Use fun art projects to help 5th and 6th grade students learn more about themselves and the world around them. Assign a self-portrait project to students. Self-portraits can be used to teach art techniques and styles or can be a part of a study about the body and other subjects. A self-portrait project can be as simple as a straightforward drawing using charcoals or colored pencils. To add an element of fun to the project, ask students to look at themselves in a mirror and draw a picture without looking at the paper. These types of drawings are known as "blind drawings" or "blind contour self-portraits."
Involve 5th and 6th grade students in projects to help their community. Students can organize a coat or book drive for underprivileged kids or can help weed the garden of a woman's shelter. Ask students to choose a non-profit organization to get involved with or work together as a group on a project. Consider a toy drive to gather and donate new or gently used toys to homeless shelters. Students can create posters, fliers and other promotional materials. Students can also be involved in creating donation boxes and delivering the toys at the end of the drive.
Engaging science projects can include creating model volcanoes, taste testing common foods and their organic counterparts and studying nature by keeping a nature walk journal. A simple, but fun science experiment will show kids how to burn a candle underwater. Use duct tape to secure a taper candle to the bottom of a bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water until the water line is just below the wick. Light the candle (an adult's job) and watch as the candle burns down to the bottom of the bowl. The candle should burn to the bottom and leave a tube of wax. The cold water will absorb some of the fire's heat which will cause it to have less effect on the candle.
Consider a political awareness project. Hold an election for class president. Nominate candidates, create posters and hold debates to help show students how the political system works. Other projects include producing a school newspaper or writing and producing a dramatic performance or musical show.