HELP! Third grade science fair project....

[lizdotcom99]

Can anybody PLEASE help me with some ideas for a third grade science fair project for a girl? Two years ago I asked this same question of all of you. Someone had the best idea for how polar bears keep warm in the winter and using lard to show the effects of blubber. That was a great project and Ashley got an A++ for it. Her little sister now has the SAME teacher and needs a projects.

As I recall from last year there seemed to be some folks who had an issue with the project being for a girl....I understand and agree that science is genderless, I also understand that sometimes boys and girls have interests in different things...that is the only reason I let you know that Amanda is a girl and could use ANY ideas.

Thanks in advance for all your help! You guys and gals are the best!!

Liz

 

[laurie31]

My dd (who is not really interested in science despite the fact that I LOVE it) chose to do her project in 3rd grade about which foods cats prefer. She was not at all excited about entering the science fair, so we tried to come up with something that would interest her. She loves cats, so she studied cat food. I thought it was way too simple a project but just wanted her to participate. However, the teachers were looking for the children to learn to use the scientific method to solve a problem and that's what she did. She got 2nd place! It was also obvious that she did this herself. She hypothesized that cats would prefer the most expensive food. We bought 4 types of cat food and measured the amount before and after the cats ate (we "borrowed" several neighbor's cats) so we knew exactly how much of each food was eaten. She fed the cats morning and night for a week. Anyway, her hypothesis was proven false. The cats in our study preferred Meow Mix!

Try to have your dd think of something that's interesting to her and then find something about it that you can prove or disprove using the scientific method. DD2 is very excited about her turn to be in the science fair and wants to study what floor surface makes the most static electricity! I'm not sure how we will measure the amount produced, though! LOL! I do think she wants to apply the results in her daily life, however...

Laurie

 

[lizdotcom99]

Great idea!!! Any more? Keep em coming!!!

 

[Conkozan]

Mine are quite a bit older, but I do remember my son doing a hypothesis one about preservatives in bread at about that age. He used 3 types of bread-homemade (from scratch!), local bakery and WONDER bread. Kept a slice of each at room temp- bagged and unbagged. And refrigerated bagged and unbagged. He then created a log for each type with ingrediants listed for each and reported when each unbagged piece went stale and each bagged piece went moldy.

Scarey thing was the WONDER bread that was bagged never went moldy for the weeks he watched it. Tells you how many preservatives are in that! His hypothesis was that the wonder bread would last longest and it did

 

[grlpwrd]

I have older kids who have been doing science projects for years and some they or their classmates have done:

* which battery lasts the longest - alkaline, Energizer, Duracell, Energizer rechargeable, etc. My dd did this one year and kept track of how long they lasted in a CD player since it was easier using the on/off switch. Her hypothesis was that the Energizer battery would last the longest, but in her trials it was the Duracell Coppertop that lasted the longest. Yet she incorporated into her hypothesis that the Energizer rechargeable lasted the second highest yet it was the better value because you could recharge them and use it again.

* for a Girl Scout project one of the scouts did a science project on what food her pet frog liked best. My dd did her's on the evaporation rate of different waters, such as river or lake water, tap water, distilled water, etc.

* Another project was having flowers in different solutions and seeing which flower stayed alive the longest. She used tap water, soda, milk (that one was yucky lol), ocean water, etc.

* One of my Cadet Girl Scouts is doing a project on which crystal grows the fastest using salt, epsom salt, sugar, and something else I can't remember. She grew crystals and didn't support her hypothesis, but it is what science is all about - the scientific method which doesn't always mean things will turn out like you plan/hypothesize.

GL to her!

