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33 Engaging & Inspiring 1st Grade Science Projects

There are a lot of 1st grade science projects that can help children draw conclusions and make connections to the world around them. In first grade science, children learn about topics within life, physical, and earth sciences. That means there are a lot of different types of science experiments to choose from when looking for an engaging (or easy) project for your class or at home.

Table of Contents

What science topics do 1st graders learn, the best 1st grade science experiments, what are some easy science projects, check out these additional 1st grade resources.

Through the life sciences, first graders learn about the characteristics that differentiate living and nonliving things. They learn about animals and how they adapt to and interact with their surroundings. 

Children at this age also learn about the seasons, weather patterns, and the water cycle through the earth sciences, along with the phases of the moon. 

First graders are also introduced to the basic concepts of motion and forces where they explore how objects move, and they manipulate variables so they can compare cause and effect . Students this age learn how to ask a question that can be answered through investigation and observation. So a good science experiment that supports these topics starts with a testable question that children will be able to answer at the conclusion of the investigation.

In partnership with Teach Simple , whose marketplace is full of educational materials created by actual teachers (plus 50% of all revenues go to them), I’ve gathered 33 great kid-friendly science projects that your first grader will enjoy in the classroom or to pass the time by at home. Have a look! 

The projects in the list below address the topics I mentioned above that 1st graders learn in school. Allow your child to take the time to manipulate variables and make observations and discuss them with you during the experiments so they can also learn how to draw conclusions. 

• Make A Rainbow From Children’s Museum

First graders love to learn about rainbows. This experiment shows how white light is a combination of all the colors of the rainbow. When you shine the flashlight on the glass of water, the light waves are refracted, or bent, causing the light to break into its various colors. 

Supplies you’ll need:

• Clear glass
• Darkened room

If you’re looking for a bit more to hit this concept home, try out Teach Simple’s Colors Science, Literacy and Math Activity by KP Classroom, which provides companion activities to support this experiment. 

• Balloon Rocket From Scishow Kids

This is one of the most fun 1st grade science fair projects and it introduces the laws of motion and forces. During this project, students will observe when we blow the balloon up with more air, it should travel farther. Students will need to observe, measure, and record data. 

• String (2-3 yards length recommended)
• 2 chairs or other object to tie each end of the string

Download this Hands-On STEAM- Physical Science e-book for supporting materials by Classroom Complete Press. 

• Fluffy Slime Experiment From Elmer’s Store

This is a fun and easy experiment where 1st graders learn how to mix multiple substances to create one new substance. I like the Elmer’s Fluffy Slime Kit set linked below as it makes two batches of soft, fluffy slime in two colors.

Pair this experiment with activities from this Hands-On- Physical Science: Matter & Materials unit for a lesson about states of matter by Classroom Complete Press. Have students discuss which state slime might fit into and why. 

• Crayon Box STEM Activity By The Core Coaches

This project is designed to help your students think outside the box and learn how the world works. It helps students explore the engineering design process using common materials.

This digital download includes a list for material recommendations, but this challenge can be done with materials you have on hand, such as:

• Pipe cleaners
• Popsicle sticks
• Cotton balls
• Rubber bands
• Leaf Chromatography Project From Lostronaut’s Store

When learning about the four seasons, a natural question for first graders to ask is why leaves change colors in autumn. 

To start this project, use a Seasonal Cycles Worksheet by Have Fun Teaching, to develop background knowledge prior to the experiment. 

Next, have students go outside and collect different leaves. Break the leaves up, put the pieces in a cup, and add rubbing alcohol. Then use the chromatography kit linked below to set up the strips and watch the color bleed up. Discuss the different colors that separate out during the chromatography process.

• Dancing Rice From Farmingdale Library

Dancing rice is the perfect chemistry experiment for first graders because it demonstrates a chemical reaction. When vinegar is added to baking soda, the hydrogen ions in vinegar react with the sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda and releases gas. 

• White vinegar
• Baking soda
• Optional: Food coloring 
• Shoebox Guitar By Twin Sisters Digital Media

What’s better than conducting a science experiment about sound? Use the shoebox guitar project to teach students about vibrations and how sound travels. Then make some classroom music and dance out all that 1st grade energy.

• 4 rubber bands of varying thickness

Living vs Nonliving: Yeast vs. Sand

This first grade science experiment compares the properties of yeast and sand which look similar, but one of them is living and the other is nonliving. 

Use this activity to spark a conversation about the properties of living and nonliving things and what all living things have in common. 

This STEM Workbook and Living and Nonliving Things activity pack provide worksheets and activities to support learning about living vs. nonliving things. 

• Sink Or Float From Mayta The Brown Bear 

This fun lab is a great introduction to the concept of density. 

