Create carbon dioxide with this project, which is just like the baking soda volcano with a slight twist. The child will need one small bowl, a book of matches, a few small candles, an eight-ounce glass, white vinegar and baking soda. Put the candle into the bowl and light it with a match. Fill the glass up one quarter of the way with vinegar and add a teaspoon of baking soda. Quickly pour the resulting mixture into the bowl. When the soda reacts with the vinegar it will produce carbon dioxide. When the foaming mixture is poured into the bowl it will replace the air inside the bowl and put out the candle. Be sure to help your student with the matches and candle.
Make an egg float. This project examines the density of objects in saltwater. You will need one large jar, one egg, water, a container of table salt and a set of measuring spoons. Fill the jar three-quarters full with lukewarm, fresh water. Place the egg in the water and observe the results. Remove the egg and mix in one tablespoon of salt into the water. Place the egg back in the water and observe the results. Continue removing the egg and adding a tablespoon of salt, then replacing the egg and observe results. Eventually the egg will float because the salt is denser than the egg.
In this third project, your child will be examining the behavior of a carnivorous plant. You will need two Venus flytrap plants, which can be bought at plant shops and hobby stores. You will also need a cotton swab. Rub the inside of the plant. Observe how it snaps closed quickly. Then touch the green edges of the plant. Does it close? Touch other areas of the plant, such as the outside of the plant and one hair of the plant. The trap reacts differently depending on where it is touched. Try feeding the plant a small insect. Observe how it captures its "prey." You may even want to videotape this experiment for your child to present to the class
This final experiment observes the effects of varying air pressure on a ball's ability to bounce. You will need a basketball, an air pump with a pressure gauge, a roll of masking tape, chair and measuring tape. This experiment must be done next to a wall in a space where the ball can be bounced. Hang the measuring tape on the wall and set up the chair next to the wall. Have the child stand in the chair and drop the ball. Record the height the ball bounces to and the air pressure in the ball. Let some air out of the ball, then bounce again. Continue this until the ball no longer bounces.