6th grade science experiments for school

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Are you looking for science activities to do with your 6th graders? No sweat. We have you covered. Check out our list of 41 science projects and experiments that you can try with your 6th graders this month.

• How Do Antacids Work? | Biochemistry Discovery Lab – Grades 3-6, Simulate out how antacids work to treat heartburn by using fake stomach enzymes.
• Mice & Music | Hubpages.com – Grades 3-6, Find out if music affects the performance of mice in a maze.
• A Magnetic Primer Designer | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 3-6 Biology project that utilizes magnets to mimic the process that scientists use to replicate DNA, using the polymerase chain reaction.
• Growing Bacteria in Petri Dishes | Stevespanglerscience.com – Grades 3-6 biology In this science fair project, you must find samples of bacteria from an assortment of surfaces to find the surfaces that are the dirtiest.
• Yeast Metabolism with and without Aeration | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8 Biology experiment that evaluates the effects of glucose metabolism in yeast.
• Aspirin Absorption in Carbohydrate Solutions | All-Science-Fair-Projects.com – Grades 6-8, Does aspirin absorb into the bloodstream quicker if taken with a carbohydrate food? Test aspirin dissolution in an assortment of carbohydrate solutions.
• Bacteria and Toothpaste | All-Science-Fair-Projects.com – Grades 6-8, Do you know which toothpaste cleans your teeth best? In this project, you will row bacteria from your recently brushed teeth in petri dishes to find out the answer.
• Effects of Ozone on Plants and Health | Julian’s Science Fair – Grades 4-6, Environmental conditions can dramatically impact plant growth and germination. Does increased ozone stunt germination and plant growth? Grow some plants and find out.
• Making Batteries from Fruits and Vegetables | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 4-7, Use veggie power to build a simple battery from a variety of vegetables. Which ones are the most powerful?
• How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes? | ScienceBuddies.org -Grades 6-10, Plants respond to gravity by stems that grow upward and roots that grow downward. Experiment with germinating seeds and rotate them to make up down and down up. How do you think the growing seedlings will respond?
• Hydroponics vs. Soil Growth | All-Science-Fair-Projects.com – Grades 6-8, In this project, students find out if plants grow better in soil or a hydroponic solution.
• Puppy Proportions: Your Dog’s Early Months | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Find out how a puppy’s weight, growth, and proportions change early in their lives.
• Do Migratory Birds Like It Hot? | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Pick a species of bird and determine if there is a correlation between air temperature and where and when the birds migrate.
• That’s a Real Smile! …or is it? | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Can people tell the difference between a fake smile and a real one? Gather information from dozens of volunteers to find out.
• Build a Raft Powered by Surface Tension | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-10, Learn about the properties of surface water tension, and use it to propel a raft.
• Which Metal Is the Most Resistant to Corrosion? | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Test several kinds of metal exposed to the air, tap water, and saltwater to determine which are the most resistant to corrosion, and which substances are the most corrosive to them.
• Ionizing vs. Photoelectric Smoke Detectors | All-Science-Fair-Projects.com – Grades 6-8, Learn how smoke detectors work, and compare the effectiveness of ionizing smoke detectors to photoelectric smoke detectors.
• Robot Movement | Education.com – Grades 6-8, Construct a robot equipped with sound/touch sensor circuitry. Run it through a maze to find out if it displays sequential or random movement.
• Repurposed Designs | Education.com – Grades 6-8, Identify items that need repurposing such as e-waste, batteries, and mattresses. Then get creative and Invent your own original repurposed design.
• Solar-Powered Robot Bug | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Explore electronics and solar energy by building the Frightened Grasshopper, a solar-powered bug.
• Stressed Out with Beams | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Test the load-bearing capacity of several types of beams, including I-beams, U-beams, rectangular beams, and T-beams.
• Build a Gauss Rifle | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Use magnets and ball bearings to build a rifle based on magnetism. Investigate how many magnet and ball bearing “stages” affect the velocity and distance of the projectile.
• Smart Medicine Cabinet | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Do you know someone who needs to take medication daily? Create a sensor that reminds patients when to take their medication.
• Grow the Best and the Largest Crystals | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Figure out the best temperature for making the largest, purest crystals using water and borax.
• What’s the Fastest Way to Cool a Soda? | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Experiment with different ways to cool a can of soda.  Find out the fastest way to get your tall cold drink.
• How Much Potential Energy Do Different Nuts Have? | Education.com – Grades 6-8, Explore the energy of living things. Prove that different varieties of nuts produce electricity in a series of experiments.
• How Salty Does the Sea Have to Be for an Egg to Float? | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Figure out precisely what concentration of salt in water is required to make an egg float.
• Washing Detergent & Hydrophobic Soil | Education.com – Grades 6-8, Some soils do not absorb water very well.  Find out why and if washing detergent and change their ability to absorb water.
• Make Your Own Psychrometer | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Make a psychrometer to measure relative humidity, then use it to measure RH in a variety of weather conditions.
• Do Our Storm Drains Keep the Ocean Trash Free? | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Test your local grated storm drain inlets to see if they’re up to the task of keeping plastic litter out of your community’s stormwater drainage system. If they’re not, work on improving the design.
• Can Water Float on Water? | ScienceBuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Can liquid water float on liquid water? Investigate how the density of water is affected by its temperature and salinity.
• What Weather Factors Create Radiation Fog? | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Make systematic observations about the weather conditions needed to create radiation fog. Can you forecast when and where it will occur?
• The Science Behind Tsunamis | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, Study the effect of water depth on wave velocity. Learn how tsunamis form and create your own simulation model wave tank to generate a tsunami.
• Killing ‘Vampires’: Saving Money and Power | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-8, In this project, you’ll identify electricity “vampires” in your home, such as computer peripherals and electronic equipment, that use power even when not in use. Find out exactly how much energy they use. Use this eye-opening data to help your family save money on electricity.
• Which Wheels Work Best? | Education.com – Grades 6-9, Experiment with how different kinds of wheels affect the speed of a skateboard.  You’ll calculate friction co-efficient and its correlation to velocity.
• Test the Efficiency of a Solar Cell? | Education.com – Grades 6-9, Find out how much of the energy from the sun that reaches a photovoltaic cell is changed over into electricity.  Predict how to position solar cells for maximum conversion.
• How Acidic Waters Make Rocks Disappear | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-10, Soak some limestone rocks in varying amounts of acidic water.  Determine how much acidity is needed to make them dissolve.
• Seafloor Spreading | Education.com – Grades 6-12, Use an oatmeal box and some paper to demonstrate seafloor spreading.
• Storytelling Alice | Sciencebuddies.org – Grades 6-12, Create your own computer-animated story using Carnegie Mellon’s 3D programming software. You’ll learn computer programming with easy-to-use drag and drop tools.
• Modeling Darcy’s Law | Education.com – Grades 6-12, Model the underground movement of water, utilizing Darcy’s Law.

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All Science Fair Projects

1000 science fair projects with complete instructions.

71 Science Fair Projects for 6th Graders

Our collection of 6th grade science projects offer a fun and hands-on way for middle school students to explore a variety of fascinating science concepts.

6th Grade Science Fair Project FAQ

What are some easy 6th grade science fair projects.

Each one of these science fair projects are easy for sixth grade students to set up and do!

Burn Rate of a Candle

Soap and Surface Tension

Baking with Yeast

Color and Taste

Growing Mold

Cleaning Teeth: A Science Project

Comparing Blood Pressure

The Chocolate Rock Cycle

Uncovering Fall Colors

Making Oobleck: Liquid or Solid?

Science fair project details right above the FAQ!

What is the best 6th grade science project ever?

We love the Color and Taste science fair project for sixth grade students. The same flavored drink is made red, orange and purple with food coloring. When the three drinks are given to people, see what people taste! It's fascinating to see how color affects our perception of taste in this classic science experiment!

If you're looking for more 6th grade science projects, check out the 6th grade science fair projects at the top of this page! 

Check out more Best Science Fair Projects →

What are some cool 6th grade science fair projects?

Get ready to be amazed by these super cool science projects for 6th graders! With just a few simple things, sixth graders will see how fun and cool science is!

Does Music Help Plants Grow?

Dogs vs. Humans: Bacteria in the Mouth

Singing Glass

Fast Food Nutrition

Cleaning teeth: A Science Project

Video Games and Blood Pressure

Moisturizer Test

What are 5 testable questions for 6th grade?

A testable question is a question that we can answer through a science experiment. To do this, we do a control science experiment, then we change one thing in the experiment to see how it affects what happens. This is how we can discover the answer to our question!

What makes a cloud form?

Can drink and food taste different just by changing its color?

Does the color of light affect photosynthesis?

Does temperature affect seed sprouting?

What makes popcorn pop?

Here are more testable questions along with their science projects →

What are the top 10 science projects for 6th grade?

These are our top 10 science projects for 6th grade, with projects covering biology, chemistry, physics, medicine and health. These projects can be used as science fair project ideas or as a fun experiment to explore different areas of science!

Plant Growth: Hydroponics vs. Soil

Science project details above the FAQ!

Can I do a 6th grade science fair project in a day?

Yes! Quick experiments can be a great option for a science fair project! If you want to explore quick reactions, we have science project ideas on various topics to get you started.

Acids and bases: Test different fluids to see if they are an acid or a base!

Learn how to make your own acid/base indicator using red cabbage and use it to test different fluids! Make Your Own PH Indicator

Chromatography reactions: Separate out colors!

Have you ever wondered why leaves change color in the fall? Let's find out by using chromatography to separate the colors of a green leaf! Uncovering Fall Colors

Heat reactions: Heat speeds things up!

Ever wondered if a balloon filled with water can withstand fire? Fire-Resistant Balloons

What are some hands-on ways to find inspiration for my science fair project?

There may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your local library for free museum passes, nearby science museums for free entrance days and your credit card for offers.

Find a science museum near you and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there! I always learn something new and am inspired whenever I go to a science museum!

How do I start a science fair project?

What should I do after I have a science fair project idea?

How do I make a science fair board?

What is the scientific method?

What is the engineering design process?

Where can I find a science fair competition?

The www Virtual Library: Science Fairs website also has a collection of science fairs from all over the world, as well as national, state, regional, local, and virtual competitions!

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6th Grade Science Fair Projects

6th grade science fair projects can be fun as well as educational. The key to finding a good project idea is to pick one that can be completed in time, uses materials you can actually find, and incorporates the scientific method . You can turn any science project into a science fair project by finding one factor you can change (the independent variable ) and measuring its effect on another factor (the dependent variable ). Either predict what you expect to happen or form a hypothesis , record the data, determine whether it upholds the prediction, and report your findings.

Here is a collection of 6th grade science fair project ideas. The projects include chemistry, biology, physics, geology, weather, environmental science, and engineering.

Grow Geodes in Egg Shells

Geodes form when minerals crystallize from water trickling into holes within rocks. While natural geodes take millions of years to form, you can make your own geode in a few hours or days. Use an eggshell as your “rock” and crystallize salt, sugar, borax, or Epsom salts.

Make It an Experiment: Turn this cool project into a science fair experiment by predicting how temperature affects crystal formation. You can explore the effect of rate of cooling on crystallization by insulating the growing geode with a hot water bath, leaving it at room temperature, and refrigerating it.

Build a Structure to Withstand an Earthquake

Explore the principle engineers use to construct buildings to withstand seismic events like earthquakes. Use styrofoam plates as the “ground” and make buildings using craft sticks. Join the craft sticks to each other using mini-marshmallows. Use a sharp pencil to poke holes in the bottom of the plate to insert craft stick supports. These will be the building’s foundation. When you have finished construction, shake the plate from side to side to simulate an earthquake.

Make It an Experiment: What type of structure survives the simulate earthquake the best? Is it rigid or flexible. You can perform a similar simulation by constructing a structure meant to withstand a hurricane. Use a fan as the wind and examine how the type of wall affects the building’s stability.

Control the Rate of a Color Change Reaction

Many color change chemical reaction are clock reactions. What this means is that if you mix the same amounts of chemicals under the same conditions, the color change occurs after the same time interval (like clockwork). The blue bottle reaction and vanishing valentine are excellent clock reactions for 6th grade science projects.

Make It an Experiment: Predict whether changing the concentration of the starting chemicals or the temperature of the liquids will increase or decrease the speed of the color change. Perform the experiment, record the results, and see if you can explain them.

