Science Projects
Background Information & Activities

Doing science projects is a fun way for children to explore the world around them and develop critical thinking and research skills. Ideas from science projects can come from many places. Encourage your children to wonder and ask questions about the world and turn their questions into science projects. Remind your children that when they do a science project, they follow the scientific method. They ask a question, make a hypothesis, plan and carry out an experiment, observe and record data, draw conclusions, and share their results with others. We recommend screening BrainPOP Jr.’s movie on the Scientific Method to review the steps with your children.

Children can get ideas for science projects just by looking at the world around them and ideas can strike at any time. Encourage your children to carry notebooks with them and jot down any questions and ideas. Some children may wonder how a toy works, what causes a natural phenomenon, or wonder how people affect the environment. Some children may want to investigate a claim made by a commercial or advertisement or build a model to illustrate a scientific principle. Your children can also get science project ideas from the myriad of resources available at the library and on the Internet for science project ideas. Remind your children that they should choose a topic they are interested in and want to explore further. Science projects can take weeks or months, so it’s important that they are interested and excited about their topics. Children should plan ahead and assess whether or not they have enough time and resources to complete their proposed project. They may need to revise or rethink their project in order to complete it on time. Encourage your children to research different topics and pick the right one for them.

The first step of the scientific method is to ask a question and set a purpose. Remind your children that a good question is clear, simple, and specific. Your children should be able to come up with a test that can answer the question. This may require further research and fine-tuning a question to fit the purpose of the project. Some children may ask a question that cannot be answered through a science project or is too challenging. Provide guidance to help turn their question into one that can be answered through an experiment completed by themselves or with very little help from adults. Review with your children that good science project questions can be yes-or-no or make comparisons. Children should understand their questions before taking any step further in the scientific process.

After your children have picked questions, the next step is to make a hypothesis, or prediction. Review that when they predict, they use what they know to explain what might happen. “If. . .then” statements can help them come up with a good hypothesis. Children should write their hypotheses down before proceeding with an experiment.

The next step is to plan and complete an experiment. As children plan their experiments, remind them to keep their science project questions in mind. Does their experiment answer their question? They may need to revise their experiment plan in order to answer their question. Make sure your children have enough time and resources to finish their experiments. Experiments that involve building models or growing plants can take several weeks. Explain to your children that many scientists repeat their experiments in order to confirm their findings. This requires careful organization and planning in order to finish the entire project before the deadline. Encourage your children to think ahead and set checkpoints and goals throughout their projects. Have your children write specific steps for the experiment and include all the materials they need.

As they do their experiments, remind them to observe and keep detailed notes. Some may want to take photos, draw pictures, or even take videos of their experiments. They can use charts and graphs to record their data as they complete their experiments.

After completing their experiments, children should draw conclusions about what they saw and learned. What happened in their experiments? Children should assess whether or not their hypotheses were correct. An incorrect hypothesis does not mean the experiment is not successful. Experiments provide an opportunity to learn and the results can be used to gain and expand knowledge.

The final step of the scientific method is to share results with others. Children can create a poster, presentation, report, or even a video on their projects. Encourage them to be creative. As children share their work, have them ask questions and think about each project. Good science projects inspire and excite people and lead them to ask more questions they can investigate or research further.

Science Projects Teacher Activities – Click Here!

Science Projects Family Activities – Click Here!

Science Projects Teacher Activities

Paper Airplane Challenge

Teach students how to make a classic paper airplane. You can find simple directions on the Internet. Then ask students to think of ways to change the design of the plane. How might changes affect how the plane moves? Then divide the class into pairs or groups. Ask groups to design a plane that travels farther than the classic paper airplane. They may want to experiment by adding weight to different parts of the plane or lengthening different parts of the plane, such as the wings or body. Then, take your students outside. Have groups make their airplanes, fly them, and measure the distance they traveled. Discuss what made the planes travel farther and what did not.

Science Fair

Hold a science fair in your classroom or in conjunction with other classrooms. Review the scientific method and help students find science projects that are right for them. Remind them about the importance of asking the right question and planning an experiment to answer the question. Allow several weeks for your students to complete their projects. Students should prepare a presentation of their projects to share their work. Then hold a science fair and invite friends and family members.

Ask an Expert

If possible, bring in a scientist, such as a biologist, medical researcher, paleontologist, archaeologist, or botanist, to discuss his or her work with your students. Some local museums have experts on hand who are available for school visits. Local universities and colleges are also great places to find interesting scientists. Before the visit, have your students prepare a list of questions they would like to ask. If possible, bring your class to visit a scientist at their workplace. The scientist can explain their scientific process and all the tools he or she uses to do research.

Science Projects Family Activities

Plant Science

Growing plants is a fun way to do science and care for the environment. Together with your child, come up with questions you want to ask and explore. Can seeds grow in the dark? Can seeds grow upside down? Do seeds need soil to grow? Then complete an experiment together to answer the question. Make sure your child comes up with a hypothesis and observes and records data as you complete your experiment together.

Baking Science

Cooking is a great way to learn about the scientific method. Find a recipe together with your child and have him or her predict what might happen if you leave an ingredient out or double it. Will adding more baking soda make cookies chewier? Will adding more baking powder make cookies crispier? Be careful to only change one variable of the recipe. Then bake and observe what happens. Discuss the results with your child and eat the results (if possible).