Begin with the question: "Do cut flowers last longer when placed in warm water or ice water?" To collect data for this experiment, be sure your child chooses two flowers that are exactly the same. White carnations work well for this type of experiment. To study the rates at which flowers use the water, add a drop of food coloring to the water. The petals of the carnation will turn the color of the water, and your child will be able to see which flower is absorbing more water. Be sure that your child documents how much water is being absorbed each day by each flower. She can take pictures, take measurements and make graphs to show the rate at which each flower absorbs the water. Which flower lasted longer? Which began to wilt first?
Ask children to hypothesize if different types of bread will grow different types of mold. Gather several different kinds of bread slices. Be sure each slice is about the same freshness in order to gather accurate data. Place bread slices in labeled plastic sandwich bags. Take pictures, note the rates of molding on a chart or bar graph and be sure to report the findings in the science fair display. To expand this experiment, gather two slices of each kind of bread. Place one piece in the refrigerator and one piece in a dark closet or pantry. Ask children to guess which slice will mold more quickly.
This project answers the question: "Does smell affect our ability to taste?" Children can conduct this experiment by gathering adult test subjects. Blindfold the test subjects and ask them to try several pieces of distinctive tasting fruits such as strawberries, bananas, kiwis and oranges while pinching their noses. Ask the test subjects to name the fruit and have children record the results. Repeat the same experiment with the blindfolded test subjects not holding their noses. In order to prevent the subjects from guessing the fruit just by feeling its texture in their mouths, puree the fruit in a blender before conducting the experiment.
Begin this project with the question: "Is the size of a person's feet related to how tall they are?" Have your child trace and measure the feet, in inches, of every student in his class. On a chart, record the height of each student in inches. Allow your child to draw conclusions based on the data collected. This same experiment can be repeated using the size of a person's hands instead of feet.