What are some good/cool 5th grade science projects?

[dgamer84]

My nephew needs some ideas. All I can think of is the volcano one.



Thanks

 

[Don't panic]

My nephew needs some ideas. All I can think of is the volcano one.



Thanks

the best ones are always the interactive ones, where the other kids get something to do or to take away.

e. g.: build a catapult, where you can modify counterweight, arm length, shooting angle (the science).
make a target and have the kids shooting wrapped candies or marbles or quarters.
if they hit the target the get to keep the 'shot' (the fun)

 

[jav6454]

Volcanos are cool. I did one for 5th grade.

Just mix baking soda and vinegar, add coloring and watch the "eruption" occur.

 

[tooz]

Mentos and Cola?


Another cool one if you can get your hands on the materials is "elephant toothpaste" - http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistrydemonstrations/a/elephanttooth.htm
The stronger the Hydrogen Peroxide the better. stronger peroxide will decompose quicker.
It's quite harmless and lots of fun!
(It was actually featured on the Big Bang Theory)

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I did an experiment with pill bugs when I was that age.
It was do they like cold room temp or hot.

I built a long aluminum foil bridge then filled 3 bags with water. 1 being ice watter. 1 room temp and 1 hot water.
From there I put like 20 -30 pill bugs on it and gave them some time to move around and counted them at set intervals. Repeated it 3-4 times and got my results.

Rather fun experiment to do. Biggest pain was collecting all the pill bugs. Pill bugs real name is isopods. Something I still remember after all these years. This experiment got me first place back in the day.

 

[alust2013]

Perhaps a home version of the Iodine clock? Although the explanation might be a bit hairy with the details. I like the mentos and diet coke too. He could even try it with different mentos and different sodas to determine differences.

 

[jav6454]

Perhaps a home version of the Iodine clock? Although the explanation might be a bit hairy with the details. I like the mentos and diet coke too. He could even try it with different mentos and different sodas to determine differences.

As long as its carbonated, it will be same result... so was the end results and conclusions from a youtube video testing Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, & Fanta.

 

[Don't panic]

As long as its carbonated, it will be same result... so was the end results and conclusions from a youtube video testing Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, & Fanta.

good luck in getting the teachers to approve the live demos

 

[iJohnHenry]

Perhaps a home version of the Iodine clock?

Is that like the potato battery?

 

[jav6454]

good luck in getting the teachers to approve the live demos

If you show a domino effect, then I think they'll allow a external presentation

 

[ender land]

http://www.ehow.com/info_8058870_kids-oobleck-science-activities.html

This stuff is cool

 

[4JNA]

i vote for laser pointers, spinning mirrors, and a big white board. cool patterns, and you could stand in the back and hum some pink floyd tunes...

i didn't like 5th grade much, my projects were not usually allowed, and instead of potato batteries, i made a PVC potato launcher complete with moms hairspray, and the sparker/lighter from the camp lantern.

i might not be such a good source...

 

[xray328]

As long as its carbonated, it will be same result... so was the end results and conclusions from a youtube video testing Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, & Fanta.

Really? I thought there was a mythbusters episode that showed Diet Coke was the best?

My 5th grader just did the potato battery. Penny on one side of the potato, galvanized nail on the other. Generated .77V, so he connected two and it was enough to power a small LED. You can buy them as kits though and use one to power an LED clock.

 

[7on]

Electromagnets are always a cool experiment.

http://www.all-science-fair-project.../29/773/cd09e44e6098050b99a7c6bfbb925631.html

http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/Build_an_Electromagnet.aspx

I did this in 5th grade
http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_7982369_science-projects-electromagnetic-cranes.html

 

[Don't panic]

how about a potato-powered electromagnet?

build a kynex crane with a multi-potato battery that powers a large nail electro-magnet.

how many paperclips can it lift? what is the effect of changing the number of coils on the nail? how about the number of potatoes? connection in series? parallel? large or small potato? plastic or wood instead of metal nail?


volcanos project i don't like, especially in fifth grade, because it is a total misrepresentation of the science of the volcano. unless you feed mentos to a diet-coke volcano, then i could change my mind

 

[jav6454]

how about a potato-powered electromagnet?

build a kynex crane with a multi-potato battery that powers a large nail electro-magnet.

how many paperclips can it lift? what is the effect of changing the number of coils on the nail? how about the number of potatoes? connection in series? parallel? large or small potato? plastic or wood instead of metal nail?


volcanos project i don't like, especially in fifth grade, because it is a total misrepresentation of the science of the volcano. unless you feed mentos to a diet-coke volcano, then i could change my mind

Maybe the mentos is an atomic bomb being dropped into the volcano?

 

[iJohnHenry]

A very small IED, using diesel oil and ammonium nitrate.

 

[Don't panic]

Maybe the mentos is an atomic bomb being dropped into the volcano?

there you go!!!

(i didn't draw the remote-controlled helicopter that delivers the Mentos)

 

[63dot]

Baking soda and vinegar.

Alone, either product is mildly suitable for cleaning, but combined, they are quite potent. You could go onto explain why that is and experiment on different surfaces and it's pretty safe vs. a volcano.

We worked with copper and silver and see who could come up with best polish. For old copper pennies, people tried different home remedies and I took to Tabasco sauce. I don't know what grade that was in or if it was even high school.

You could go and explain the PH scale and the different cleaners within that scale that we use everyday and why each has its place.

For instance, the baking soda and vinegar does well almost everywhere but sometimes doesn't mesh with gasoline/oil. So when I cleaned my car battery contacts with baking soda, I used it with water and it was far more effective than the baking soda/vinegar recipe. Why? I don't quite know, but this line of research can surely make a paper.

Also last night I cleaned the kitchen floor with orange oil and while it worked, it was not as good as enzyme cleaner. Why? ... that's another science project.

I hope the "home" cleaning solutions thesis is suitable for fifth grade and does not involve too much chemistry and equations and that there is a simple way to approach this on a fifth grade level. Also, using everyday home chemicals is cheaper than going to the store for the sometimes good or sometimes bad (but overpriced) over the counter household cleaners and it's a great thing to showcase in this time of recession.

 

[Mousse]

the best ones are always the interactive ones, where the other kids get something to do or to take away.

e. g.: build a catapult, where you can modify counterweight, arm length, shooting angle (the science).
make a target and have the kids shooting wrapped candies or marbles or quarters.
if they hit the target the get to keep the 'shot' (the fun)

I like this idea. Although, I'd go the trebuchet route. Make one that can shoot free throws from mid court.

 

[dgamer84]

Thanks for the suggestions people. Will take a look at all of them.