling), there would be no cheese or yogurt, which is why it is a very important process in the food industry. Wonder how you can make milk curdle? Do this activity to find out! Read more

Musical Bottles

STEM Activity

23 reviews

Have you ever blown across a bottle's top and made a pleasant, resonant sound? If so, have you wondered how that note is made exactly? The exact note you hear depends on the resonant frequency of the air in the bottle. Musical instruments like ocarinas operate based on a similar principle. In this science activity, you will use bottles to investigate how the volume of the air in the bottle affects the pitch of the note that it makes. Read more

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