Science activity
Scientific Method Challenge
Be a scientist! Ask 'what if' questions, make predictions, test them, and see what happens. Learn that scientists are curious questioners.
Materials and setup
- paper
- pencil
- ruler
- various household materials for experiments
- graph paper
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Be a scientist! Ask 'what if' questions, make predictions, test them, and see what happens. Learn that scientists are curious questioners.
Steps
- Ask a question: 'What will happen if we drop a rock in water? Will it sink or float?'
- Make a prediction (a guess): 'I think it will sink!'
- Test it: drop the rock in water. What happened? Were you right?
- Test 5 more objects: cork, coin, leaf, plastic toy, orange. Predict first, then test.
- Talk about it: 'We asked a question, made a guess, and tested it. That's what scientists do!'
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Ask simple scientific questions about the world
- Make predictions before testing
- Observe and describe results of simple experiments
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Follow the scientific method: question, hypothesis, experiment, observe, conclude. Design a simple experiment and record results.
Steps
- Choose a question: 'Which paper airplane design flies the farthest?'
- Make a hypothesis: 'I think the long, thin one will fly farthest because...'
- Build 3 different paper airplane designs.
- Test each one 3 times. Measure how far each flies. Record in a chart.
- Look at your data. Which flew farthest? Was your hypothesis correct? Write a conclusion.
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Follow the basic scientific method steps
- Formulate a simple hypothesis with reasoning
- Collect data through repeated trials and draw conclusions
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Design and conduct a fair experiment with controlled variables. Collect quantitative data, create graphs, and write a lab report.
Steps
- Choose a testable question: 'Does the color of light affect plant growth?' or 'Does the type of liquid affect how fast ice melts?'
- Identify variables: independent (what you change), dependent (what you measure), controlled (what stays the same).
- Write a detailed hypothesis and design your procedure. What materials do you need?
- Conduct your experiment, collecting data in a table. Repeat trials for reliability.
- Create a bar or line graph displaying your results.
- Write a lab report: question, hypothesis, materials, procedure, data, analysis, and conclusion.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Design controlled experiments with identified variables
- Collect and organize quantitative data
- Write formal lab reports with all required sections
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Master experimental design: control groups, sample size, bias, and peer review. Evaluate published experiments and design your own original research.
Steps
- Study advanced experimental design: control groups, sample size (why test more than once?), blinding, and bias reduction.
- Evaluate a published experiment: identify the variables, assess sample size, and determine if the conclusions are supported by data.
- Design an original experiment to test a question you're genuinely curious about. Include detailed procedures that someone else could follow.
- Conduct your experiment over multiple days if needed. Collect both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Analyze your data using mean, range, and percent change. Create professional-looking graphs.
- Write a scientific paper and present your findings in a 'science conference' format to family members. Answer questions about your methodology.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Design rigorous experiments with control groups and adequate sample sizes
- Analyze data using statistical measures and professional graphs
- Evaluate experimental methodology and communicate findings
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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