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25 Science Projects For 3rd Graders

What an exciting age to be a young scientist! 3rd grade science is a fantastic time to engage in all kinds of science projects exploring the living world and how things work! There are so many great skills that kiddos in this age group have already been working on and will continue to develop as they explore, investigate, and discover through hands-on science experiments and science fair projects!

Science Topics For 3rd Graders

So, what exactly does science for 3rd graders look like? And how can you encourage your kids to learn without much effort, fancy equipment, or complex activities that cause confusion rather than curiosity?

Kids are naturally curious, and 3rd grade is an opportune time to introduce and practice the scientific method through fun, hands-on, and easy science projects.

Good science projects for 3rd graders help them ask scientific questions, make predictions, and, with guidance, plan and carry out investigations to answer those questions.

Topics that 3rd graders may cover in science include:

• Changes in motion by forces such as gravity and friction
• Solids, liquids, gases, and changes in states of matter
• Plants and animals and the relationships between them

Below, you will find over 25 of the best science project ideas, covering many of these topics and more.

Easy Science Projects For 3rd Graders

Click on the projects below for each activity’s full supply list and step-by-step instructions. Also, check out our helpful tips for developing a 3rd grade science fair project !

Acid Rain Experiment

What happens to plants when rain is acidic? Set up an easy science project with flowers in vinegar. Get kids thinking about what causes acid rain and what can be done about it.

Air Resistance

A quick and easy way to introduce kids to independent and dependent variables. Fold some paper and compare their air resistance when you drop the paper from a height.

A pple Browning Experiment

How do you keep apples from turning brown? Do all apples turn brown at the same rate? Grab some apples and lemon juice and let’s find out.

Use your engineering skills to come up with a cool pool noodle robot that can do art too!

Bottle Rocket

Make a rocket from a water bottle with a cool chemical reaction that is sure to send it flying! Fun chemistry kids will want to do again and again!

Coastal Erosion Model

Ever noticed what happens to the coastline when a big storm rolls through? Set up this beach erosion activity to investigate what happens.

Color Wheel Spinner

Can you make white light from all the different colors? Find out by making your own spinning color wheel.

Crayon Rock Cycle

Explore all the stages of the rock cycle with one simple ingredient, old crayons. Kids will have a blast exploring all the stages!

Chromatography (with markers)

This chromatography lab is a fun way to explore separating mixtures using everyday supplies!

D rops Of Water On A Penny

How many drops of water can you fit on a penny? The answer might surprise you! Fun and easy way to learn about the surface tension of water.

Dry Erase Marker Experiment

Is it magic or is it science? Either way, this floating drawing experiment is sure to impress! Create a dry-erase drawing and watch it float in water.

Electric Cornstarch

This cornstarch experiment is a fun example of static electricity. Mix up some goop or oobleck, and watch what happens when you bring it near a charged balloon.

Explore the molecules in water and oil and create a tasty chemistry experiment that you can pour on your veggies too!

Engineer a Roller Coaster

Dig deep into the recycling bin and grab all the cardboard you can find to create a unique ball run or marble coaster! Make it as small or as elaborate as you want!

Food Chains

All living plants and animals need energy to live on earth. Get kids thinking about how to represent this flow of energy in a simple food chain.

Freezing Water

Explore the freezing point of water and find out what happens when you freeze salt water. All you need are some bowls of water, and salt.

Growing Crystals

Crystals make for fascinating science! Follow our borax crystal recipe to grow crystals for a cool science project any science enthusiast will love!

Explore magnetism through a variety of hands-on projects perfect for 3rd grade. Our done-for-you magnet STEM pack is filled with extra projects!

Mentos and Coke

Here’s a cool fizzing experiment the kids are sure to love! It looks like a chemical reaction, but this Mentos and coke experiment is a great example of a physical reaction.

Mini Paddle Boat

Make a paddle boat that actually moves through the water! Explore forces in motion with this simple DIY paddle boat activity.

Penny Boat Challenge

Design a simple tin foil boat, and see how many pennies it can hold before it sinks. Learn about buoyancy while you test out your engineering skills.

Click here or below to get your free science ideas pack

Popsicle Stick Catapult

What kid doesn’t love to launch stuff into the air? Build a catapult from simple materials, and turn it into a fun experiment as well. Catapults are great for learning about potential and kinetic energy, and more.

Pumpkin Clock

Although this is classically done with a potato, you can definitely experiment with other foods that are similar and test the results.

Red Cabbage Ph Indicator

Learn how cabbage can be used to test liquids of varying acid levels. Depending on the pH of the liquid, the cabbage turns various shades of pink, purple, or green! It’s incredibly cool to watch, and the kids love it!

Salt Water Density

What happens to an egg in salt water? Will the egg float or sink? There are so many questions to ask and predictions to make with this easy saltwater density experiment.

Slime Science

Love playing with slime? Now you can turn slime-making into a fun science experiment with these easy ideas.

Spaghetti Tower Challenge

Build the tallest spaghetti tower that can hold the weight of a jumbo marshmallow. Test out those design and engineering skills with a few simple materials.

Strawberry DNA Lab

Every living thing has DNA and usually, you need a microscope to see DNA up close. But with this strawberry DNA extraction, you can encourage the DNA strands to release from their cells and bind together so you can see them.

Vinegar and Milk

Kids will be amazed by the transformation of a couple of household ingredients into a moldable, durable piece of a plastic-like substance.

Water Filtration

Can you purify dirty water with a water filtration system? Learn about filtration and make your own water filter.

Free Printable Science Journal Worksheets

Create a science notebook with these easy-to-use science worksheets to accompany any experiment. Grab your free science process journal pack !

Using The Scientific Method

The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is tested with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity.

Sounds heavy… What in the world does that mean?!? It means you don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.

As children develop practices that involve creating, gathering data evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation.

LEARN MORE HERE: Using The Scientific Method with Kids

Note: The use of the best Science and Engineering Practices is also relevant to the topic of using the scientific method. Read more here and see if it fits your science planning needs.

Helpful Science Resources

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students. Then you can feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Science Vocabulary
• 8 Science Books for Kids
• All About Scientists
• Science Supplies List
• Science Tools for Kids
• Join us in the Club

Turn It Into A 3rd Grade Science Fair Project

Science projects are an excellent tool for older kiddos to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments including classrooms, homeschool, and groups.

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , making observations and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these experiments into an awesome science fair project? Check out these helpful resources.

• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas
• Easy Science Fair Projects

Printable Science Projects Pack

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

14 Engaging Science Fair Projects for 3rd Graders to Ignite Curiosity and Explore the Wonders of the Natural World

Science fair projects provide immersive experiences fueled by curiosity. Students become architects of their learning, exploring real-world phenomena, asking questions, and seeking answers. Bridging theory with practice, these projects make science tangible, igniting enthusiasm among young learners.

Discover the Importance of Science Education in 3rd Grade, Uncover the 4 Advantages of Science Fair Projects, and gain insight into the science curriculum for 3rd graders before diving into the projects.

The Significance of Science Education in 3rd Grade

At this juncture, children are not only curious about the world but are also developing the cognitive tools to explore it in a systematic and structured manner. Their emerging ability to think logically, ask probing questions, and apply critical thinking to their observations makes the 3rd grade a fertile ground for introducing science education. By nurturing this curiosity through science education, educators lay the foundation for a lifelong appreciation of the subject. This early exposure to scientific concepts equips students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for their future academic pursuits and prepares them to be informed, engaged citizens who can navigate an increasingly complex and scientific world.

4 Benefits of Science Fair Projects

What do 3rd graders learn in science.

Beyond the building blocks, 3rd graders delve into the diverse branches of science—life science, earth science, and physical science. This mirrors the multidisciplinary nature of the projects, where young learners encounter a tapestry of scientific realms. In life science, they explore living things, their characteristics, and ecosystems, paralleling their interaction with the natural world through experiments. The explorations extend to earth science, where they delve into the planet’s structure, atmosphere, and climate, mirroring their hands-on engagement with the environment. In the realm of physical science, students comprehend matter, energy, and motion, aligning with their manipulation of materials in experiments.

My 3rd grader is doing her first science fair project, and it’s somehow one that I don’t already know the outcome for. She’s looking at how temperature affects magnetic strength. We’ll do a bunch of runs of using a magnet to pick stuff up at room temp, 1/x — Humphrey Bogart’s Hairpiece (@Onychomys2) March 22, 2023

14 Engaging Science Fair Projects for 3rd Graders

1. floating egg experiment, 2. balloon rocket race.

Embark on a journey to uncover Newton’s third law of motion. Create a balloon rocket by attaching a straw to a balloon and securing it with tape. Release the air from the balloon to propel the rocket forward and measure its distance traveled.

3. Rainbow in a Jar

4. simple circuit project, 5. plant life cycle observation, 6. solar system model, 7. volcano eruption, 8. homemade lava lamp, 9. static electricity butterfly, 10. bouncing egg experiment, 11. solar oven, 12. water cycle in a bag, 13. magnet maze, 14. edible rock cycle, useful resources, leave a comment cancel reply.

3rd Grade Science Fair Projects

• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

The 3rd grade may be the first time students are introduced to science fair projects. Children ask questions from a young age, but this is a great time to begin to apply the scientific method .

Introduction to 3rd Grade Science Fair Projects

3rd grade is a great time to answer "what happens if..." or 'which is better..." questions. In general, elementary school students are exploring the world around them and learning how things work. The key to a great science fair project at the 3rd-grade level is finding a topic that the student finds interesting. Usually, a teacher or parent is needed to help plan the project and offer guidance with a report or poster . Some students may want to make models or perform demonstrations that illustrate scientific concepts.

3rd Grade Science Fair Project Ideas

Here are some project ideas appropriate for 3rd grade:

• Do cut flowers last longer if you put them in warm water or in cold water? You can test how effectively flowers are drinking water by adding food coloring . You'll get the best results with white cut flowers, such as carnations. Do flowers drink warm water faster, slower, or at the same rate as cold water?
• Does the color of your clothing affect how hot or cold you feel when you're outside in the sunlight? Explain your results. This project is easiest if you compare solid colors, such as black and white t-shirts.
• Do all students in the class have the same size hands and feet as each other? Trace outlines of hands and feet and compare them. Do taller students have larger hands/feet or does height not seem to matter?
• How much does the temperature have to change for you to feel a difference? Does it matter whether it's air or water? You can try this with your hand, a glass, a thermometer, and tap water of different temperatures.
• Are waterproof mascaras really waterproof? Put some mascara on a sheet of paper and rinse it with water. What happens? Do 8-hour lipsticks really keep their color that long?
• Do clothes take the same length of time to dry if you add a dryer sheet or fabric softener to the load?
• Which melts faster: ice cream or ice milk? Can you figure out why this might happen? You can compare other frozen treats, such as frozen yogurt and sorbet.
• Do frozen candles burn at the same rate as candles that were stored at room temperature ? Ideally, compare candles that are identical in every way except their starting temperature.
• Research what dryer sheets do. Can people tell the difference between a load of laundry that used dryer sheets and one that didn't use them? If one type of laundry was preferred over the other, what was the reason? Ideas might be scent, softness, and the amount of static.
• Do all types of bread grow the same types of mold? A related project would compare types of mold that grow on cheese or other food. Keep in mind mold grows quickly on bread, but might grow more slowly on other food. Use a magnifying glass to make it easier to tell the types of mold apart.
• Do raw eggs and hard-boiled eggs spin the same length of time/number of times?
• What type of liquid will rust a nail the quickest? You could try water, orange juice, milk, vinegar, peroxide, and other common household liquids.
• Does light affect how fast foods spoil?
• Can you tell from today's clouds what tomorrow's weather will be?