Gather whatever items you have on hand and a large bin of water. Have students make predictions about which items will sink and which will float. They can test objects like a small sheet of tinfoil, a pebble, a flower, a leaf, a stick , a marble, etc. 

You can also use this Sink or Float Recording Sheet to collect data by Cherry Workshop. 

• Blubber Experiment From Learn With Mrs.B

In this experiment, students investigate the insulating properties of shortening or petroleum jelly as a substitute for animal fat. 

• Plastic zip baggies 
• Lard (shortening) or petroleum jelly
• Bowl of ice water

Combine this experiment with a lesson about arctic animals using some Polar Animals Flashcards by Fiddleticks Education or with this animal science unit All About Polar Bears to teach them how arctic animals stay warm in their polar environment by Simply Schoolgirl. 

• Fossil Factory By Twin Sisters Digital Media

Get your students ready for a fossil adventure. First graders can design their own fossil out of clay and then go on an outdoor field trip to dig around for fossils outside after learning a bit more about them.

• Natural objects
• Rolling pin
• Plastic knife
• Paint brush
• Cloud In A Jar Experiment By Lilibette’s Resources

When learning about either weather or the water cycle, creating a cloud in a jar is the perfect activity to show children how clouds are formed when warm water vapor rises toward cooler temperatures and attaches to condensation nuclei. Specific instructions on how to make the cloud in the jar are available in the Clouds Mini Project Resource Pack below.

• The Penny Experiment From Kids Fun Science

This super easy experiment demonstrates the properties of water cohesion and surface tension. Start with a testable question like “How many drops of water fit on the head of a penny?” 

Children should make their predictions. Let students design an investigation to answer the testable question. This experiment lends itself to teaching the scientific method . 

• Cup of water
• Create Your Own Tornado From The 4M Store

Who doesn’t love learning about how storms form? First graders will have fun putting their model together and simulating a tornado from this kit full of everything you need. 

For further learning, have students listen to an audiobook, Tornados and Hurricanes by Twin Sisters Digital Media

• How Many Pennies Can My Boat Hold? From KSU iTeach

In this experiment children will design and construct their own tinfoil boat. Then they will predict how many pennies the boat can hold before it sinks. 

This experiment demonstrates the property of density. 

• Bucket of water

A Water Experiment Journal by Kindergarten Cafe that includes a worksheet for students to collect data and record their observations is a great supplement.

• Making Rock Candy From The Sci Guys

This chemistry experiment shows students how increasing water temperature causes sugar to dissolve. You can also show your children how sugar doesn’t dissolve in cold water. As you increase the temperature, it begins to dissolve, creating a new solution that results in a sweet treat everyone can enjoy later. 

• Optional: Flavoring
• Elephant’s Toothpaste From Michigan Medicine

Students will learn in this project how different substances react to create a new substance, and, in this case, heat energy. The yeast removes the oxygen in the hydrogen peroxide, causing bubbles. Heat energy is released, creating what is known as an exothermic reaction. 

• Food coloring
• Plastic water bottle
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Liquid dish soap
• Measuring cup
• Paper plate
• 1 tablespoon of dry yeast
• Grow Your Own Crystals From The 4M Store

A favorite 1st grade science project is growing crystals. You can do this with a pre-packaged kit, like the one linked below, or with a variety of household items, including Borax. 

Crystals form when water evaporates from a mixture. You can also teach your first graders about the different geometric shapes that crystals form. And this can be paired with a lesson about evaporation using these The Water Cycle Printables by My Kind of Crazy. 

• Shiny Penny Experiment From SciShow Kids

This experiment introduces the concept of variables in a way that first graders can easily understand. Students will use a number of different substances to polish dull pennies. The independent variable is the substance being tested to polish the penny. This is the variable that we are manipulating or changing. 

• Can of cola
• Lemon juice
• Tarnished pennies
• Build Your Own Rain Gauge   From Community Play Things

When learning about weather, have students make their own rain gauges. When it rains, they can make predictions about how much rain will fall and collect data on the actual amounts. 

Resources for this lab and other weather related activities can be found in Teach Simple’s Hands-On STEAM- Earth and Space Science Grades 1-5 by Classroom Complete Press.

Students may also be interested in the audiobook When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a Meteorologist to supplement the concepts learned by Twin Sisters Digital Media.

• Capillary Action Of Water In Plants By Madeleine Rein

If you’re looking for a fun way to demonstrate how plants take in water from the roots and distribute it to the rest of the plant, this is an easy and engaging experiment for first graders. 

• White flower
• Jar of water

To learn more about plants and their parts, you can couple the experiment with the book: Plant, Plant, What Do You See by Kindergarten Cafe. 

