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 students’ independent research! Experiment and observation ideas using everyday materials (81–90)
The Secret of Superabsorbent Polymers
Superabsorbent polymer is a white powder-like substance that absorbs water, found in items like diapers.
This experiment involves adding salt to superabsorbent polymer that has fully absorbed water and become smooth-flowing.
You’ll surely be surprised by the results! You can get superabsorbent polymer online or at home improvement stores.
It can also be taken out of diapers, so it’s easy to obtain.
It only takes about an hour to do, making it a great choice for kids who want to finish their independent research project quickly.
I tried making a portable cloud
Let’s try carrying a cloud around! Huh? What do you mean? That’s what you’re thinking, right (lol).
Put a lit incense stick into a plastic bottle with a little water in it.
Then take the incense out and close the cap.
After that, just keep squeezing and releasing the bottle over and over.
You’ll see it gradually turn white.
Apparently, this is made using the same principle as real clouds! Look up the detailed mechanism to see how it works!
Fingerprint collection
Fingerprints, which often appear in suspense dramas as clues to catch the culprit.
Why not try fingerprint dusting as a science project? Prepare various powders—potato starch, MILO, flour, baby powder—and experiment to see which one makes fingerprints appear most clearly.
You’ll feel just like a forensics expert!
Polka Dot Experiment
This “water droplet experiment” is a fun activity using water, so it’s recommended for lower elementary school students.
In this experiment, you’ll use various water-repellent sprays to observe what kinds of droplets form.
By changing the material you spray or swapping water for something like lemon juice, you’ll get different results—so let’s think about why those changes occur.
Color experiments with red cabbage
This is an experiment where you add vinegar, toner, lemon, and baking soda to a solution boiled from red cabbage and observe the color changes.
It’s recommended for sixth-grade students learning about “properties of water-soluble substances.” The experiment itself takes about an hour, so it’s perfect for anyone who wants to finish their independent research quickly! If you have a color chart, you can predict how the colors will change as in the video while you experiment, which makes it even better.
Fossil excavation at home
Recommended for homebodies! Believe it or not, you can experience fossil excavation right at home! The video introduces two items: a “Fossil Museum” and a “Raw Stone Excavation” kit, both apparently available at 100-yen shops.
Each kit includes a stone containing a fossil or raw mineral, along with a stick and a brush for digging.
So once you buy it, you can start excavating right away! If you research and summarize what you excavate yourself, it can make a great independent study project!
Recommended for elementary school students' independent research! Experiment and observation ideas using familiar materials (91–100)
Water that won’t spill even when turned upside down
In this experiment, you attach a sieve to a plastic bottle filled with water and turn it upside down.
Since a sieve has holes, you’d think the water would spill out—but it surprisingly doesn’t.
The reason it doesn’t spill involves surface tension and atmospheric pressure, making this a great independent research project for upper elementary school students and older who want to explore these concepts.
All you need are a plastic bottle and a sieve, so it’s easy to prepare and you can start the experiment right away.