Tips for Success

• Choose a project that won't take too much time to complete. Performing an experiment or making a model often takes longer than one expects, and it's better to have extra time than to run out at the last minute.
• Expect a 3rd-grade project to require adult supervision or help. This doesn't mean an adult should do the project for a child, but an older sibling, parent, guardian, or teacher can help guide the project, offer suggestions, and be supportive.
• Select an idea that uses materials you can actually find. Some project ideas might look great on paper, but be difficult to perform if the supplies are unavailable.
• Second Grade Science Fair Projects
• First-Grade Science Projects
• 6th Grade Science Fair Projects
• 8th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas
• 4th Grade Science Fair Projects
• 5th Grade Science Fair Projects
• Elementary School Science Fair Projects
• Middle School Science Fair Project Ideas
• Grade School Science Fair Project Ideas
• High School Science Fair Projects
• 9th Grade Science Fair Projects
• Chemistry Science Fair Project Ideas
• Household Product Testing Science Fair Projects
• College Science Fair Projects
• 10th Grade Science Fair Projects

All Science Fair Projects

1000 science fair projects with complete instructions, find science fair project ideas from our collection of 1000+ stem projects, which school grade are you in.

What subject do you like?

What topic interests you?

New to Science Fair Projects?

Magic Science Experiments

Rock Science Projects & Intro to Rocks

Solar System Projects & Intro to the Solar System

DIY Lava Lamp Projects & Science of Lava Lamps

Acid and Base Science Projects & Intro to Acids and Bases

Magnetic Science Projects

Winter Science Experiments

Egg Projects

Candy Science Experiments

STEM Challenges

Balloon Science Projects

Edible Science Projects

Nature Experiments

Water Experiments

Recycled Materials Projects

Volcano Experiments

Quick Science Fair Projects You Can Do In A Day

Easy Science Fair Projects for Home and School

Best Science Fair Projects

Good Testable Questions

Popular Science Fair Projects for Kids

STEM Projects & Extracurricular STEM Activities for Kids

Science Activities for Preschoolers

Easy & Fun Science Kindergarten Experiments

Science Projects for 1st Graders

Second Grade Science Experiments

Science Projects for 3rd Graders

Science Projects for 4th Graders

Science Fair Projects for 5th Graders

Science Fair Projects for 6th Graders

Science Projects for 7th Graders

Science Fair Projects for 8th Graders

Science Fair Projects for High School

Science Fair Project FAQ

What are easy science fair projects to do.

Changing the Color of Flowers

Baking Soda Volcano

Swimming Raisins

Egg with Vinegar

Color of Skittles Experiment

Jumping Rice Krispies

Mixing Colors of Light

Camouflage and Hide

Light and Dark on Seed Germination

Make a Parachute

Project details and more projects at Easy Science Fair Projects →

What are the Top 10 science projects? What is the best science project ever?

Jet Lag in Hamsters (circadian rhythm, Biology science fair project)

Egg with Vinegar (acid-base reaction, Chemistry science fair project)

Galileo's Inclined Plane Experiment (acceleration, Physics science fair project)

Plant's Favorite Color for Photosynthesis (Photosynthesis, Botany science fair project)

Color and Taste (color perception, Psychology science fair project)

Does Dog Saliva Kill Bacteria? (antibacterial, Microbiology science fair project)

Decomposing Plastic Spoons (biodegradable materials, Environmental Science science fair project)

Super Hero Egg Shells (structural engineering, Engineering science fair project)

Music Math: Playing Notes with Equations (music, Math science fair project)

Temperature's Effect on Seawater (climate change, Earth Science science fair project)

Project details at Best Science Fair Projects →

What are some cool science fair projects?

Explosive Elephant Toothpaste

Electrifying Lemon Battery

Making Oobleck: Liquid or Solid?

Egg Drop Project

Colors of Skittles Experiment

Cloud in a Bottle

Egg in a Bottle

Plastic Milk

Project details and more projects at Popular Science Fair Projects →

What are some testable questions?

What makes a cloud form?

Can drink and food taste different just by changing its color?

Does the color of light affect photosynthesis?

Does temperature affect seed sprouting?

What makes popcorn pop?

Project details and more projects at Testable Questions Science Fair Projects →

Can I do a science fair project in a day?

Rocket Film Canisters

Make Your Own pH Indicator

Testing Antacids

Uncovering Fall Colors

Which Candle Burns the Fastest?

Fire-Resistant Balloons

Can Peanuts Heat Water?

Project details at Quick Science Fair Projects →

What are some hands-on ways to find inspiration for my science fair project?

Science museums.

Don't worry about how much it costs to get into the science museum, as there may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your credit card for offers, your local library for free museum passes, and nearby science museums for free entrance days.

Find a science museum near you and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there! I always learn something new and am inspired whenever I go to a science museum!

Look around and observe

Try an Easy Science Project!

How do I start a science fair project?

What is the scientific method?

What should I do after I have a science fair project idea?

How do I make a science fair board?

Where can I find a science fair competition?

The www Virtual Library: Science Fairs website also has a collection of science fairs from all over the world, as well as national, state, regional, local, and even virtual competitions!

Science Projects Resources

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68 3rd Grade Science Projects: Crafts, Activities, And Resources

February 5, 2024 //  by  Louise Pieterse

Science projects for 3rd graders can be colorful, fun, and educational. It’s the perfect time for students to get familiar with the scientific method and learn basic scientific concepts from various fields of science. Hands-on science activities allow them to gain valuable knowledge of the field and foster an early love for science that they can build on for the rest of their lives. Here are 68 epic science experiments for any 3rd-grade class.

Looking for fun and educational kits for kids? Check out our Favorite Subscription Boxes for Kids

1. Make Slime

This sensory-rich activity is sure to mesmerize your kids as they create slime using a simple chemical reaction! Assist them in mixing Borax and warm water to create a slime activator. Then, have them pour a bottle of glue into a bowl before slowly adding in the slime activator to bring their squishy creation to life. 

Learn More: YouTube

2. Fossil Making

Take your learners on a journey to a land before time with this fossil-making activity! Simply start by inviting them to press small items like shells into modeling clay to create an imprint. Once their clay impressions have been formed, mix together some plaster of Paris and prompt them to pour the mixture into their molds before leaving to harden. After it has dried, encourage them to dive in as they excavate their very own fossils. 

Learn More: Rainy Day Mum

3. Break the Rules of Gravity

Your kiddos will defy gravity as they learn about magnetic fields! Task them with tying string to paper clips before attaching them to a small wooden dowel. Next, have them stick small magnets to a ruler and then encourage them to place them on an elevated surface such as a pile of books or a stack of cubes. Encourage them to observe how the magnets move against gravity as they place them beneath the magnetized ruler. 

Learn More: Buggy and Buddy

4. Color Wheel Magic

Instill some wonder into your science lessons with this magical color wheel activity! Simply print out the templates provided and invite your littles to cut out each circle before gluing it onto a cardboard circle cut out. Assist them in poking holes through the cardboard by following the dots provided, before encouraging them to decorate their wheel with vibrant markers. Finally, have them thread string through the holes and then prompt them to spin their wheels to create waves of color. 

Learn More: One Little Project

5. Core Samples

Teach your students about the different layers of the earth with this insightful activity! Engage them in placing layers of colorful playdough into a mold to represent each layer of the earth’s core. Then, challenge them to push a straw through all the layers before having them observe and label each layer accordingly. 

Learn More: Line Upon Line Learning

6. Making an Iceberg

Here’s an icy activity that we guarantee your little scientists will love! Task them with filling balloons with water, tying them off, and then placing into a freezer. Once frozen, they will then remove the balloon to reveal their icy sculptures. Place each frozen ball into water before encouraging them to measure how much of their iceberg is submerged and how much is not. 

Learn More: Science Sparks

7. Salt Crystals for Fall

Salt crystals are a fun experiment that your kiddos can observe over a few days. Simply begin by creating a supersaturated solution while your learners thread pipe cleaners through leaves and suspend them over some jars. Then, assist them in pouring enough solution into their jars to cover each leaf. They will then eagerly watch as their leaves begin to crystalize before their eyes! 

Learn More: STEAM Sational

8. Waterproofing Test

Pique your little engineers’ interests with this interactive project! Invite them to build Lego houses before challenging them to protect each house with a roof made of various materials. Prompt them to then spray their constructions with water to test the waterproof properties of each material. 

9. Center of Gravity

This adorable activity is perfect for lessons on gravity! Provide your learners with robot templates and task them with cutting out and decorating their robotic friend. Then, have them stick coins on each arm before challenging them to balance their robot on their fingers or nose to try and find its center of gravity. 

10. Marble Racetracks

Treat your kids to an engaging marble race with this speedy activity! Guide them in cutting pool noodles in half before taping them together to form a DIY racetrack. You will then prompt them to use different materials on the racetrack to test how friction can affect the speed of their marbles. 

Learn More: Fun Family Crafts

11. Bounce Bubbles

Bounce into the day with this fun and interactive bubble activity! Start by creating a bubble solution by mixing water, dish soap, and sugar. Invite your little ones to put on some clean microfiber gloves before allowing them to gently blow bubbles using a bubble wand. Encourage them to catch and bounce the bubbles as you lead them in a discussion on why they think the bubbles don’t pop as they normally would. 

Learn More: Kids Activities.com

12. Umbrella Building

Here’s a hands-on activity that’s sure to keep your kiddos intrigued for hours! Challenge them to use different supplies such as cupcake liners and sponges to create an umbrella for little toys. Once they’ve constructed their roofs, prompt them to pour water over the top to test whether their umbrella design is a success.

Learn More: Raising Lifelong Learners

13. Sun Print Artwork

Invite your learners to create sun print art, perfect for a sunny lesson outside the classroom! Simply start by prompting them to collect various natural materials such as leaves and flowers. Then, task them with laying their materials on the paper before placing a plexiglass sheet over their designs and leaving them outside to soak up the sun. After a few minutes, have them run water over their artwork to reveal its magical patterns! 

Learn More: Art Bar

14. Star Projector

Bring the Milky Way to your classroom with this fascinating activity! Print out constellation templates before tasking your little ones with poking holes through each star. Then, allow them to attach their constellation template onto an empty toilet paper roll and encourage them to use a flashlight to create dazzling galaxies around your class. 

Learn More: Playground Parkbench

15. Catapults

Have your kiddos create DIY catapults to do some target practice! Challenge them to put together their catapult using simple materials like a tissue box, pencils, rubber bands, and a bottle cap. Encourage them to shoot marshmallows, Skittles, and other candy to observe how the weight of items can change the distance they travel. 

Learn More: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

16. Explore water temperatures

Engage your students in this interactive project that’s all about freezing points! Task them with filling two glasses with water and ice before adding some salt to one glass. Allow them to place thermometers in each glass and observe how the temperature drops faster in the salty water. It’s the perfect segway into a lesson on freezing points and the transfer of heat.

Learn More: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

17. Water Balloon Buoyancy

This interactive experiment is sure to ignite your learners’ love for all things science! Simply have them fill balloons with oil, water, and soap before tasking them to place the balloons into cups of water. Then, encourage them to observe the balloons and jot down their findings as they record what floats and what sinks.  

Learn More: A Dab of Glue Will Do

18. Erosion Exploration

Transform your pupils into soil detectives with this erosion project! Invite them to fill one aluminum pan with soil and another with soil and plants. Then, prompt them to pour water through each pan as they watch how the water moves differently through each environment. It’s a delightful way to introduce them to a lesson on how nature can affect soil erosion.