• Jumping Frogs (Static Electricity) From Science Sparks

This is a fun take on using a balloon and rubbing it against fabric to create static electricity. 

Have students predict how many paper frogs will be attracted to and stick to the balloon. Another variation on the lab is to have students time how long the frogs stick to the balloon. 

Supporting materials to teach about static electricity can be found in this resource: Hands-On Physical Science: Electricity and Magnetism . 

• Popsicle Stick Catapult From stlDenise3D

Children will create a catapult with a plastic spoon, popsicle sticks, and rubber bands. 

After constructing the catapult, ask children to choose objects to launch. Some suggestions include marshmallows, cotton balls, and other soft items. 

Students can predict which objects can be launched the farthest. Teach Simple’s unit on Force and Motion by Classroom Complete Press reinforces the concepts in this 1st grade science project. 

• Oreo Cookie Moon Phases From Hungry SciANNtist

Learning the phases of the moon can be challenging. So why not make it fun by using Oreo cookies to model each phase of the moon? 

Students can easily create their own model in groups or individually. 

Then have students review the moon phases using some Moon Phases Flashcards by Fiddleticks Education or this It’s Just A Phase activity to further reinforce the concept by Have Fun Teaching. 

• Rolling Pin Pulley From STEM With Mr. C

In this first grade science fair project, children will learn the mechanics of simple machines by constructing their own pulley. Engage students in a discussion about where they might see pulley systems in the world around them. 

Then, use a Hands-On Physical Science: Simple Machines activity pack to introduce the mechanics behind simple machines by Classroom Complete Press. 

• How Does Composting Work? From Educational Insights Store

Americans waste about a pound of food per person each day. Composting has become a popular way to let food waste decompose rather than throwing it away. But how does it work? 

Try out this easy classroom compost kit and let students make observations over a number of weeks as they watch what happens when different types of materials decompose.

This project can be an extension of Teach Simple’s lesson on the Flower Life Cycle by My Kind of Crazy or Watermelon Life Cycle by My Kind of Crazy. 

• Fun With Ramps By Twin Sisters Digital Media

The perfect 1st grade science project can be found in Teach Simple’s Science Projects: Volume 1 resource. Your 1st graders will have fun sending different objects down ramps and comparing how far each object travels. They can also change the incline of the ramp to test whether that affects how far objects will travel. 

• Flat moveable surface to use as ramp
• Rollable objects
• Marker Chromatography From Science Kids

This fun experiment combines science and art. Students will learn how substances are made up of more than one component by separating colors from ink samples through the capillary action of the water traveling through filter paper. The water dissolves the ink, causing colors to separate. 

• White coffee filters
• Washable markers
• Craft stick
• Binder clip
• Paper towels

Use this activity in conjunction with other activities from Teach Simple’s Colors Science, Literacy and Math Activity Packet by KP Classroom 

• Experiment With Milk Art From SCIENCE FUN For Everyone!

This experiment allows students to explore their creative side. As children put ink drops into the milk, point out that the drop stays in place. Introduce the concept of surface tension of water. Show how the dish soap breaks the tension. 

Teach Simple’s Let’s Investigate! Hands-On Science activity book by Classroom Complete Press, includes a lab investigation worksheet to complete along with this experiment. 

• Make Your Own Bubbles From Howcast

In addition to the fun of creating their own long-lasting bubbles, students will learn about states of matter and mixtures in this fun project. 

• Optional: Glycerin

Use this lab as an extension of Teach Simple’s States of Things States of Matter activity pack by Have Fun Teaching. 

• Evapotranspiration In Plants From MooMooMath And Science

We know that plants need water to live, but what happens when they take in more than they need? Small openings in leaves release excess water vapor into the atmosphere in a process called evapotranspiration. This is an important part of the water cycle. 

• Potted plant
• Clear jar that fits over plant
• Aluminum foil

You can also take the class outside and rubber band a plastic baggie around a leaf on a tree or bush.

Teach Simple’s Water Cycle Printable Activity Book contains materials to teach and review the water cycle with first graders by My Kind of Crazy. 

• What Do Plants Need To Grow? By Ready-Ed Publications

This activity from Teach Simple’s STEM Workbook- Grade 1 teaches first graders that plants need light and water in order to grow. This experiment supports lessons on plants and living vs. nonliving things. 

• Masking tape
• Plant seeds
• Water 
• Make Your Own Anemometer From Go Science Girls

Teach kids about how to measure wind by building anemometers. Pair this fun 1st grade science project with the Weather Wise! lesson plans on weather and forecasting. 

After building their anemometers, students can measure wind speeds and collect data to make weather forecasts. 

