Recommended for elementary school students! Science fair topics & craft ideas

How to make a pencil case

How to repurpose a plastic wrap core: Pen case edition

You can stand your favorite pens upright! Here’s how to make a cute pen case using a plastic wrap core.

First, cut the wrap core to a length that fits your pens.

It’s tough, so kids should have an adult help.

Next, place the core on thick paper, trace around it with a pencil, cut it out, and glue on a lid and a base for the case.

Once the glue dries, decorate it with your favorite wrapping paper or stickers.

Finally, roll up some thick paper, push it into the case, and trim any excess—and you’re done!

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kepiko

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Remaking a 100-yen shop clock

The part you can see from the back of a table clock or wall clock—the section with the battery compartment and the knob for setting the time—is called the movement.

You could say it’s the heart of the clock.

In fact, clock movements are sold on their own at 100-yen shops and home improvement stores, and you can use them to make your own original clock! If you’re good at woodworking, try starting from scratch by buying a wooden board and cutting a groove to fit the movement.

If that’s not your strong suit, there are also assembly kits with pre-cut grooves available, so you can use those instead.

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Hane Keisuke

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Fizzy Ramune Experiment

http://www.lemon8-app.com

Why not try making fizzy ramune tablets for your summer break science project and enjoy their colors and sounds when dropped into water? After thoroughly mixing ingredients like powdered sugar, cornstarch, and food-grade citric acid, add food coloring to make them visually fun.

Press the mixed dough with two spoons to shape it just right.

Let them dry for about half a day to finish the ramune.

When eaten, they fizz in your mouth, letting you experience the curious chemical reaction of carbonation.

It’s a safe project even for children, using the carbon dioxide produced by the reaction between lemon juice’s acid and baking soda.

You can boost originality by changing the colors and flavors.

It’s a great idea for learning chemistry with familiar materials.

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mutō

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Let’s learn about sugar crystallization while making canelés.

http://www.lemon8-app.com

Let’s make an experimental piece using a canelé mold for sweets.

Put powdered gelatin into a container filled with water and heat it in the microwave.

After heating, add sugar, color it with edible food coloring, and heat it in the microwave again.

Pour it into the canelé mold, and once it sets, remove it from the mold.

Your beautiful, colorful sugar canelés are ready.

At first, they look jiggly, but after a week, the sugar crystallizes and they turn into sparkly, crystal-like pieces.

You can enjoy watching the sugar change over time.

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Nakajima Junko

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Experiment where ham melts with kiwi

http://www.lemon8-app.com

Here’s a curious and fun science project using kiwifruit and ham.

Get your materials ready: kiwifruit, ham, paper, and felt-tip pens.

Place a sliced kiwifruit on top of a halved piece of ham.

By timing this setup, you can find out how many minutes it takes for the ham to start breaking down.

If you photograph the changes over time, your project will gain more depth.

You might discover something new by comparing heated kiwifruit with unheated kiwifruit.

Write down the purpose of the experiment and your results to complete your summer science project.

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mayumi

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Independent study at the play park

A play park where children can fully immerse themselves in nature is perfect for a hands-on independent study project.

It’s packed with activities that are hard to experience in everyday life, such as tree climbing, chopping firewood, and making campfires.

Rather than just spending a day playing and calling it done, you can turn it into a solid research project by recording what activities you did, what you enjoyed, and what ingenuity you used, together with photos or drawings.

It’s important to summarize in your own words what you learned and felt through play.

Learning how to use tools, paying attention to safety, and understanding how to interact with nature can also be part of the project.

This is an action-observation style idea that lets you deepen your experience by engaging all five senses.

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mutō

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Refreshing! Square Bag

Here’s an idea for making a bag using bag hardware from a 100-yen shop, plant pot mesh, and yarn in your favorite color and material.

First, cut the plant pot mesh to match the size of the bag hardware, then crochet or stitch the yarn onto the mesh.

Once you’ve finished attaching the yarn, sew the mesh and the bag hardware together.

Finally, add the handles and your favorite decorations to complete the bag.

With this method as a reference, it seems like you could create all kinds of items depending on your ideas!

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Hane Keisuke

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