Learn more: Science Buddies/Peppermint Reactions 19. Round up some friends and family who are willing to be guinea pigs, then find out if peppermint candy really does improve concentration and reaction time-and test scores. Find out if peppermint improves reaction time This is a simple eighth grade science project with really cool results. Prove that plants really do seek out the light by setting up a simple or complex maze. Learn more: Science Buddies/Interleaved Paper 17. It’s an easy project with fascinating results. Paper seems smooth and slides apart easily, right? This experiment challenges that notion by interleaving multiple pieces of paper and testing their strength. Discover the strength of interleaved paper Learn more: Science Buddies/Fruit Circuits 16. You can find all the supplies you need at Amazon, including a multimeter, jumper wire kit, and battery holder.

Build a circuit that can differentiate between two different colors, then use it to tell which tomatoes are ripe and which aren’t. Here’s a science fair project that’s sure to impress. It’s a simple concept, but one that never fails to amaze. Use electrolysis to prove that water really is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. Learn more: Home Science Tools/Extract DNA 14. Preserve it in alcohol in the freezer when you’re done. Extract your own DNAĭNA is the blueprint of life, and you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to extract your own with a few simple supplies. Learn more: Science Buddies/Roller Coaster 13. Kids may have created marble roller coasters before, but have they ever built one with a loop-de-loop? They’ll have to experiment to find out which initial height gives a marble the speed it needs to complete the journey. Learn more: Home Science Tools/Fingerprinting 12. You can buy a fingerprinting kit just for kids or use supplies from around the house. See if you can compare prints and make accurate matches in the classroom. Learn to dust for prints and try a technique called “fuming” for trickier surfaces. Conduct fingerprint analysisīudding forensic scientists will love this idea.

Learn more: Blog She Wrote/Measuring Lung Capacity 11. There are a lot of interesting hypotheses students can form, document, and explore while taking these measurements. This experiment combines math and biology to measure lung capacity using a balloon. Learn more: Steve Spangler Science/Magic Traveling Flame 10. Tell students you’re going to relight a candle without touching the flame to the wick. While you’ve got the candles out, try this demonstration. (Don’t be afraid of fire in the science classroom! Here’s why you should try it. Take it a step further by experimenting with the carbon dioxide it produces.

Blow out a candle with a balloonīlowing up a balloon with baking soda and vinegar is the classic acids and bases experiment. Follow the directions at the link to build one, or challenge eighth grade science students to experiment with their own construction methods. Newton’s cradle is a fascinating way of demonstrating momentum and energy transfer. Learn more: Steve Spangler Science/Egg Drop Inertia Trick 7. (Worried about making a mess? Use plastic eggs instead.) When you knock the pie tin out of the way, the egg falls straight into the glass, thanks to inertia. This experiment looks like a magic trick, but it’s firmly grounded in Newton’s First Law of Motion. Drop an egg to prove the first law of motion In this experiment, students will see its effects first hand and brainstorm ways to keep it in check. Measure algae growthįertilizer runoff has become a serious cause of water pollution. Learn more: Science Buddies/Electrolytes 5. You’ll need a few special supplies, like a multimeter and an Ohm resistor, but they’re inexpensive and easy to find. Compare them with water or orange juice for a cool science fair project. Sports-loving kids will enjoy the chance to learn just how many valuable electrolytes their favorite sports drinks contain. Can they build a hand that can pick up a ball? How about one that can pluck up a piece of string? So many possibilities! Or encourage them to think of ways they can improve upon the design. Challenge your students to make the model as shown at the link. This is a project that can be tweaked in a variety of ways. Learn more: 123Homeschool4Me/Build a Lightbulb 3. Then, turn it into an eighth grade science fair experiment by tinkering with the various materials to make a lightbulb that lasts longer, burns brighter, or is powered by an alternative source. Build a better lightbulbįirst, use the steps at the link to build a simple lightbulb with a jar, some wire, and a 6-volt battery. In this experiment, kids water plants with different liquids, like rainwater, tap water, saltwater, and even soda.

5th grade physics science fair projects