Turn Milk Into Plastic

Many common plastics come from petroleum, but you can make a plastic from milk . Basically, all you do is curdle the milk . Heat 1/2 cup of milk or heavy cream over low to medium heat until it simmers. Stir in lemon juice or vinegar until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove the pot from heat. When the liquid has cooled, rinse the curds with water. These curds are a natural casein polymer. You’ve made homemade plastic!

Make It a Science Experiment: Your experiment might explore the properties of this plastic, including how far it will stretch, how much weight it can hold, and whether it can be used as a modeling compound. Another option is to compare the amount of plastic you get from cow’s milk compared to goat milk or sheep milk. Do you get the same amount of plastic from cream as from milk?

Explore the Pigments in Leaves

Most leaves look green from chlorophyll, but actually contain several different pigments. In the autumn, plants make less chlorophyll, so you can see the other colors. You can use paper chromatography to see pigments in leaves. To do this, grind leaves to break open their cells (a blender works well), place them in a small jar, add just enough alcohol to cover the leaves, and insert a long strip of coffee filter paper into the jar. You want one end of the paper strip in the leaf mixture and the other end extending up and outside of the jar. As liquid moves up the paper, it pulls pigment molecules along. Smaller molecules move faster, while larger molecules move slower. Over time, this separates the colors.

Make It an Experiment: See if you can identify which pigments the leaves contain based on their colors. Gather leaves from a single plant from multiple seasons. Compare the pigments from spring, summer, and autumn. Can you tell the season by the pigments present in the leaves?

See the Iron in Breakfast Cereal

Use a magnet to separate the iron from breakfast cereal so you can actually see it. To do this, pour one cup of crushed cereal into a zipper-lock bag and fill the bag half full of warm water. Shake the bag to mix the contents and allow at least 20 minutes for the flakes to dissolve. Place a strong magnet against the side of the bag and slosh the contents around so the magnet can capture the iron. Finally, keep the magnet up against the side of the bag but tilt the bag so you can see the iron. It will appear as tiny black specks.

Make It an Experiment: Compare the iron in different cereals. Do all cereals contain about the same amount of iron? Does it look the same in every product?

Use Eggs to See Which Drinks Stain Teeth

Tooth enamel is the mineral hydroxyapatite (hydrated calcium phosphate), while egg shell is calcium carbonate. Egg shell is more porous than tooth enamel, so it stains more quickly. Soak eggs in tea, coffee, soda, and other liquids to determine which ones stain teeth. Common drinks also contain acids in addition to pigments, so some drinks dissolve egg shell (and teeth). Can you identify them?

Make It an Experiment: After staining the eggs, predict which methods work to remove the stains. Test these methods and see if you can discover how they work.

Use Household Chemicals to Clean Old Coins

Learn about oxidation, which includes tarnish, patina, and rust. Explore the cleaning power of common household chemicals. Soak discolored coins in soap, laundry detergent, lemon juice, salt water, soda, ketchup, vinegar, salsa, or any other products you like. After soaking, remove the coins and rinse them to see which ones clean the coins the best.

Make It an Experiment: Part of making this project an experiment is predicting which chemicals make the best cleaners. Also, you’ll have to determine the best amount of time to soak the coins. You can compare how well these chemicals work on different types of coins (like pennies, quarters, and nickels). Do you think the metal composition of the coin affects how well the cleaners work?

Make a Graphite Circuit

Graphite is a form of carbon that conducts electricity. You can draw a line of graphite using a pencil to make a simple circuit . Use a battery with both terminals on top (like a 9V). Turn the battery upside down on the paper and draw heavy pencil lines whether the terminal rest (don’t connect these lines!). Take an LED and bend the wires apart so they can rest separate on the paper. Rest each wire on a pencil dot. Complete the circuit by drawing lines to connect one terminal of the battery to one end of the LED light and the other end of the battery to the other LED wire.

Make It an Experiment: Explore whether the length or thickness of the line affects how brightly the LED glows. You can make a circuit using aluminum foil strips instead of graphite, too.

See Whether Food Color Affects Its Flavor

Examine the effect of color on perceived taste by coloring different drinks with food coloring and asking subjects to describe their flavor.

Make It an Experiment: Compare the flavor of colored and uncolored versions of the same drinks. Start with drinks that don’t have any color so subjects are less likely to guess the drink flavor in advance.

Test Whether Temperature Affects Maximum Balloon Size

Start with a package of party balloons (ideally all the same color and brand). Part of the fun of this science fair project is planning how you can test the effect of temperature on balloon size. Consider your options in terms of indoor versus outdoor weather and access to freezers and saunas. You need to blow up a balloon and measure its maximum size before it pops. Either get a friend to help with the measurement or fix a measuring tape to the wall and keep an eye on the numbers.

Make It an Experiment: You are well on your way to making an experiment if you make a prediction about whether temperature affects maximum balloon size and design a method to test the hypothesis. Can you propose an explanation for your results?

See If All Crayon Colors Melt at the Same Temperature

Crayons consist of wax, colorants, and sometimes fillers. See whether all crayons melt at the same temperature. You’ll need a bunch of different colors of crayons, a thermometer, and a way to melt them. Fortunately, wax melts at a lower temperature than water boils, so you can slowly heat water, watch for melting, and record the temperature. Another method is to place crayons (not-touching) on a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet, heat an oven to 350 ºF (or any temperature, really), and record which crayons melt first.

Make It an Experiment: Make predictions and answer questions. Do you get the same results with different brands of crayons? Do old crayons have the same melting point as new crayons? Watch for control variables , like the size of the crayons and whether you pre-heated the oven.

Make Lightning in Your Mouth

To make lightning in your mouth, crunch a Lifesaver Wint-O-Green or Pep-O-Mint candy in your mouth in front of a mirror in a dark room. Saliva can ruin the effect, so you might want to dry out your mouth with a paper towel first. The blue sparks that resemble lightning are due to an effect called triboluminescence . The sugar in the candy releases electrical energy when the crystals are compressed. The tiny charges attract nitrogen in the air, making miniature lightning bolts. Make It an Experiment: Get different types of hard candies and predict whether they will produce sparks in the dark. See if you can explain why some candies work better than others.

More 6th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas

Here are more ideas for projects to try:

• Test which brand of gum lasts the longest. Does it matter whether it contains sugar?
• What is the tallest tower you can build with 100 Legos?
• What is the fastest way to cool a soda?
• What metal is most resistant to corrosion by sea water?
• Does the shape of an ice cube affect how quickly it melts?
• Which soft drink sprays the most liquid after it is shaken?
• What type of sweetener do ants prefer?
• Does the color of a crayon affect how long of a line it will write?
• Do different types of knots affect the breaking strength of a rope?
• What type of air freshener makes a school bus smell best to the greatest number of students?
• How long does it take for milk to go “bad” refrigerated and unrefrigerated?
• Which apps run down a cell phone battery the fastest?

Related Posts

55 Super Fun Science Fair Projects For 6th Graders

Categories Activities & Ideas

Science is so fascinating, but it can sometimes be difficult to convince 11-year-olds that this is the case.

In order to capture their attention, you need to come up with something that will not only educate them, but also entertain them.

Below, we have listed 55 super fun science fair projects that 6th graders will love to try.

1. Carbon Sugar Snake

To start off this list, here’s an experiment that focuses on three heat-dependent chemical reactions. 

By lighting up some baking soda and sugar with a match, you can create a ‘snake’ made from carbon and sugar that continues to grow for up to 20 minutes!

2. Turn Milk into Plastic

With this experiment, you can teach your kids how to make plastic from lots of different materials, even including milk.

Once you’ve created the milky plastic, you can even melt and mold the organic casein polymer to make a new product.

3. Which Wheel Works Best?

This is a great way to teach kids about acceleration and velocity, and how the material of a wheel can affect the speed and resistance of a skateboard.

We don’t recommend trying this experiment if you’re not a very good skateboarder, however, as this could potentially result in injury.

4. Baking Soda-Powered Boat

By assembling a plastic bottle with some vinegar, baking soda, and a straw, you can create your very own mini speedboat.

The idea behind this experiment is very similar to making a baking soda volcano, as the chemical reaction creates pressure and movement.

5. Two-Stage Balloon Rocket

This is another experiment that kids can have lots of fun with, as well as learning all about how it works.

By attaching a balloon to the back of a straw, you can pump it up and release it across the room, allowing it to soar like a real life rocket.

6. Tiny Dancers (A Homopolar Motor)

By attaching a couple of wires and magnets to an AA battery, you can create your very own spinning ballerina!

You can even add some colorful crêpe paper to give your tiny dancer its very own tutu. Get creative, and learn all about how your dancer is spinning. 

7. Magic Spinning Pen

Magnets are some of the coolest tools ever, especially when you know how to use them to create fun tricks like these.

To create this magical spinning pen, you’ll need to use some small rods, a pen, a coin, and, of course, a couple of magnets.

8. Homemade Wigglebot

Did you know that you can make your very own robot using a plastic cup with googly eyes? This ‘robot’ can walk around all on its own!

This is another experiment that will teach your children how batteries work alongside motors.

9. Electromagnetic Train

Next up, we’ve got a science project that is so easy to set up, yet it will keep your kids entertained for hours.

An AAA battery attached to some magnets will become an electromagnetic train when placed at the entrance of a copper wire tunnel.

10. Holiday Card Circuits

Say goodbye to your run-of-the-mill handcrafted Christmas cards, and say hello to these impressive holiday card circuits.

By building a super simply circuit and taping it onto some cardboard, you can bring your festive designs to life… or, should we say, ‘to light ’? 

11. How to Make Fizzing Lemonade

Everybody loved carbonated drinks, but not everyone knows how they work. Where do the bubbles come from?!

Use this experiment to teach your kids (and yourself) how a chemical reaction using acid can turn your still drink into a bubbly one.

12. Solar-Powered Robot Bug

This solar-powered robot bug is also known as a ‘frightened grasshopper’. Why? Because it’s scared of the light!

Once you’ve assembled your robot bug, witness how it runs around when exposed to light, but comes to a standstill once it has been covered in shade.

13. Homemade Coffee Can Camera Obscura

Have your kids ever wondered how a camera works, or do they just accept it for what it is? If so, now is the time to teach them.

This camera is so easy to make from coffee cans and construction paper, and is so interesting and fun to use.

14. Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime

From mood rings to heat-sensitive lip gloss, it is always impressive when an object can change color. This is all thanks to thermochromic pigment.

Add some thermochromic pigment to homemade slime made from white glue and liquid starch, and watch the magic happen.

15. DIY Crystal Landscapes

Have you ever seen anything as pretty and colorful as these vibrant crystal landscapes? You will find it surprising how easy they are to make.

You’re going to need to mix together some liquid bluing with water, salt, coloring, and ammonia to create these beautiful crystal creations.

16. Glow in the Dark Jello

Uh, hello? Glow in the dark Jello? Just when you thought that jello couldn’t get any more fun and yummy, this edible experiment pops up.

Boil some light-colored Jello with tonic water, let it cool in a mold, and then turn the lights out for the real fun to begin. 

17. How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes?

We all know that gravity is what keeps our feet weighed to the ground, but what about plants? Does gravity affect the way they grow?

Make your own scientific container (made from a CD case), add some seeds, and switch up the directions every so often to test out this theory.

18. Seafloor Spreading Model

If you want to create a fun lesson plan to teach your students about the lithosphere, and how earthquakes occur, this is a great project to try out.

You will need to cut up a lot of paper for this project, so you can decide whether to do this beforehand, or to allow your students to fully make the project themselves.

19. The Science Behind Tsunamis

Tsunamis are terrifying natural occurrences, regardless of whether your hometown and country is at risk of them. 

Sometimes, learning about something can make it seem less scary. Teach your students about tsunamis using this experiment.

20. How Acidic Waters Make Rocks Disappear

It seems impossible to imagine that rocks can become worn down by water over time. With this project, you can work out how it happens, and why.

This is a great way to teach students about the effects of acidic water, and how stone can gradually become worn down and dissolved. 

21. Ice Cube vs. Wire

How could it be possible that one thin piece of wire could cleanly slice through an ice cube while leaving the rest of it intact?

Use a piece of wire and an ice cube to test the strange physics of water. To increase the fun, ask your students to guess how long it will take for the wire to split the cube.

