At Home Science Activities and Experiments

Please check out our tutorial videos on vimeo!

Magical Science Activity Videos

 

Magical Science Grab-N-Go kit handbook

 

Science Saturday Showcase - July 18, 2020

 

Stargazing App Review

 

Ott Planisphere and Planisphere Download

 

Gravity Simulation with Water

 

DIY Solar Oven

 

Water Pressure Activity 

 

DIY Lava Lamp

 

DIY Star Projector

 

DIY Sun Dial

 

Educational Science Games

 

2nd grade and under:

  • Surprise Egg sink or float. 

Materials: Plastic eggs, big bowl of water, random things of different weight that can fit in plastic eggs (for example: paper clips, buttons, small rocks)

Description: https://intheplayroom.co.uk/2016/03/17/surprise-egg-sink-float-experiment/

  • Diy elephant toothpaste (adult supervision)

Materials: plastic water bottle, food coloring, 4 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, warm water, 1 packet of dry yeast, dish soap, and a funnel 

Description: http://blog.learningresources.com/diy-elephant-toothpaste/

  • Diy lava lamp

Materials: plastic water bottle, funnel, food coloring, alka seltzer tablets, water, and vegetable oil

Description: https://www.naturalbeachliving.com/lava-lamp-bottles-science-experiment/

  • Hopping popcorn 

Materials: a jar, alka-seltzer tablets, popcorn kernels,baking soda, vinegar, oil, a timer (phone or stopwatch)

Description: https://www.steamsational.com/dancing-popcorn-experiment/

  • Oil and water. 

Materials: Various food dye colors, water, vegetable oil, and jars

Description: fill some jars with colored water, and one or two jars with vegetable oil. With straws or eyedroppers pick up colored water and place drops of colored water in the oil. Observe how oil and water do not mix together

  • Tin foil moon

Materials: tin foil, coins (various sizes), cardstock, glue

Description: http://www.makefilmplay.com/kids-crafts/tin-foil-moon/

  • Star projector

Materials: Paper cup, push pin, and flashlight 

Description: take a cup and flip the bottom side up. With a push pin poke holes to resemble star constellations or look up some constellations and choose your favorite one and copy the constellation. Turn off lights or go where there is not a lot of light and with a flashlight shine the light through your cup and point it at a wall or ceiling. Watch your constellations come to life

  • Ziplock bag experiment

Materials: pencils and a ziplock bag (filled with water) 

Description: fill a ziplock bag ¾ with water and seal it. With sharpened pencils stick them anywhere through the ziplock bag. Leave the pencils in the bag and watch how the bag is still intact

  • Coffee filter planet Earth

Materials: coffee filters, blue marker, green marker, spray bottle filled with water

Description: https://www.aboutamom.com/coffee-filter-planet-earth-craft-kids/

  • Diy moon

Materials: (½ cup) Glue, shaving cream (1 cup), for color (black watercolor, paint or food coloring)

Description: Mix together all materials on a baking sheet or bowl. Add in as much black dye as desired. Form mixture into a circle of even desired thickness and let it set on a non-stick surface. For example: baking sheet, plate, or casserole dish 

  • Galaxy handprint art

Materials: paper (black and white), spray bottle, colored paint

Description: trace your hand on the white paper and cut it out. Place the cut out hand on a piece of black paper in the middle. Fill spray bottles with some colored paint (any colors will work). Spray paint onto the black paper with the cut out hand still centered. You can remove the cut out hand and let the paint dry

  • Name in the stars constellation

Materials: Paper plate or heavy cardstock, acrylic paint, paintbrush or if you do not have a paintbrush use household items (For example: old gift/credit card, palette knife, squeegee or paint scraper), white washi tape, white, silver, or gold paint pen, or permanent marker or a wax pencil, tinfoil, scissors, and a glue stick

Optional Materials: silver or gold star stickers (replacement for tinfoil and speeds up project) and a hairdryer (quick paint drying)

Description: https://barleyandbirch.com/2018/09/make-name-in-stars-constellation-process-art/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=456429550_15879672_489176

 

3rd grade:

  • Sun: Make a sundial

Materials: Paper plate, a pencil (colored or #2), plasticine (clay or playdough)

Description: place paper plate flat side down (back of plate). Write the numbers 1 to 

12 at equal distances on the flat side of the paper plate. Make a hole in the middle of the

plate. 

In the middle of the plate stick a pencil through the hole you just made (pointed side up). 

Use some plasticine on the back side of the plate where you placed the pencil. The plasticine should be placed around the eraser of the pencil. Stick outside in the sun. Watch the shadows casted that dictate the time. Rotate the sundial to synchronize it with the current time.

Gravity: making water defy gravity experiment 

(Version 1) Materials: a glass, water, handkerchief, a large bowl

(Version 1) Description: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/anti-gravity-water/

(Version 2) Materials: a large bowl, food coloring, small clear glass or cup

(Version 2) Description: Fill large bowl with water (for colorful effect dye the water). Place a small glass in the bowl of water so that the glass fills the water (you want the glass submerged. While keeping the glass under the water as much as possible, turn the glass upside down in the bowl. The glass should be full of water with no air. Carefully lift the glass until the top of the glass is just below the surface of the water. Observe that the water is still in the glass and is not falling back into the bowl. The water seems to defy gravity  

Forces : diy rocket building 

Materials: baking soda, vinegar, pencils, and plastic bottle

Description: https://lemonlimeadventures.com/diy-rocket-building-station-kids/


4th grade:

  • Water cycle

Materials: paper bag, water, permanent marker and blue dye

Description: https://www.livinglifeandlearning.com/water-cycle-bag-experiment.html

  • Weather: tornado in a bottle

Materials: (2) 1 liter water or soda bottles (you can use 2 liter bottles or smaller ones because they are easier for the kids to hold), a metal washer, food coloring (any color), and duct tape 

