Science can easily become your students’ favorite class with these exciting hands-on projects! These lessons are a surefire way to get your kids thinking like scientists as they grasp concepts related to the earth, chemistry, conservation, plant life, and more! Some of these experiments involve growing plants, while others have your pupils create tools to track weather patterns. The fun continues when you pull out the magnets, slime, and invisible ink! Get ready to shock your 2nd-grade learners as they test their hypotheses on this long list of 53 science projects. Let the experimentation begin!
1. The Amazing Growing Gummy Bear
This fun science project doesn’t take long to set up, but your students will be able to observe the process of osmosis over 48 hours as they watch their gummy bears expand! Start by asking them to formulate a hypothesis about how the gummy bears will change over time before placing them in water. Then, get them to record their findings as they remove them from the glasses and measure their size every 12 hours.
Learn More: Love To Know
2. Make a Model Steam Engine
Here’s a great earth science project that will help your students come to an understanding of how temperature works! All they’ll need to do is design a model steam engine using a few materials like bamboo sticks, plastic bottles, straws, and balloons. Their new engines can also serve to teach them about the water cycle once complete and operable.
Learn More: Steam Sci Proj
3. Dig Up Bones
Get your little archaeologists ready to do some excavating! You’ll need a sandbox and some toy bones to bury. After you’ve set up, provide your students with brushes and shovels so that they can carefully up the bones. Once found, ask them to compare and record the differences in the bones; playing out the process of a real archaeological dig!
Learn More: BrightHub
4. Learn How Leaves Get Water
Take your little learners outside to teach them how plants absorb nutrients and water through their roots! Task them with finding any tree or bush where they can secure a Ziploc bag around its leaves. Next, they’ll check the humidity in the bag each day; noticing how much water collects over time. This is a great example of plant adaptations and the perfect opportunity to teach the life cycle of various greens.
Learn More: Learn Play Imagine
5. Jumping Goop
This lesson in static electricity is sure to surprise your kids! They’ll begin making slimy goop by mixing ¼ cup of cornstarch and ¼ cup of vegetable oil. Then, they’ll blow up a balloon and bring a spoonful of the slime close to the balloon. As a result, the goop will start to move toward the balloon; displaying friction in action!
Learn More: Frugal Fun For Boys
6. Kool-aid Rock Candy
Candy meets chemistry in this awesome project idea! Your students will follow the instructions to prepare a sugar solution mixed with Kool-Aid that’ll grow on bamboo sticks placed in a glass jar. After 2 weeks, they’ll be ready to try their home-grown treats!
Learn More: Growing A Jeweled Rose
7. Magnetic Field Sensory Bottle
Invite your kiddos to bring the magnetic field to life! To do so, your students will need a plastic bottle with a child-proof cap, some special MICR magnetic ink, and water. They’ll also need to build a magnetic wand with a large straw, colored duct tape, and a strong magnet. Once designed, they’ll have hours of fun exploring magnetic fields as they draw the shards of ink together with their wand!
Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain
8. Learn How Water Moves Through Leaves
This simple project will help your kids visualize a plant’s food process in action and learn how nutrients are transported via their roots- through the xylem tubes to the leaves. By collecting leaves and placing them in water with red food coloring, they’ll be able to observe how the veins of the leaves begin turning red after a few days! Don’t forget to have them record their daily discoveries in a science journal.
Learn More: Buggy and Buddy
9. Make a Water Rocket
If you haven’t tried water rockets, it’s sure to be a class favorite! Your students can build them using a plastic bottle, a nose cone, and some fins. Once designed, your kiddos will have the perfect model to see aerodynamics at play! How does it work you ask? – A reaction is forced out of the vessels because of pressurized gas; sending the rockets hurtling toward the sky!
Learn More: Science Sparks
10. Rock Classification
We suggest this project be completed as a classroom demonstration as you’ll need to purchase a rock testing kit. In this geological lesson, your class will conduct different tests on rocks to classify which type of rock it is; igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. To do so, they’ll need to look at the properties of the rock by analyzing elements such as texture, color, or hardness.
Learn More: Pile Buck
11. Sprout House
This awesome project combines engineering with science by having your students create a miniature house from sponges and seed pods. First, task them with cutting sponges and attaching them in the form of a house using toothpicks. Then, they can mix chia and alfalfa seeds in some water before spreading the gummy substance along the roof, while wheat berries can be used to make the perfect lawn to spread along the bottom sponge. After a few days in the right temperature, with the proper amount of moisture- those babies will be sprouting new life!