22. DIY Heart Pump

Our bodies are fascinating vessels, and it can be so interesting to learn exactly what is going on inside ourselves.

This DIY heart pump may be a little fiddly to piece together, but once complete, you can show your students what is really going on inside their chests.

23. Engineering a Bridge

Engineering is a super fun and handy skill to have, whether it is something you want to make a career out of, or you’re just a crafty kind of person.

Use this sheet to ask your students how many popsicle sticks they think will need to create a sturdy bridge. Then, put their ideas to the test.

24. Earthquake Science Project

As we said earlier, sometimes knowing more about something (e.g., an earthquake) can make it seem a little less scary. 

This project involves creating sturdy structures, and then using books as a foundation to represent the earth’s plates. See how long your structures will stay standing, and work out how to improve them.

25. Magic Cloud in a Bottle

When we were kids, we thought clouds had the same texture as cotton candy, or the inside of a pillow. Nowadays, we know differently… but, do your students?

Teach them what a cloud really is by using rubbing alcohol and a pump to recreate what it really is, but in a smaller form.

26. Pop Rocks and Soda Science Experiment

Popping candy is so fun to eat, but do you know how it works? Why does it start popping when it goes into your mouth? (More on that later.)

For now, here is a fun variation on the ‘coke and Mentos’ experiment. Add some Pop Rocks into a bottle of soda, and see what happens…

27. Biodomes Engineering Design Project

By getting your students to design their very own biodome, they can learn more about how an ecosystem works.

You’re going to need some soil, seeds, sand, rocks, and even some creepy crawlies. Add them all into a plastic bottle, and take notes of what occurs inside.

28. Displacement and Buoyancy in Metal Boats

Archimedes’s principle, or the law of buoyancy, explains why some objects sink in water, while others don’t.

Use some foil and a bowl of water to test how well foil will float, depending on its size and shape. 

29. The Science Behind Edible Glass

Have you ever eaten glass? Normally we wouldn’t recommend it, but this edible glass is super tasty, and pretty easy to make.

Like real glass is formed through melted grains of sand, this glass is made from grains of sugar. Melt it on a baking sheet, allow it to cool, and then get eating (or smashing).

30. Cleaning Coins Experiment

When you begin to think about how many people have held the coins in your purse at some point, it can make your skin crawl a little. Coins are super dirty.

Try this experiment to see what material can clean coins the best, from apple juice to catsup. You’ll be surprised at how shiny your cents will be afterward!

31. Red Cabbage pH Indicator

Most people will remember learning about pH levels in school, and how much fun it was, seeing all the colors of the rainbow.

Blend up some red cabbage with water, and mix with everyday items – such as lemon juice and soda – to test their pH levels based on which color the liquid becomes.

32. Skittles Science Fair Project

Many of you may have seen this experiment through social media, with many people testing it out with their children at home.

This colorful project involves placing Skittles on a plate, and adding a couple of drops of water. Watch and see how the colors streak across each other.

33. Tooth Decay Egg Experiment

We all know that sugar is bad for our teeth, but how can you test that notion in a class of 6th graders? Well, by using some eggs!

Place hard-boiled eggs in separate containers filled with soda, energy drinks, orange juice, and milk, and wait to see how the eggs react to each liquid.

34. Science of Candy: Lightning in Your Mouth

Did you know that LifeSaver candy can glow in the dark? Yes , really! This is a great experiment to teach kids how friction can cause electricity, even in your mouth.

Go into a dark room, and chew on some wintergreen-flavored LifeSavers with your mouth open. Everyone around you will be able to see the lightning going off around your teeth.

35. Why Does Popping Candy Pop?

As we promised, here is an experiment that will teach children why popping candy does what it does!

There are tiny pockets of gas inside popping candy, which are released when exposed to liquid. Test this out by adding the candy to different kinds of liquids, from water to oil.

36. Which Fruits Rot the Fastest?

This is a pretty gross experiment, but it is still a fascinating one that the children are going to love. For this project, you will need to work with some rotting fruit.

Place different fruits in separate bowls, and observe how they decompose over the course of 14 days. Take note of what happens as they rot.

37. What Light or Heat Conditions are Favorable to Insects?

Have you ever been on your phone in a dark room, and a moth landed on the screen? Insects seem to be attracted to light… or, are they attracted to the heat of your phone?

Use this experiment to find out what conditions attract insects. You may want to avoid this one if you don’t like bugs, though.

38. Paper Towel Experiment

Paper towels are one of the world’s most underrated inventions, in our opinion. It really is fascinating how they can absorb so much liquid before breaking.

Is it really worth spending more money on a more expensive brand of paper towel? Test the theory by using different kinds of paper towels to clean up water, and see which works best.

39. Mini Marshmallow Launcher

This experiment can get a little messy, especially when kids are involved, so be warned before trying it…

Basically, this experiment is all about elasticity. You create a launcher using a balloon and a pool noodle, and use it to launch mini marshmallows around the room!

40. A Simple Ant Experiment

This is another messy experiment that will teach children more about creepy crawlies, and what they like to eat.

Find some ants, and use different kinds of food to lure them in. Take notes of which kind of food ants prefer to eat, and which ones they don’t like.

41. How to Make a Teleidoscope

Kaleidoscopes are truly magical contraptions, no matter what age you are. Did you know how easy it is to make your own at home?

This guide will teach you how to make your own teleidoscope ( a kaleidoscope without an end). All you need is some reflective sheets, colored paper, and a cardboard tube.

42. St Patrick’s Day Fizzing Pot Experiment

This experiment is kind of like those baking soda volcano experiments that we all made in school, but with an Irish twist.

Grab some small, black plastic pots, and add some baking soda, vinegar, and green food coloring inside. Give it a stir, and see what happens.

43. Seed Germinator

Is there anything more interesting than watching life form before your very eyes? By germinating some seeds, you can do this in your own classroom.

Use some fast germinating seeds, and place them in some soil on top of a coffee filter or paper towel inside a container. Watch them grow with each passing day.

44. The Biology of Yogurt

Yogurt is so tasty, but it can make some people feel a little weird when they think about what it is made out of. Live microorganisms have never tasted so good!

Providing that you have an oven on hand, along with some cooking utensils, you can show your children how to make homemade yogurt.

45. Pouring Water Down a String

String is super absorbent, which is what makes this experiment so fun and intriguing. All you’ll need is three materials to carry it out!

We recommend adding some food coloring to the water so that you can see the colors travelling through the string as it spreads.

46. How to Make a Modern Art Steady Hand Game

Anyone who has ever played a game of Operation will immediately know how this game works. Turns out, you can easily make this at home.

You will need some batteries, clip leads, copper wire, and more to create this fun game. Once the circuit is complete and the box has been built, you can start playing!

47. Rapid Color Changing Chemistry

We’re back with another magical color changing experiment! This time, you will be using vitamin C, iodine, liquid starch, and hydrogen peroxide to create a clock chemical reaction.

As you mix and pour each liquid into each other, you will notice that the color of the liquid will vastly change. 

48. Engineer a Cell Phone Stand

Science experiments are cool, but they’re even better when you get to create something that you can use more than once.

Use some popsicle sticks, paper clips, and rubber bands to make your very own cell phone stand. This will teach children how to make use of everyday objects, and recycle them.

49. Law of Inertia Experiment using a Fidget Spinner

The law of inertia states that if a person or object is moving at a constant speed in a straight line, they will continue to move until a force stops them. This force is, more often than not, friction.

You can test this law by using a light-up fidget spinner. Spin the fidget spinner without its lights on, and try again with them on. Time each try, and make note of your observations.

50. Catapults and Trajectory

This is probably the easiest experiment to attempt in this entire list. All you need are some wooden planks of different lengths and weights, and some random objects.

Try catapulting the same objects from different sized planks by stamping on them, and make note of how the size of the plank affects the trajectory of the object.

51. Lung Science Experiment

If you liked the DIY heart experiment, you will also like this one. Instead of making a replica of the human heart, this project recreates the human lungs.

You will need balloons, straws, and a clear plastic bottle for this experiment. One balloon will represent a healthy lung, while the second balloon (with another balloon inside) will represent a smoker’s lung.

52. Dissecting an Owl Pellet

Did you know that owls will regurgitate things that they have eaten that they cannot digest? These bones and pieces of gristle are spat out as a pellet.

Dissecting an owl pellet can be really interesting or really gross, depending on what kind of person you are. Either way, prepare to find some skeletons in your pellets!

53. Potato Battery

While we usually don’t recommend eating batteries, this is one battery that is actually pretty delicious. Yes, you can use a potato as a battery.

With some heavy copper wire, alligator clips, and some nails, you can connect a raw potato to a fully-functioning LED clock… and it will work !

54. Ice Cream in a Bag

This is probably the tastiest experiment in this list, and it is also one of the easiest. This is how you can make instant ice cream in a bag.

Fill a ziplock bag with ice and salt, and fill another bag with all the ingredients you need to make ice cream. Place the second bag in the first, and mush it around until it becomes ice cream!

55. Sugar Cookie Solar System

Finally, we have an entry that is not so much an experiment, but more of an activity that will help kids to learn about the planets in our solar system.

After all, what motivates children more than desserts?

Final Thoughts

Whether you have a child who’s interested in engineering, or they’re fascinating by stuff that changes color, there is something in this list for everyone. Each entry is as entertaining as it is educational!

We hope you found this guide helpful. Ready to learn more? Take a look at these 7th grade science experiment ideas .

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6th Grade Science Projects

By 6th grade, your child is a Science Fair expert! We have rounded up the best sixth grade science fair ideas. The projects get more and more challenging – but still very doable with minimal involvement from adults. So stay back and enjoy your child’s scientific curiosity and diligence.

In this post, we’ve assembled 19 great science fair project ideas for 6th grade. We link each project description to its original source, where you can get more information and step-by-step instructions.

Does Tea Stain your Teeth?

Using eggs and experimenting with different liquids, you can test to see what liquids, if any, will stain teeth.

Recommended for Grade 6.

Source: www.education.com

How Do Different pH Levels Affect Bean Growth

The purpose of this experiment is to test how beans grow in different pHs, and see if the chemical used to change the pH affected the beans’ response to the different pHs.

Source: www.freesciencefairprojects.com

Correlation between ring finger length and athletic ability

Does the length of your ring finger determine how accomplished of an athlete you are? This project guides you through the steps to find out.

Recommended for Grades 6-7.

Source:  www.all-science-fair-projects.com

Do People Have a Dominant Side of Their Brain?

These experiments will help the scientist to determine if people have a dominant hand, foot, eye or ear. A great behavioral discovery project.

Recommended for Grades 5-6.

Source: www.faculty.washington.edu

Playground Teeter-Totter

The goal of this project is to create a compound machine using pulleys and levers that would be able to lift a Barbie doll up and down by pulling a string by the player. A common problem on the playground is that you sometimes can’t find another person to go on the teeter totter with you.

Recommended for Grades 4-6.

Source: www.projects.juliantrubin.com

Making a Simple Sundial and Testing Its Accuracy

Learn how to make a sundial and then test its accuracy with a series of experiments.

Recommended for Grades 4-6

Source: www.explorable.com

Use the Energy in a Peanut to Heat Water

Just about everything has potential energy stored in it. The problem is releasing that energy to be able to do some work.

A tiny peanut contains stored chemical energy. When we eat them, the stored energy is converted by our bodies so we can do work. We can also use the energy in a peanut to heat a container of water.

Recommended for grades 4-6

Source: www.energyquest.ca.gov

Oil Spill Experiment

This experiment will demonstrate the detrimental effects of oil spills to marine life

Make Your Own Microscope with Water

Make a simple microscope using water and take a closer look at the world around you.

The lens you create with water works like a microscope or magnifying glass, allowing you to see objects in much greater detail than if you were just looking with the naked eye.

Source:  www.sciencekids.co.nz

How Does the pH of the Soil Affect the Type of Plants?

Plants’ survival can be based on the pH of the soil. This experiment lets you test soil pH based on the type of plants that live there.

Source: www.livescience.com

Surface Tension Experiment

Surface tension is one of water’s most important properties. It is the reason that water collects in drops, but it is also why water can travel up a plant stem, or get to your cells through the smallest blood vessels. You can experiment with surface tension using just a few household items.