Learn More: Third Grade Thinkers

19. Temperature and Density Correlation

Here’s another thermal experiment to get your young minds thinking. Simply task them with filling one cup with colored cold water and another cup with warm water. Prompt them to place a sheet of plastic over the warm cup before placing on top of the cold cup and removing the plastic strip. They will notice how the warm water does not mix with the cold water! 

20. Grow Bacteria

Your little ones will learn about hidden worlds as they grow microcosms of bacteria! Simply start by setting agar into Petri dishes before handing them out to your class. Allow them to test how dirty surfaces are by having them rub classroom items onto the agar. They will then label each petri dish, seal it, and watch as the bacteria multiply before their eyes. 

Learn More: Happiness Is Here

21. Exploding art

Invite your class outdoors for some arty and explosive fun! Begin by mixing powder tempura paint with vinegar and then encourage your kiddos to fill plastic bags with the colorful mixture before sealing each bag. Have them lay the bag down on some canvas and prompt them to observe as their bag expands as a result of the sun’s heat. It should only take a few minutes before their bags explode, leaving a vibrant splash of color in its wake.

Learn More: Growing a Jeweled Rose

22. Make Paper from Paper

Teach your learners about the importance of upcycling with this easy science project! Task them with cutting up scrap paper into small pieces and then have them soak the paper in a bowl. They can then dry out their moist mixture by rubbing it over a mesh frame. Once it has completely dried they’ll have created their very own recycled paper!

Learn More: Undercover Classroom

23. Water Filtration

Your little ones will learn the art of filtration with this hands-on activity. Simply prompt them to poke some holes in a plastic cup before having them fill it with layers of coffee filters, sand, and gravel. Allow them to suspend their filtration system in a clear jar before pouring in some dirty water to filter out its impurities! 

Learn More: Teach Beside Me

24. Invisible Ink

This magical activity is the perfect combination of art and science! Invite your students to dip cotton buds into lemon juice and then encourage them to write secret messages on white paper. Then, assist them in holding their paper over a heat source, like a lightbulb, to reveal their hidden words and doodles. 

Learn More: Mom Brite

25. Edible Scientific Method

Here’s a sweet activity that your kiddos will love! Challenge them with dipping different types of cookies into milk to explore how long each cookie takes to break off in the liquid. Prompt them to predict how long they think their cookies will last to bring an edible twist to lessons on the scientific method.  

Learn More: Around the Kampfire

26. Composting

Engage those green fingers in your class with this composting project! Task your littles with collecting compostable material such as dead leaves, grass, or pine cones before having them place layers of their compostable material and soil into a plastic bottle. Next, allow them to dampen their compost by adding water and encourage them to observe how their compost breaks down over time. 

Learn More: Busy Mommy Media

27. Let Veggies Sprout

Grow your learners’ love for science and plant growth with this interactive project! Guide them in cutting sweet potatoes in half and then task them with sticking toothpicks in each potato before placing in a jar. Encourage them to fill each jar with water and have them measure the sprouts that will grow. 

Learn More: Science Buddies

28. Exploring Conduction

Turn up the heat in your classroom as your students learn about heat conductivity! Simply invite them to place metal, plastic, and wooden spoons into warm water before placing a blob of butter on each spoon. Challenge them to observe the butter as it melts and have them jot down their findings on what material makes the best conductor. 

29. Balloon-powered Car

Calling all future engineers! Challenge your kiddos with building balloon-powered cars out of plastic bottles, straws, bottle caps, and toothpicks. Once their DIY car has been constructed, encourage them to inflate the balloon and attach it to a straw. As the air escapes from the balloon, they will learn how thrust and velocity can be used to propel objects. 

Learn More: Scientific American

30. Can Eggs Float?

Introduce your littles to the science of eggs with this hands-on activity! Begin by prompting them to add different amounts of salt to water. Then, allow them to drop an egg into each glass to test how salty the water needs to be to make their eggs float. It’s a great way to introduce them to the steps of the scientific method. 

Learn More: The Best Ideas for Kids

31. Paper Plane Contest

Watch as your kids soar to new scientific heights with this fun-filled activity! Guide them in folding paper planes in different styles before prompting them to fly their planes. Lead them in a discussion on how drag can change the flight pattern of objects as they compete to see who can fly their planes the furthest.  

Learn More: Feels Like Home

32. Homemade Fly Traps

Have your learners catch some critters with this fly trap project! Task them with cutting old bottles in half and allow them to fill their bottles with different foods and liquids. They will then make predictions and observe which trap attracts the most flies. 

33. Build a Tower

Your little ones will create engineering marvels in this lofty activity! Challenge them to build towering skyscrapers by having them roll up scrap paper to create the building blocks of their towers. Then, invite them to use masking tape to stick their rolled-up paper together and encourage them to use shapes like triangles to reinforce their structures.

34. Static Experiment

Electrify your lessons on science with this easy static activity! Simply prompt your kiddos to cut out small shapes from paper and then have them place their shapes on a plate. Proceed by allowing them to rub a ruler on different materials such as cotton, wool, or even their hair before hovering it over the shapes as they notice how the paper begins to gravitate towards the ruler. 

Learn More: Premeditated Leftovers

35. Mentos and Coke

Your students are in for an explosive day of learning with this engaging activity! Encourage them to pour different types of Coke into cups as you have them drop mentos into each cup. Invite them to predict what Coke and Mentos combination will produce the biggest reaction.

Learn More: Life Over C’s

36. Potato and Straw Experiment

Introduce your kids to the concept of air pressure! Start by prompting your littles to try and stab a potato with a plastic straw, making sure they hold it in the middle. Then, task them with covering one end of the straw with their finger before trying to stab the potato again. They’ll notice how it’s easier to stab the potato when they’ve created some air pressure in the straw.

37. Crayon Geology

Take your class on a rock cycle journey with a colorful twist! Engage them in grating crayons before having them squish the shavings into aluminum foil molds. Complete the process by melting the shavings as they observe how it transforms into a handmade metamorphic rock.  

Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands

38. Surface Area Tricks

Turn your learners into little magicians! Simply task them with folding an index card in half and then allow them to create some cuts along the paper. Afterward, they will unfold their index cards to create an expandable loop that’s big enough for them to wiggle through. 

39. Friction Races

Challenge your littles to a friction race in this interactive learning experience! Invite them to cut circles out of different materials such as construction paper, felt, or craft foam. Proceed by prompting them to place their circles into a baking pan before allowing them to roll their marbles across each surface. Encourage them to observe how their marbles move slower on rougher surfaces. 

40. Melt a Cup

This basic experiment is a fantastic way to introduce your learners to the reactivity of different substances. Assist them in pouring acetone over styrofoam cups and allow them to observe how the cup melts as it takes on a completely new form! 

Learn More: The Owl Teacher

41. Static Goo

Who doesn’t love some gooey fun? In this activity, your kiddos will mix together cornstarch and water to create a goo. Then, allow them to rub a balloon on some cotton or their hair to create some static electricity, before using it to manipulate their goo.

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

42. Bath bombs

Treat your little ones to this fragrant activity as they craft their very own bath bombs! Task them with mixing together some ingredients such as baking soda, essential oils, and citric acid to create a pasty mixture. Once their bath bombs have been molded and dried – prompt them to place them in water to observe how its chemicals react to create a colorful fizz.

Learn More: Learning Hypothesis

43. Make Colorful Flowers

Introduce your students to the wonders of chromatography with this arty activity! Simply engage them in scribbling some colorful patterns onto coffee filters by using markers. Then, invite them to fold their filters together and have them wedge it in a jar with water – making sure the tip touches the liquid. They will then watch as the filter absorbs the water causing the colors to blend and create a beautiful coffee filter flower. 

Learn More: Gift of Curiosity

44. Bubbles Inside More Bubbles

Turn bubble-blowing into a fun-filled science experiment with this activity! Allow your kids to dip straws into bubble solution before blowing one big bubble onto a clean surface. Next, prompt them to gently spray water over the bubble and then have them carefully insert a straw inside to create another bubble. It’s a cool way to introduce them to a lesson on surface tension and elasticity.

Learn More: Hello Wonderful

45. Water Whistles

Invite your learners to make their very own whistles with this fascinating exploration of sound! Challenge them with cutting and folding straws into an “L” shape before having them stick triangular-shaped construction paper in the fold. Allow them to then place their whistles into water to create a symphony of sound. 

Learn More: My Baba

46. How Do Plants Drink?

Ever wondered how plants drink? We’re sure your students have too! Simply invite them to mix up some colored water before having them place a leaf into the water. The leaf will start to “drink” the water and your littles will notice how the color seeps further into the leaf’s veins. Celery works best as you can even chop it up after to see the little tubes that take the water around the plant!

47. Experiment with Germination

Take lessons on germination to the next level with this activity! Challenge your kiddos to hypothesize about different circumstances for germination. Then, allow them to test their ideas by having them use differing soil, seeds, water, and light to carry out their experiments.

48. Fungus Growth Experiment

Get those little hands dirty for the sake of science! Start by allowing them to clean their hands to various degrees and then have them touch slices of bread. Then, encourage them to place their pieces of bread into sealable bags and invite them to watch over time as each slice grows varying amounts of fungus. 

Learn More: Mad about Science

49. DIY Lava Lamp

This gloopy activity is perfect for learning about densities and will also make the most whimsical decoration! Task your kids with filling plastic bottles with vegetable oil, water, and food coloring. They will then shake and swirl their bottles and observe as the colorful globules whirl around their bottles. 

Learn More: No Guilt Mom

50. Sundial Creations

Get those little hands crafting with this interactive project! Task them with creating a sundial out of paper plates and straws. Simply have them glue a straw to the middle of the plate before labeling each hour of the day by observing the shadow that the straw will create. This activity is a fantastic way to teach them how the earth’s rotation impacts our concept of time.  

51. Dissolving Eggshells

Here’s an egg-citing way to introduce your learners to the concept of semi-permeable membranes! Invite them to place eggs into liquids with varying acidity. Then, encourage them to observe the reaction that will take place as the shell dissolves – leaving a bouncy, translucent egg behind. 

Learn More: Teachers Mag

52. Gummy Bear Osmosis

In this sweet activity, your kiddos will grow giant gummy bears! Begin by having them soak their bears in different liquids such as soda, vinegar, and milk. Encourage them to then jot down their findings as they watch their bears swell and shrink. 

Learn More: How to Homeschool

53. Shadow Length and Direction

Who’s afraid of their own shadow? Certainly not your students! On a sunny day, task them with tracing their shadows at various times of the day. Encourage them to then record their findings to see how their shadows grow and shrink throughout the day. 

Learn More: First 8 Studios

54. Chocolate Rock Cycle

The rock cycle has never been this delicious! Simply invite your learners to grate white and milk chocolate to simulate rock erosion. Then, allow them to squish together their chocolate shavings to create a large clump. To complete the metamorphosis, have them press the clump of chocolate into foil molds to form their new chocolate rock. 

Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain

55. Rain Cloud in a Jar

Introduce your kids to the water cycle with a DIY rain cloud in a jar. Begin by having them squirt shaving cream onto water before adding drops of blue food coloring. They can then watch as the color makes its way through the cloud for a visually captivating lesson on precipitation. 

Learn More: Messy Little Monster

56. Nature Walk Collection

It’s time for a nature scavenger hunt with a scientific twist! Invite your little explorers outdoors as you task them with collecting leaves, rocks, sticks, or tree bark. Once back in the classroom, encourage them to use a magnifying glass to analyze the intricacies of their tiny treasures.

Learn More: Nifty Mom

57. Bird Feeder Observation

Here’s an activity that’s as crafty as it is educational! Begin by having your kiddos craft bird feeders before prompting them to hang them around your schoolyard. They can then watch as their feathered friends come to visit while also documenting the different bird species that arrive. 

