Taking an animal census of creatures found in the student's yard is an easy project. Select a day and count all animals, including insects, found in both the front and back yard. Students who live in apartments can select an area of a nearby park if they'd like. Even students who live in an urban setting will be surprised to find the number of species residing there. Keep a list and take another census later. Note any changes in numbers and ask students to account for these possible differences. Instead of counting all animal and insect species, you can have students count just birds, reptiles or insects if desired.
Place different commercially prepared bird food or different seeds in several bird feeders. Keep a journal of which birds prefer which food. Switch food among feeders to be sure your results reflect a preference for certain seeds instead of just a preference for specific feeding locations.
Collect several caterpillars. Place them in jars or other containers. Be sure there is enough air and food for them. Keep a daily journal of the changes they undergo. Determine whether placing the jars in cooler or warmer locations makes a difference in the length of time it takes them to change into butterflies or moths.
Most 10-year-olds are interested in how things work. Have students show how an animal eye works, using diagrams or drawings. Students this age are also usually interested in the inner workings of an animal. Ask students to draw the skeletal structure of an animal or perhaps its circulatory system. Students may also want to explore such things as spider web designs and adaptations to different environments.