Recommended for elementary school students' independent research! Experiment and observation ideas using everyday materials
Recommended for elementary school students who haven’t decided on a summer vacation independent research project yet! Choosing a topic can be tough, but in this article we introduce exciting ideas that will make you feel thrilled just reading them—from factory tours at candy makers to gemstone polishing, and even a DIY telescope you can build with materials you have at home! You’ll also find plenty of ideas you’ll want to tell someone about, like a curious experiment to check your ear age and a project to make water that’s both hard and soft.
You’re sure to find tips for independent research that use familiar items and are fun to try!
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Recommended for elementary school science projects! Experiment and observation ideas using everyday materials (71–80)
Let’s compare three types of eggplant.
This is a vegetable set from the mail-order company Oisix that lets you do a hands-on science project.
It comes with an experiment sheet, so you can enjoy cooking while learning about different types and characteristics of eggplants.
You’ll make an eggplant pizza while taste-testing various kinds of eggplants.
Since you’ll be using a knife and hot water, be sure to do this with an adult! When you’re done, let’s all enjoy the pizza together!
Let’s try putting ice into various liquids!
This is an experiment where we try putting ice into various liquids.
Let’s pay attention to whether the ice sinks.
If it sinks, the ice is denser than the liquid; if it doesn’t sink, the ice is less dense than the liquid.
In the video, we use water, vinegar, alcohol, oil, and milk—all easy to find at home! Since there’s no fire or sharp tools involved, it’s an experiment that even younger elementary school children can enjoy.
Let’s investigate delicious/tasty water
Let me introduce Gakken’s “Let’s Investigate Delicious Water” science project helper kit.
Generally, the conditions for tasty water are: it’s soft, it has almost no residual chlorine, and it’s neutral.
Use this kit with various types of water to find the one that comes closest to delicious water! It also comes with a guidebook, so it’s a worry-free research project even for lower grades.
It’s easy and can be finished in a single day.
Chemical reaction illusion with vinegar and baking soda
Let’s use vinegar and baking soda to trigger a fascinating chemical reaction! You’ll need purple sweet potato powder, vinegar, oil, and baking soda.
You can buy purple sweet potato powder online or at stores that carry cooking supplies.
All of these are easy to find.
This experiment doesn’t involve any dangerous items like fire or knives, so even lower-grade elementary school students can enjoy it.
It’s perfect for kids who want to stand out with their independent research!
Water freezes the instant you touch it.
Let’s try a fascinating experiment where water freezes the moment you touch it! Put water into sodium lactate and heat it in a microwave at 500W for 50 seconds.
Once it’s completely dissolved, let it cool slowly at room temperature for 20 minutes, then chill it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Now you’re all set! When you add sodium lactate here…
it’s amazing! It’s practically art!
Shiitake cultivation
If you’re looking for a science project theme where you can enjoy delicious food, growing shiitake mushrooms is a great choice.
In this experiment, you’ll use a shiitake mushroom growing kit to actually cultivate the mushrooms.
Depending on the temperature, it takes about a week for the mushrooms to grow, so be sure to prepare with enough time.
It’s easy for anyone to do, so it’s recommended even for lower elementary school students.
Morning Glory Observation
When it comes to classic summer projects, observing morning glories is a favorite.
Since many schools grow them, it’s a recommended project even for lower elementary students.
But simply observing isn’t much of a study, so try comparing different fertilizers to see which promotes better growth, or investigate the relationship between sunlight hours or temperature and the flowers that bloom.
It takes time for the flowers to blossom, so be sure to prepare well in advance.