Learn More: Pre-K Pages

58. Magnetic Fields Art

Turn physics into art with this vibrant activity! Allow your learners to cover small metal items such as nuts and bolts in paint. Then, have them use a magnet to move their pieces around a blank canvas to create a colorful masterpiece – perfect for visualizing magnetic fields. 

59. Growing Crystals

Treat your little ones to a chemistry lesson that sparkles! Simply task your learners with creating small shapes out of pipe cleaners before attaching a string to each shape. While they piece together their shapes, dissolve borax and water before pouring the solution into a jar. Then, have your kids place their shapes into the liquid – making sure the end of the string lies outside of the jar. Invite them to observe the jar throughout the day as they watch their glistening crystals form. 

Learn More: Childhood101

60. Wind Vane Construction

Point your students in the right direction—literally! Challenge them with crafting their very own wind vanes by guiding them through each step they’ll need to take. As they construct their wind vane, they’ll get a feel for meteorology with this breezy yet informative introduction to the world of weather. 

61. Shaking for Butter

Get your learners keen to shake, rattle, and roll their way into some culinary science! Allow them to fill sealable jars with whipping cream, before tasking them to shake their jars until the cream transforms into butter. Who knew science could be so tasty? 

62. Sprout House

Instill a love for all things gardening in your students with this adorable sprout house! Invite them to piece together little houses using sponges and toothpicks to hold their structure together. Then, have them fill the spongy crevices with seeds before soaking their sponge house in water. This eco-friendly exercise is the perfect way to teach them about optimal conditions for plant growth.

Learn More: The Stem Laboratory

63. DIY Thermometer

Turn up the heat on learning with this thermal experiment! Simply begin by mixing rubbing alcohol, water, and food coloring before pouring into jars. Involve your kiddos by having them place a straw through a small hole in the lid of their jars. They can then place their DIY thermometers in hot and cold environments and observe as the liquid rises and falls in the straw. 

Learn More: Play Osmo

64. Vinegar and Baking Soda Balloons

Treat your little ones to a bubbling good time as they blow up balloons using science! Assist them in pouring vinegar into a plastic bottle before adding baking soda. As the vinegar and baking soda start to react, prompt them to place a balloon over the bottle. It’s a lesson that’ll truly expand their understanding of chemical reactions. 

65. Tornado in a Bottle

This mesmerizing activity is sure to add a spin to your learners’ day. Invite them to fill a bottle with a dash of glitter before pouring in some water. Proceed by having them tightly close the bottle before prompting them to swirl it in a circular motion. After swirling their tornados into formation, allow them to observe as the glitter whirls and swirls around the bottle!  

66. Pepper and Soap Experiment

Dive into the world of surface tension with this quick and easy experiment. Encourage your kiddos to pour colored water onto a plate before sprinkling on some pepper. Then, have them touch the surface of the water with a soap finger which will cause the pepper to scatter. They are sure to be delighted by this instant reaction! 

Learn More: Coffee Cups and Crayons

67. Heartbeat Monitor

Calling all little doctors in the making! Task your learners with placing toothpicks in marshmallows to create a squishy heartbeat monitor. They can then place it on their arms and watch the toothpick move up and down as it mimics their heartbeat. It’s a pulse-pounding introduction to human biology and the mechanics of our bodies.

Learn More: We Are Teachers

68. Magic Milk

Your little scientists will create a kaleidoscope of colors with this engaging activity! Simply start by pouring milk into a dish and then allow them to place colorful drops of food coloring in the milk. Next, invite them to use a cotton swab to disperse the food coloring and create a magical mixture of vibrant liquid. 

Learn More: Fun Learning for Kids

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Are you looking for science activities to do with your 3rd graders? No sweat. We have you covered. Check out our list of 20 science projects and experiments that you can try with your 3rd graders this month.

• Hand-Eye Coordination and Age | All-Science-Fair-Projects.com – Grades 2-5, Use a stopwatch and ping-pong ball to find out how hand-eye coordination changes as children get older.
• What Do Yeast Eat…and How Can You Tell? | Education.com – Grades 2-5, The objective of this project is to examine which foods yeast cells eat.
• How Do Antacids Work? | Biochemistry Discovery Lab – Grades 3-6, Simulate out how antacids work to treat heartburn by using fake stomach enzymes.
• Mice & Music | Hubpages.com – Grades 3-6, Find out if music affects the performance of mice in a maze.
• A Magnetic Primer Designer | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 3-6 Biology project that utilizes magnets to mimic the process that scientists use to replicate DNA, using the polymerase chain reaction.
• Growing Bacteria in Petri Dishes | Stevespanglerscience.com – Grades 3-6 biology In this science fair project, you must find samples of bacteria from an assortment of surfaces to find the surfaces that are the dirtiest.
• How Does Color Affect Eyesight? | Education.com – Grades 1-5, Find out which colors are easier and more challenging to read at a distance. This super simple project requires volunteers and color charts you can print from the web.
• How Many Letters? | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 1-4, How much memory does a computer use to “remember” a series of letters? Find out how much memory a computer uses to remember 1000 letters.
• Jumping For Geodes: Can You Tell the Inside from the Outside? | ScienceBuddies.org Grades 1-4, Can you tell what’s inside a geode from looking at the outside? Learn more out these unique rocks and crack some open to discover the surprises inside.
• How Water Beats Rock | Education.com – Grades 1-5, Discover how water is more potent than rocks.  Experiment with ways that water can break the stone.
• Soil Type and Liquefaction | All-Science-Fair-Projects.com – Grades 1-5, Experiment with sand, clay, and loam and find out which type of soil dissolves most easily.
• Effects of Temperature and Humidity on Static Charges | Education.com – Grades 1-5, Use balloons, a rubber ball, and a scarf to investigate why those socks stick together when you take them out of the dryer and how conditions in the air affect static electricity.
• Condensation and the Water Cycle | Easy-Science-Fair-Projects.net – Grades 2-4, Gather up some jars, bowls, and ice water to determine how the amount of ice affects condensation.
• Ready, Set, Search! Race to the Right Answer | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 2-5, Find out how Internet search engines work and how you can get different results depending on the type of information you request.
• Paper Airplane Science | Easy-Science-Fair-Projects.net – Grades 2-5, Put your paper airplane making and flying skills to the test. Design and fly a variety of different planes and determine which design flies the farthest.
• Mag-nificent Breakfast Cereal – Grades 2-5, Use a blender and a magnet to find out how much iron is in different kinds of breakfast cereal.
• The Big Dig | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 2-5, Find out which materials are biodegradable, and which ones are not. How can you use this information to help the environment?
• Weather-Related Science Projects | Hubpages.com – Grades 2-5, Learn more about the weather and other aspects of meteorology by using instruments you build. Make a barometer, hygrometer, anemometer… even lightning!
• Hero’s Engine and Newton’s Third Law | Education.com – Grades 2-5, Build an aeolipile(Hero’s Engine) to explore Isaac Newton’s Third Law – for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  Can you predict the movement of the Hero’s Engine?
• Rocky Secrets: Where Does Oil Hide? | ScienceBuddies.org -Grades 2-5, Can you get petroleum oil from a stone? Find out which kinds of rocks can soak up and store the most fat. Learn how petroleum geologists and engineers use this information to find the best places to get oil from the earth.

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3rd Grade Science Science Projects

Science Fair Projects for 3rd Grade

Aug 17, 2021 / By Katherine Rea

These science fair projects for 3rd grade allow kids ages 8-9 to explore science concepts from plant biology to Newtonian physics.

The best science fair projects for 3rd grade begin with a hypothesis -- a supposition or proposed explanation made with limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. Below, we've included examples of science projects to which you can apply hypotheses. To make a truly awesome science fair project, make these your own and consider how you can explore the science behind these cool demonstrations.

Don’t want the learning to stop? Check out our line of   engineering kits that are perfect for 3rd grade students.

Leaf Color Experiment

Simple and quick, this experiment teaches kids about color in leaves. If you are a parent of curious kids, be sure to give this experiment a try!

Leaves are full of chlorophyll, which works to for convert the energy of the sun into food for the plant. Chlorophyll also makes leaves appear green. They have other colors in them as well, but as long as there’s lots of chlorophyll, the green hides all the other colors. However, in the fall the chlorophyll in the leaves starts to break down. This allows other colors such as yellow, and orange to make their appearance!

Want to see a chemical reaction in action? With this egg in vinegar experiment, we observed and followed a regular egg through a transformation to become a bouncy egg.

You’re seeing a reaction between a compound in the eggshell (calcium carbonate) and an acid in the vinegar (acetic acid). This reaction creates carbon dioxide (and some other things) and breaks down the eggshell in the process. The membrane underneath the shell doesn’t react, so it’s left behind. Once the shell is completely gone, all that’s left is the flexible membrane, giving you a bouncy “rubber” egg!

Balloon Rocket

Create your very own balloon powered rockets and see how far they can travel.

Experiment with different balloon shapes and sizes to experiment with the travel speed.

Glowing Oobleck

Oobleck is called a non-Newtonian fluid because it can change its viscosity . Viscosity is a property of liquids that says how fast they flow or how much they resist their shape changing — kind of like how thick a fluid is. Isaac Newton wrote a law a long time ago that said a liquid’s viscosity was supposed to be a constant (unless you change its temperature). Because he never tried making oobleck, he didn’t know that a changing viscosity was possible!

You can test out viscosity at home by trying to stir different liquids. If it’s tough to stir, it has a high viscosity. If it’s easy to stir, it has a low viscosity. And if its viscosity changes and it gets harder (or easier) to stir, then you’ve found another non-Newtonian fluid!

What Soda Does to Teeth

Why is soda bad for your teeth? Find out why with this experiment and some baby teeth!

It’s interesting to see how the different sodas (and even water!) can have such damaging effects on your teeth — a valuable reminder of why it’s so important to brush your teeth!

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More from stem, 3 quick science tricks with gravity.

Did you know that we’ve only started to understand how gravity works in the last 300 years or so? That’s not such a long time for a force that gave us the moon and tides, created our orbit around the Sun, and holds galaxies together. Fortunately, even though gravity’s effects are cosmic, it’s also easy to explore right here on Earth. We’ve gathered three of our favorite quick science tricks for exploring gravity with kids of all ages — and for curious grownups, too!

Which Planet Has the Most Moons? Exploring Moons Within and Beyond our Solar System

From the majestic planets of our solar system to the enigmatic exoplanets scattered across the vast cosmos, the universe is filled with celestial wonders. One such wonder is moons, captivating companions that orbit planets. Today, we embark on an exploration to discover which planet holds the record for the most moons within our solar system and delve into the fascinating realm of exoplanets, uncovering the planets beyond our solar system that boast a multitude of moons.

Science Fair Projects for 7th Grade

These science fair projects for 7th grade are perfect for allowing older kids to explore more advanced scientific concepts, like electrolysis and electroplating.

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Simple Science Fair Projects for 3rd Grade

The third-grade science fair is a fun and exciting time for curious students. Third graders are developing the analytical and math skills that support using numbers and charts to analyze data, rather than relying solely on observation. They’re also ready to understand and apply the scientific method, which means they can come to the science fair with some really creative and fun experiments! 

Look for a true experiment using different approaches to observe how they change the outcome of your tests.

Related Post: 1st and 2nd Grade Science Fair Projects

How do I help my 3rd Grader Choose a Project?

The most important thing is to choose something that your child is excited about. If they think the project is fun, interesting, or cool, they are going to engage with the process and be excited about both the actual experiment and about sharing their project with their teachers and friends at the science fair. 

Some questions you can ask your child or yourself to help find a great experiment:

• What is my child curious about in the world?
• What is our budget?
• Is my child detail-oriented or more of a big-picture thinker?
• How much time do we have before we need to present results?
• What kind of space do we have for conducting an experiment?

