When children practice new concepts through hands-on experiments, they truly participate in the learning process, especially in science learning. This list of 30 5th-grade science projects is best for assisting your students’ discovery of science, biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, and more.
1. Bouncing on a trampoline
Photo by: Teach Student Savvy
Real learning does not have to go out the window! This mini trampoline structures the kids’ understanding through experimentation of the rubber band’s principle and challenges their constructing skills. The investigation engages the kids to adjust their built contraption to find out the highest bounce.
Learn more: Teach Student Savvy
2. The “magic” leakproof bag
Photo by: Steve Spangler Science
Are you looking for a science experiment, which is fun and … threatening at the same time to your little explorers? This ‘magic’ leakproof bag will definitely bring fun to your classroom with the hole-pocking challenge without spilling a drop. Sounds impossible? Test out this hypothesis with a plastic bag, sharpened pencils, and be ready to learn about the chemistry of polymers.
Learn more: Steve Spangler Science
3. Clothespin and popsicle stick airplanes
Photo by: STEAMsational
For this engineering activity, you would challenge the students to build up sorts of airplanes using popsicle sticks and clothespins. Check out different methods and constructions to see if your plan can actually fly!
Learn more: STEAMsational
4. ‘It’s a tornado in my bottle’
Photo by: Cool Science Experiments Headquarters
How to teach students the natural disaster like tornados in the classroom? Bring on this simple science experiment with only a bottle, water, and glitter to help demonstrate dust and debris in an actual tornado. Let your student also learn about the centripetal force while making their own bottled cyclone.
Learn more: Cool Science Experiments Headquarters
5. ‘Sink or Float?’ – Science experiment with soda cans
Photo by: Cool Science Experiments Headquarters
Students might get used to the ‘Sink or Float’ experiment with eggs, now it is time to change the game with children’s favorite treat: Soda cans! Together answer the question of ‘Why some soda cans sink while some others float?’, it would give your kids an understanding of liquid density due to different types of sweeteners used in normal and diet soda.
Learn more: Cool Science Experiments Headquarters
6. From Baking Soda to Invisible Ink
Photo by Bettmann / Getty Images
Become secret agents in science class? Nothing is impossible with this inviting game, where the kids can write with the mystery invisible ink using baking soda to exchange secret missions to their ‘fellows’.
Learn more: ThoughtCo
7. Growing crystal snowflakes in the summer
Photo by: Little Bins for Little Hands
Let’s bring the snowflakes inside or even make your own snowflakes falling in the middle of hot summer. These beautiful crystal snowflake ornaments are easy to create with a simple borax recipe used.
Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands
8. Quicksand escape
Photo by: Education.com
Seeing your students play heros games together where they pretend to be struggled to escape from quicksand? Let’s bring your kids’ interest into the science lesson with this ‘Quicksand escape’ experiment. It will scaffold the kids’ learning through play with the texture of handmade ‘quicksand’ from cornstarch and water. Help them to test out the unique solid and liquid properties of quicksand and discover the best ways to escape from this tricky texture.
Learn more: Education.com
9. Bake a S’mores by Solar Energy
Photo by: Desert Chica
Create a solar oven that traps the Sun’s energy to melt down your chocolate and marshmallow. Let the students enjoy the tasty treats while learning about alternative energy and greenhouse.
Learn more: Desert Chica and Climate Kids NASA
10. Make a monster bubble with dry ice vapor
Photo by: Wonder How To
This is a great science exploration of sublimation by transforming dry ice from solid form into gas. Be cautious because this experience is just too cool to see in action!
Learn more: Wonder How To
11. Environmental Study: Soil Erosion versus Plants Cover
Photo by: Life is A Garden
This might look like such a simple investigation but the result can clear out why it is important to have vegetation covering the soil. Through this science project, kids will deepen their understanding of the soil erosion and its significant harm which can lead to natural disaster as landslides and valuable topsoil lost.
Learn more: Life Is A Garden
12. Newspaper STEM Challenge
Photo by: STEM Activities for Kids
It is amazing how a stack of recycled newspapers (and any other kind of recycled paper) can light up the creative engineering skills of your kids. The students not only build up their teamwork skills but also enhance their problem-solving strength by creating their own constructions with only paper-made materials. You would be surprised by what your students can create.
Learn more: STEM Activities for Kids
13. The bouncy balls creation
Photo by: Babble Dabble Do
Another borax recipe for fun learning, these bouncy balls are perfect for the polymers lesson. Utilize spare ingredients like borax, cornstarch, water, and glue, it is definitely a fun science experiment to try.
Learn more: Babble Dabble Do
14. Building a mini Snack Machine
Photo by: Left Brain Craft Brain
Starting with learning about simple machines, students need to incorporate everything they have learned about this little basic mechanical engineering to construct their own mini snack machine. The prompting challenge is changing the force direction to re-allocate the snacks, but the kids will have to deal with a lot more tasks to build up their best snack station.
Learn more: Left Brain Craft Brain
15. Discover density with hot and cold water
Photo by: STEAMsational
If you are looking for a quick science experiment that wow, check out this rainbow density jar experiment. In less than 10 minutes, your kids will dig in the mountain learning of water density, molecule science, color mixing, and more.