• 5 small disposable cups
• Thick cardboard
• Which Foods Are The Best Conductors? From SkelangDirect

This 1st grade science fair project teaches students about how energy is conducted and the difference between conductors and insulators. The kit below includes all of the materials needed to get this project started.

Have students record their observations on Teach Simple’s Science Observation Journal Pages by Kindergarten Cafe. 

• Which Colors Absorb The Most Heat? 

The procedure for this first grade science fair project is included in Teach Simple’s Let’s Investigate! Hands-On Science activity book . First graders will learn that darker colors absorb more heat while lighter colors reflect it. Engage students in a discussion about practical applications of this knowledge. 

• Different colors of construction paper

Science experiments do not have to be complicated and time consuming to be rewarding. For example, the Oreo Cookie Moon Phases Model mentioned above is a fun way to teach first graders why the moon appears to be different shapes throughout the month. Children can compare their model with their Moon Phases Flashcards to check the accuracy of their edible model by Fiddleticks Education. With a quick and simple setup, this project is easy for kids and teachers to use and understand.

If you’re looking for more easy setup experiments, Teach Simple’s STEM Workbook has more simple yet engaging science projects. The key to 1st grade science projects is to make them interesting and relatable to your students, no matter the difficulty level.

About the Author Kelly Rende has a Masters degree in Special Education. She has been teaching middle school science and STEM courses for 18 years. When not teaching, she can be found writing or on an adventure with her children and dogs.

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16 Super Cool (And Simple) 1st Grade Science Projects To Do At Home

Categories Activities & Ideas

Science can be a lot of fun for first graders (especially if they’re taking part in experiments that go whizz, pop and bang).

To solidify their scientific learning, and make sure they’ve fully understood the concepts, you can set them the task of completing a science project with their parents.

To avoid a free-for-all, and to take the pressure of the parents, you can provide your class with a selection of projects to choose from.

Below, we’ve listed 16 of the coolest (but simple) 1st grade science projects kids can do at home with their parents.

Get those goggles on and we’ll get to it.

1. Density Tower

A density tower is a simple experiment for first graders to try at home.

Children will need different liquids like honey, dish soap, water, vegetable oil, and rubbing alcohol; a clear, tall glass or plastic container.

The great thing about this experiment is that most of these items will be readily available at home.

Method: Carefully pour each liquid into the container, one at a time.

Start with the densest liquid, like honey, and end with the least dense, like rubbing alcohol.

Students should notice that the liquids form layers.

This experiment helps children understand the concept of density and how some liquids are denser than others.

2. Growing Crystals

Although you can buy kits to grow your own crystals, doing it from scratch is much better fun (and it’s better for the student’s learning).

To grow crystals, they will need salt or sugar, hot water, a jar, a string, and a pencil.

Method: Dissolve as much salt or sugar as you can in hot water until no more will dissolve.

Hang the string into the jar so that it’s not touching the sides or bottom, using the pencil to hold it in place.

After a few days, crystals will begin to grow on the string.

This teaches kids about the process of crystallization and how solids can dissolve in liquids and then reappear when conditions are right.

3. Shadow Tracking

First graders will need a sunny day for this science project. They will also need a toy or object, chalk, and access to a sidewalk.

Method: Place the toy on the pavement and use chalk to trace its shadow in the morning, noon, and afternoon. Observe how the shadow changes.

This helps kids learn about the movement of the Earth in relation to the sun and how it affects shadows.

4. Magnetic Exploration

For this project, children will need a magnet and a collection of small items from around the house.

Method: Children can test which items are magnetic and which are not. They can separate the items into two piles: magnetic and non-magnetic.

This introduces the idea of magnetism and helps children identify which materials are attracted to magnets.

5. Dancing Raisins

This experiment is super fun and only requires clear soda (like Sprite or 7-Up), a clear glass, and raisins.

Method: Fill the glass with soda and drop in a few raisins. Watch as the raisins “dance” up and down in the glass.

The carbonation in the soda attaches to the raisins, making them float to the top. Once the bubbles pop, the raisins sink again, illustrating the concept of buoyancy.

6. Celery and Food Coloring

This experiment will make first graders laugh while also teaching them about plant life.

They’ll need clear glasses, water, food coloring, and celery stalks with leaves. Method: Fill the glasses with water and some drops of different food coloring shades to each glass. Place a celery stalk into each glass. Over a day or two, observe the celery, especially its leaves.

This experiment illustrates capillary action and how plants absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

7. Balloon And Static Electricity

First graders are probably already familiar with the static generated by balloons but this experiment helps them understand a little more.

They will need a balloon and small pieces of paper or lightweight fabric.

Method: Inflate the balloon and tie it off. Rub the balloon on your hair or a piece of wool. Move the balloon close to the pieces of paper or fabric and watch them jump towards the balloon.

