By fifth grade, students are aware of the human impact on the environment. Environmental science projects are a great way to display information that will persuade others to take a more active role in conservation. Topic ideas include modeling the affects of air pollution and water pollution. The affects of recycling on producing less garbage can be modeled by comparing garbage amounts with and without recycling, or displaying data how much garbage is produced daily in the world.
Physical science is the science of matter and energy. Typical fifth-grade physical science topics include magnetism, electricity, energy and basic chemistry. Demonstrations using magnets and static electricity are fun and resemble magic tricks. Use strings or bands of different thicknesses to explore concepts such as pitch and vibration. Creating sounds that bounce off of different surfaces can be used to model how animals use echolocation. Models of atoms and molecules help reinforce basic chemistry concepts. Examples of energy use can be displayed through concrete objects and images.
Life science topics are prevalent during the early elementary years. By fifth grade the emphasis is on structure, classification, niches and energy flow. Biomes and adaptations for survival can be explored through research. Microscopes can lead to further exploration of cell structure. Displays of onion cells and cheek cells can be used to compare plant and animal cell structures. Plant growth can be explored by comparing different types of soils and conditions.
The study of earth science develops an understanding of the history of our planet and the processes that helped to shape the earth. Weathering, erosion and volcano models provide concrete examples of changes that occur over millions of years. Additional examples include growing crystals with salt or sugar. Demonstrations of weather using tools such as thermometers, anemometers and barometers help explore the field of meteorology. Creating models to show earth's layers or the supercontinent Pangea provide visual representations to reinforce concepts.