Source: www.hometrainingtools.com

The Mechanics of Carnival Games

This site gives you the background and instructions for answering this age old carnival question…..Why are the “simple” games at carnivals so hard to win?

Source: www.sciencebuddies.com

Metal Conductivity

Discover which metals are best for a pot or a handle on the pot. This site guides you through the process of scientific discovery.

Taste and Smell

This experiment tests the relationship between taste and smell. The site offers great guidelines, links for research and much more.

Recommended for Grades 6-8.

Source: www.sciencefair.math.iit.edu

Does Chewing Gum Make You Smarter?

This will test the theory that chewing gum will help you perform better on tests and other mental challenges.

Recommended for grades 6-8.

Source:  www.education.com

Which Gear Gives the Best Performance in a Kart Race?

These two scientists give you all of their tips to reproduce this experiment on your own to determine who will win your race.

Source: www.pbskids.org

How to Power a Radio with Solar Power

Learn how to power up a radio using the power of the sun!

Source:  www.makeitsolar.com

The Science of Tsunamis

Find out what effect the water depth has on a wave’s velocity.

Recommended for Grade 6-8.

Source: www.sciencebuddies.co

Cleaning Coins

This project explores the effectiveness of various cleaning solutions in cleaning tarnished and oxidized coins.

6th Grade Science Fair Projects

• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

Ideas for 6th-grade science fair projects can be a challenge to conceive. Projects need to be sophisticated and elaborate enough to show complex thinking but not so complex that they would be impossible for a sixth-grader to execute. These are topics and experiments suitable for upper-grade school or entry-level middle school.

General Project Ideas

The ideas in this section and the following one are phrased as questions because that is generally how schools require sixth-grade students to announce their projects, as a question, or hypothesis , to be tested and answered.

• What types of fruits or vegetables are suitable for making a battery?
• Which apps run down a cell phone battery most quickly or use up a lot of data. This is a good project for making attractive graphs.
• How much paper is required to register for school? Can you propose a way to streamline the process to make it more environmentally friendly? Would this process save time or money?
• What exactly does a vacuum cleaner pick up? Use a magnifying glass or microscope to look at the contents of a bag or canister. What types of material are not picked up?
• Does coloring carbonated water change how its taste is perceived?
• How long does it take for milk to go "bad" refrigerated and unrefrigerated? What about juice?
• Do all crayons have the same melting points? Why or why not?
• Do different types of carbonated sodas have different pH? Do you think this can affect tooth decay?
• What types of fruits, vegetables, and flowers can be used to make a pH indicator? Make some indicator solution, write up a protocol, and test home chemicals to explore the color range of your solution.
• Can you tell different brands of soda pop apart based on taste?
• Do some plants grow better inside than outside?

More Complex Projects

The projects in this section tend to be slightly more complex than those suggested in the previous section. They are still appropriate for sixth-grade science fair projects but may take more steps and/or time to execute.

• What type of air freshener makes a school bus smell best to the greatest number of students?
• Which type of water contains the lowest amount of chlorine?
• What type of insulation holds in heat the best?
• Do different types of knots affect the breaking strength of a rope?
• Does wiping a doorknob with an antibacterial wipe really reduce the numbers of bacteria? Does using hand sanitizer really reduce the amount of bacteria on your hands?
• How do different flame retardants affect the flammability and burning rate of cotton?
• Which cooking method results in the least loss of vitamin C?
• Does temperature affect the maximum size you can inflate a balloon?
• Does the color of a crayon affect how long of a line it will write?
• Does changing the temperature affect how long a pen will last?
• Do all types of bread mold at the same rate?

Tips and Hints

By the sixth grade , students should have a good understanding of the steps of the scientific method . The best science fair project ideas will be ones with a hypothesis that is tested by an experiment. Then, the student decides whether to accept or reject the hypothesis and draws a conclusion. This is also a good grade level for presenting data in graphs and charts.

Parents and teachers need to understand that sixth-graders still need help with ideas, especially finding ideas that use materials that are readily available and that can be completed within the allotted time frame. One way to come up with a good idea is to look around the house and find topics a sixth-grader may have questions about. Brainstorm these questions and find ones that can be written as a testable hypothesis.

• 5th Grade Science Fair Projects
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50 Interesting 6th Grade Science Fair Projects and Classroom Activities

Sixth grade science covers a wide variety of topics and varies depending on the curriculum. We’ve rounded up the best 6th grade science fair projects to inspire kids, as well as classroom science demos and activities that will grab their attention.

Attributes: 6-8 Video

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6th Grade Science Fair Projects: Experiments, Investigations, And Model Building

January 10, 2024 //  by  Clover

Want to see your students dig into science without even realizing they’re studying? Showcase all your amazing STEM lessons by giving your kids the reins– they’ll jump out of their seats at the opportunity to build projects for the school science fair! Let your kiddos wow their parents, teachers, and peers with how they put their investigations into action. Check out these fabulous ideas and get ready to be amazed by your little scientific geniuses!

1. Carbon Sugar Snake Experiment

Who wouldn’t get excited by a ‘hand-made’ giant carbon sugar snake? This science experiment shows how a carbon snake is born by burning a mixture of baking soda and sugar. You’ll probably need to consider bringing this one outdoors, but the results will be totally worth it. 

Learn More: Kiwi Co

2. Irons in Breakfast Cereals

Did you know that extracting all the iron from your body could make two small nails? Let your students investigate this by finding out the amount of food-grade iron in their favorite breakfast cereals. For an even cooler school science project idea? Compare brands and make a bar chart to show the difference.

Learn More: Steve Spangler Science

3. Transform Milk into Plastic

How can my daily drinking milk become plastic? This activity will teach your kiddos the concept of plastic polymerization from natural resources such as milk and other dairy products. They’ll find it both disgusting and amazing!

Learn More: Science Buddies

4. The Competition of Skateboard Wheels

Have you got any skateboarding fans in your classroom? They’ll shred their way right through the science fair doors with this one! Bring on the research and inspect the material and tensile strength of various types of skateboard wheels to see how they affect the rebound.

Learn More: Education

5. Powered Boat by Baking Soda

Let’s level up the same science behind the classic baking soda volcano reaction with this fun boat race Have your kiddos place the materials for the experiment into a modified plastic bottle and then let them test their creations in a competitive race with fuel straight from the kitchen cabinet. 

6. Create Two-Stage Balloon Rocket

Give the science fair a glow-up with this two-stage balloon rocket experiment. Start by letting your kiddies build their rockets by tapping staws onto inflated balloons; thread some string through the straws and you’re ready for blast off! They’ll be learning about the same laws of motion used by airplanes and rockets!

7. The Sponge Gummy Bears

Behold! The mysterious secrets of gelatin! Turn your kids’ favorite gummy bears into giants by placing them in water and other solutions. This is an incredible food science project to learn about molecules and have FUN! The only rule- don’t eat your lab tools!

8. Motorized Tiny Characters

Have a science dance party! Your sixth-graders will love these DIY motorized characters who can dance from the simplest source of energy – a homopolar motor. This creative activity makes tiny dancers, but who knows what else your creative constructors will create?

Learn More: Babble Dabble Do

9. Magic Spinning Pens

This little experiment taps into loads of science skills for any stage. From the investigation to the trial and research, your learners will see what it takes to balance a pen by sheer magnetism. Sounds easy? Think again! They’ll need lots of adjustments in the magnet size and positioning to get a perfect balance.

Learn More: Frugal Fun For Boys And Girl

10. Create a WiggleBot

“Bleep-bleep-bloop!” Introduce your class to the world of robotics with this fantastic activity. The materials used are easy to find and they’ll love creating these tiny mini-creatures who can draw on their own! What a perfect introduction to learning about power, electrical energy, and its sources.

Learn More: Research Parent

11. Build an Electro-Magnetic Train

Let your kiddos tinker away with this super fun railway activity. They’ll create a hypothesis and speculate on what needs to be adjusted with the energy source and wire lengths to make the train run smoothly. This experiment is a great introduction to the scientific process for them!

Learn More: Frugal Fun For Boys And Girls

12. Handmade Holiday Greeting Card Circuits

Everyone loves a festive greeting card! Why not add some science into the holiday season by guiding your little learners to make circuits and embed them into their cards? They’ll explore variables that affect the flow of electricity such as using wood versus rubber. Their results will light up the room!

13. A Solar-Powered Robot Grasshopper

A scary robot grasshopper that vibrates when it’s placed near any light? WHAT?!? Have your kiddos record this cool grasshopper’s level of movement under different amounts of light and solar power to let them get a better understanding of how this cool tech works!

14. Camera Obscura by Recycled Cans

This handmade camera will take your kids back in time and will quickly become their favorite “new” tool. They’ll start to understand modern photography, by exploring the fundamental principles of how a camera works. What a fabulous pitch for the school science fair! Come on everybody, say cheese!

15. A Heat-Sensitive, Color-Changing Experience

Mood rings and lipsticks that change color are always fascinating for kids. You’ll uncover the magic of these cool items by introducing them to the color-changing element of thermochromic pigment. Create some amazing color-changing slime as an example and let your 6th graders get gooey while they learn more! 

Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain

16. Make Your Own Crystal Landscapes

It’s alive! Or is it? Let your kids extend their middle school science understanding by delving into the mind-blowing phenomenon of crystal growth. They’ll create a spectacular crystal landscape that’s sure to add dazzle to your science fair. When purchasing ingredients in the US, modify your recipe by using Epsom Salt.

17. Roots Grow Versus Gravity Experiment

Gravity keeps us on the ground, but does it also affect plants’ growth here on the earth? Let your kiddies find out with this fun windowsill activity that’ll be sure to blow minds at the science fair. They’ll be amazed to see roots growing every which way, as they use gravity as a variable!

18. Seafloor Spreading and the Earthquakes

What happens when the seafloor spreads? Let’s bring all the science of tectonic plates to life! Using some folded paper and a cardboard cylinder, your kiddos will create a working model of how new rock is formed on the ocean’s floor! 

19. How Plants Help Prevent Tsunami Impact

We all know how destructive the force of a tsunami can be, but did you know that planting trees can help prevent destruction from these natural disasters? Have your kiddos create their very own coastal landscapes, complete with buildings and greenery, then have them recreate a tsunami with some water and assess the damage! 

Learn More: YouTube

20. How Acidic Water ‘Eats’ Rocks

Can rocks be dissolved in a liquid like sugar in coffee or tea? In this geology science experiment, your students will use a scientific method to investigate how rocks are being ‘eaten’ by acidic water. In your classroom, you’ll be using vinegar concentrations, but you can extend your kids’ learning by exploring what sorts of acids might be eroding rocks out in nature.

21. Cutting Ice Cubes With Wire

Give a whole new meaning to “break the ice”! Did your middle school students know that they can cut through an ice cube with just a piece of wire and some weights? Demonstrate the method for them as they learn about regelation and the physics of water. All that’s left is for them to have a go themselves! 

22. Growing Bateria

Don’t do this activity after lunch! Have your kiddies find samples around their homes or in school for testing to reveal the hidden bacteria in each place. It’s easy to make up some petri dishes and then all your little microbiologists will need to do is swab their samples! The results might surprise them!

23. Heart Pump Model

It might be ‘heart’ to believe, but your kiddos can make a model of a human heart ventricle, using everyday items from around the house! By following the instructions, they can assemble their model made from plastic bottles, balloons, and straws, helping them learn about the complex inner workings of the cardiovascular system. 

Learn More: Tina’s Dynamic Home School Plus

24. Building a Stick Bridge

Explore the vast array of bridge designs across the world and put your learners’ creativity and engineering skills to the test. Your kiddos will experiment with popsicle sticks to build bridges and find out which model is the safest and holds the most weight.

Learn More: Scholastic

25. Building Stable Frameworks for Earthquakes

Your future engineers will explore building construction from a safety perspective with this next idea!  Have them build some different structures with popsicle sticks then see how they stand up to a (kiddie-made) earthquake!

Learn More: Science Love to Know

26. Forming Magic Cloud

This easy 6th-grade science project brings a few welcome clouds to the sunny atmosphere of your science fair. Make a cloud in a bottle using some rubbing alcohol and send your fair-weather friends packing. Want extra experiments? Try twisting the cap back, re-pressurizing the bottle, and see what happens next!