8. Homemade Volcano

Kids of all ages LOVE a volcano experiment.

For this one, the first graders will need a small bottle, baking soda, vinegar, dish soap (for a foamy eruption), and food coloring (optional for colored lava).

Method: Place the bottle on a tray or in a container to catch the overflow. Fill the bottle a quarter full with baking soda. Add a few drops of dish soap and food coloring if desired. Pour vinegar into the bottle to start the eruption.

This classic experiment demonstrates a basic acid-base reaction.

9. Ice Melting Race

This fun experiment helps children understand the different properties of substances and how they can affect the state of matter.

They will need ice cubes, plates, and various materials like salt, sugar, and sand.

Method: Place an ice cube on several plates. Sprinkle different materials on each ice cube: salt on one, sugar on another, sand on the next, and leave one as a control with nothing added. Observe which ice cube melts the fastest.

10. DIY Sundial

The DIY sundial experiment is nice and easy and doesn’t require much to do.

All that’s needed is a straight stick (a pencil will do the job), a sunny day, and a piece of paper or a paper plate. Method: Stick the stick through the paper or plate. Every hour, mark the end of the stick’s shadow with a stone or by drawing on the paper. Label each hour as you go.

This project demonstrates how the position of the sun in the sky changes over time and can be used to tell time.

11. Floating Eggs

This is another super easy science project for first graders – and you don’t need many items, so parents will be a fan.

This requires fresh eggs (this part is important), salt, two clear glasses, and water.

Method: Fill both glasses halfway with water. Add a lot of salt to one glass and stir until most of it dissolves. Carefully place an egg in each glass and observe.

This experiment teaches about buoyancy and density. The saltwater is denser than freshwater, which can make the egg float.

12. Homemade Compass

For this science project, first graders and parents will need a needle, a small cork or foam piece, a magnet, and a bowl of water.

Method: Stroke the needle repeatedly in one direction with the magnet. Insert the magnetized needle into the cork or foam and place it on the water in the bowl. The needle should align with the Earth’s magnetic north.

This introduces the idea of Earth’s magnetism and magnetic fields – and most kids find this one pretty awesome.

13. Coffee Filter Chromatography

This project demonstrates how different colors can be combined to create other colors and introduces the concept of chromatography. It allows first graders to be a little creative.

To do this task, they will need non-permanent markers, coffee filters, and cups of water.

Method: Draw a dot or a line with the marker in the center of the coffee filter. Fold the filter so the center is at the bottom and dip it into a cup of water (ensuring the dot/line doesn’t touch the water). Watch as the water rises and separates the ink colors.

14. Pepper And Soap Trick

This is a pretty cool science experiment which will amaze little ones.

It requires ground pepper, dish soap, and a bowl of water. Method: Sprinkle some pepper on the surface of the water. Then, dip a fingertip into dish soap and touch the water’s surface. The pepper will rapidly move to the sides of the bowl.

This illustrates the concept of surface tension in liquids.

15. Germination Station

Demonstrating germination isn’t an instant results science project, but it’s a useful one to try with first graders – they can return to inspect the experiment every day for the first signs of sprouting.

To do this at home, they will need bean seeds, paper towels, a clear plastic bag, and water.

Method: Moisten the paper towel with water and place a few bean seeds on it. Fold the paper towel gently around the seeds and place it in the plastic bag. Seal the bag and fix it to a window with strong tape. In a few days, observe the seeds sprouting.

16. Solid, Liquid, Gas With Chocolate

This tasty science experiment will show first graders solid, liquid and gas – the three primary states of matter.

Kids and their parents will need chocolate pieces, a pan, and a freezer.

Method: Show the solid chocolate piece. Melt it in a pan to show its liquid form. As it cools, steam or vapor may be seen, representing the gas state. Finally, you can place the melted chocolate in the freezer to revert it to its solid state.

These science projects can easily be done by first graders at home with their parents.

Most of these experiments don’t require many items, and kids will have a lot of fun with them.

Further reading: How to homeschool a 1st grade child .

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35 Science Projects For 1st Graders

Curious kids turn into junior scientists with these fun and simple  science projects for 1st graders. Science doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated! Here’s our list of the best first grade science activities that are totally doable and use simple supplies for home or in the classroom.

What Do First Graders Do In Science?

At this stage, the emphasis is on cultivating curiosity, honing observation skills, and fostering a love for discovery. The first grade science curriculum typically covers a diverse range of topics, encouraging students to engage in hands-on activities that make learning both immersive and enjoyable.