Description: fill plastic water bottle ¾ with water (add a few drops of food coloring). Place washer on the top of the bottle neck. Put the second empty bottle upside down on the washer and tape the two bottle necks together. Once assembled, with one hand flip the water bottle upside down and in a twisting motion twist the bottle for a while, then stop and watch the water act as a tornado

  • Weather: how clouds rain 

Materials: shaving cream,mason jar, and food dye

Description: https://www.mrsjonescreationstation.com/simple-science-how-clouds-make-rain/

  • Rocks and Minerals: diy rock candy

Materials: water, sugar, skewers or chopsticks

Description: https://www.thekitchykitchen.com/?recipes=/diy-rock-candy/


5th grade:

  • Volcanoes: diy volcano 

Materials: playdough, baking soda, vinegar, food dye

Description: https://happybrownhouse.com/simple-science-how-to-make-a-volcano-with-kids/

  • Earthquake: diy earthquake simulation

Materials: cardboard, small/light objects to put on top of cardboard to act as buildings 

Description: cut out a large rectangular piece of cardboard. With a dark permanent marker draw a dot in the center of the cardboard and then draw circles at equal distances starting from the center of the rectangular piece of cardboard. Place small/lightweight objects randomly on top of cardboard to act as buildings. Now you have assembled your homemade earthquake simulator. Shake the cardboard acting like an earthquake 

  • Electricity: diy hovercraft

Materials: CD, balloon, and bottle cap

Description: https://www.livinglifeandlearning.com/hovercraft-science-experiment.html

  • Freezing: instant ice (make ice grow)

(Version 1) Materials: 4 cups of vinegar, 4 tbsp baking soda in a pot, glass container

(Version 1) Description: https://frugalfun4boys.com/hot-ice-science-experiment/

(Version 2) Materials: plastic water bottle, food coloring, ice cubes in a cup or bowl

(Version 2) Description: https://www.livinglifeandlearning.com/hovercraft-science-experiment.html


Looking to increase your chemistry vocabulary for middle school? Click here: Goodfellow Chemistry Glossary


6th grade:

Moon: moon phases diy

(Version 1) Materials: oreos (Note: there are eight moon phases) and a paper plate

(Version 1) Description: Slice the cream of the oreos like the phases of the moon. Place oreos around the plate in a circle. 

(Version 2) Materials: two clear solo cups, black permanent marker pen, 1-inch diameter yellow circle, a piece of black construction paper, basic stationary like glue, tape, and ruler

(Version 2) Description: https://happytotshelf.com/moon-phases-learning-toy/

  • Solar system: diy solar system

Materials: anything you can find around the house. For example: bottle caps, clay, legos, yarn(wind it up), rocks(paint them)

Description: https://sciencing.com/make-solar-system-model-home-school-project-12071411.html

  • Microorganisms: dirty potatoes

Materials: potatoes, jars

Description: https://www.science-sparks.com/dirty-potatoes/

  • Microorganisms: mold

Materials: unflavored gelatin,q-tips, and some sanitized containers. For example: jars, plastic cups, or petri dishes

Description:https://teachbesideme.com/growing-mold-science-experiment/

  • Solar oven: diy solar oven 

Materials: cardboard box (for example: Amazon box), craft glue, aluminum foil, duct tape, a sheet of black paper or something dark in color like a black oven tray, heat-proof glass bowl or casserole dish, and a thermometer

Description: https://www.thecrafttrain.com/diy-solar-oven/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=723071596_29164418_117098

(Smores solar oven) Materials: cardboard pizza box or any cardboard box (optional), construction paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, tape, glue stick, pencil or wooden skewer, scissors or utility knife

Smores Materials: chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows 

Description: https://desertchica.com/diy-solar-oven-smores-kids-science-experiment/

  • Sound Waves

Materials: spoon and yarn string

Description: https://www.kcedventures.com/blog/the-science-of-sound-waves-an-awesome-experiment-for-kids

 

7th grade:

  • Make a model Cell: diy model cell

Materials: anything you can find around the house. For example: bottle caps, clay, legos, yarn, rocks, food( you aren’t going to eat/use)

Description:https://sciencing.com/make-3d-plant-cell-household-materials-12128710.html

  • Matter: apple experiment (uncooked apple and applesauce)

Materials: scale (to weigh apples), paper (to make anchor charts), and a writing utensil

Applesauce Materials: apples (granny smith or whatever you have on hand), crockpot, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon (Recipe for applesauce is located in the link)

Description: https://theappliciousteacher.com/properties-of-matter-apple-experiment/

  • Plants: 

Materials: food coloring, cabbage or celery, glasses, jars, or cups, spoons, and paper towels.

Description: https://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2019/02/rainbow-cabbage-experiment.html

 

8th grade:

  • Solar Energy: balloon blow up

Materials: two plastic water bottles(one painted black and the other white), paint (black and white), and two balloons attached to the necks of the bottles

Description: with two water bottles paint one black and the other one white. When the paint dries, attach a balloon to the neck of the bottles. Stick them both out in the sun and watch which one expands and which one does not (solar reaction)

  • Pendulum: diy pendulum 

(Salt Version) Materials: plastic cup, salt, food coloring (for colorful salt effect), ziploc bag, scissors, string, pencil or pen, and tape

(Salt Version) Description: https://www.kiwico.com/diy/Science-Projects-for-Kids/3/project/Swinging-Salt-Pendulum/2967

(Fizzy Version) Materials: plastic cup, hold puncher, pushpin, string, scissors, baking soda, tape, vinegar, food coloring

Setup: two chairs, broom

(Fizzy Version) Description: https://sciencekiddo.com/pendulum-painting/