Fifth grade students can make a solar system model to demonstrate the sun and the nine planets orbiting around it. Students should paint the planets as close as possible to the images they see in books or on the Internet. The display board should include information about the size, composition, orbit and speed of each plant. Student can use white foam balls to make the plants and connect them to each-other using metal rods. These types of supplies as well as the paint and display board for the project can be purchased at most arts and crafts shops or art supply stores.
Students in the 5th grade can use an insect display to explain how insects help humans to manage and control the environment, and how we can benefit from them. This project will take a few days. Students need to find the time to hunt for insects and collect samples. The student should complete a report to accompany their project on the different insects they find and their function. The insects can be mounted with pins on a display board covered in felt or cloth. The can also be displayed in a a case and the student can draw diagrams of the insects on the display board. These types of supplies can also be purchased at craft shops.
Growing crystals is another science project that is suitable for 5th grade students. Students can fill different jars with different solutions of boiling water and white sugar, rock salt, brown sugar and table salt to see which ones will grow crystals. Simply hang a pencil with a string tied to it across the top of each jar, making sure the string hangs down in the water. Watch to see if crystals will form on the string and record the results. Change the solutions by adding more or less water to see if it makes a difference in the crystal formation.
Fifth grade students can conduct a science project using just a few simple items such as batteries and flashlights. To determine which battery lasts the longest, students will need four different brands of batteries and four identical flashlights. The batteries should all be placed in the flashlights at the same time and all left on to see which batteries will last longer. Students should record their findings in a table and draw a chart for their display board. They can answer simple questions such as did the more expensive batteries last longer, and what was the maximum battery life recorded in their project.