First Grade Science Topics Include:

• Living and Non-Living Things: Students learn to differentiate between living organisms (plants and animals) and non-living things (objects and materials). They explore the characteristics and behaviors that define living things.
• Plants : First graders discover the life cycle of plants, from seed germination to growth and reproduction. They learn about the role of sunlight, water, and nutrients in plant development.
• Animals: Students explore various animal species, their habitats, and basic characteristics. They learn about different types of animals, their body parts, and how they adapt to their environments.
• Weather and Seasons : Children are introduced to basic weather patterns and the four seasons. They learn about the different types of weather conditions and how they change throughout the year.
• Basic Earth Science : First graders might learn about the Earth’s landforms (mountains, valleys, etc.) and bodies of water (rivers, lakes, oceans). They also explore concepts like day and night and the rotation of the Earth.
• Matter and Materials : Students are introduced to different types of materials (solid, liquid, gas) and their basic properties. They learn to describe and compare materials based on attributes like color, texture, and size.
• Energy and Forces : Young learners are introduced to the concept of energy and different forms of energy like light and sound. They might explore simple machines and basic forces like pushing and pulling.
• Light and Shadows : First graders might learn about sources of light, how light travels, and how shadows are formed. They observe and experiment with light to understand its properties.
• Simple Experiments: Students engage in simple hands-on experiments to learn about cause and effect relationships, make predictions, and develop their scientific inquiry skills.
• Observation and Recording : Emphasis is placed on developing observation skills and recording findings through drawings, diagrams, and simple written descriptions.
• Environmental Awareness : Children might learn about the importance of taking care of the environment, recycling, and conserving resources.
• Basic Astronomy : An introduction to the sun, moon, and stars might be included, along with the concept of day and night and the idea that the moon changes shape.

Using the Scientific Method

The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is tested with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity.

Sounds heavy… What in the world does that mean?!? It means you don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.

As children develop practices that involve creating, gathering data, evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation.

Learn more about:

• Using The Scientific Method With Kids
• Observation In Science

The use of the  best Science and Engineering Practices  is also relevant to the topic of using the scientific method. Read more here and see if it fits your science planning needs.

Creating A Science Fair Project

Science projects are an excellent tool for kids to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments including classrooms, homeschool, and groups.

OUR TOP TIP: Pick a project that your child has expressed interest in. Engaging your child in this process will be much easier when they are the driving force behind it !

Kids can take what they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , making observations and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these experiments into an awesome science fair project? Check out these helpful resources.

• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas
• Easy Science Fair Projects

Get your FREE Science Activities Calendar

35 Science Projects for First Graders

Color mixing.

Use watercolors to learn how mixing primary colors creates different colors.

Sink or Float Experiment

Grab some everyday objects and a container of water to explore the concept of density and why some objects sink while others float.

Egg In Salt Water

Will an egg float or sink in salt water? This is a fun version of the sink or float activity above. Ask lots of questions and get kids thinking with this salt water density experiment.

Seed Germination Experiment

Use a seed jar to observe how plants grow from seeds and what they need to survive.

Shadow Puppets

Make these fun printable shadow puppets to explore how light interacts with objects and creates shadows.

Edible Moon Phases

Use oreo cookies to create the phases of the moon to explore how the moon changes as it moves around the earth.

Make Rainbows

Use a simple glass prism, and other ways to see how light is made up of different colors and can be separated into a rainbow.

Dissolving Candy

Add some hard candy to different liquids to explore how substances dissolve in some liquids but not others.

What Absorbs Water

Explore what materials absorb water and what materials do not absorb water. Use items you already have on hand for this easy science project.

Grow Crystals

Learn about how crystals are formed and can take different shapes. You can grow crystals from borax , salt and sugar .

Make a Volcano Eruption

Kids will love this erupting chemical reaction with just two simple ingredients, baking soda and vinegar. Also try one of these fun variations with LEGO , a water bottle , apple and even a pumpkin .

Inflating Balloon Experiment

Observe gas production during a chemical reaction with this fun balloon science experiment. You can also set it up with soda and salt to observe a physical reaction.

What’s Magnetic and What’s Not

Explore how magnets attract and repel each other.

Solid, Liquid, Gas Experiment

Observe how water can change from a solid to liquid and back.

Rain Cloud In A Jar

Where does rain come from? How do clouds make rain? Explore weather science with this rain cloud in a jar activity. Also, try this shaving cream rain cloud model.

Balloon Rockets

Use a balloon and a straw to see how the force of air can propel an object forward.

Make a Windmill

Explore the concept of harnessing wind as a energy source with a simple to make windmill or wind turbine.

Bubble Science

Bubbles are just fun to play with! Learn how bubbles form and why they’re round with these bubble activities. It’s all to do with surface tension.

Is it a liquid or is it a solid? Fun hands-on science and play with our easy 2 ingredient oobleck recipe.