Learn More: The STEM Laboratory
12. Build a Solar Oven
Take advantage of the heat by helping your kiddos build a solar oven to cook some s’mores and explore the effects of temperature! Your students will construct their ovens by placing black construction paper on the bottom of personalized pizza boxes, aluminum foil on the lids to reflect the sun, and some plastic wrap over the bottom of the box to trap the air. Once constructed, they’ll load their oven with s’mores and place it in the direct sun to watch their treats melt!
Learn More: Solar Desert Chica
13. Egg-based Chalk
Your kids will lose their minds when they discover that they can make chalk out of eggshells! To do just that, get them to grind up 10 dried eggshells into a fine powder. Next, they can mix 2 teaspoons of flour, a food dye of their choice, and enough hot water to make a thick paste. Finally, get them to place the mixture in a paper towel and roll it into a cylinder-shaped mold before leaving it to dry for a few days and then putting it to the test.
Learn More: Kidspot
14. Hotdog Mummification
Definitely not an edible science experiment, but one to incorporate into your Egyptian unit is this hotdog mummification experiment! Your students will be able to conceptualize the process of ancient Egyptian mummification by covering a raw hotdog in baking soda and placing it in a sealed box for over a week. Once the time has gone by, get them to record how it has changed, before placing the same hotdog in fresh baking soda and letting it sit for another 7 days. They’ll be shocked to see how their hotdogs have been mummified!
Learn More: Science Buddies
15. Weathering Rocks
Breaking down rocks is an ocean science activity that will aid your students in learning about weathering rocks. Using a piece of chalk as a “rock”- they’ll swirl it around in a glass for 2 minutes and notice what has happened. Then, they’ll compare it to the chalk that’s been sitting in a 2nd glass of still water.
Learn More: Science 4 Us
16. Create an Ecosystem
Show your kids how to build terrariums that don’t require any additional watering for their bean plants to grow! This can be done with just a water bottle, soil, bean seeds, and water. Depending on how long you let this experiment run, you can use self-sustaining ecosystem plant seeds to teach about the plant life cycle, too.
Learn More: Carly and Adam
17. Rainbow Jar
Different liquids have different weights, and you can demonstrate this fact to your students with rainbow jars! Looking through your pantry, gather liquids like olive oil, honey, dish soap, and a few others. The variety of colors will help portray the way that different molecules have different densities as the colors layer and settle in their jars.
Learn More: Playdough Plato
18. Polar Bear Blubber
Does blubber help arctic animals stay warm in cold weather? Your students will be able to answer this question for themselves with this experiment! Fill up a tub of ice water and let your kids test how cold the water feels to their bare hands. Then, give them a protective latex glove and have them stick their hand in a jar of shortening (the blubber). To avoid a mess, they wrap their hands in plastic. Lastly, encourage them to dip their hand into the ice bucket and notice how the temperature has changed!
Learn More: I Can Teach My Child
19. Fireworks in a Jar
Create a firework spectacle for your class by filling a glass jar with water, some food coloring, and oil! As the color droplets dissolve, they’ll sink and resemble a tiny firework display; the perfect project for exploring the idea of density with the use of liquid.
Learn More: I Can Teach My Child
20. Magnetic Slime
Who doesn’t love slime? Your students will need to add iron to this mix, but they’ll be sure to enjoy learning about magnetic properties through slimy play thereafter.
Learn More: Frugal Fun For Boys
21. Lemon Volcano
An alternate take on a traditional project, here’s a lemon volcano to teach your kids about chemical reactions! Mixing baking soda and dish soap with citric acid from a lemon will create a small, frothy eruption that your kids won’t be able to take their eyes off of!
Learn More: Babble Dabble Do
22. Homemade Playdough
Here’s our favorite, long-lasting playdough recipe that your kids will be able to play with for months to come! This non-toxic dough can be made in under 5 minutes with just a few simple ingredients; educating your students about mixtures while they have fun!
Learn More: Living Well Mom
23. Fingerprint Patterns
Who doesn’t want to be a detective for a day? Introduce your students to their unique fingerprint patterns by having them press their fingers into ink and onto a piece of white recording paper. Next, have them investigate the whirls, loops, and arches that make each one uniquely theirs.
Learn More: Buggy and Buddy
24. The Egg Density Project
Let’s make eggs float—or sink! Challenge your students to discover the science of density by floating eggs in salt water and plain water. Extend the activity by discussing concepts like buoyancy and concentration with your students. They’ll be amazed at how a little salt can defy gravity!
Learn More: Gift of Curiosity
25. The DIY Lava Lamp Project
Unveil the magic of chemistry and art with these mesmerizing lava lamps! Watch your students’ eyes sparkle as they learn about density and chemical reactions when they mix oil, water, food coloring, and Alka-Seltzer tablets in a jar!