 

[MinnieM3]

My dd (who is not really interested in science despite the fact that I LOVE it) chose to do her project in 3rd grade about which foods cats prefer. She was not at all excited about entering the science fair, so we tried to come up with something that would interest her. She loves cats, so she studied cat food. I thought it was way too simple a project but just wanted her to participate. However, the teachers were looking for the children to learn to use the scientific method to solve a problem and that's what she did. She got 2nd place! It was also obvious that she did this herself. She hypothesized that cats would prefer the most expensive food. We bought 4 types of cat food and measured the amount before and after the cats ate (we "borrowed" several neighbor's cats) so we knew exactly how much of each food was eaten. She fed the cats morning and night for a week. Anyway, her hypothesis was proven false. The cats in our study preferred Meow Mix!

Try to have your dd think of something that's interesting to her and then find something about it that you can prove or disprove using the scientific method. DD2 is very excited about her turn to be in the science fair and wants to study what floor surface makes the most static electricity! I'm not sure how we will measure the amount produced, though! LOL! I do think she wants to apply the results in her daily life, however...

Laurie

This is great advice. I have my 3rd graders keep it to: a product comparison, a taste test, or a survey. It's a very easy introduction to the Scientific Method and they can pretty much do it on their own.

If you need something more involved, when my oldest DS was in 3rd, he did a really neat project on men's and women's fragrances. He sprayed cotton balls with fragrances and put them in individual empty prescription bottles and asked people if they thought it was a men's or women's fragrance. The results were interesting!!

 

[DWDreams]

I'm trying to remember some of the ones I was impressed with at my daughter's third grade science fair. I think the one that stands out was about fingerprints. It was fairly simplistic, but interesting, and the girl included an interview she did with a town police officer about how they use fingerprints in their investigations. It was different than the usual exploding volcanoes and easy enough for her to do all on her own, which is what I happen to place the most merit on! Not to get off-topic, but it constantly amazes me how advanced some of these "childrens" projects can be at the science fairs!

 

[aprilgail2]

For three years in a row we did plant projects...we did the effects of cigerette smoke on plant growth...put big glass conatiners over one and blew cigerette smoke into the jar a few times a day while it weas over the plant (that one ended up stunted from the smoke, surprise surprise) the effects of caffeine on plant growth (watered one with water, one with coffee and one with soda) and the effects of aspirin on plant growth....he won every year!

 

[lizdotcom99]

WOW! What great ideas! I am going to have to let her know about all of these! And I do agree about the projects getting harder and harder. It is just amazing what these kids have to do these days for homework. I never remember having to do any of this stuff at these ages. Thanks for all the ideas, they are great.

 

[almacdonald]

2nd grade: i mixed up several "recipies" of primary colors to see what the resulting color was. Really easy, need some red, blue and yellow tempra paints and a measuring spoon. (3rd place)

When i was in grade 3 i grew crystals (like another poster suggested). I can't remember what hypothesis i was testing but it won me 1st place!! By the way, i went on to get my bachelor's degree in geology!

Fourth grade: Tried to determine the effects of light on plant growth. This experiment was a dud. Not enough sunshine in the winter!

Fifth grade: I did project on memory. I took 10 random objects and tested classmates to see if males or females had better memories. I did the test in 2 parts. In one part I grouped similar objects together on a table, in the second part i scattered the objects with no pattern. (1st place)

Sixth grade: i did a project on Solar energy. With my dad's help, i made a water distiller. I also had a mini solar cell that turned a wheel. (2nd place)

Seventh grade: I made hydrogen and blew it up! My favorite science fair project EVER! Ok, so this probably isn't suitable for a 3rd grader, but hey, something to aspire to right?! (1st place)

Reccomendation. If you're still stuck for ideas, go to a scientific toy store or look online for a chemistry set or a crystal growing kit or microscope. Science is FUN!!! Lots of these products are toys and what kid doesn't like toys???

(http://www.stevespanglerscience.com) Fun website for science

 

[anewvance]

When I was in 3rd grade or so, we were allowed to do the science fair at our small school even though it was supposed to be for 5th-6th grade. So my sister did your run of the mill volcano blowing up. But I did a project on Stallagmites and Stallagtites (sp?). They grow in caves and one means grows on the ground and one means grows on the ceiling. I used clay and stuff for the caves and the mites. It turned out really neat and was actually pretty interesting!