Thinking about your time, space, interest, and end result, will help you develop a fun and successful project. Ensuring that the project your child chooses fits with a budget, time, or space limitations will mean you both have more fun and can engage with the spirit of scientific discovery without being concerned about logistics. 

Experiencing the Scientific Method

The 3rd-grade science fair is a great opportunity for students to really begin to explore and understand the scientific method. 

The scientific method means asking a question about why or how something works, then developing a hypothesis about the answer(s), designing an experiment to test your hypothesis, conducting the test and making observations about what happens, and determining whether the hypothesis was true or false. 

A successful project includes a clear experimental design that will give you results that a grade-school child can observe, understand, and explain. A word of caution: a lot of science activities out there on the web aren’t quite true experiments; they have a ton of value and are cool and fun activities for demonstrations, early ‘lab’ experiments, or creative at-home fun. But to make a fun and successful science fair project, your child needs to be able to compare how different methods of doing something relate to different outcomes, which is a little different than simply a demonstration of a scientific principle. 

For example, making slime is a really popular and fun activity. It teaches kids about chemistry: how you can take individual components like water and cornstarch that, when combined, make a slimy semi-solid that can be pulled and stretched and squashed. That is super cool! But in itself, making a batch of slime (even with different colors) is not really an experiment. However, making slime using different starting materials, different water temperatures, or different types of add-ins (glitter, confetti, sand) might be a great and really fun experiment!

By varying the types of ingredients or the water temperature, your child can begin to understand how chemistry is affected by ratios, temperature, texture, etc. They could even pick their favorite method and explain why: what makes this recipe the most fun, gross, least messy, etc.? Can they consistently get the same result once they have identified their ideal slime?

Experiment Basics

There are a few steps that should be the same for any science fair project, and the creativity comes out in the questions your 3rd grader asks, the way they set up their experiment and, of course, in the actual results.

The basic steps for creating a successful and fun project:

• Start with some research, either online or at the library. Learn a bit about the topic, and use that to help think of questions, make hypotheses, and design the experiments.
• Gather your materials: make sure you have everything you’ll need, that you and your child know where it is, and that you have time and space for the experiments.
• Make sure you have materials for recording observations! We recommend writing down some things you want to observe ahead of time and marking down the results as they happen. It’s also great to take photos and possibly video of the experiments for your child to include on their poster and in their report.
• Allow time to ask new questions and expand or alter the experiment if needed.
• Evaluate the results – what worked, what didn’t, were your hypothesis correct or were they different than predicted? Do you know why?
• Help your child make their poster and report (as appropriate). 

Some Fun Project Ideas

The internet is a great resource for finding appropriate science fair projects. When I was a kid, there were a few standard projects out there (I grew up in a university town where lots of parents were professors or professional scientists) and the science fair didn’t always have a lot of creativity. These days, when I look for project ideas, I see a ton of interesting experiments, and I find myself getting excited about how you could change, combine, or spin-off to do something unexpected and different. So this is a great time to find inspiration from others and use the power of the internet to get started.

We’ve selected a few examples of interesting, simple science fair project ideas and provided a bit of detail about how you can design and conduct the experiment. But don’t limit yourself to these ideas! Follow your child’s curiosity and let them lead the way. You are here to help make sure they are safe, that they don’t forget the assignment guidelines, and maybe to act as their trusty assistant.

#1. Flight Dynamics 

Growing up, we all had our favorite way to fold a paper airplane. While some kids made planes that just looped and floated to the ground (yep, still me), others made airplanes that could do tricks, fly long distances, or drop like a stone (on purpose of course). This is a really easy science fair project for a 3rd grader that also happens to be fun and really instructive.

This project has so much room for making creative experiments: your child could pick three airplane designs and compare them; they could use two different types of paper to see whether the same design flies differently with different paper; two people could fold the same designs to see if that makes a difference. Brainstorm with your child and let them come up with lots of different things to compare!

We recommend that your child conducts flight tests inside, where there will be less chance that wind, rain, or other outdoor factors affect the experiment. Make sure to start flight tests from the same place, and be consistent in how you measure or observe the airplanes. And you could measure multiple outcomes: distance, height, number of loops, or how they land.

We love this project because it is really simple but illustrates the basics of a science experiment . It’s also an inexpensive or even free science experiment, depending on what you already have at home. This project can also be completed quickly if you’re pressed for time.

#2. How to Cook an Egg

Another simple science fair project idea is to experiment with different methods for hard-boiling eggs. We’ve all been there: you boil an egg, and you go to peel it and you have a giant mess with egg white stuck to the shell and bits of egg and shell stuck to the counter, your hands, and the cutting board. There is a lot of information out there about the “best” method and most people probably have their own ideas. But how did you come up with your answer? Probably trial and error, figuring out which method, or combination of methods, works with your water, pans, altitude, and level of comfort with peeling messy eggs.

This is science! It’s the kind of science that most people do without even realizing it. So if you have a kid who likes to cook, let them experiment with one of their favorite foods to see how well different methods work and which is their favorite. We’ve given details for the boiled egg example, but this one could easily be adapted to other foods.

Some ideas for experiments would be to put eggs in water that is already boiling and compare that with putting eggs in the water cold and heating them together. You could also experiment with letting the eggs cool with the water or dunking them into ice water after they are finished cooking. You could test starting egg temperature: does an egg straight from the fridge cook differently than one that was warm (room temperature) before it went in the water? Just don’t forget to have some controls, for example, if you are using different water or egg temperatures, make sure to use the same pot and the same volume of water.

We love this experiment because it is done with something children are likely familiar with. It is really relatable since we all eat and make the same food one way or another, so doing experiments with cooking can be a really great way for kids to connect with scientific concepts like experimenting, predicting, and keeping track of your results.

#3. What Makes Seeds Sprout?

Another really simple science fair project for elementary students is experimenting with what makes seeds sprout. Plants are everywhere, but we often know so little about them, so here’s a great introduction to how plants grow and where food comes from! 

For this one, you’d want to make sure to choose seeds that are easy to sprout since we want the experiment to be about the child’s ideas, not so much the seeds themselves. Some of the best options are beans, cucumber, squash, and flower seeds like sweet peas or forget-me-nots. Depending on your budget and access to seeds, we’d recommend picking up a packet or two, or just some dried beans from the grocery store, to get your experiment going.

Some ideas for experiments could include the amount of light that seeds get each day; the amount of water; the type of soil; if they are sprouting in water, soil, or on a paper towel; or adding something other than water (soda or juice are popular). If time allows, your child could carry this experiment for several weeks, learning whether differences in germination (sprouting) also mean differences in how fast or tall the plant grows as it gets bigger.

We like this one because it’s a bit more complex, but still really approachable. This experiment may “feel” a bit more like science to some kids and parents. But this is still fun, inexpensive, and leaves a lot of room for creativity and expanding the experiment. It will require a bit more planning: seeds will need at least a few days and up to a few weeks for you to observe the results, so if you’re pressed for time, this is not the one to choose! But if you’re planning ahead, and your child is interested in an experiment that has a bit slower pace, this is a great option. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you describe the scientific method.

A basic dictionary definition of the scientific method is systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses. One critical thing to remember is that you can think of it as circular: results lead to more questions which might become another lead to more experiments. 

What questions can help my child do their project independently?

Science fairs are a time when it is easy as a parent to take over – intentionally or not – and possibly prevent your child from feeling that they’ve done the project themselves. Some questions to ask your child to keep them engaged and in the lead include:

• What do you think will happen when we do x?
• How should we set up this part of the experiment, why?
• What do you notice about this result?
• Do you have ideas for other tests we could do to answer your questions?

What other resources are out there for 3rd grade science fair project ideas?

There are a lot of educational sites out there with project ideas. If your child doesn’t have something in mind, do some online research and look for an experiment on a topic that your child is interested in. A lot of sites include instruction cards and materials lists to help you set up a successful experiment. That said, we have a few words of caution about the online resources:

• As mentioned up top, some of the ‘experiments’ are more like science demonstrations, so make sure to either adapt to it or find another option that your child can use to compare results.
• A lot of the project idea boards I found gave the “answer”, which may be helpful to you as a parent (or teacher) but takes away from your child’s scientific experience, so you might consider keeping that part to yourself.
• Do your own research: there are few examples where the experiment is sound, the instructions are good, but the background information is inaccurate or outdated, so proceed with caution and remember that science moves quickly.

Allison Ebbets has a background in biology and ecology. She is a teacher, mother of a toddler, and part-time ski coach who is passionate about making STEM education accessible to everyone who is curious about their world.

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Best Physical Science Projects for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grades

Looking for the best physical science projects for 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students? Try these simple activities! The age-appropriate resources also address Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Whether you’re using them for classroom learning or science fair projects, they’ll be a hit!

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

Table of contents

What do the best science projects have that others don’t, physical science projects for 3rd grade, physical science projects for 4th grade, physical science projects for 5th grade, exploration in 4th grade, ask a testable question, plan and carry out an investigation, analyze and interpret data, draw a conclusion.

The best physical science projects for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students incorporate science practices . In other words, they let kids act as true scientists. Specifically, they ask testable questions, develop models and/or plan investigations, analyze and interpret data, construct explanations, and communicate.

Activities can be broken into three general categories: physics (forces and motion, energy), applications to technology (waves in water, the eye and light, and patterns), and chemistry (matter). Integrated experiences help kids make connections between these categories – and with other branches of science.

No images appear on this page. To read more and/or see photos of each set of activities, click the links that appear in the text. If you’d like to purchase supporting resources (directions, reading materials and reference guides, lab sheets, etc.), use the buttons.

In 3rd grade physical science, kids explore balanced and unbalanced forces, patterns in motion, static electricity and magnetism. To extend that, 4th graders explore speed, forms, and transfer of energy, as well as collisions. 5th graders, like Galileo Galilei, consider gravity.

When choosing physical science projects for 3rd grade students, keep it simple.

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

To explore balanced and unbalanced forces , kids compare situations with the same and different amount or direction of force.

• Testable Question: How do forces affect the direction of a stationary object?
• Testable Question: How do forces affect the direction of an object in motion?
• Kids can explore and explain what happens when the forces they apply are opposite and equal, opposite but unequal, different directions and equal, different directions and unequal.

Patterns of Movement

Students test various patterns of movemen t and use the results to predict similar situations.

• Testable Question: How does the motion of an object moving in a straight line allow us to predict similar motion?
• Students let a yoyo fall straight down. Then they use the motion of the yoyo to predict the motion of a ball dropped straight down.
• Testable Question: How does the motion of an object moving in a curved line allow us to predict similar motion?
• Kids throw cotton balls horizontally. Then they use the motion of a cotton ball to predict the path of a paperclip thrown horizontally.
• Testable Question: How does the motion of an object moving in a circle allow us to predict similar motion?
• Kids place a marble in a bowl and move the bowl in a circular motion. Then they use the motion of the marble to predict the motion of a ball in a different sized container.
• Testable Question: How does the motion of an object moving back and forth allow us to predict similar motion?
• Students tie a paperclip to a string and swing it like a pendulum. Then the use that motion to predict what will happen to a rubber band when plucked.
• Testable Question: How does the motion of a spinning object allow us to predict similar motion?
• Kids place a marble beneath a CD hole and spin it. Then they use that motion to predict the movement of a hard-boiled egg that’s spun.

Static Electricity

Kids investigate a variety of static electricity situations.

• Testable Question: How does rubbing a balloon on my hair affect it?
• Students blow up two balloons and rub one on their hair. Then they compare effects when both balloons are held near: someone else’ hair, the wall, each other, an empty aluminum can on its side, a ping-pong ball laying on a table, salt, pepper, a stream of water from the faucet, and/or bubbles.
• Testable Question: How do gloves made of different materials affect static electricity.
• Rub each glove on a balloon. Hold it above 20 paper bits. Count how many each attracts/picks up.