27. Designing Biodomes

This amazing engineering project challenges your kiddos to create a scale-model biodome! They’ll be able to observe reactions in ecosystems, environments, and food chains, and at the same time, explore the energy flow. What a super hands-on way to introduce them to the topic of plants and animals’ basic needs and the interdependence of an ecosystem.

Learn More: Teach Engineering

28. The Archimedes Squeeze

Challenge your class to test Archimedes’s principles like real engineers back in the day in this hydrodynamic project! Using aluminum foil balls varying in diameter they’ll learn all about water displacement as they submerge them and weigh what spills over. They’ll be making a splash in the name of science!

29. Cleaning Coins

Let your kiddos explore the science of cleaning! Give them a couple of different cleaning solutions to experiment with to find out what works and what doesn’t! Then brainstorm and further the experiment to figure out why some things work better than others.

Learn More: Gally Kids

30. Make Your Own PH Indicator

Don’t have an expensive pH tester? Well, it turns out you don’t need one! Explore the pH scale and let your middle school students make their own indicator solution with a simple ingredient from the grocery aisle; red cabbage! Grocery store science at its finest!

Learn More: Compound Interest

31. Skittles Science Fair Project

Show off all the colors of the rainbow in this beautiful experiment. We’re sure your kiddos love playing with food, especially candy, and this is certainly no exception! This is a fun and visually impressive way to help them learn about diffusion and balanced solutions! Who knew science could be so colorful?

32. Tooth Decay Egg Experiment

We all know that lots of sugary drinks can damage our teeth, but which ones are the worst? Challenge your kiddies to find out in this simple experiment! Teach them about tooth enamel and how food can damage it, using eggs to represent teeth. Let them dunk their eggs into different drinks and see what happens! They’ll be shocked by the results!

Learn More: The Forsyth Institute

33. Lightning in Your Mouth

If you tell your kiddos that they can create lightning in their mouths, it’s likely that they won’t believe you! All you’ll need to prove them wrong is a mirror, a dark room, and some wint-o-green flavored Life Savers to show off some amazing electrical power. Your students will learn about how lightning is made whilst snacking on a delicious treat!

Learn More: Exploratorium

34. Popping Candy

Using another delicious treat, investigate why popping candy pops. Set up some bowls with oil, water, or vinegar, and have your kiddos add the popping candy! All that’s left is to step back and watch the magic happen!

Learn More: Science Sparks

35. Fruit Rot

This one is certainly a stinky experiment! Let your little scientists test to see which fruit rots the quickest and they’ll learn about the ripening process, too. You can try adjusting this experiment to test what substances are the best for preventing fruit rot. Just make sure they don’t eat any of the fruit!

36. What Attracts Insects

If you don’t like creepy crawlies, look away now! In this experiment your learners will set up bug traps to determine what exactly attracts bugs; heat, light, or both! They’ll also discover exactly what kind of heat and light works the best for attracting certain bugs, whilst learning more about the insect life cycle, too.

Learn More: Science Projects

37. Paper Towel Experiment

Which paper towel is the best for absorbing liquid? This super simple experiment is a fantastic way to have your kiddies focus on the scientific method and process. Have them test out different brands of paper towels to test which mops up spills most efficiently! Finally, an experiment that cleans itself up!

Learn More: Explorable

38. Mini Marshmallow Launcher

This is certainly a fun experiment to try! Using a plastic cup cut in half and a balloon, your kiddos will build their very own contraption to launch some mini marshmallows. This activity is a super fun introduction to physics, and we’re pretty sure there will be some taste testing going on here too, in the name of science, of course!

Learn More: Science Fun

39. Paper Airplane

Can your kids come up with the ultimate paper airplane? Let them investigate and discover the best design for a paper airplane by testing out different models for their distance, accuracy, and flight time. You can find many examples of paper airplane designs online, and you can also challenge them to create their own paper airplane designs. Ready for take-off!

Learn More: Science Fair Math

40. Simple Ant Experiment

Take learning outside with this fantastic idea! Have your students find some ants, then place a few different pieces of food nearby. As they come back over the next few hours, they’ll make observations and determine which foods the ants liked best. Just take care to not get bitten! 

Learn More: Mother Natured

41. DIY Taleidoscope

A taleidoscope is just like a kaleidoscope, but without an end to it, meaning that it is perfect for your kiddos to explore the world around them! Challenge them to have a go at making this interesting contraption to learn more about mirrors and light reflection in a fun, hands-on way.

42. Walking on Eggs

You’ll definitely want to do this one outside! By learning to stand in a way that distributes their weight evenly, your students will be able to walk across these eggs without breaking them. It’s a super exciting way for them to learn about weight distribution and the amazing properties of eggs. They’ll soon be ‘ egg-sperts’ on this topic!

43. St Patrick’s Day Fizzing Pot

This experiment is a unique take on the classic volcano experiment but with a St Patrick’s Day twist! Your kiddies will learn about chemical reactions as they predict what will happen when they add baking soda to their vinegar and green food dye mix! Remember to add some golden glitter; a leprechaun’s pot isn’t complete without some gold in it!

Learn More: Little Bins For Little Hands

44. Seed Germinator

Find out about the amazing properties of a humble seed and how they grow! Your little botanists will be able to witness for themselves how seeds turn into seedlings as they let these ones germinate on a petri dish! As the seedlings grow, your kids’ knowledge will too.

45. Naked Egg Experiment

Avert your eyes! These eggs are naked! By making their own “naked” eggs, by placing regular eggs into vinegar, your students will learn about the process of osmosis and chemical reactions! They might even notice that the egg changes size once it’s been stripped of its shell! 

46. Pouring Water Down a String

Your kiddos will be amazed as they watch water walk on a tightrope in this amazing experiment! It’s so easy to try with just a string, an empty clear container, and some water! Soak the string in water then hold it into the glass and see how the water moves down the string. They’ll be exploring surface tension as they marvel at how the water appears to defy gravity!

Learn More: Metro Family Magazine

47. Steady Hands

Create your own “Operation” game right in your classroom with a battery pack and some wires. Have your learners carefully contort the wire to create an obstacle course that they’ll then need to navigate without making contact and setting off a buzzer!

48. Water Color Chemistry

Sometimes known as the iodine clock experiment, this fun activity is a great opportunity to get (gloved) hands-on with some chemicals! Using a variety of chemicals, your kiddos will watch as starch and Vitamin C battle it out; the starch trying to turn the iodine in the mixture blue. What are you waiting for? Grab some safety goggles and get mixing! 

Learn More: Science Bob

49. Cell Phone Stand

This project is super simple and your 6th graders will be sure to find it useful. Have them make their own stands for their cell phones. They’ll love having an easy way to show someone a meme or hold their phone up as they film a TikTok dance. Grab some popsicle sticks and paper clips and get gluing!

50. Floating Ball Trick

Using air and science your learners can make people believe they’re making a ping pong ball float in mid-air! Start them off with a plastic bottle or paper cone, and a straw, and once they’ve assembled it, they can use their breath to make the ball float; so cool!

51. Fidgeting With The Center of Mass

Make this complicated physics topic a little easier to understand for your learners by relating it to the infamous fidget spinner! Using a light-up fidget spinner, your kiddos can experiment by removing some of the lights to change how the mass is distributed. Then you can encourage them to observe any differences in how the toy moves as these changes are made! 

Learn More: From Engineer To SAHM

52. Catapult to First Prize

For this exciting experiment, your kiddos will need to build their own catapult! You can guide them to make one easily out of some recycled materials like some pieces of wood, or a wooden spoon and some paper towel rolls. All that’s left is to grab some objects, take aim, and send them flying!

Learn More: Education Possible

53. Balloon Lungs

Not only is this a fun experiment to make, but it will also teach your kids an important lesson about lung health and safety! Have them cut the bottom off a plastic bottle, then use balloons and straws to create ready-to-inflate lungs. This amazing idea gives them a visual of how our lungs do their job!

Learn More: Surviving A Teacher’s Salary

54. What Do Owls Eat?

Are your kiddos curious about animals, their diet, and their digestion? Well, if they aren’t, they will be soon! Owls are particularly unique in how they swallow and digest their food in that they swallow their food whole, but cannot digest parts like fur or bones. Take your class out in search of some owl pellets and get learning!

Learn More: Gift Of Curiosity

55. Potato Battery

Is a science fair even a science fair if it doesn’t feature this classic science experiment? Have your little scientists explore the electrifying properties of the humble potato! Did you know it also works with any fruit or vegetable high in potassium? Let your class get creative and make some energy!

Learn More: Kidz World

57. Build a DIY Grow Box

If it’s too cold out to grow plants outdoors, have your young scientists build their own grow boxes! Line a box with foil, add a UV lamp, and watch the magic happen! They’ll love the chance to grow a whole host of different plants and monitor their progress.

Learn More: Uplifting Mayhem

58. Purify Water With Charcoal

You’d never think something as dirty as charcoal could actually be used to clean! In this science experiment, your students will discover ways to clean drinking water by creating a filter using activated carbon. This simple experiment will shine a light on the importance of clean drinking water and is sure to be a science fair eye-opener!

Learn More: The Homeschool Scientist

59. Acid Rain Experiment

Simulate the effects of acid rain on plant life in this hands-on science experiment! Let your kiddos observe the effects of this weather phenomenon by observing how plants react when placed in a mini greenhouse containing vinegar versus one containing only water. The results are truly drastic!

Learn More: STEAM Powered Family

60. Build a Barometer

This easy science project encourages your kids to make a barometer to measure air pressure and weather changes! Use household items, including metal cans, wire, and rubber bands, to make to create this scientific instrument and track air pressure along with weather changes. They could even try their hand at predicting the weather!

Learn More: KC Edventures

61. Build a Wave Machine

A few simple materials are all you need to make this ingenious wave machine! These are useful for studying sound waves, energy transfer, frequency, amplitude, and more! A bit of measurement, some skewers, clay, and the versatile roll of duct tape are all your kiddies will need to make this science project come to life.

Learn More: Engaging Science Labs

62. Build a Solar Oven

This classic childhood science project is one that has endured the ages – the solar oven! Pizza boxes, foil, and some plastic wrap turn a simple chunk of cardboard into an amazing experience that teaches your class all about reflection, refraction, heat, and energy. Not to mention, the end result is absolutely delicious! Solar s’mores, anyone?

Learn More: Child Sci

63. Make Mummified Apples

This creepy science project results in a great display that blends history and science! After a bit of research on mummification in your ancient Egyptians topic, let your little ones try out the process on some apples. Have them try out different substances such as salt and baking powder to see which is most effective!

Learn More: Raising Arizona Kids

64.  Popcorn Investigation

Have you ever noticed how different brands of popcorn always produce different amounts of leftover kernels? It’s time to set your learners on a mission to discover which brands produce the most and least amount of waste! Have them work through the scientific process of testing, recording, and comparing in this fun project!

Learn More: K Muska Science

65. Windmill Engineering

This wind-powered science project provides a firsthand look into the power of wind and wind turbines. Using household materials, your young scientists will create a windmill model and engineer it to power a Lego Minifigure Lift. What a great way to encourage perseverance and ingenuity!

66. Learn to Code With Robots

Beginners and enthusiasts alike can never go wrong with a science project that includes coding! Your young coders will show off the process of designing and writing the code for high-tech robots to complete various tasks. This colorful coding mat makes an amazing addition to any science fair display!

Learn More: Facebook

67. Test Sunscreen Effectiveness

A blue-ribbon winning science fair project for anyone who loves a day at the beach.  This project takes a look into the effectiveness of different sunscreens in order to determine which is better to use. This project is a great test of the scientific method and provides a real-world connection that is invaluable info for anyone who visits the booth.

Learn More: Pinterest

68. Research and Compare Sugar Content

This eye-opening science fair project shines a light on the sugar content in what we drink every day. Taking a variety of drinks, your kiddies will predict and measure the actual sugar content of each drink to provide a visual display of the amount of sugar in each brand. This one will definitely make them think twice on their next visit to the vending machine!

69. Play With Magnetism

This fun science project seeks to show your learners the effects of magnetism and ingenuity. Using earth magnets, batteries, and a few other simple materials, this experiment seeks to create a fun spinning top toy that is self-powered, through the presence of a magnetic field! Who said science isn’t like playtime? Definitely not a middle schooler with a rocking science fair project like this!

