[5th Grade Elementary School] Independent Research Themes & Crafts | A Collection of Ideas That Lead to Learning
Elementary school students, have you decided what to do for your independent research project this year?
Since you can choose any theme for independent research—experiments, crafts, observations—it can be hard to decide what to do each year.
So in this article, we’ve gathered a variety of independent research ideas to help you not only search for ideas but also expand on any interests you come up with.
Because this is aimed at fifth graders, we’re introducing topics that lead to deeper learning.
Feel free to use this as a reference and keep making new discoveries!
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[5th Grade Elementary School] Independent Research Topics & Crafts | A Collection of Ideas That Lead to Learning (1–10)
Making alpha rice
Alpha rice is made by soaking freshly cooked rice in water, removing the moisture, and processing it so it can be eaten by adding water or hot water.
Here’s how to make this rice commonly used as preserved or emergency food.
After placing the cooked rice in a strainer and mixing it, spread it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and heat it in the oven.
Stir the rice to dry it evenly, heating it about five times.
Once you take it out of the oven, tap the rice to break it apart, and your alpha rice is ready.
To rehydrate, simply add hot water equal to 1.5 go of water to the alpha rice and let it sit for about 15 minutes before eating.
It’s also great to take along for activities like camping or mountain climbing.
Simulated investment experience
This initiative lets children simulate stock trading and investing to deepen their interest in money.
In today’s society, where building assets for the future is emphasized and NISA contributions can be started by minors, it’s important to create opportunities for kids to learn about money.
Supporting a company is called investing, and it can be helpful to learn the meanings of terms like yen depreciation and yen appreciation through games.
Options include visiting facilities or seminars where kids can experience different jobs, or studying together as a family.
It’s also recommended to learn about investing using familiar themes for children, such as the prices of snacks and juice.
Making biomass plastic
We’ll introduce how to make biomass plastic using renewable resources such as plants.
Warm some milk in the microwave, then add lemon juice and stir until white curds appear.
Pour the mixture through a strainer lined with parchment paper to separate the liquid from the solids.
Once the liquid has drained and only the solids remain, transfer them to a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and let them dry to complete your biomass plastic.
Making eco-friendly plastic can also serve as a great opportunity for children to learn about environmental issues.
[5th Grade Elementary] Independent Research Themes & Crafts | A Collection of Ideas that Lead to Learning (11–20)
Tofu making
Here’s how to make tofu, a beloved Japanese food that’s delicious both on its own and cooked.
Like a science experiment, you’ll learn why tofu solidifies while also enjoying the finished homemade tofu.
Heat soy milk in a pot to 75°C (167°F), then add nigari (magnesium chloride) and stir.
Cover and let it sit to steam for about 10 minutes, then transfer the solids into a mold lined with cloth.
Place a weight on top to remove excess moisture, then soak the block in water set in a bowl for about 20 minutes.
Your tofu is ready.
It’s also fun to make while learning that the liquid solidifies because the magnesium in the nigari binds with the proteins.
Make a storm glass and observe it
Have you ever heard of an instrument called a storm glass? These days, you can sometimes find it in variety shops as a home decor item.
A storm glass is a glass container filled with a special liquid that changes its appearance depending on weather conditions such as temperature and humidity, and in the 19th century it was used for weather forecasting.
If you look into it, you’ll find it can be made with items available at drugstores, so give it a try.
Observe the completed storm glass and put together a report by making a table of the day’s weather, temperature, humidity, and the appearance of the liquid inside the storm glass.
pinhole camera
Let’s try making a pinhole camera, a classic for independent research projects.
A pinhole camera is a camera that forms an image using a tiny pinhole instead of a camera lens.
There are methods using a milk carton or a paper cup, and it’s surprisingly easy to make.
If you choose a pinhole camera for your project, after building it you should observe how the image actually appears, think about why it appears that way, and compile your findings into a report.
Investigate the conditions required for seed germination
In fifth grade, students also learn about seed germination.
So let’s investigate, through experiments, the conditions necessary for seeds to germinate.
When examining which conditions are needed, you must conduct a controlled experiment: keep all other conditions the same and change only one condition for comparison.
Try various conditions to confirm what leads to germination.
You may have already learned about the conditions for germination in class; if so, this experiment would be a good way to review what you learned.