Magnets and Magnetism

In stations or labs, students test magnets and their attraction.

• Testable Question: What materials do magnets attract?
• Students test a variety of objects to find that all materials attracted are metal, but not all metals are attracted.
• Testable Question: Do opposites attract?
• Kids test north and south poles, north and north poles, and south and south poles. They discover that opposites attract while like poles repel.
• Testable Question: Does distance affect magnetism?
• Students hold opposite poles of two magnets at different distances to test magnetic force.
• Testable Question: What is a temporary magnet?
• Kids create a paperclip chain hanging from a magnet. Then they remove the chain from the magnet.
• Testable Question: Can magnets attract through objects?
• Students test the attraction of a paperclip to a magnet through materials of different thicknesses.

Physical science projects for 4th grade explore forms and transfer of energy (sound, light, heat, current electricity), the relationship between speed and energy, and collisions.

Forms of Energy

For the best physical science project, focus on only one concept.

Sound activities include:

• What is sound?
• How does sound travel?
• What is amplitude?
• What is pitch?
• Which materials conduct and insulate sound?
• Does sound travel better through solids, liquids, or gases?

Some concepts, however, are better suited for a science fair project:

• Testable Question: Is amplitude greater when more force is applied?
• This simple experiment is super simple. Kids use a spoon to strike various objects with less and greater force.
• Testable Question: How does length/size affect pitch?
• You can use a variety of materials for this: flutes of different lengths, glass bottles of different sizes, etc. Look online for more specific ideas.
• Testable Question: Which materials insulate sound better?
• Kids yell into a large metal can. Then, one by one, they add different materials and yell again. They should find that soft materials like cloth insulate better than rigid materials like aluminum foil.
• Testable Question: Does a plastic, wooden, or metal spoon conduct sound better?
• Tie the middles of a two-meter strings to each of these spoons. For each spoon, wrap the ends of the strings around your two pointer fingers. Then put your pointer fingers in your ears. Lean forward and allow the spoon to strike a table or counter.
• Testable Question: Does sound travel better through solids, liquids, or gases?
• For this ambitious project, you’ll need a swimming pool, pennies, and helpers. As the helpers move farther and farther away (at measured distances), they tell if they can hear two pennies clicked together in the air (when they are above water), under water (when they are underwater), and on the side of the pool (when their ears are also resting on the side of the pool).

Light activities in this unit include:

• How does light travel?
• Which materials are transparent, translucent, opaque?
• Which materials reflect light better?
• What is refraction?
• What is color?

Again, some concepts work better as science fair projects:

• Testable Question: Which materials are transparent, translucent, opaque?
• Shine a flashlight on a wall from a short distance. Position different materials between the flashlight and wall. Record if all/most, some, or no light shines on the wall.
• Testable Question: Which materials reflect light better?
• Shine a flashlight on a wall from a short distance, this time at an angle (~45 degrees). Position different materials so the light bounces from the object to the wall. Record if all/most, some, or no light shines on the wall.

Thermal energy activities include:

• What is heat?
• How does heat travel?
• What is conduction?
• What is convection?
• What is radiation?
• Which materials insulate and conduct heat?
• How does heat change matter?
• How do we measure heat?

Although working with heat has some safety issues, you can try a few that don’t require super hot materials.

• Testable Question: How does heat affect movement in water?
• Fill three cups with hot, room temperature, and cold water. Drop the same amount of food coloring into each cup at the same time. Quickly photograph the results.
• Testable Question: Which is denser, hot or cold water?
• Option 1: Add food coloring to cold water. Use a straw or eyedropper to slowly add hot water on top of it. Then try it the other way around by adding cold water to hot water.
• Testable Question: Does metal, plastic, or Styrofoam insulate (or conduct) heat better?
• Place equal amounts of hot water in metal, plastic, and Styrofoam cups of the same size. Record the temperature of water in each cup at periodic intervals.

Current Electricity

Electricity activities include:

• A battery and a bulb
• Simple circuits
• Insulators and conductors
• Series and parallel circuits

For a fun physical science fair projects, try this.

• Testable Question: Which materials conduct (or insulate) electricity?
• Build a simple circuit with an open path. Connect the open path with a variety of objects. If the bulb lights, the material conducts electricity.

If you’d like to get more specific, limit materials to metals (some conduct, and some don’t.)

Speed and Energy

A variety of activities let kids consider cause-effect relationships between speed and energy . (If you are working on a science fair project, choose something that includes or a finish line and use multiple trials.)

• Testable Question: How does speed affect thermal energy?
• Option 1: Rub hands together slowly then faster.
• Option 2: Rub a pencil up and down slowly then faster.
• Option 3: Rub a metal hanger slowly then faster.
• Testable Question: How does mechanical energy affect speed?
• Option 1: Kids create two balloon launchers. They launch small objects using less and more tension.
• Option 2: Kids create spool racers. They race one that’s been wound more times with one that’s been would less times to the finish line.
• Testable Question: How does position (potential energy) affect speed?
• Using Hot Wheels racetrack (available at many dollar stores ), position one of two tracks at a greater angle. Release two toy cars at the same time and record which makes it to the finish line first.
• Testable Question: How does motion affect speed?
• Using paper footballs, flick with faster and slower motion (more and less force). Observe which goes faster and record.

This set of collision activities works better in the classroom. Kids build mini pool tables to explore what happens when marbles strike one another.

Physical science projects for 5th grade students focus more on chemistry. One standard, however, explores a physics concept: gravitational forces.

A variety of situations help kids understand gravity . You can use some of them for science fairs.

• Testable Question: How does gravity affect falling objects of different weights/masses? (This famous experiment was conducted in the late 1500s by Galileo Galilei from the Leaning Tower of Pisa.)
• Hold two balls that are the same size but different masses in your hands. Drop both at the same time and observe when they strike the ground. Stand on a chair or ladder to test it from different heights.
• Testable Question: How does gravity affect objects moving through the air?
• Throw different objects (cotton balls, paper plates, straws) horizontally. Record/draw their paths.
• Testable Question: How does gravity affect rolling objects?
• Roll different objects (marbles, pencils) across a flat surface. Record what happens.

Applications to Technology

In 4th grade physical science, students explore waves and applications to technology. They start off with waves in water. Then they investigate light waves and vision. Finally, with a nod to computer programming, kids consider patterns used to transmit information.

Waves in Water

In this set of activities, kids explore transverse waves. In a STEM challenge, they find the best possible model to simulate waves in water . If your science fair allows models, you could use this for a project.

The Eye, Light, and Vision

Through a specific investigation, students learn how light enables vision .

• Testable Question: How does light affect vision?
• With the lights on, place a small object on a table. Photograph it. Leaving the lights on, place a toilet paper tube upright over the object. Photograph it through the hole. Turn the lights off and again photograph it through the hole.

This project can be replicated with different situations. You can also incorporate models and/or diagrams of the eye into your presentation.

In this set of activities, kids explore how humans use patterns to communicate . They try Morse and binary codes, as well as considering patterns from everyday life (stop lights, the teacher clapping, thumbs up/down), etc. It provides a foundation for programming.

5th grade physical science students embark on the study of chemistry.

Kids love chemistry! Maybe you will find the best physical science project here.

Introduction to Matter

Through a variety of classroom activities, kids use hands-on exploration to deduce that matter is made of particles too small to be seen .

Physical and Chemical Changes

Students explore physical and chemical changes with more hands-on activities. Instead of testing, this project demonstrates different types of evidence of chemical change.

• Question: What provides evidence of chemical change?
• Add vinegar to baking soda. (bubbles)
• Prepare three cups of colored water. Add vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach. (color)
• Measure the temperature of a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Stir in some yeast. Measure the temperature again. (heat)
• Add hydrogen peroxide to a cup of iron filings. (odor)
• Activate a glow stick. (light)

Properties of Matter

In this module, kids test mystery powders to explore properties of matter. You might also test chemical properties in a science fair project.

• Testable Question: How do different liquids affect steel wool?
• Pour different liquids (including water) into the lids of small glass jars. Add steel wool and screw the jar onto the lid. (The jar will be inverted.) Observe over time and photograph.

The Law of Conservation of Mass

These simple conservation of mass activities require more measurement.

• Testable Question: Which has greater mass, whole or crushed crackers?
• Place crackers in a zip-type baggie. Seal and mass. Crush the crackers while still in the baggie. Mass again.
• Testable Question: Which has greater mass, sugar and water separately or sugar dissolved in water?
• Find the mass of 10 cc (ml) of sugar and 50 ml of water. Stir together so sugar dissolves. Find the mass of the solution. (It’s also interesting to find the volume to illustrate that it is not conserved.)
• Testable Question: Which has greater mass, water or ice?
• Measure 30 ml of water into a graduated cylinder. Mass. Cover the graduated cylinder with plastic to prevent evaporation. Place in freezer. The next day, mass again.
• Testable Question: Is mass conserved during chemical changes?
• Measure 20 cc of baking soda into a zip-type baggie. Measure 20 ml of vinegar into a small cup. Place the small cup into the baggie and seal. Taking care not to spill the vinegar, mass the baggie and its contents. Spill the vinegar into the baking soda and mass again.

Designing the Best Physical Science Project for a Science Fair

Today, science practices include models. However, many science fairs still subscribe to the traditional scientific method . Before you begin, find out if your event allows models.

The following process moves you through the scientific method and includes a fair test. For physical science projects in 3rd grade, 4th grade, or 5th grade, this experimental design:

• controls variables
• uses scientific tools for observation and measurement

What if your students aren’t ready for independent physical science projects? No worries! Conduct one experiment and sign up for the science fair as a class. You can use each group’s results as a separate set of data.

First, you will ask a testable question . It will allow you to compare, predict, observe, and measure.

If, for example, your project focuses on evaporation, which of these questions is actually testable?

• How does water evaporate?
• Why does water evaporate?
• Does salt or fresh water evaporate faster?

Only the last question allows you to compare (salt versus fresh), predict, observe, and measure (with a graduated cylinder).

After you develop a testable question, you should also hypothesize, or predict the result. For example:

• I hypothesize (or predict) that fresh water will evaporate faster than salt water.

When of the results of your experiment, you will find out if your hypothesis is correct. If not, no worries! You have learned something. Don’t change your hypothesis to match your results. Scientists (and science fair judges) welcome different predictions and outcomes.

Second, you’ll plan and carry out an investigation . The experimental design should match the question. Additionally, it should allow you to compare, control variables, measure, and replicate. For example:

• Compare – Set up one cup with salt water and one with fresh water. Leave open to the air for one week.
• Control variables – Other than the salt and fresh water, everything in the experiment must be kept the same: amount and temperature of water, type and size of cups, temperature and humidity in the room, exposure to light and wind, etc.
• Measure – For this fair test, kids will measure volume with a graduated cylinder. For other labs, they might use a ruler, meter stick, or measuring tape for length; a balance scale for mass; a clock or stopwatch for time; etc.
• Replicate – Don’t just do the experiment once. Instead, repeat it. For this example, you could set up three sets of cups (three salt water and three fresh water).

As the experiment progresses, observe and record what you see. Additionally, you will measure. When finished, organize, analyze, and interpret your findings .

For a science fair project, create tables and/or graphs of your numeric information. Add photos, drawings, diagrams, etc. to show others what you did and observed.

All of this presents your results.

From the data, construct explanations . In other words, answer your original question based on your findings. For example:

• Salt water evaporates faster than fresh water.

Back up your claim with evidence from your experiment.