70. Make Pumpkin Slime

This gross science experiment puts a fun twist on the classic slime-making project. Add water, liquid glue, and liquid start to a healthy serving of pumpkin guts, and watch the magic happen! Your kids will squirm as it morphs into a disgustingly viscous substance that’s perfect for Halloween fun!

71. Baby Product Testing

Some of the best science fair projects are ones that are relevant, valid, and helpful! This science fair project is great for any kids in your class who are big brothers or sisters! Have them dig into the scientific method and determine which diapers are more absorbent and offer more bang for your buck!

Learn More: Kids Out And About

72. Stain Fighting Science

Another promising product-testing science fair project is to determine the usefulness and effectiveness of different cleaning solutions. This project has your kids test different laundry products and use the scientific method to determine the best choice for removing hard-to-clean stains. As an extension activity, add a research project on PFAs.

Learn More: Inspiration Laboratories

73. Test the Five-Second Rule

Ah yes, the timeless ‘five-second rule’. We all know it, and the story goes that any food dropped on the floor is still safe to eat if picked up within five seconds. But is that true? This fun science experiment lets your kiddos test that hypothesis and uncover the real truth behind the five-second myth by analyzing bacteria growth on dropped food products.

Learn More: Sassy Cassy Sews

74. Salty Circuits

Did you know that you can create a model of a circuit using salt? It’s new to us too! This science fair project models how circuits can be created by using salt, liquid watercolor, and a few bits of electrical wire. This is an easy science fair project for kiddos that will definitely light up the judges.

75. Make the Best Cookies Ever!

Everyone loves a cookie, so why not turn them into a science fair project? Get your learners looking into how different amounts and types of fat (butter, shortening, coconut oil, etc) have an effect on the overall taste and texture of a cookie. While it takes some prep and a few rounds of baking, this science fair project is definitely a tasty way to win!

76.  Test Teeth Whiteners

Product testing is always a popular choice for science fair projects. Your students can use a project like this one that uses stained hard-boiled eggs as stand-ins for human teeth. Guide them to come up with a hypothesis, and then test different kinds of toothpaste and teeth whiteners to determine which one is best!

77. Study Sibling Similarities

Do siblings have similar fingerprints? This unique science fair project will see your kiddos take a deep dive into how fingerprint types occur within families and sibling groups. By sampling many family groups, they can discover that fingerprint types are also inherited traits!

Learn More: Easy Peasy Science

78. Just How Greasy Are Those Chips?

If your hands are always covered in grease after eating chips, what does that say about the amount of grease in the whole bag? In this science fair project, your kiddos will aim to prove the amount of fat in chips by removing it and determining its overall weight. It sounds gross, but it’s going to be eye-opening!

79. Science for Sports Fans

The perfect project for your baseball fans! Grab a few different styles of baseball bats and let them complete this experiment to uncover which bats have the capability to hit the furthest. What an amazing way to work through the scientific process for your kinesthetic learners!

80. Tiny Tesla Coils

Tesla coils are amazing devices, but they’re huge and can be quite dangerous. Have your learners bring this down to a manageable experiment by building their own mini Tesla coils with just a few simple materials. This project will surely be a bright spot at the science fair this year!

81. Build a Water Fountain

This STEM-focused project seeks to examine water circulation by using recycled materials to create a homemade water fountain. Plastic bottles, some tubing, and water are just a few resources your kiddies will need to get moving on this amazing idea. 

Learn STEM by Doing (and having fun)!

Winning Science Fair Projects [Get Inspired By Past Winners!]

Have you won a science fair project?  Interested in sharing your idea?

What we’ve seen in 100s of winning science fair projects.

First, some projects are more advanced.  Some projects were winners in national science fairs.  However, that doesn’t mean a scaled-down version can’t be tried.  Or, maybe an alternative approach.

Second, many of these science fair projects were completed through a mentorship program.  What’s that??  Many universities offer mentor programs geared towards younger students.  These programs pair students with a research lab and faculty member.  Students do experiments with faculty members.  Check out our STEMium camp listings to see more examples.  Typically, programs recruit high school students.  However, if your student is in earlier grades, keep this in mind and explore opportunities in your area.

Third, a ton of solutions center on climate/environment science.  Very cool!!

Finally, ALL of the projects solve a problem or answer a question.  Read through the list and think about your “every day” problems.  Could you solve one with your own science fair project?

We don’t provide full experimental details –  that’s up to you!  Leave a comment below if you’re stuck on how to get started.  Still not sure where to start??  Feel free to check out our germiest spot in school experiment,   alka-seltzer bottle rockets , or our slime science fair project , which can be done in 1-3 days.  Let’s science!

List of winning science fair projects

• Can air quality be measured with an Arduino device?
• Can plants survive without sunlight?
• Effects of ammonium nitrate concentrations on cold pack temperatures
• Effect of wi-fi signals on the growth of peapods
• How does vitamin C concentration change in cut fruits over time?
• Can ocean acidification be lowered with aquatic plants?
• Examining effects of food on glycemic index after eating
• How does air pollution and weather effect solar cell output?
• What is the effect of more turns in the coil on the amount of electricity created?
• How long can a mechanical pencil lead be before it breaks?
• Can forest fires be predicted using artificial intelligence?
• How strong are bioplastic bags?
• How do different fabrics reduce concentration of polluted air?
• Can water be extracted from humid air?
• Which mouthwash is most effective at killing bacteria?
• Which grows faster: sideways plants vs. upright plants?
• How can microplastics be removed from ocean water?
• What blood pressure monitor gives the most consistent readings?
• What works better for memory retention:  handwriting notes or typing?
• Does text font/color affect user readability?
• How does weather change mood?
• The effects of listening to music while studying
• How do soil types change plant growth rates?
• Can eggshells make plants grow faster?
• Which liquids evaporate faster?
• How does paper airplane design affect speed and distance?
• Which sunglasses offer the best UV protection?
• How does sleep duration affect the body?
• Apple Watch vs. Fitbit vs. Garmin – which wearable offers the best heart rate accuracy?
• How does dog saliva affect bacterial growth?
• How effective are UV lights at killing bacteria?
• Which stain remover removes stains the best?
• Do all crayons have the same melting temperature?
• Measuring sugar content with a laser pointer
• Do more expensive batteries last longer (and are they worth it)?
• Which sunscreen/SPF level provides the best protection?
• Effects of pH on plant growth rates
• Does exercise change body temperature?
• How does iPad use before bed affect sleep?
• Do video games raise your heart rate?
• How does temperature affect magnetic strength?
• Which nail polish lasts the longest?
• How does acid rain effect plants?
• What types of orange juice have the highest vitamin C concentration?
• Can sugar make you focus more?
• Which diaper is best for your baby?
• Do different types of toilet paper have different absorption properties?
• Effect of baking powder on muffins
• Finding which biofuel has the most energy – vegetable oil vs. algae
• How does the catcher influence the pitcher’s accuracy in baseball?
• Effects of hydrogen peroxide on plant germination and growth
• How C. elegans are effected by anti-oxidants and UV light
• Evaluating the 5-second rule
• Does chewing gum improve your concentration?
• How can you win at rock, paper, scissors?
• Effect of baseball bat material on the distance of a hit ball
• Effect of clothing on perceived intelligence
• Can a low-carb diet change cardiovascular markers?
• Which fruit generates the most electricity?
• Are fingerprints hereditary?
• How much fat is in your food?
• Detecting and removing of pesticides from produce
• Which accent is most appealing?
• Which travel mug keeps liquids hot the longest?
• Which brand of bath bomb dissolves the fastest?
• Dog or human: who has the cleaner mouth?
• How salty does water need to be to make an egg float?
• Effect of fabric softener on the flammability of fabric
• Which propeller is best at harnessing the wind?
• How does music type effect customer purchases in a store?
• Can bacterial strains be used to degrade plastics?
• Effects of heat on enzyme activity
• An affordable Braille embosser
• Using a Raspberry Pi-based solar tracker to improve solar panel output
• Pill case reminder system
• Computerized signal for students with ADHD
• Engineering algal bioscrubbers to prevent global warming
• Removing impurities from ground water
• Bacterial strains to create fuel cells
• Facial recognition alert system for Alzheimer’s patients
• Do air temperatures affect candle burning rates?
• Effects of lead in water on yeast
• Testing antimicrobial effects of spices
• Are all forms of phone distraction equal while driving?
• How do shellfish adapt to new environments?
• Are kids that eat school lunches more likely to be obese than students that eat food from home?
• How much bacteria is on your orthodontic retainer?
• Who’s more addicted to a smartphone: parents or kids?
• Do introverts have better memories than extroverts?
• How does color affect eyesight?
• How does noise pollution effect plant growth?
• How effective are homeopathic mosquito repellents?
• Does breakfast improve student performance in the first hour of school?
• What type of dog is most likely to be adopted?
• Effects of sugar/sugar substitutes on yeast energy output
• Hydro-focused battery charging station
• Do deflated footballs go further than fully inflated balls?
• AI-powered tornado detection system
• Effects of sugar on children with ADHD
• EEG-powered remote control car
• How does color affect memory recall?
• Improving conduction in a solar-powered oven
• Smartphone-powered disease diagnostic device (many of these!)
• Adapting window blinds for solar panels

Still not sure what to do??  Look at The Simpson’s science fair projects!

After literally decades on the air, The Simpson’s even covered the science fair!  Plenty of projects to inspire you such as…

Duffless (Season 4, Episode 16)

In our first example, Lisa grows a gigantic tomato with anabolic steroids.  Unfortunately, Bart intervenes, tomato gets destroyed and Lisa must come up with another project.  Her solution:  is my brother dumber than a hamster?

The Genesis Tub (Season 8, Episode 1)

Another Bart/Lisa science fair rivalry, but this time with a Halloween twist.  Her initial project idea is pretty good!  Can soda dissolve a tooth?  However, things go off the rails from there.

E-I-E-I-Annoying Grunt (Season 11, Episode 5)

Final example:  Less of a “traditional” project, but as the Simpsons are hiding out on a farm, Homer decides to try planting crops.  When Marge suggests fertilizer, Homer borrows plutonium from the power plant.  The result – a new hybrid tomato is born!

CONCLUSION:  It’s not whether you win or lose…  it’s how you do your science!

I’ll never forget my younger daughter’s second science fair experience.  She and her partner did a great job brainstorming ideas.  Then, the enthusiasm waned a bit.  Then, it came back!  After ~3 weekends the final project came together.  Overall, the parents really stood back and let them run with things.

While I helped construct a demo volcano, the board was entirely done by them (3rd grader style complete with Christmas lights!).  You might imagine that it might not have been as sharp in quality as others that had more parental assistance.  🙂

You know what?  It didn’t matter…

At the presentation, they knew their stuff!

They clearly communicated their hypothesis, their experimental design, results and conclusions.

Then…

THEY BLEW UP A VOLCANO!!  WOOHOO!!

When they came back to find a 1st place ribbon, the smiles were ear to ear!  Tons of shrieks and giggles!  Winning science fair projects don’t always start that way.  In the end, what’s most important — have a positive experience.

If you’ve won a science fair competition, share your project in the comments and what your winning strategy involved!  Or, if you’re struggling to narrow it down, share some ideas.

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• Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids, Middle & High School Students ⋅

Cool Sixth-Grade Science Project Ideas

Banana Science Projects

When students reach the sixth grade, they begin to investigate many significant scientific topics, such as the makeup of matter, atmospheric phenomena and organisms’ reproductive methods. One common method of investigation is the science project. These activities teach specific knowledge, but they also show students how to measure data, assess findings and follow procedures -- the basis of rigorous scientific exploration. Science project ideas are plentiful. The best of these encourage students to investigate specific scientific topics while practicing sound scientific methods.

Attack of the Cloned Cabbage

Plants reproduce through sexual reproduction, as when they create seeds, but they can also reproduce asexually in what is called cloning or vegetative propagation. To show this, gather a camera, a marker, two resealable plastic bags, two paper towels, a spray bottle, a cutting board, a knife and a head of Napa cabbage. Cut the stem from the bottom of the cabbage and remove one of the leaves. Photograph each piece. Dampen the paper towels with the spray bottle, then wrap one around the stem and one around the leaf. Place each into its own bag, being sure to mark each bag with the type of piece inside. Check on the pieces each day for a week, and don’t forget to take pictures and make progress notes. By the end of the week, the stem will have begun to send out little roots, while the leaf will have rotted. The stem, then, can clone itself. Any cabbage that grows from the new roots will be an exact genetic duplicate of the original cabbage.

