Easy Science Fair Projects

3rd Grade Science Fair Projects

Things to Consider When Helping Your Child Choose a Topic

It's science fair time! What should your child do for his third grade science fair project?

A helpful tip may be to refer back to your child's textbook for ideas. In this grade level, children are beginning to learn about life science, earth science, and physical science. Teaching children about the world around them and how it functions is an integral part of education. Some topics include studies of the moon (various phases and how we see the sun's reflection), demonstrating an object's properties (weight, size, proportion), and learning how to use unit measurements (centimeters, inches, etc.).

Children also learn the anatomy of plants and animals at this level. What are the different parts of a plant? What are they used for? A study of matter is also interesting. For instance, have your child watch a pot of water boil or what happens when water freezes. At what temperature do these state changes occur? These projects are simple to perform at home with your child to get his mind thinking and wondering how the world works.

Popular project ideas during this age include: how fertilizer affects plant growth, how rain affects plants, experimenting with sunlight and heat, at what point does matter change its state, how natural forces affect objects (i.e., gravity). Many children enjoy experimenting with animals like hamsters, ants, or worms. What foods or other substances attract the animals? How long does it take for a hamster to get through a maze? Does a piece of food at the end of the maze help to increase the animal's time?

If you are still struggling to help your child find an enjoyable project that will receive a high grade, try using other resources like the Internet, or even your child's teacher. Ask other parents what their children are doing. Maybe you can come up with some ideas from going to the library, or simply taking your child to a local museum. Try taking a short trip to the ocean if possible. There are lots of fun things to do with your child that are also educational.

Help your child appreciate the various topics he studies in school, and he will be more likely to spark an interest in one or several areas. When you see that your child is interested in a certain scientific phenomenon, encourage him to ask questions about how it works and why. Make suggestions, but let the child demonstrate his knowledge and take advantage of his natural curiosity. This will help him develop confidence and come up with a good hypothesis for his science fair project all by himself. This way, your child will be more likely to enjoy the assignment and be genuinely interested in science in the future.