Fifth grade can be a tough year to handle. Their minds are constantly busy with new experiences, and it’s essential to find ways to entice them into learning. STEM challenges, such as building a bird feeder or driving a car around the classroom in circles, are just one way of refreshing their minds and keeping them engaged. With these challenges, Fifth Graders can build skills that they will use throughout life – with no cost, just some excitement.
STEM activities appear to be the focus of everyone’s attention right now. STEM exercises can be pretty complex, but they do not have to be. These simple 5th grade STEM activities are ideal for teaching the fundamentals of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to children in fifth grade. In fifth grade, students will have a great time participating in STEM activities in and out of the classroom.
Contents
1. Use a Ziploc Bag to Create a Miniature Model of the Water Cycle
- Ziploc bag
- Black Sharpie
- Blue food coloring
- Small measuring cup
- Water
Learn more: Water Cycle in a Bag
2. Make Your Name Appear in Crystals
- Pencils or wooden skewers
- Glasses or plastic containers
- Borax
- Liquid measuring cup
- Tablespoon
- Pipe cleaners
- Heat safe mixing bowl
- Scissors
- Fishing line
- Food coloring
Learn more: Crystal Names
3. Experiments to Find out Why the Sky Is Blue for Kids
- Water
- Soap (preferably white, they used Kirk’s Castile soap.)
- A clear glass
- A flashlight that emits white light (they used TaoTronics LED light bulb)
Learn more: Why Is The Sky Blue
4. Determine Whether or not a Thing Is Magnetic
- Book
- Plastic ruler
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Coin
- Key
- Nail
- Spoon
- A clothespin (with metal clip)
- Paper clip
Learn more: Magnet worksheet for kids
5. Make Glitter Reindeer Toothpaste by Whipping up some Frothy Toothpaste
- Peppermint essential oil
- 1/2 cup of 20-volume (6%) hydrogen peroxide liquid
- Dish soap
- A clean 12-16 oz plastic bottle
- Plastic glitter
- Warm water
- Food coloring
- Funnel
- Baking pan or something to catch the foam
- Safety goggles
- Small cup or bowl
Learn more: Minty Reindeer Toothpaste
6. Pour Warm – to – the – touch Ice That Quickly Freezes
- 4 tablespoons of baking soda
- A glass measuring cup or mason jar
- A dish
- A pot
- 4 cups of white vinegar
- A spoon
Learn more: Hot Ice Science Experiment
7. Make Ice Cream in a Bag and Experiment with the best Way to Cool the Ingredients to Turn them into a Creamy, Tasty Dessert
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
- Sugar
- Small, sealable bags, such as sandwich-sized Ziplocs
- Vanilla extract
- Salt.
- Ice cubes
- Half-and-half
- Gallon-sized sealable bags
Learn more: Ice Cream in a Bag
8. Make a Car Driven by Recycled Materials and a Balloon
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic bottle caps
- Balloon
- Wooden skewers
- Tape
- Flexible straws
- Scissors
- Hobby knife
- Rubber band
Learn more: Build a Balloon Car
9. Using Hot Milk and Vinegar, You May Easily Produce Your Casein Plastic
- Milk
- White vinegar
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Mug or heat-resistant cup
- Paper towels
- Spoon
Learn more: Turn Milk into Plastic
10. Make a “Fire Snake” That Emerges out of Nowhere with just a few Simple Items
- Sand
- Baking soda
- Sugar
- Small cup
- Measuring spoons
- Small ceramic plate or bowl
- Long lighter or matches
- Lighter fluid
- Bucket of water or hose
Learn more: Make a Fire Snake
11. Making a Non – Electric Lava Lamp in just a few Minutes with the Fizzing Power of Alka – Seltzer
- Tall identical jars or bottles
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Timer or clock that shows seconds