Learn more: STEAMsational
16. Which Bridge is the Strongest?
Photo by: Education
Challenge your students to re-construct their own models of famous bridges around the world to see which one is the strongest. Experiment with the maximum weight each model can handle to predict the strongest bridge design.
Learn more: Education
17. Oil and Water: The Battle of Heat Capacity
Photo by: Education
Have your students ever questioned why they need more time to boil water, but less to heat the oil? The question can become a perfect prompt for this heat capacity experience. Students will get to understand the different ways that liquids absorb heat and the amount of heat required to modify the object’s temperature by a certain amount (heat capacity).
Learn more: Education
18. Rock Candy
Photo by: Steve Spangler Science
Wondering how sugar crystals look like? This rock candy experiment will show your kids the sugar shape on a giant scale. The little hands would need your help to handle the mixed boiling water, but the result of this supersaturated solution will be mind-blowing. Add some more drops of food coloring and enjoy the sweet final treats.
Learn more: Steve Spangler Science
19. Sunlight and Artificial Light, which one plants grow better with?
Photo by: Education
In this science experiment, we will investigate whether the plant’s growth rates are better under the natural sunlight or artificial light source
Learn more: Education
20. Self-made Compass with Magnetized needle
Photo by: Blue Flower Adventure
Fun fact: Did you know that the earth works like a massive magnet? Applying the above concept, this project will demonstrate step-by-step to make your own compass with a magnetized needle. You can evaluate one of the classic science experiments by challenging your students to compare the difference between the magnetic north and geographic north.
Learn more: Education
21. Musical Glasses
Photo by: Connections Academy
This project brings joy to basic physics science by creating musical glasses of water. Examine which types of glass are work, and be prepared to have a whack at the final record of your class’s musical masterpiece.
Learn more: Education
22. Ice Melting Challenge
Photo by: Little Bins Little Hands
Testing different solids added to your ice cubes to find out what will make your ice melt faster? Add on a pinch of salt, sugar, baking soda, or even dirt and clock watch to determine the melting time of each add-on ingredient.
Learn more: Little Bins Little Hands
23. Exploring Fluorescence: Why things glow?
Photo by: Supply me
Looking for the answer to the ‘magical’ black lights, which you have seen that been used to analyze a crime scene on TV, detect counterfeit money or machinery leaks? This science resource series will help your students to solve these black lights mysteries.
Learn more: Supply me
24. Chain Reaction: Flying Popsicle Sticks
Photo by: Steve Spangler Science
Get your students off the chair with this exciting learning about the potential (stored) and kinetic energy by weaving popsicle sticks together. And it is time for the flying popsicle sticks! Give it a try to see how long of a chain can you go.
Learn more: Steve Spangler Science
25. Chalkboard Slime
Photo by: Babble Dabble Do
There is so much fun to engage with slime projects. But let’s level up this time by adding contact lens solution to your classic slime recipe and create a thicker-than-ever-before polymer!
Learn more: Babble Dabble Do
26. Can Water Conduct Electricity?
Photo by: Rookie Parenting
We have always been told to stay away from any electrical outlet, especially with wet hands. This fifth-grade science experiment would help to explain why.
Learn more: Rookie Parenting
27. Float a Magic Marker Stick Man
Photo by: Gizmodo
A magical marker stick man that comes to life with just a little bit of water? WHAT?!? Be ready for your kids’ reaction with this simple science of dry erase markers and let them ‘levitate’ their own doodles.
Learn more: Gizmodo
28. Making Lightning
Photo by: Education.com
A science experience that allows you to bend electricity to your will, even bring it … into the classroom? Dim the lights and bring on a foil-covered fork to find out how static electricity is created.
Learn more: Education.com
29. Watching the heartbeat with marshmallows
Photo by: Growing Grade by Grade
A winner activity to teach your students about the work of the circulatory system, just with marshmallows. Let your kids quietly observe how the marshmallow jump with their heartbeats. This science lesson definitely knocks off even the hardest-to-understand unit on Human Body Systems.
If Learn more: Growing Grade by Grade
30. Let’s Filter the Water
Photo by: Teach Beside Me
The fifth-grade kids can see a clear demonstration of the water purification process in this experiment. Layer the coffee filters, gravel, and sand into a cup with punched holes and place it on the empty jar for a handmade water filter. Evaluate the projects by dirtying the water again with different kinds of stuff like oil, food coloring, etc., to see what happens.
Learn more: Teach Beside Me
What is more fun than learning STEM through your favorite science experiments? Share your thoughts and check out our website for more latest teaching tips and tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good science project for a 5th grader?
A good science project should introduce students to new concepts but with hands-on and exciting experiments. Here are 30 of the best science projects and experiments for your 5th-grade students.
What are some easy experiments?
A handful of teaching science resources that helps you spend less time to prepare and more time for fun learning! This list of 30 easy and fun science activity ideas has the best projects for kids to assist their discovery of science, biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, and more.
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