The science topic should involve a hands-on approach to a classroom experiment. Encourage the student by traveling to a library, museum or zoo to explore scientific texts or exhibits for a topic that is simple and safe to examine. Ensure he participates in the topic's selection and is enthusiastic about the topic. Assist him by directing the search from general science fields to specific experiment examples.
The study of living organisms provides the foundation for the science of biology. Scientists ask questions about how life evolves and interacts in their biological experiments. For kindergarten students, simple projects involving plants, insects or even the growth of fungus can encourage learning. An example is a bread mold experiment. It begins with sticking a cotton swab into outdoor soil then rubbing the swab against a piece of bread. Insert the bread in a plastic sandwich bag with a few drops of water and seal the bag. Place the bag in an unwashed milk container. Over the next 24 hours, mold spores feeding on the bread will develop into a multicolored fungus.
The relationship between matter and energy is the focus of physics. This interaction can be expressed in the forms of light, heat or motion. The forces of physics can be studied in classroom experiments involving balloons, magnets or even different colors of light. Another project demonstrates surface tension, which is the force that pulls on liquid surfaces. By lightly blowing through a straw over the surface of a mixture of water and dish-washing liquid, a kindergarten student can create a large bubble. Encourage the child to try touching the bubble, first with a wet finger and then with a dry finger. She will learn which method weakens the surface tension of the bubble and breaks it.
Chemistry involves the building blocks of matter that make up the world and how those building blocks react to changes in their environment. Kindergartners can learn basic chemistry principles in projects ranging from creating a lava lamp in a glass using vegetable oil and salt to witnessing the effect of vinegar on an eggshell. The latter project involves placing an egg in a clear drinking glass and then filling the glass with vinegar. During the 24 hours that follow, the student periodically notes changes in the eggshell surface. Ask the child to apply hand lotion to his hands and note how the pores in human skin absorb the lotion in the same way the pores in the eggshell absorb the vinegar.