Recommended for 4th graders! A collection of easy self-study ideas to try

Making a maglev train

Done in 10 minutes! Make a linear motor car with a magnet and aluminum tape! Clearly understand the relationship between electricity and magnetism!!

Introducing how to make a linear motor car using dry batteries.

Attach two layers of magnets to a plastic sheet with double-sided tape.

The key here is to control the repelling force of the magnets and stick them on without any gaps.

Cut a melamine sponge for the vehicle body, and apply aluminum tape so it forms a U-shape.

Once you hook the magnet-mounted sheet onto the tape, connect clip wires to the rails.

Sandwich the lead wires in the aluminum tape, and connect the batteries in series to finish the setup.

It’s a great independent research project theme that lets you enjoy both a science experiment and toy-making at the same time.

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mutō

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Observation of Rivers and Landforms

[Science] Landforms Created by Rivers and Their Functions

The actions of flowing water—erosion, transportation, and deposition—are expressed as landforms around rivers.

For example, deltas, which are often seen near river mouths, are landforms created by deposition.

Using the internet, books, or maps, investigate places where these landforms can be found, then visit them to observe directly.

If you take photos and also record surrounding conditions—such as the river’s shape and how the water flows—you may discover patterns you hadn’t noticed before and deepen your understanding of how flowing water works.

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Hane Keisuke

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Factory Tour Report

How to Write a Report: A Method for Effectively Writing What You Learned in Three Steps

Wouldn’t it be great to visit somewhere you can’t usually go and have it help with your independent research? With that in mind, here’s an idea: a factory tour report.

First, look into factory tours that interest you.

Even among well-known candy and ice cream manufacturers, there are several factories you can tour.

You could observe and summarize the production process, dig deeper to explore the secrets behind the delicious taste, or even try recreating it yourself.

Many factories also have hands-on activity areas, so you can make use of those as well.

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yamamoto

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Make gum using flour

[Experiment] Apparently you can make gum with ◯◯! I tried it to see if it’s true!

You can easily make gum yourself using things you have at home.

Let’s try making gum with bread flour.

In this experiment, we’ll explore gluten.

Prepare 50 g of bread flour, a bowl, a measuring cup, a scale, and 20 cc of water.

The gum you make can actually be eaten, but it doesn’t have any flavor, so you might want to mix in a sweetener or fruit juice.