Grow Flowers

Watching flowers grow is an amazing science lesson for kids. Check out our list of the best seeds for kids to pick up and plant, and grow quickly.

Coffee Filter Flowers

Coffee filter flowers are a colorful STEAM activity for kids to explore solubility. Color a coffee filter with markers and spray with water for a fun effect.

Magic Milk Experiment

The chemical reaction in this magic milk experiment is fun for kids to watch and makes for great hands-on learning. The perfect science activity as you already have all the items for it in your kitchen.

Oil and Water Experiment

Find out why oil and water don’t mix with this simple to set up science project. It is all due to differences in density.

Lemon Battery

Grab some lemons and a few other supplies, and find out how you can make lemons into lemon electricity!

Salt Painting

Combine science and art to learn about absorption with this easy salt painting activity.

Lava Lamp Experiment

Add a chemical reaction to an oil and water experiment to create a homemade lava lamp.

Rainbow in a Jar

Create liquids with different densities that you can make a colorful layered liquid tower with.

Make Air Foils

Explore the effect air resistance has on a falling object with these to make paper air foils.

Water Xylophone

Use different amounts of water in glass jars to learn about how vibrations create sound waves.

Paper Airplane Launcher

Learn how design affects the flight of paper airplanes with a paper plane launcher.

Egg in Vinegar

What happens to an egg when it is left in vinegar for a few days? Observe how an acid reacts with and dissolves a shell.

Make A Sundial

This paper sundial is an easy way to understand how shadows change over time.

Electric Cornstarch

All you need is oil and water to explore static electricity with a balloon.

Toy Car Friction Experiment

Use a toy car and different types of materials to explore how friction affects the movement of an object.

Water Refraction Experiment

Demonstrate how refraction of light occurs in water with this simple water refraction experiment.

Melting Crayons

Learn how heat causes crayons to melt. It’s a great example of a physical change.

Helpful Science Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively, so you feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

Science Practices

A new approach to teaching science is called the Best Science Practices. These eight science and engineering practices are less structured and allow for a more free – flowing approach to problem-solving and finding answers to questions. These skills are critical to developing future engineers, inventors, and scientists!

Science Vocabulary

It is never too early to introduce some fantastic science words to kids. Get them started with a printable science vocabulary word list . You’re definitely going to want to incorporate these simple science terms into your next science lesson!

What Is A Scientist

Think like a scientist! Act like a scientist! Scientists, like you and me, are also curious about the world around them. Learn about the different types of scientists and what they do to increase their understanding of their specific area of interest. Read What Is A Scientist

Science Books For Kids

Sometimes the best way to introduce science concepts is through a colorfully illustrated book with characters your kids can relate to! Check out this fantastic list of science books that are teacher approved and get ready to spark curiosity and exploration!

Science Tools

Scientific materials or science experiment tools are a must for every budding scientist! If you want to get your kids started with simple science experiments then you are going to need a few basic science tools to get started. Check out some great science tools you can add to your kit.

Science Supplies List

Many science concepts start in the kitchen with simple materials you already have on hand. Fill a plastic tote with easy-to-find supplies, and you will have a  DIY science kit  filled with learning opportunities that are sure to keep them busy all year long!

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8 Genius Research Projects for K–2 Students You Will Definitely Want to Try

Turn your K–2 students into researchers and detectives with these fun classroom projects.

PebbleGo  is the award-winning database for reading and research for K-2. It makes learning fun while improving reading and research skills. Learn more about the six different databases—Animals, Science, Biographies, Dinosaurs, Social Studies  and the Spanish-language Animals. 

Research-based learning is often reserved for students in upper elementary or middle school, but this is a skill that kids can and do learn at an early age. Yes, you can teach kindergarteners how to do proper research (i.e. be awesome detectives and readers) . 

Here are eight inspiring research projects on subjects common for the K–2 age group. For each one, we give tips for LEARNING about the specific subject first with key research questions and tasks. Then, we offer a creative project idea, inspired by teachers and educators around the country, for DOING with your students.

1. The World of Bugs

SOURCE: Plain Vanilla Mom

It’s a big, enormous world out there—and there are   lots of bugs in it. This is a good one to start with if you’re teaching young elementary students how to research. Spiders, insects, and bugs will forever be fascinating subjects for kids. So this project should generate a lot of excitement.

LEARNING: Assign each of your students a different bug and have them answer very simple questions like: How many legs do they have? Where can you find them? How big are they?

DOING: This bug fossil activity is fantastic! All you need is modeling clay, plastic insects (which you can get at the dollar store), a magnifying glass, and tweezers or tongs. Your students will love making the little molds, and it will really encourage them to pay attention to detail!