Learn More: Inspiration Laboratories
26. The Shadow Tracking Adventure
Step outside with this real-time Earth science lesson about shadows! Using building blocks or other structures that can produce a unique shadow on a white background- your kids will study how the shadow changes throughout the day based on the sun’s movement.
Learn More: Hands On As We Grow
27. A Race Against Heat
Which substance makes ice melt the fastest? When other substances are mixed with water, it can affect an ice cube’s freezing and melting points. Your students will enjoy discovering this principle as they experiment with adding sand, salt, and sugar into different bowls of ice cubes.
Learn More: Science Buddies
28. Nature’s Weather Forecasting Tool
Engage your students in predicting the weather with a natural forecaster! By hanging a pinecone outside with yarn, they can look at its physical properties to conclude how the weather will be that day. If the pinecone is open, it’s generally a telltale sign of a fair-weather day. On the other hand, if it’s going to rain- that pine cone will appear more closed!
Learn More: YouTube
29. A Static Electricity Experiment
Your class will be captivated by the marriage of science and art in this electrifying experiment. They’ll first create a tissue paper butterfly with the center of its body glued to cardboard. Then, they’ll hover a blown-up balloon over its loose wings and watch as static electricity takes effect!
Learn More: I Heart Crafty Things
30. Timekeeping with the Sun
Here’s a lesson in the ancient methods of timekeeping that’s sure to help you solidify an understanding of Earth’s rotation in your learners. Guide them in crafting their own sundials by puncturing a straight stick or straw into a white circle cutout that’s pasted to cardboard. Each time they go outside they’ll see how the shadow line moves around like a clock and changes position depending on the time of day!
Learn More: PBS
31. Exploring Aerodynamics
Ready, set, fly! Unleash your students’ creativity by having them design and race paper airplanes. Along with the fun, this simple paper project will help them dive into the intriguing physics of aerodynamics.
Learn More: Science Friday
32. Exploring Buoyancy
Your kids will surely love this hands-on water play project that’ll help them explore the concept of buoyancy! Ask them to predict and test which objects will sink or float; allowing them to bring in some items from their homes to test their hypothesis!
Learn More: Science Sparks
33. Invisible Ink Experiment
Ready for some spy action? Have your students write secret messages using lemon juice on paper before letting it dry completely. Then, they’ll reveal the secrets when they apply the heat of a blow dryer to their sheets.
Learn More: Seven Oaks
34. Surface Tension in Action
Time to break some barriers—surface tension, to be exact! In this fascinating experiment, your students will test what happens to pepper in a bowl of water when a variety of other liquids are introduced into the same bowl. If there’s surface tension when they dip a toothpick with oil or dishwashing soap into the bowl- the water molecules will clump together because of the bonds in their hydrogen atoms. They’ll write their observations after testing 5 different liquids in fresh bowls of water and pepper; exploring the magical world of fluid dynamics.
Learn More: Scientific American
35. Finding Direction
We’ve chosen this DIY compass project to help your students grasp the magic of the Earth’s magnetic poles. This activity requires some water in a shallow bowl, a sewing needle attached to a piece of paper labeled with North and South, and a magnet! To experiment, they’ll rub a magnet onto the needle 20 times before placing it in the water and allowing it to align with the North and South poles. Have them check its accuracy with an actual compass!
Learn More: YouTube
36. The Homemade Rain Gauge Project
Your students can learn how to track rainfall with a DIY rain gauge. They’ll need to apply their knowledge of measurement to accurately write inches along the side of their upcycled plastic bottles. Once designed, they can be placed outside and your littles can report the amount of rainfall each day!
Learn More: Steam Powered Family
37. Chromatography Butterflies
Chromatography is the separation of chemicals from a mixture. Teach your 2nd graders how this works with this fun butterfly art project! They’ll begin by using dark, felt-tip pens to draw lines and dots at the base of cut-open coffee filters. Then, they’ll dip those into a shallow glass of water and watch as the color moves up the filter. Finally, they’ll use craft sticks, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners to form their colorful butterflies!
Learn More: Small Science Club
38. Dancing Raisins Experiment
Here’s another lesson on buoyancy, but this time your kids will delight as raisins dance in a carbonated drink! With this experiment, your students will learn that different liquids can have a changing effect on solids!
Learn More: Simple Living Creative Learning
39. Visualizing Evaporation, Condensation, and Precipitation
This self-contained ecosystem offers your students a microcosmic view of the Earth’s water cycle. Your kids will simply observe a miniature water cycle by collecting water in a plastic bag; gaining a hands-on understanding of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
Learn More: Mobile Ed Productions, Inc.