Now you’re ready to design best physical science project ever. For a top-notch presentation, also include background information that you’ve obtained through research.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

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72 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand

Because science doesn’t have to be complicated.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed to get your students excited, it’s a good science experiment! While some experiments require expensive lab equipment or dangerous chemicals, there are plenty of cool projects you can do with regular household items. We’ve rounded up a big collection of easy science experiments that anybody can try, and kids are going to love them!

Easy Chemistry Science Experiments

Easy physics science experiments, easy biology and environmental science experiments, easy engineering experiments and stem challenges.

1. Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow! Tip: Have extra Skittles on hand so your class can eat a few!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

2. Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

3. Make a volcano erupt

This classic experiment demonstrates a chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid), which produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate.

Learn more: Best Volcano Experiments

4. Make elephant toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” Tip: Add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for plastic bottles.

5. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

6. Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

7. Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test. Have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

8. Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table! This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

9. Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

10. Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

11. Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results! This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

12. Mix up some slime

Tell kids you’re going to make slime at home, and watch their eyes light up! There are a variety of ways to make slime, so try a few different recipes to find the one you like best.

13. Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

14. Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

15. Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

16. Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done!

17. Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

18. Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

19. Pull an egg into a bottle

This classic easy science experiment never fails to delight. Use the power of air pressure to suck a hard-boiled egg into a jar, no hands required.

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

20. Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school. The baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases when you fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda.

21 Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid-base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

22. Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste-and-toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

23. Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog! No need for canopic jars , just grab some baking soda and get started.

24. Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

25. Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

26. Create dancing popcorn

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

27. Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Explosion

28. Send a teabag flying

Hot air rises, and this experiment can prove it! You’ll want to supervise kids with fire, of course. For more safety, try this one outside.

Learn more: Flying Tea Bags

29. Create magic milk

This fun and easy science experiment demonstrates principles related to surface tension, molecular interactions, and fluid dynamics.

Learn more: Magic Milk Experiment

30. Watch the water rise

Learn about Charles’s Law with this simple experiment. As the candle burns, using up oxygen and heating the air in the glass, the water rises as if by magic.

Learn more: Rising Water

31. Learn about capillary action

Kids will be amazed as they watch the colored water move from glass to glass, and you’ll love the easy and inexpensive setup. Gather some water, paper towels, and food coloring to teach the scientific magic of capillary action.

Learn more: Capillary Action

32. Give a balloon a beard

Equally educational and fun, this experiment will teach kids about static electricity using everyday materials. Kids will undoubtedly get a kick out of creating beards on their balloon person!

Learn more: Static Electricity

33. Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle, float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north.

Learn more: DIY Compass

34. Crush a can using air pressure

Sure, it’s easy to crush a soda can with your bare hands, but what if you could do it without touching it at all? That’s the power of air pressure!

35. Tell time using the sun

While people use clocks or even phones to tell time today, there was a time when a sundial was the best means to do that. Kids will certainly get a kick out of creating their own sundials using everyday materials like cardboard and pencils.

Learn more: Make Your Own Sundial

36. Launch a balloon rocket

Grab balloons, string, straws, and tape, and launch rockets to learn about the laws of motion.

37. Make sparks with steel wool

All you need is steel wool and a 9-volt battery to perform this science demo that’s bound to make their eyes light up! Kids learn about chain reactions, chemical changes, and more.

Learn more: Steel Wool Electricity

38. Levitate a Ping-Pong ball

Kids will get a kick out of this experiment, which is really all about Bernoulli’s principle. You only need plastic bottles, bendy straws, and Ping-Pong balls to make the science magic happen.

39. Whip up a tornado in a bottle

There are plenty of versions of this classic experiment out there, but we love this one because it sparkles! Kids learn about a vortex and what it takes to create one.

Learn more: Tornado in a Bottle

40. Monitor air pressure with a DIY barometer

This simple but effective DIY science project teaches kids about air pressure and meteorology. They’ll have fun tracking and predicting the weather with their very own barometer.

Learn more: DIY Barometer

41. Peer through an ice magnifying glass

Students will certainly get a thrill out of seeing how an everyday object like a piece of ice can be used as a magnifying glass. Be sure to use purified or distilled water since tap water will have impurities in it that will cause distortion.

Learn more: Ice Magnifying Glass

42. String up some sticky ice

Can you lift an ice cube using just a piece of string? This quick experiment teaches you how. Use a little salt to melt the ice and then refreeze the ice with the string attached.

Learn more: Sticky Ice

43. “Flip” a drawing with water

Light refraction causes some really cool effects, and there are multiple easy science experiments you can do with it. This one uses refraction to “flip” a drawing; you can also try the famous “disappearing penny” trick .

Learn more: Light Refraction With Water

44. Color some flowers

We love how simple this project is to re-create since all you’ll need are some white carnations, food coloring, glasses, and water. The end result is just so beautiful!

45. Use glitter to fight germs

Everyone knows that glitter is just like germs—it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage and show kids how soap fights glitter and germs.

Learn more: Glitter Germs

46. Re-create the water cycle in a bag

You can do so many easy science experiments with a simple zip-top bag. Fill one partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.

Learn more: Water Cycle

47. Learn about plant transpiration

Your backyard is a terrific place for easy science experiments. Grab a plastic bag and rubber band to learn how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration.

Learn more: Plant Transpiration

48. Clean up an oil spill

Before conducting this experiment, teach your students about engineers who solve environmental problems like oil spills. Then, have your students use provided materials to clean the oil spill from their oceans.

Learn more: Oil Spill

49. Construct a pair of model lungs

Kids get a better understanding of the respiratory system when they build model lungs using a plastic water bottle and some balloons. You can modify the experiment to demonstrate the effects of smoking too.

Learn more: Model Lungs

50. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to collect rocks, and there are plenty of easy science experiments you can do with them. In this one, pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Experiments

51. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: DIY Rain Gauge

52. Build up towel mountains

This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some landforms are created. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!

Learn more: Towel Mountains

53. Take a play dough core sample

Learn about the layers of the earth by building them out of Play-Doh, then take a core sample with a straw. ( Love Play-Doh? Get more learning ideas here. )

Learn more: Play Dough Core Sampling

54. Project the stars on your ceiling

Use the video lesson in the link below to learn why stars are only visible at night. Then create a DIY star projector to explore the concept hands-on.

Learn more: DIY Star Projector

55. Make it rain

Use shaving cream and food coloring to simulate clouds and rain. This is an easy science experiment little ones will beg to do over and over.

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain

56. Blow up your fingerprint

This is such a cool (and easy!) way to look at fingerprint patterns. Inflate a balloon a bit, use some ink to put a fingerprint on it, then blow it up big to see your fingerprint in detail.

57. Snack on a DNA model

Twizzlers, gumdrops, and a few toothpicks are all you need to make this super-fun (and yummy!) DNA model.

Learn more: Edible DNA Model

58. Dissect a flower

Take a nature walk and find a flower or two. Then bring them home and take them apart to discover all the different parts of flowers.

59. Craft smartphone speakers

No Bluetooth speaker? No problem! Put together your own from paper cups and toilet paper tubes.

Learn more: Smartphone Speakers

60. Race a balloon-powered car

Kids will be amazed when they learn they can put together this awesome racer using cardboard and bottle-cap wheels. The balloon-powered “engine” is so much fun too.

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car

61. Build a Ferris wheel

You’ve probably ridden on a Ferris wheel, but can you build one? Stock up on wood craft sticks and find out! Play around with different designs to see which one works best.

Learn more: Craft Stick Ferris Wheel

62. Design a phone stand

There are lots of ways to craft a DIY phone stand, which makes this a perfect creative-thinking STEM challenge.

63. Conduct an egg drop

Put all their engineering skills to the test with an egg drop! Challenge kids to build a container from stuff they find around the house that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

64. Engineer a drinking-straw roller coaster

STEM challenges are always a hit with kids. We love this one, which only requires basic supplies like drinking straws.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster

65. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. This experiment takes a little more time and effort, but the results are always impressive. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Solar Oven

66. Build a Da Vinci bridge

There are plenty of bridge-building experiments out there, but this one is unique. It’s inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old self-supporting wooden bridge. Learn how to build it at the link, and expand your learning by exploring more about Da Vinci himself.

Learn more: Da Vinci Bridge

67. Step through an index card

This is one easy science experiment that never fails to astonish. With carefully placed scissor cuts on an index card, you can make a loop large enough to fit a (small) human body through! Kids will be wowed as they learn about surface area.

68. Stand on a pile of paper cups

Combine physics and engineering and challenge kids to create a paper cup structure that can support their weight. This is a cool project for aspiring architects.

Learn more: Paper Cup Stack

69. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected by windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: Parachute Drop

70. Recycle newspapers into an engineering challenge

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge kids to build a tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenge

71. Use rubber bands to sound out acoustics

Explore the ways that sound waves are affected by what’s around them using a simple rubber band “guitar.” (Kids absolutely love playing with these!)

Learn more: Rubber Band Guitar

72. Assemble a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Umbrella STEM Challenge

Plus, sign up for our newsletters to get all the latest learning ideas straight to your inbox.

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Call for Applications: Third U.S.-Africa Frontiers Symposium

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is pleased to announce the  3 rd  U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium  in partnership with and hosted by the Republic of Rwanda. The upcoming meeting will be held on February 18-20, 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda. The application is now open for scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from the United States and African Union member countries to submit their application online before the deadline of July 7, 2024, 11:59 PM ET (Washington D.C. time).

This program brings together outstanding early/mid-career scientists, engineers, and medical professionals (within 15 years of most recent degree), from the United States and the member countries of the African Union for a series of symposia to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in their fields. The goal of these meetings is to enhance scientific exchange and dialogue among early-to-middle career researchers in African countries and the United States, including the African science diaspora, and through this interaction facilitate research collaboration within and beyond the region. Another unique aspect of the Frontiers events is the pluri-disciplinarity of the participants’ backgrounds and research interests.

One of the main objectives of this Frontiers symposium is to advance our understanding of cutting-edge S&T trends in the U.S. and Africa and to foster dialogue and collaborations across disciplines. The upcoming symposium will address the following topics:

• Session I: New Solutions for Decarbonization
• Session II:  Biotechnology
• Session III: Precision Agriculture
• Session IV: Advances in Space Research
• Session V: Smart and Connected Cities

We encourage early-career scientists, engineers and medical professionals working on related research to apply to this multidisciplinary meeting, as long as they fulfill the eligibility criteria . Each general participant will also have the opportunity to present their research during poster sessions. Travel of selected participants will be covered. More details on the symposium, organization, and program can be found on the symposium webpage .

Please submit your application online by 11:59 PM ET on July 7, 2024 . For more information on the U.S.-Africa Frontiers Program, please visit our program website . Please email [email protected] with any questions.

APPLY BY JULY 7

Call for scholarship applications for PhDs and MSc positions in the framework of the Intra Africa Homegrown Clean Energy Project

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Homegrown Clean Energy Project:

Mobility for Clean Energy Solutions to promote energy independence and environmental well-being through collaboration and innovation, addressing climate challenges across Africa.

Background:

Africa, a continent brimming with potential, faces a critical challenge: ensuring energy access and tackling climate change. Over 50% of its population lacks electricity, and relying on unsustainable practices threatens their health and the environment. Yet, Africa possesses a wealth of untapped renewable resources – a golden key to unlocking a brighter future. The Homegrown Clean Energy (HCE) Solutions Project steps in to address these challenges with a vision driven by African ingenuity. We are empowering universities, the private sector, and local communities to develop clean energy solutions tailored to their specific needs.

