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:
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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
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Tin foil moon
Materials: tin foil, coins (various sizes), cardstock, glue
Description: http://www.makefilmplay.com/kids-crafts/tin-foil-moon/
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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
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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
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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/
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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
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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
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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)
3rd grade:
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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:
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Water cycle
Materials: paper bag, water, permanent marker and blue dye
Description: https://www.livinglifeandlearning.com/water-cycle-bag-experiment.html
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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
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Weather: how clouds rain
Materials: shaving cream,mason jar, and food dye
Description: https://www.mrsjonescreationstation.com/simple-science-how-clouds-make-rain/
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Rocks and Minerals: diy rock candy
Materials: water, sugar, skewers or chopsticks
Description: https://www.thekitchykitchen.com/?recipes=/diy-rock-candy/
5th grade:
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Volcanoes: diy volcano
Materials: playdough, baking soda, vinegar, food dye
Description: https://happybrownhouse.com/simple-science-how-to-make-a-volcano-with-kids/
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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
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Electricity: diy hovercraft
Materials: CD, balloon, and bottle cap
Description: https://www.livinglifeandlearning.com/hovercraft-science-experiment.html
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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? Check out the following:
Goodfellow Chemistry Glossary
Precious Metals and the Periodic Table
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/
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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
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Microorganisms: dirty potatoes
Materials: potatoes, jars
Description: https://www.science-sparks.com/dirty-potatoes/
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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/
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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
(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/
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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:
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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
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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/
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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:
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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)
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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/