Create easy earth science projects with students in elementary, middle or high school.
Science projects help reinforce learning in the classroom. Each year students create projects for the science fair and science class. Students start making science fair projects starting in the third grade, and most students enjoy producing and displaying their projects. Earth science projects make easy science fair projects for students in elementary, middle or high school.
Make a Volcano
Put a large piece of plastic over a table before starting this project. The "lava" is messy. Place a 2 liter plastic drink bottle on a piece of wood or cardboard, and build clay around the bottle into a volcano shape. Make sure the opening on the bottle faces up, and keep the clay off the opening. Put on your safety glasses. Pour 1 liter of water heated to 100 degrees into the opening of the bottle. If you use a funnel, this process is easier. Add 5 drops of orange food coloring. Put 1/2 tsp. of dish detergent into the opening in the bottle, and then put in 2 tbsp. of baking soda. Pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the volcano, and it starts erupting.
Have plenty of paper towels on hand to clean up the mess. Let students explain why they think the eruption occurred. Once the students give their ideas, explain that a chemical reaction occurs between the baking soda and vinegar that creates carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxides creates pressure that pushes the "lava" out of the volcano.
Which Is More Acidic: Snow, Ice or Rain?
Measure the acid content of different forms of water, and see which has the highest and lowest pH level. Pure water has a neutral pH of 7.0; rainwater has a lower pH, or higher acidic level. Students put the snow, ice or rain into cups, and dip a pH strip into each form of water. Once the pH strip changes color, students compare the strip to the chart, and see if the pH is higher, meaning less acidic, or lower, meaning more acidic, than pure water. Chart the differences in pH for each form of water.
Why Is One Room Colder Than Another?
Measure the temperature in each room of the school with a thermometer. Students record amounts of light from windows, dampness, dryness or shade. Keep track of the temperature, rain, snow or wind outside. Record the information daily for one to two weeks at the same time each day, and brainstorm reasons for temperature variances from room to room.
Growing Crystals
Tear a soft cellulose sponge into small pieces, and place the pieces in the bottom of a small pie pan. Leave 1/4 inch of space between each piece of sponge. Boil 1/2 cup of water, and pour 1/4 cup of Epsom salt in the water. Dissolve the salt in the water, and add 1 drop of food coloring (any color) to the water. Put the pie pan in a sunny spot, and let it sit for three days. Start keeping a record of the crystal formation. Chart the results of the crystal growth over the next several days.
Rock Absorbency
Ask students, "Can rocks hold liquid?" Once the students give their answers, discuss oil, and reservoirs. Help students understand that rocks absorb oil, and oil is drilled out of large rock areas. Experiment with this concept by getting several different types of rock. Make sure one of the rocks is pumice. Measure each rock, and keep a record of the measurements. Put the rocks into a container of water. Fill the water in the container over the rocks. Take the rocks out after one hour, and weigh them. Put the rocks in the water again, wait one hour and measure again. Repeat the procedure hourly. Before the end of the day, put the rocks in the water, and weigh the rocks in the morning. Note the difference in weight hourly, and after sitting in water all night. Graph the differences in the weight, and tell why the weight is different.
Tags: opening bottle, science fair, baking soda, each form, each form water, elementary middle, elementary middle high