The objectives of Homegrown Clean Energy:

• Promote the development of Homegrown Clean Energy (HCE) solutions for underrepresented communities.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and technology transfer among participating institutions.
• Enhance entrepreneurship skills in clean energy solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa.
• Promote gender equality and social inclusion in clean energy solutions.

Participating Institutions:

• Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMIN), Nigeria
• Makerere University , Uganda
• University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin
• Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), Uganda
• University of Nigeria (UNN), Nigeria
• University of Zimbabwe (UoZ)

Application Documents:

• Filled Application Form
• A three-page proposal document

See Downloads for detailed application.

How to Apply for the Scholarship:

To apply: click here to apply: Masters https://bit.ly/HCE_MScApply To apply: click here to apply: PhD https://bit.ly/HCE_PhDApply

Application Deadline

The deadline for the application is 27 th July 2024 by Midnight GMT +1 . Results will be announced on September 3, 2024

Contact Details

For further enquiries or guidance required kindly contact the following.

• FUT Minna – Caroline Alenoghena; [email protected] +234 8035015984
• UNN- Cynthia Nwobodo; [email protected] +234 803 946 2574
• MAK – Grace Nakabonge; [email protected] +256 782356607
• UMU- Dr Robinah S. Nakabo; [email protected] +256 776 802981
• UAC- Michel Dossou; [email protected] +229 97 54 27 44
• UoZ- Dr Blessing Magonziwa; [email protected]. +263 775990146

Job Opportunity at MakSBSREC: Assistant Administrative Officer

Makerere University is pleased to announce a vacancy for the position of Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) within the School of Biomedical Sciences Research Ethics Committee (MakSBSREC). This is an excellent opportunity for qualified individuals to contribute to the ethical oversight of research involving human participants.

Position Details:

• Job Title: Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) – MakSBSREC
• Reports to: Chairperson MakSBSREC
• Engagement: Full-time
• Duration: 1 Year, renewable upon satisfactory performance
• Duty Station: Kampala

Qualifications, Desired Skills, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Humanities, Medicine and Surgery, Ethics and Human Rights, or any related field.
• Master’s degree in Bioethics (an added advantage).
• Up-to-date training in Human Subject Protection or Good Clinical Practice.
• Proficiency in English (both spoken and written).
• Prior experience in regulatory work in research studies or projects.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and meet deadlines.

How to Apply:

Qualified and interested candidates are invited to submit a soft copy of their application documents and a motivation letter to [email protected] with the subject line “ Application for the position of Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) ”. Address your application to the Dean, School of Biomedical Sciences.

Deadline for submission: July 2, 2024, by 5:00 pm Ugandan time.

Please provide a reliable 24-hour phone contact. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

View on CHS

'It's not over until it's over': England gives Rishi Sunak hope of glorious comeback

After England's glorious last-minute comeback - Rishi Sunak has sent a message to the country as he tries to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in this general election.

Sunday 30 June 2024 22:30, UK

• General Election 2024

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• England gives Sunak hope of a glorious comeback
• Reform candidate disowns party amid racism row - and backs Tories | Which comes after party dropped three candidates
• Farage says he 'doesn't want to know' racists | And finally rules out joining Tory party after election
• Rob Powell:  With more coverage comes more scrutiny
• Sunak insists he can still win election
• Has Labour chosen wealthy pensioners over children in poverty?
• 'Extremely troubling' footage emerges of Tory association students singing Nazi song | But party says group 'not affiliated' to them
• Live reporting by Ben Bloch  and (earlier)  Faith Ridler

Election essentials

• Manifesto pledges: Conservatives | Greens | Labour | Lib Dems | Plaid | Reform | SNP
• Trackers:  Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
• Campaign Heritage:  Memorable moments from elections gone by
• Follow Sky's politics podcasts:  Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
• Read more:  Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Guide to election lingo
• How to watch election on Sky News

The final weekend of the general election campaign is over, with three days and nine hours left until polls open.

Today has seen a slight lull in the pace of campaigning ahead of the frantic final days as the politicians fight for every last vote.

Here's what you need to know about what happened today:

• Nigel Farage held a vast Reform UK rally in Birmingham as he tries to stabilise his party's position after a slew of racism allegations this week;
• Speaking to Sky's political editor Beth Rigby , Mr Farage described homophobic remarks by a close aide of his as "crass, drunken, vulgar, rude, wrong" - but also that "people say all sorts of things when they're drunk";
• Also in his interview with Beth, he finally ruled out joining the Tories after the election if he enters parliament, saying they are "ghastly";
• But the racism row engulfing the party continued, with one of his candidates quitting to back the Tories, citing "widespread racism and sexism" in the party, and "the failure of the party's leadership to not only take this matter seriously, but also to fundamentally address it".
• Rishi Sunak  started the day with a tough interview in which he was challenged on his party's record in power;
• He insisted on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show that the UK is "a better place to live than it was in 2010", despite a "difficult" last few years;
• He also insisted that his party can still win the general election;
• In the afternoon, he visited a synagogue in north London and met community members;
• He pledged that a Conservative  government under his leadership would show "steadfast" support for Israel, and said he was "proud" that British forces helped defend Israel from Iran's attack in April;
• The PM hit out at the "sickness" of antisemitism, and pledged to "lead a long term effort" to tackle, and "change our culture so we tackle the root causes of this hatred";
• Speaking to Sky's Trevor Phillips this morning, Mr Sunak's deputy, Oliver Dowden , warned that Russia is using bots to boost Reform UK on social media (a spokesman for the party said Mr Dowden must think voters are "stupid").
• Sir Keir Starmer  was not seen on the campaign trail today, but his national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden was challenged by Sky's Trevor Phillips  about whether they would owe a potential victory on Thursday to Reform UK;
• He replied that the power is in the hands of the electorate, and dismissed any questions over the legitimacy of a potential Labour win;
• SNP  leader John Swinney  told Sky News that Scots have been "disenfranchised" by the timing of the election, because school holidays in Scotland have already started in large parts of the country;
• The first minister also made the case for independence with the SNP - but did concede his party has had a "tough time" in recent months.

Follow along for the latest political updates throughout the evening.

Pledges and promises are coming thick and fast from every party as the general election approaches. 

Struggling to keep up with who is saying what?

Here is a summary of where the main parties stand on major issues.

For a more in-depth look at what each party has pledged, scour our  manifesto checker ...

TV presenter Rylan Clark has said he would "love" to become a politician - and replace the party system with a "Power Rangers of government" model.

The TV personality, 35, joined political editor Beth Rigby and former Scottish Conservative leader Baroness Ruth Davidson for this week's Sky News Electoral Dysfunction podcast.

Asked if he would ever consider the career change, he said: "If I wasn't in the job that I was in, I would love nothing more."

Rylan, who won Celebrity Big Brother and also appeared on the X Factor, appeared on the podcast in place of Labour candidate Jess Phillips after tweeting his praise for Rigby on the day Rishi Sunak announced the general election.

Sharing a clip of her and Sky presenter Sophy Ridge outside a rainy Downing Street waiting for Mr Sunak to appear at the lectern, he said: "Obsessed with the Rigby."

Speaking to her and Davidson, he said his "obsession" with politics began with Brexit - "as we've seen so many promises which weren't fulfilled" since then.

He added: "I lie there at night sometimes, and I think about [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. He hosted one of the same shows I've hosted in Ukraine."

The TV presenter also shared his idea of abandoning political parties altogether.

Read the full story here: 

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With under a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the tracker  here .

Avid football fan Sir Keir Starmer has tweeted his reaction to England's win over Slovakia to reach the quarter-finals of the Euros.

Although England came a matter of minutes from losing before Jude Bellingham's stunning overhead kick in added time took it to extra time, the Labour leader tweeted that the win was "never in doubt".

Labour would definitely want to steer us away from inferring any commentary about the general election from that tweet as they fight for every last vote - unlike Rishi Sunak's more pointed message ...

The Financial Times (FT) announced today that it is backing the Labour Party at this general election, and on Politics Hub With Ali Fortescue , we spoke to the paper's Whitehall Editor, Lucy Fisher, about that decision.

She is, of course, employed by the paper as a journalist, and does not sit on the Editorial Board that decided the endorsement.

But she told Ali that it is "really significant" that the board has backed Labour, adding that it's "the first time since 2005" the paper has done so.

"The FT doesn't have a natural political allegiance, and in fact, being a very pro-free trade and private enterprise newspaper, wanting to see a very open, outward-looking Britain - [it] has more often supported the Tories than Labour.

"So it does feel significant. And the op-ed... makes clear the FT views this as a sea change moment in British politics akin to 1979 when [Margaret] Thatcher swept to power, or 1997 when Tony Blair came in."

Finally, we ask Treasury minister Bim Afolami if the Conservative Party can still defy the polls and win the election on Thursday.

He replies: "Of course we can. And, you know, we will see what happens

"But what I do know is on speaking to constituents... there are higher than normal numbers of undecided people.

"This is the fourth general election I've fought - a large number of people are still saying they don't know which way to go.

"And my message to them on the doorsteps and here today is if they want to lower their taxes, secure the borders, make sure that we have a thriving, prosperous economy going forward in the future, a Conservative vote is what they need to do."

Ali Fortescue points out to the minister that the overall tax burden will continue to rise under the Conservative Party - but he does not accept that, saying the tax cuts they want to make are targeted at ordinary working people, and the overall number factors in the wider economy.

"We are cutting taxes for working people and for pensioners as well," he insists.

In the last hour, we've had the breaking news from the French parliamentary elections that Marine Le Pen's far right National Rally party appears to have come out on top in the first round of voting, according to exit polls.

We ask minister Bim Afolami if he is worried about that at all, and he replies: "I must confess that I haven't really been following the French election as closely as I might have done because I've been focusing on my own in this country."

Asked if a Conservative government would work with Ms Le Pen and her party, he replies that "Britain has to work with whoever is chosen as the leader of other countries".

He says "of course" they would work with whoever is elected in France.

Sky's Ali Fortescue puts it to him that Rishi Sunak has previously said Nigel Farage would work with Ms Le Pen, implying it would be a bad thing to do.

Mr Afolami replies: "We're not advocating for Marine Le Pen to win.

"What I'm saying to you is you cannot choose... who leads other countries."

The first UK political guest on tonight's edition of Politics Hub With Ali Fortesue  is Treasury minister Bim Afolami, and we start by asking for his reaction to the Reform candidate in Erewash disowning his party to back the Tories.

Mr Afolami says: "Well, I'm glad he's seen the light."

He also says that he's glad that the candidate, Liam Booth-Isherwood, has made the point that only the Conservative candidate can stop Labour winning, which has been the Tory party's argument for weeks.

Asked if he would be glad if Nigel Farage decided to back the Tories, Mr Afolami says the Reform leader has "no intention" of switching sides.

He goes on: "I do find it quite curious, you know, this idea that Farage is somehow a Conservative. He spent 25 years trying to destroy the Conservative Party."

He adds that Reform is "designed to increase the power of a Labour".

Challenged on the fact that senior Conservatives like Suella Braverman and Sir Philip Davies have said they would welcome Mr Farage into the party, the minister says they are "in a small minority".

Here is the full list of candidates standing in Erewash:

• James Martin Archer, Liberal Democrats
• Liam Dane Booth-Isherwood (was Reform UK, but has quit party to back Tories)
• John William Kirby, Independent
• Brent Poland, Green Party
• Adam Thompson, Labour Party
• Maggie Throup, Conservative Party

Rishi Sunak is far behind in the national polls - just as England were trailing Slovakia in the Euros last-16 match.

But just minutes before the full-time whistle, Jude Bellingham executed a stunning overhead kick to take the game to extra time - and the PM is probably hoping some similar magic can be worked in the closing days of this general election campaign.

He has tweeted that "it's not over until it's over" - which England certainly proved this evening...

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