40. DIY Water Filter Project
We love this fantastic project that’ll foster conversations about water conservation and environmental responsibility in your classrooms. In this DIY water filter project, your students will purify water through the top half of a plastic bottle that’s layered with coffee filters, sand, and 2 types of gravel. They’ll pour dirty water into the opening and let the clean water drip through to the 2nd bottle, or the base; providing a practical lesson on the process of filtration.
Learn More: A Mom’s Tale
41. Food as Battery: Powering a Clock with a Lemon
Tick-tock goes the lemon clock! Here, your students will power up a clock using 2 citrus fruits, copper wires, copper pennies, and nails. Guide them to follow the instructions and watch as they are amazed when their clock powers up!
Learn More: Scout Life
42. Homemade Glue Project
This project invites your students to make their own glue to delve into the chemistry of adhesion and cohesion. Simply mix corn syrup, vinegar, cornstarch, and water and your 2nd graders get ready to apply it to their next project!
Learn More: One Little Project
43. Mold Exploration: Watching Fungi at Work
This moldy experiment offers a biology lesson that your students can watch unfold day by day. Your students will simply observe bread mold over time; learning about the fascinating process of decay and fungi.
Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain
44. Winter Wonders: Snowflake Catching and Study
Let’s catch a frozen masterpiece! Weather permitting; your students will collect and study snowflakes to reveal the magical symmetry of ice crystals. Begin by letting dark pieces of construction paper sit in the freezer for 2 hours. When the snow begins to fall, have your kiddos catch a few snowflakes on their papers. Next, take them inside and get them to observe the shapes under a magnifying glass!
Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventures
45. Solar Power in Action: Magnifying Glass Experiments
Your class will need adult supervision and a lesson on safety before playing with fire! Invite them to explore solar energy by using magnifying glasses to burn various objects, like candy and pickles. Your class can then choose which objects to burn and predict if it will actually do so under the sun’s rays!
Learn More: YouTube
46. Smell Science: Olfactory Recognition with Scented Jars
Stimulate your students’ senses and observational skills with the use of their little noses! First, cover a few glass jars so that your kids can’t see the contents inside. Then, place different items in each- like onions, bananas, oranges, and flowers. Finally, blindfold your kiddos and have them sniff each jar; guessing what’s inside each one as they move along from one to the next!
Learn More: Things To Share And Remember
47. Bug Observation: Exploring Insect Life
Bug lovers will enjoy this fun science project! Ask your students to build small environments for insects by making holes in a sealed container, and replicating the outside world. Once they’ve put sticks, leaves, and cotton balls soaked with water inside- they’ll be ready to start the bug hunt! Let them capture bugs with a net and place them in their new environments; studying their features and classifying them before releasing them back into the wild!
Learn More: Home Science Tools Resource Center
48. Soap Clouds: Heating Up to Expand
This experiment is sure to bubble up discussions on molecular motion and states of matter. Begin by placing a bar of Ivory soap in the microwave for 90 seconds. Your students can watch as the soap heats up and expands into a cloud-like formation. Let your little scientists then record the changes while it cools before digging their hands in!
Learn More: A Dab of Glue Will Do
49. Churning History: Making Butter in Class
For this project, your pioneers will learn how to make butter! Begin by pouring some heavy cream into a container and tightly sealing it shut. Then, pass the container around your class and ask each of your students to shake, shake, shake! Finally, open it up and show your class the solid formation they’ve created. You can even spread the butter on crackers for your students to enjoy!
Learn More: Play to Learn Preschool
50. Feather Study: Soaring into Bird Learning
We chose this tactile venture because it plays with aerodynamics in a fun way! Provide your students with a variety of feathers and lengths of straws. They should then be tasked with sticking the quill into the straw and blowing until they take flight!
51. Exploring Sound Waves with a Homemade Kazoo
Let the classroom resound with homemade kazoos! Your students will build their own musical instruments by covering one side of an empty paper towel roll with wax paper and a rubber band. Then, they’ll poke a hole in the roll and get ready to explore sound waves by blowing into the open end of their kazoo!
Learn More: Buggy and Buddy
52. DIY Wind Vane for Weather Prediction
This functional craft turns your students into meteorologists; forecasting the weather like pros! First, provide them with the required materials and allow them to craft these awesome cardboard wind vanes! Once complete, gather your class outside and let them discover the concept of wind direction using their new tools.
Learn More: YouTube
53. Static Electricity and Salt & Pepper Separation
Shock your kids with this static electricity lesson! To start, they can simply combine 2 tablespoons of salt and a tablespoon of pepper on a dry plate. Then, they’ll take a comb and run it through their hair a few times before running it over the plate; watching what effect static electricity has on the spices!
Learn More: Cool Science Experiments HQ
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