It’s time for the school’s annual science fair competition. Now that your child is older, what are some good 4th grade science fair project ideas? Magnets? Plants? Electricity? No need to worry, 4th grade science ideas are not that hard to come up with. Here is a sample project:
Materials Needed
-scissors
-spoon
-tape
-crazy glue
- nails (same length)
-medium size cardboard box
-balloons
-bowl
-bag of sugar
-two thin wooden boards (Make sure they have lengths/widths that are equal to or less than the length and width of the bottom of the cardboard box.)
Step by Step Procedure
1. Adult supervision might be required. Take one of the thin wooden boards and crazy glue/tape a nail right in the middle of the board. Put crazy glue/tape on the head of the nail and stick it on the board so the point side of the nail faces up.
2. Take the other thin wooden board. Glue and tape the nails in the same manner as the first board (pointy side up). Instead of one nail, take four nails and arrange them in a square shape in the center of a board. Make sure the nails are about the same height.
3. Take the cardboard box. Using scissors, cut off the top and one of the sides.
4. Place the one pined wooden board into the box. Make sure the nail is in the middle.
5. Blow up one balloon and put it lightly on top of the nail. Make sure to be careful. You do not want the balloon popping!
6. Take the lid of the cardboard box that you cut off with the scissors. Put it on top of the balloon.
7. Put the plastic bowl on top of the cardboard lid, right in the middle. The sole needle should be holding everything up.
8. Add one spoonful of sugar into the bowl. Watch what happens. Keep adding spoonfuls of sugar until the balloon pops. Record how many spoonfuls of sugar it took for the balloon to pop.
9. Now it is time for a different setup. Take out the wooden board with the one nail. In its place, put in the wooden board with four nails. Make sure the nails are in the middle.
10. Repeat the other steps. Blow up a balloon and put it on top of the nails. Put on the cardboard lid. Then put the bowl in the middle.
11. Add spoonful of sugar until the balloon pops. How many spoonfuls did it take this time?
By: Alan Wagner
Posts Tagged ‘Grade Science Fair Project’
4th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas
April 29th, 20101st Grade Science Fair Projects
April 29th, 2010
A first grade science fair project enables a first grader to learn science in a fun way. Science fair projects plant the seed of interest in science, in a child. It inflames their imagination and arouses their interest in the world around them. The first grade is the ideal time to introduce a child to the amazing world of science and allow the child to explore and satiate his or her curiosity. The child also learns to be methodical and organized as the project follows a scientific method and is based on scientific concepts and principles which children are able to grasp easily.
While a classroom lecture often tends to be one-sided with the teacher giving the maximum amount of inputs, a project focuses on the creativity and initiative of the child. The child is involved in his project a hundred percent. Science fair projects also help in strengthening the bond between parents and children, as the child usually turns to the parent for topic ideas and finally choosing the topic.
For a first grade science fair project to be successful, the following tips should be kept in mind.
1.Allow the child to choose the experiment only if the topic interests the child. If they don’t want to do it, you’ll struggle the whole time.
2.While the teacher or parent can lend a helping hand and guide the child, the child should be allowed to work independently. No adult should ever take complete control of the project. The adult should just keep an eye open to ensure that there are no accidents or mishaps. Suggestions and guidelines can also be given but the child should be allowed to do the experiment and draw his or her own conclusions from it. This way a child learns much more.
3.Allow the child to have fun while doing the project
4.Allow the child to experiment as one project idea can lead to many questions and new ideas.
5.Allow the child to be creative as a child can have an entirely different perspective about the project.
There are thousands of ideas. A few are:
1.To explain the concept of density, put an egg in a bowl of water and see if it floats or sinks. Replace the water with salt water, sugar water, oil and various other liquids of different densities and record the results.
2.Make a simple lever with a pencil and an ice cream stick. Balance coins on both ends and explain the principle.
3.Test the magnetic force of a magnet by covering it with paper, plastic, aluminum foil etc. Check its magnetic power.
4.Make different designs of airplanes and test which ones fly the best.
5.Find out if white or dark objects get heated faster in the sun.
6.Demonstrate how a solar/lunar eclipse occurs.
7.Make a compass with a needle and cork.
8.Plant seeds and watch them grow.
9.Explain the water cycle.
So, a first grade science fair project is a scientific experience and will be one that child will never forget.
By: Jordan Matthews
8th Grade Science Fair Project
March 7th, 2010
Any topic can be selected for 8th grade science fair project provided it uses scientific process. It is better to take the simple one, which is experimental in nature and not designing a model. The topic selected for an 8th grade science fair project should not be a replica of an already tried experiment. The original experiment should not be represented as such with out any change. The individual, who works on the topic, should have complete knowledge about the topic undertaken. The project or experiment, even if it is small should be focused and the demonstration should be complete and easily understandable.
The data and variables should be represented in the graph in a neat and appealing way. Equations can be used to show the relation between the variables. And vague expression of ideas by waving hands should be avoided. Unlike the middle school projects finding resources in encyclopedias or web resources will not be sufficient. Further references need to be done in the recent publications, high school texts etc in order to cover the adult audience. The 8th grade science fair project should be unswerving from the topic given. Display boards need to be used to display the data. The project should include the interview by the judges and one should be prepared for that too.
The general fields from which one can select topics for 8th grade science fair project are anatomy, astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, geology, mathematics, microbiology, physics, physiology, zoology and so on. The 8th grade science fair project should not be a report submitted on any of the given field. It should involve some experimental research, concept development, some inventions or designing some thing new and so on.
The basic processes involved in an 8th grade science fair project can be explained in different stages. It involves selection of an appropriate topic, collecting the information, preparing the plan on how to proceed, preparing the project based on the plan, trying out the experiment, finding out the implications by analyzing the data, writing the report, making the display of the project, rehearsing for the actual presentation, carrying out the actual presentation. When all these processes are properly carried out then the result will be really amazing.
The presentation of report for 8th grade science fair project should be handled with proper care. Since it is the one which is going to be a record for the work one has done in the 8th grade science fair project. The report should consist of table of contents with list and page numbers, abstract of the project, research report, purpose, hypothesis, materials, procedure, results, conclusions, acknowledgments and bibliography. Care and involvement in the work is essential throughout the working of the project.
By: Jordan Matthews