Don't Touch That Bread

Scientists estimate that the number of mold species in the world is over 300,000, some of which have beneficial properties. Students can see the differences between molds in the air and on a surface by growing mold on sliced bread. For the experiment, collect two slices of wheat bread, two resealable bags, a spray bottle, a marker and a magnifying glass. Spray the first slice of bread lightly with the water and place it in a bag. Wipe the second slice of bread across a household surface, such as a kitchen counter. Spray this slice with water and slip it into the second bag. Seal both bags, label them and place them somewhere dark and warm. Observe what happens to the slices over the course of a week. When the week is over, use the magnifying glass to note the differences between the mold on each slice. Be sure not to touch or inhale the mold.

Do I Have to Eat My Breakfast?

Common advice educators give students is to always eat before a test. Determine whether this advice is sound with this test of the effect of food on mental performance. Find 10 to 20 volunteers, food for each and mental tasks for each, such as crossword puzzles. Divide the subjects into two groups, instructing the first group not to eat for about five hours before the test. Feed the second group, then have everyone complete their tasks. Score the tasks and record the results. Wait a few days, then have the first group eat and the second group fast. Give them the same tasks, only alter them so that they appear new. Score the tasks and record the findings.

Science From the Sky

Students can use basic household objects to determine whether the type of material a parachute is made of will affect its air resistance. Get creative with the parachute material; try a plastic bag, a brown paper bag, notebook paper, a handkerchief and plastic wrap. Cut each material into a square, all the same size, then craft a parachute from each material by tying a 1-foot piece of string to each corner and attaching a small object to the bottom of the strings. Be sure to use the same object for each parachute so that the results are not skewed. Drop each parachute from the same height and use a stopwatch to record the amount of time it takes each to reach the ground. Determine which material had greater air resistance — this is the material that fell the slowest.

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• Discovery Education: Why Do a Science Fair?
• California Department of Education: Science Content Standards for California Public Schools
• Education.com: Regrow Cabbage
• Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom: Why Is My Bread Fuzzy?
• Education.com: Is It Better to Eat a Large Meal Before or After a Test?
• Education.com: How Do Different Materials Affect Air Resistance?

About the Author

Melissa Harr is a writer and knitting pattern designer with a range of publication credits. Her latest work includes blogging for Smudge Yarns, judging fiction for Ink & Insights 2015 and creating patterns for I Like Knitting magazine. Harr holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a CELTA.

Photo Credits

Laura Beth Drilling/Demand Media

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Science Struck

A Really Interesting List of 6th Grade Science Experiments

Science experiments help kids understand certain basics and fundamentals of science in a fun way. Experiments are set up according to their level and skills. In this ScienceStruck article, you shall find some topic ideas and experiments for 6th grade students.

Like it? Share it!

Reaching 6th grade is fun because then you become eligible to perform middle school experiments that may capture your interest a lot. Performing science experiments is not only interesting, but it also develops analytical skill that may prove useful in the future when working on research projects. Students are enthusiastic about performing science experiments because it gives them the opportunity to exhibit their analytical and creative skills.

Science Experiments for 6th Graders

You should go through the laboratory safety guidelines and the procedure for handling the laboratory equipment before starting any experiments to avoid any mishaps. In 6th grade, students are allowed to handle instruments and samples that are safe, and do not involve any risks. Handling fire or strong chemicals is usually not a part of 6th grade projects. Here are some fun science experiments for 6th graders.

The Egg Experiment

This is one of the most commonly used substance for 6th grade science experiments. With eggs students can learn rules and laws of science. They can perform a number of practicals, that can include observation of eggs sinking or floating on changing the density of the water, or the difference in composition of hard-boiled eggs and raw eggs.

Set up the experiment in different containers. The first containing plain water, the second containing sugar and the third containing salt. Now, dip the eggs in each container and record the results. Try to analyze the results with the help of your teacher. You can also find out the differences between hard-boiled eggs and raw eggs by allowing it to spin.

Evaporation of Water

In this science activity you will determine the rate of evaporation of water under different intensity of light. You will have to construct several boxes installed with electric bulbs having different wattage. The containers are simultaneously filled with water and the bulbs are lit. You also need a controlled experiment that will be devoid of bulb. You will notice that the rate of evaporation is highest in the container having maximum power of bulb. This happens because water changes to vapor form more quickly under intense temperature. Since the surrounding temperature of the bulb with highest power is more, so the rate of evaporation is also more.

Make a Periscope

A periscope can be used to see objects when you are in a concealed position. To make one, you will require two pipes, at least 10 inches long. The diameter of one pipe should be slightly larger than the other, so that one can slide over the other. You’ll need 2 elbow joints, each matching the diameter of either pipes. Also you’ll require 2 circular mirrors, along with some super glue.

To begin with, stick the mirrors in the elbow joints at a 45 degree angle. This is the precise angle that reflects the light is such a way that it lets you see the best view. Now, fix the appropriate pipe into the respective elbow joints. Finally, slide the larger pipe on to the smaller one, and your periscope is ready to use.

Inflate a Balloon by Itself

This is a fun experiment that teaches you how a chemical reaction can inflate a balloon. You’ll be needing a small balloon, a test tube, vinegar, funnel, and a teaspoon of baking soda.

Fill the test tube half way with vinegar. Then, stretch the balloon a bit, and use the funnel to pour the baking soda into it. Now, carefully stretch the opening of the balloon over the mouth of the test tube and ensure that the baking soda does not fall in the tube. Once you’ve ensured that the balloon snugly fits over the mouth of the test tube, lift the balloon and tap it, so that the baking soda falls into the vinegar.

When the baking soda falls into the vinegar, the solution turns into carbonic acid. This makes it unstable, and it releases carbon dioxide, which rises up and inflates the balloon.

Make it Rain

This simple experiment is a fantastic way to learn how the changes in temperature bring about rain. You’ll need a glass jar, some steaming hot water, a dish big enough to be placed over the jar, and some ice cubes.

Pour the boiling water into the jar, filling about a third of the space. Place the plate on top of the jar, and wait for a couple of minutes. Put the ice cubes on the plate, and observe what happens inside the jar. You’ll begin to see droplets of ‘rain’ sliding along the sides of the jar.

6th Grade Science Project Ideas

• Do different types of knots affect the breaking strength of a rope?
• How do volcanoes work?
• What is hydropower? How is it generated?
• What is the correlation between music and maths?
• Do plants grow better if you play music to them?
• Why do apples turn brown after they are cut and left standing?
• How do you determine the pH of soil samples?
• How a prism gives a rainbow color pattern when white light passes through it?
• How do mosquitoes bite?
• What is the difference between incandescent and LED lights?
• Why do moths and insects hover over lights?
• Does wiping a doorknob with an antibacterial wipe really reduce the number of bacteria?
• Do some plants grow better inside than outside?
• How do gasoline engines work?
• How do you compare vinaigrette vs Coca Cola?
• What is the effect of differing kinds of light upon plant growth?
• How to find out camouflage in insects and animals?
• Does the intensity of cleansing depend on the amount of detergent?
• How do different flame retardants affect the flammability and burning rate of cotton?
• How tides are formed?
• How the fizz is formed in aerated drinks?
• How does a simple machine work?
• How does UV light affect the growth of bacteria?

Apart from these, you always have the liberty to come up with new ideas on topics that interest you the most. Set up an experiment and explain the observations with accurate reasoning and logic.

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72 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand

Because science doesn’t have to be complicated.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed to get your students excited, it’s a good science experiment! While some experiments require expensive lab equipment or dangerous chemicals, there are plenty of cool projects you can do with regular household items. We’ve rounded up a big collection of easy science experiments that anybody can try, and kids are going to love them!

Easy Chemistry Science Experiments

Easy physics science experiments, easy biology and environmental science experiments, easy engineering experiments and stem challenges.

1. Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow! Tip: Have extra Skittles on hand so your class can eat a few!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

2. Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

3. Make a volcano erupt

This classic experiment demonstrates a chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid), which produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate.

Learn more: Best Volcano Experiments

4. Make elephant toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” Tip: Add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for plastic bottles.

5. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

6. Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

7. Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test. Have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

8. Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table! This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

9. Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

10. Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

11. Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results! This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

12. Mix up some slime

Tell kids you’re going to make slime at home, and watch their eyes light up! There are a variety of ways to make slime, so try a few different recipes to find the one you like best.

13. Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

14. Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

15. Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

16. Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done!

17. Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

18. Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

19. Pull an egg into a bottle

This classic easy science experiment never fails to delight. Use the power of air pressure to suck a hard-boiled egg into a jar, no hands required.

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

20. Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school. The baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases when you fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda.

21 Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid-base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

22. Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste-and-toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

23. Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog! No need for canopic jars , just grab some baking soda and get started.

24. Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

25. Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

26. Create dancing popcorn

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

27. Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Explosion

28. Send a teabag flying

Hot air rises, and this experiment can prove it! You’ll want to supervise kids with fire, of course. For more safety, try this one outside.

Learn more: Flying Tea Bags

29. Create magic milk

This fun and easy science experiment demonstrates principles related to surface tension, molecular interactions, and fluid dynamics.

Learn more: Magic Milk Experiment

30. Watch the water rise

Learn about Charles’s Law with this simple experiment. As the candle burns, using up oxygen and heating the air in the glass, the water rises as if by magic.

Learn more: Rising Water

31. Learn about capillary action

Kids will be amazed as they watch the colored water move from glass to glass, and you’ll love the easy and inexpensive setup. Gather some water, paper towels, and food coloring to teach the scientific magic of capillary action.

Learn more: Capillary Action

32. Give a balloon a beard

Equally educational and fun, this experiment will teach kids about static electricity using everyday materials. Kids will undoubtedly get a kick out of creating beards on their balloon person!

Learn more: Static Electricity

33. Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle, float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north.

Learn more: DIY Compass

34. Crush a can using air pressure

Sure, it’s easy to crush a soda can with your bare hands, but what if you could do it without touching it at all? That’s the power of air pressure!

35. Tell time using the sun

While people use clocks or even phones to tell time today, there was a time when a sundial was the best means to do that. Kids will certainly get a kick out of creating their own sundials using everyday materials like cardboard and pencils.

Learn more: Make Your Own Sundial

36. Launch a balloon rocket

Grab balloons, string, straws, and tape, and launch rockets to learn about the laws of motion.

37. Make sparks with steel wool

All you need is steel wool and a 9-volt battery to perform this science demo that’s bound to make their eyes light up! Kids learn about chain reactions, chemical changes, and more.

Learn more: Steel Wool Electricity

38. Levitate a Ping-Pong ball

Kids will get a kick out of this experiment, which is really all about Bernoulli’s principle. You only need plastic bottles, bendy straws, and Ping-Pong balls to make the science magic happen.

39. Whip up a tornado in a bottle

There are plenty of versions of this classic experiment out there, but we love this one because it sparkles! Kids learn about a vortex and what it takes to create one.

Learn more: Tornado in a Bottle

40. Monitor air pressure with a DIY barometer

This simple but effective DIY science project teaches kids about air pressure and meteorology. They’ll have fun tracking and predicting the weather with their very own barometer.

Learn more: DIY Barometer

41. Peer through an ice magnifying glass

Students will certainly get a thrill out of seeing how an everyday object like a piece of ice can be used as a magnifying glass. Be sure to use purified or distilled water since tap water will have impurities in it that will cause distortion.

Learn more: Ice Magnifying Glass

42. String up some sticky ice

Can you lift an ice cube using just a piece of string? This quick experiment teaches you how. Use a little salt to melt the ice and then refreeze the ice with the string attached.

Learn more: Sticky Ice

43. “Flip” a drawing with water

Light refraction causes some really cool effects, and there are multiple easy science experiments you can do with it. This one uses refraction to “flip” a drawing; you can also try the famous “disappearing penny” trick .

Learn more: Light Refraction With Water

44. Color some flowers

We love how simple this project is to re-create since all you’ll need are some white carnations, food coloring, glasses, and water. The end result is just so beautiful!

45. Use glitter to fight germs

Everyone knows that glitter is just like germs—it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage and show kids how soap fights glitter and germs.