- Water
- Food coloring
- Vegetable oil
- An Alka-Seltzer tablet
Learn more: Make a Lava Lamp
12. Experiment with Catapult Technology. Can You Guess Where Your Cotton Ball Will End up?
- Glue
- Popsicle sticks
- Rubber bands
- Cotton ball
- Small open area
- Plastic bottle cap
Learn more: Popsicle Stick Catapult
13. Build a Cotton Ball Launcher Propelled by a Rubber Band
- Short pencil or popsicle stick
- Packing tape or another strong tape
- Cardboard tube
- Scissors
- Cotton balls
- Thin rubber bands
- Single hole punch
Learn more: Cotton Ball Launcher
14. Make an Automobile Propelled by Rubber Bands
- Corrugated cardboard
- Two drinking straws
- Two wooden skewers
- Sponge
- Paper clip
- Tape
- Four CDs
- Scissors
- Assorted rubber bands
Learn more: Rubber Band Car
15. Using only Candy and Hot Water – and a Little Science – Create some Stunning Works of Art
- Hard-shelled colored candies, such as M&Ms® or Skittles®
- Glass or measuring cup
- Small plate
- Warm tap water
- Spoon
- Dishtowel or paper towels
- Sugar
- Food coloring
Learn more: Candy Rainbow
16. Make a Rainbow in a Jar Using just a few Simple Household Items Like Dish Detergent and Honey
- A tall, see-through container
- A dropper
- Light corn syrup
- Dish soap
- Honey
- Rubbing alcohol
- Olive oil
- Water
- Food coloring
Learn more: Rainbow Jar
17. Make Fireworks in a Jar with Materials Available in the Kitchen such as Food Coloring and Oil
- A tall, see-through container
- Food coloring
- Olive oil
- Water
Learn more: Fireworks in a Jar
18. The Popular Activity Challenges Young Magicians and Scientists to Lift an Ice Cube Using only a String and Salt
- A piece of string
- Three bowls
- Water
- Ice
- Salt
Learn more: Sticky Ice Science Experiment
19. Teaches Kids the Basics of Color Theory Through an Extraordinarily Enjoyable Color Mixing Science Experiment
- 5 Clear Containers
- Food coloring
- Paper Towels
- Water
Learn more: Science Experiment in Color Mixing
20. Making a Cloud in a Jar – Excellent Opportunity to Demonstrate the Formation of Clouds and Fog
- Glass jar with a lid or a glass cup with a small plate
- Matches or hairspray
- Hot water
- Ice
Learn more: Cloud in a Jar
21. Make a Sand Volcano at the Beach or Right in Your Sandbox at Home with Baking Soda and Vinegar
- Sand
- A Sand Bucket or cup
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Food coloring
Learn more: Sand Volcano Experiment
22. Three – Ingredient Recipe for Magnetic Slime Is Quick and Simple to Prepare
- Liquid starch – Sta-Flo Liquid Starch
- Elmer’s glue
- A bowl for mixing
- A 1/4 cup measuring cup
- Plastic spoons for stirring
- Iron Oxide powder
- A 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon
- A neodymium magnet – Neodymium Barr Magnets
Learn more: Make Magnetic Slime
23. With Lemons and Baking Soda, Create a Vibrant Erupting Volcano in Your Kitchen
- Pan or tray
- Cutting knife
- Lemons
- Butter knife
- Spoon
- Baking soda
- Measuring cup
- Food coloring
Learn more: Make Lemon Volcano
24. As an Example of How DNA Encodes Life, Create a Tiny Stretch of DNA out of Bits of Candy
- Soft candy
- Twizzlers
- Toothpicks
- Paper
- Pen
- Paper towel
Learn more: Candy DNA Model
25. Create Your Own Hidden Message Using Invisible Ink
- Cardstock
- 3 cups or small bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Q-tips or a brush
- Spoon
- Old newspaper or cardboard
- Paper Towels
Method 1:
- Water
- Lemon or lemon juice
- Iron
Method 2:
- Baking soda
- Water
- Turmeric and rubbing alcohol
Learn more: Invisible Ink!
26. Using “Paper Circuits” to Introduce You to the World of Electronics
- Copper tape
- 2032 coin cell batteries
- LEDs (assorted 20-pack)
- Construction paper
- Scotch® tape
- Scissors
- Paper clip
Learn more: Paper Circuit
27. Design and Construct Your Own Bird’s Nest Entirely from Natural Materials That You Can Find Outside
- Eggs or small rocks
- Various natural elements found outdoors, include twigs, grass, leaves, soil, rocks, and sand. The materials available to you will vary according to your location.
- Bucket or another container to collect materials
Learn more: Build a Bird Nest
28. Create and Experiment with a Harmonica – Like Instrument Constructed Entirely of Household Objects
- Two large craft sticks
- One plastic drinking straw
- Two small rubber bands
- One wide rubber band
- A ruler
- Scissors
- A piece of paper
- A pen or pencil
Learn more: Make Harmonica!
29. Create Your Own Small LED Lightsaber with a Straw in This Simple STEM Exercise Inspired by Star Wars
- Milkshake straw
- 10mm LED
- Electrical tape
- CR1220 coin cell battery
- Scissors
Learn more: Mini LED Lightsaber
30. Discover the Answer by Dissecting (or Disassembling) a Flower Piece by Piece. What Percentage of Plant Parts Do You Believe You Can Identify?
- Fresh flowering plants
- Glass or cup with water
- Paper plates
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Magnifying glass
- Paper
- Colored pencils
- Tape
Learn more: Dissect a Flower
31. Make Your Drawing Move by Allowing It to Float on Water with Dry – Erase Markers
- Two shallow trays or plates with a smooth surface
- Dry erase markers
- Rubbing alcohol
- Cup
- Permanent marker
- Water
- Paper towel
Learn more: Make Drawings Float!
32. Create a Container That Will Keep an Egg from Cracking If It Falls from a Great Height
- Toilet paper rolls
- Popsicle sticks
- Shoebox
- Tape
- Packing peanuts
- Plastic bag
- Rubberbands
- String
- Newspaper
- Balloons
Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge
33. Utilize a Black Light to Make Tonic Water Glow, and Then Add a few Drops of Bleach to the Water
- Tonic water
- Clear, plastic, disposable cup
- Medicine dropper
- Bleach
- Ultraviolet “black light”
Learn more: Glow-in-the-Dark Water!
34. Make Oobleck, a Cornstarch and Water Mixture, and Then Experiment with Its Qualities
- Small bowl or cup
- Fork
- Cup, mug, or drinking glass
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Medicine dropper
- Measuring spoon
- Food coloring or tempera paint
Learn more: Oobleck colloid
35. Find the Blind Spot of the Eye with just Paper and a Pen
- Cardstock paper
- Scissors
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Marker or pen
Learn more: Find Blind Spot!