Fun With Science
by Kerry Cordy
If you are working on your Fun With Science Badge through either the Frontier Girls or Quest Program or just have an untamed curiosity about the world around you, read on for links to a wide variety of science projects that are both fun and educational.
What is science?
What exactly IS science? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary science is:
- knowledge about the natural world that is based on facts learned through experiments and observation.
- an area of study that deals with the natural world (as biology or physics)
- a subject that is formally studied; the science of linguistics.
Scientific Method
The scientific method is a way for people to study and learn things and test ideas. When using the scientific method, the first step is to ask a question. What do you wonder about? How do you think it works? Next you need to observe and gather information and come up with ideas, or guesses, that you think may be the answer to your question. Then run some experiments to see if your guesses were right or wrong. Based on the results of your experiment you might make and test new guesses. In the end you come to a conclusion as to what you think the answer to your question is. Other scientists can repeat your experiments and ask even more questions to get a more refined answer.
Steps to the Scientific Method
- Ask a question
- Gather information and observe (research)
- Make a hypothesis (guess the answer)
- Experiment and test your hypothesis
- Analyze your test results
- Present a conclusion
The Khan Academy has an easy to understand cartoon that explains the scientific method in more detail.
Air
The first step of the scientific method is to come up with questions such as what is air made of? Does air take up space? Does air have weight? Conduct some experiments on air to see if you can find the answers.
- Try making Fog with WeatherWizKids.
- Create unique loop style airplanes with Kids Fun Science.
- Visit Preschools4All to learn about how air takes up space with bubbles and balloons, is invisible and can move or push things around.
- Air Pressure Experiments with Kids Fun Science
- Suck an Egg into a Bottle with WeatherWizKids
Water
What is water made of? What is the water cycle? How does temperature effect the movement of water?
Check out this great video from HooplaKids with several fun water experiments. Keep in mind this is a Youtube video so kids should only visit with the permission of a parent or guardian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_PZepp9sMc
What is buoyancy? How does fresh water differ from salt water? Perform the following experiment from NerdyBaby:
Water Density and Floating Egg Experiment
Light
Perform one of the following experiments:
Every wonder how a rainbow is made? How about making one of your own? Watch a little Kid Science on Youtube to find out how! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yxp2LDn8AA
Moon Phases
Any time I can combine food with learning I am a happy person! Learn about the phases of the moon with a fun Oreo Cookie project from Science Bob.
You can also watch this video that explains exactly what you are seeing with each phase of the moon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz01pTvuMa0
How does the moon effect the tides on Earth? Try this easy experiment from Sciencing.com to find out. https://sciencing.com/explain-phases-moon-tides-children-7803645.html
Plants
Spring is a great time to explore plant science. Fantastic Fun and Learning has a great post with instructions for dissecting bean seeds, planting a garden in a glove, exploring root growth and discovering how stems work.
Density
What is density and how does it effect the world around you? Try creating a density tower to see how different liquids have different densities with Steve Spangler Science.
What is buoyancy? How does fresh water differ from salt water? Perform the following experiment from NerdyBaby:
Water Density and Floating Egg Experiment
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is the study of moving air and the interaction between the air and solid bodies moving through it. Try making different types of paper airplanes to see how their shape effects their flight. The DIY Network shows several patterns built for speed, distance, or flight time.
Misc Science Fun
If you are having fun exploring various elements of science, here are a few website with a number of interesting and fun experiments.
- Two weeks worth of fun and easy science experiments
- 50+ experiments you can do at home with household items
- 42 Classic science experiments
- Sun and Solar STEM Experiments