Learn more: Glitter Germs

46. Re-create the water cycle in a bag

You can do so many easy science experiments with a simple zip-top bag. Fill one partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.

Learn more: Water Cycle

47. Learn about plant transpiration

Your backyard is a terrific place for easy science experiments. Grab a plastic bag and rubber band to learn how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration.

Learn more: Plant Transpiration

48. Clean up an oil spill

Before conducting this experiment, teach your students about engineers who solve environmental problems like oil spills. Then, have your students use provided materials to clean the oil spill from their oceans.

Learn more: Oil Spill

49. Construct a pair of model lungs

Kids get a better understanding of the respiratory system when they build model lungs using a plastic water bottle and some balloons. You can modify the experiment to demonstrate the effects of smoking too.

Learn more: Model Lungs

50. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to collect rocks, and there are plenty of easy science experiments you can do with them. In this one, pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Experiments

51. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: DIY Rain Gauge

52. Build up towel mountains

This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some landforms are created. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!

Learn more: Towel Mountains

53. Take a play dough core sample

Learn about the layers of the earth by building them out of Play-Doh, then take a core sample with a straw. ( Love Play-Doh? Get more learning ideas here. )

Learn more: Play Dough Core Sampling

54. Project the stars on your ceiling

Use the video lesson in the link below to learn why stars are only visible at night. Then create a DIY star projector to explore the concept hands-on.

Learn more: DIY Star Projector

55. Make it rain

Use shaving cream and food coloring to simulate clouds and rain. This is an easy science experiment little ones will beg to do over and over.

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain

56. Blow up your fingerprint

This is such a cool (and easy!) way to look at fingerprint patterns. Inflate a balloon a bit, use some ink to put a fingerprint on it, then blow it up big to see your fingerprint in detail.

57. Snack on a DNA model

Twizzlers, gumdrops, and a few toothpicks are all you need to make this super-fun (and yummy!) DNA model.

Learn more: Edible DNA Model

58. Dissect a flower

Take a nature walk and find a flower or two. Then bring them home and take them apart to discover all the different parts of flowers.

59. Craft smartphone speakers

No Bluetooth speaker? No problem! Put together your own from paper cups and toilet paper tubes.

Learn more: Smartphone Speakers

60. Race a balloon-powered car

Kids will be amazed when they learn they can put together this awesome racer using cardboard and bottle-cap wheels. The balloon-powered “engine” is so much fun too.

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car

61. Build a Ferris wheel

You’ve probably ridden on a Ferris wheel, but can you build one? Stock up on wood craft sticks and find out! Play around with different designs to see which one works best.

Learn more: Craft Stick Ferris Wheel

62. Design a phone stand

There are lots of ways to craft a DIY phone stand, which makes this a perfect creative-thinking STEM challenge.

63. Conduct an egg drop

Put all their engineering skills to the test with an egg drop! Challenge kids to build a container from stuff they find around the house that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

64. Engineer a drinking-straw roller coaster

STEM challenges are always a hit with kids. We love this one, which only requires basic supplies like drinking straws.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster

65. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. This experiment takes a little more time and effort, but the results are always impressive. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Solar Oven

66. Build a Da Vinci bridge

There are plenty of bridge-building experiments out there, but this one is unique. It’s inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old self-supporting wooden bridge. Learn how to build it at the link, and expand your learning by exploring more about Da Vinci himself.

Learn more: Da Vinci Bridge

67. Step through an index card

This is one easy science experiment that never fails to astonish. With carefully placed scissor cuts on an index card, you can make a loop large enough to fit a (small) human body through! Kids will be wowed as they learn about surface area.

68. Stand on a pile of paper cups

Combine physics and engineering and challenge kids to create a paper cup structure that can support their weight. This is a cool project for aspiring architects.

Learn more: Paper Cup Stack

69. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected by windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: Parachute Drop

70. Recycle newspapers into an engineering challenge

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge kids to build a tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenge

71. Use rubber bands to sound out acoustics

Explore the ways that sound waves are affected by what’s around them using a simple rubber band “guitar.” (Kids absolutely love playing with these!)

Learn more: Rubber Band Guitar

72. Assemble a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Umbrella STEM Challenge

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GCSE grade boundaries 2024 - full list for AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA

Millions of young Brits who left school this year are set to discover their GCSE results this morning as they consider continuing their education or a move into the workforce

• 09:02, 22 Aug 2024
• Updated 10:22, 22 Aug 2024

Fretting teenagers are about to learn their GCSE results this morning after years of hard work.

Pupils across the UK sat various examinations through to June 19, with their grades used to determine the college and studies they will take as they transition to further education or into the world of work.

Students taking GCSEs in England will receive grades from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest grade. Grade 4 is the new equivalent to a C with Grade 9 equivalent to an A*. Grade boundaries - the minimum number of marks to qualify for each grade - are decided after GCSE exams are marked and are usually released on results day.

For the latest on today's GCSE results, follow our live blog here

Grade boundaries for different UK awarding bodies

AQA GCSE grade boundaries for 2024 here.

Edexcel GCSE grade boundaries for 2024 here.

OCR GCSE grade boundaries for 2024 here.

WJEC GCSE grade boundaries for 2024 here.

CCEA GCSE grade boundaries for 2024 here.

GCSE 2024 grading system

9 = High A*

8 = Low A* or high Grade A

7 = Low Grade A

6 = High Grade B

5 = Low Grade B or high C

4 = Low Grade C

3 = Grade D or high E

2 = Low Grade E or high F

For many, the results will be good enough to send them to college as they continue their education, while others may opt to go into work and get a start on their careers. For others however, they may not have done quite as well as they were hoping. Happily, this is not the end as it is possible to retake exams up to a year after.

Resists in maths and English are held in November and May of each year. Others, such as science, can only be done in the summer time during the usual exam period. They can also be taken during gap years.

Did your GCSEs help you get your dream job? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

Students can usually retake any exams. Those wanting to do their GCSE maths and English have to be under the age of 18 and have not got at least a grade 4. The Government’s website reads: “Depending on your circumstances, you might be eligible to take a functional skills qualification in English or maths instead.

“This is equivalent to a GCSE and allows you to apply English or maths in real life. You can check with your school or college if this option is available to you.”

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Guide to GCSE results for England, summer 2024

Grading has continued as normal in summer 2024, following the return to pre-pandemic standards last year. Overall GCSE results are similar to summer 2023.

Today, students in England are receiving more than 5.6 million GCSE results. Students’ grades have been determined by their performance in their exams and assessments. These qualifications provide students with trustworthy evidence of their achievements so they can move forward in their education or training.  

Grading has continued as normal this summer, following the return to pre-pandemic standards last year. It is important that grades reflect what students know, understand and can do, to support students in making the right choices about their next steps. 

The Chief Regulator at Ofqual, Sir Ian Bauckham CBE, said: “Consistent, rigorous standards of grading are producing consistent results.   

“It is evidence that we have settled back into a pattern of dependable and trustworthy results.”

Key points 

Grading has continued as normal this summer and standards have been maintained from summer 2023.   

GCSE entries have increased by more than 250,000 compared with summer 2023. There has been an increase in the 16-year-old population since 2023, and there are more entries from post-16 students this summer for GCSE English language and maths. The changes to the post-16 cohort are reflected in the GCSE English language and maths results published today. 

Overall GCSE results are similar to 2023. Outcomes at grade 7 and above are 21.7% compared with 21.6% in 2023, and outcomes at grade 4 and above are 67.4% compared with 67.8% in 2023. 

The results for GCSE French, German and computer science reflect the small adjustments we required exam boards to make this summer.

Today (22 August 2024) we are publishing: 

a summary of results (below) 

infographics about this year’s GCSE results  

interactive visualisations of outcomes by centre type, variability in school and college GCSE results, GCSE outcomes in England, an interactive map of England showing GCSE results in different subjects by grade and county and GCSE grade combinations 

results of the 2024 National Reference Test

As normal, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has  published results in England for GCSE , overall and by subject. These results are also shown in our  interactive visualisation .

Centre type results 

Ofqual has updated its interactive visualisation to show GCSE results for different types of school and college compared with previous years, overall and by subject. The centre type categories are based on the  national centre number (NCN) register  and are self-reported by schools and colleges. Our interactive visualisations only include those schools or colleges that have entries for a particular subject in every year from 2018 to 2024. 

Overall results for all types of school and college are broadly similar to 2023 at grade 7 and above and grade 4 and above. When students take exams, the same assessment arrangements apply to everyone. Differences in outcomes are therefore likely to reflect longstanding trends in the pattern of results for different centre types. Changes compared with 2023 will reflect changes in attainment or changes in the cohort of students taking qualifications across different types of centre. For example, more post-16 students took GCSEs this summer compared with 2023, and these students typically make up the majority of GCSE entries in further education establishments and colleges.

Cumulative percentage outcomes by centre type – grade 7 and above

Cumulative percentage outcomes by centre type – grade 4 and above

Centre variability 

Ofqual’s interactive visualisation shows the level of variation in schools’ and colleges’ GCSE results compared with 2023. We know that, in any year, individual schools and colleges may see variation in the proportion of students achieving particular grades compared with previous years. This can be due to many different factors, including differences in the mix of students entered for particular qualifications, different teaching approaches, changes in teaching staff or teaching time, and changes to qualifications.   

Our interactive visualisation allows users to explore variation in centres’ results for different age groups and sizes of centres.

GCSE French, German and computer science 

This summer we required exam boards to award GCSE French, German and computer science more generously .  

The positive adjustments in French and German follow our detailed review of an extensive evidence base as part of our work on inter-subject comparability, and subsequent announcement in 2019, that we would seek  to align grade standards in GCSE French and German with Spanish . Exam boards were required to make small positive adjustments in French at grades 7 and 4, and in German at grades 9, 7 and 4. This follows adjustments in both subjects at grades 9, 7 and 4 in summer 2023. The adjustments were taken into account during awarding and are reflected in results. We did not require exam boards to make a further adjustment at grade 9 in French this summer, as the evidence suggests that there was broad alignment with Spanish in summer 2023.

For GCSE computer science we conducted an extensive programme of research considering grading standards over time , given the changes that have been made to the qualification in the short time that it has been available (the first awards were in 2012). Our research suggests that standards may have become slightly more stringent through the period from 2014 to 2019, likely due to the changes to the qualification and the context during this period. We therefore required exam boards to award more generously this summer at grades 9, 7 and 4, to reflect the findings of the research. These small adjustments were taken into account during awarding and are reflected in results.

Equalities analyses 

As well as the results breakdowns published today, Ofqual will be repeating the equalities analyses that we have published since 2020 . Ofqual makes this information available so that the whole sector can understand qualification results and use this to inform policy making and practice. These detailed analyses consider whether the gaps between results for different groups of students have changed compared with previous years, while controlling for a range of student characteristics. It is important that these analyses control for as many student characteristics as possible, so that meaningful conclusions can be drawn from the results. This does mean, however, that it is not possible for us to complete these analyses ahead of results being issued, because final data from exams is only available very close to results days. We will publish our equalities analyses as soon as we can, in the autumn. 

When students take exams, the same assessment arrangements apply to everyone – students’ grades are solely determined by the number of marks they achieve in the assessments, and the same rules apply to everyone taking the same qualification. The gaps between results for different groups of students are therefore likely to reflect long-standing trends in attainment, and any changes this year will reflect changes in attainment. Differential patterns of achievement in qualifications reveal, rather than create, educational disparities. They are an important part of the evidence needed for addressing those disparities.

Grade boundaries 

Exam boards have set grade boundaries this summer based on a combination of data and qualitative evidence. As in any year, there has been an important role for examiner judgement. Expert examiners have reviewed the quality of students’ work compared with previous years.  

Grade boundaries typically change each exam series and are often different between exam boards. This reflects any differences in the difficulty of the assessments. If an exam paper is harder the grade boundaries will be lower, and if an exam paper is easier the grade boundaries will be higher. This is important to ensure that students are not advantaged or disadvantaged based on the exam paper that they sit. This means that some grade boundaries are lower than 2023, while others are higher. 

Grading has taken place as normal this summer and standards have been maintained from summer 2023. Students can therefore be confident in the grades they receive, irrespective of the grade boundaries or how they compare with last year.

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