2. Money, Money, Money

Source: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Understanding the value of a dollar, counting, and even doing small math problems with money are all skills that your students will be doing for years to come. Here’s how you can get them going on concepts now.

LEARNING: Start with the basics and make sure your students know the value of each bill and coin. Once they understand this, talk to them about earning money, saving, and even the purpose of banks.

DOING: Get inspired by this money minibook. Either download a free one (see link above) or create your own version to meet your classroom needs. Create several books for your class or one for each student as a quick reference to help them really understand the value of money.

3. History and Fame

Source: Let’s Explore

Every grade level has history and biographies as part of its curriculum. It’s essential for students to learn about historymakers, inventors, artists, and other important people of the past, and there are lots of fun ways to do this.

LEARNING: The research comes first, so it’s a good idea to assign a famous person to each of your students. Have them do a little biography, answering questions like: When were they born? Why are they famous? Where did they live?

DOING: Now it’s time for the fun part, where students get to be creative in reporting their results. Some teachers have the students get up in front of the class to present on their specific person, while others make it an art project. We love biography poster collages, like the one pictured above, because they really encourage students to focus on the most essential biographical facts.

4. Learning Plant Life Cycle

Source: The Imagination Tree

Learning about plant life is always a popular classroom activity. It’s such a great opportunity to show students how things grow, and help them understand where their food comes from. 

LEARNING: Students can research farming and agriculture, and learn about where food comes from, both locally and around the world. Discover where tropical fruits like bananas and pineapple come from compared to crops in the United States like corn, potatoes, and beans. Help students understand that all plants have a similar start like the beans you will grow in class. 

DOING:  Plant your bean plants in a clear container like a jar. You can use paper towel or cotton balls for the planting so students will be able to see the roots grow and develop. Have students track the plant’s progress. They can measure it, take photos, or draw pictures every few days. Your students will love seeing how it changes so quickly. 

5. Animal Tracks

Source: Green Kids Crafts

Animals are such a big interest area for younger elementary students, and they make lessons instantly more popular. This really useful lesson covers animals, human anatomy, and animal habitats.

LEARNING: When your class studies animal tracks, students can learn a lot about animals. For instance, they can learn about an animal’s size. They can also compare the size of the animal track to their own handprints or footprints for an anatomy lesson. And students can learn about animal habitats, too! We can help our students understand how all of these items are connected.

DOING: Now that your students have learned about animal tracks, have them recreate the tracks using cardboard scraps and sponges. This will give them a real idea of the actual size and shape of different tracks in the wild.

6. Digging into Dinosaurs

Source: Inquiring Minds

Even though they’re now extinct, dinosaurs remain some of the most popular animals with kids. Once you get your students researching, they can learn so much about these magnificent animals that came before us.

LEARNING: Help your students define the words “paleontology” and “paleontologist.” Next, encourage your kids to research different types of dinosaurs. Have them answer questions like: What were some of the big ones? Which ones could fly? What did different types of dinosaurs eat? These will all be important questions to answer before you dive into a project.

DOING: You can steal the sponge idea mentioned above to also create dinosaur tracks. Or for the ambitious teacher, create your very own giant dinosaur skeleton. This teacher outlined the shape for her students and then let them use packing peanuts and empty cardboard tubes to fill the inside.

7. Environment and Pollution

Source: The Owl Teacher

Whether you’re looking for a good Earth Day activity or you just want to teach your students more about environmental issues we are facing around the world, you can bring home the message by studying water pollution. This is a topic that affects millions every single day.

LEARNING: First, learn about the different types of pollution with your students. Air and water pollution are two big ones to start with. Help your kids learn the difference between these two and what they look like. Then ask them a question like, how could pollution affect animals, humans, and the future? Questions like this might seem too big for little minds, but they can handle it!

DOING: It really helps to see this lesson firsthand, and this Freddie the Fish activity is perfect. You’ll definitely want to see this teacher’s step-by-step instructions  describing how she did it, but the basics involve a fish-shaped sponge, plastic containers, and adding different toxins to the water. Your students will really start to see how a little bit of water pollution can really get out of hand quickly.

8. Color Mixing 

Source: Preschool Inspirations  

Color mixing is always a popular activity, and it’s great for hands-on research. Your students will love being in charge of the colors and watching them change before their eyes. 

LEARNING: Talk to your students about primary colors and go over the basics of what happens when you blend colors together. Depending on age, talk to them about why this happens and/or what they are seeing. Work with them to come up with a list or anchor chart about the most common color combinations. 

DOING: There are so many great color-mixing activities out there, including mixing colorful ice cubes or having a color mixing station in the classroom. We also love this project from Preschool Inspirations,  where they make sensory bottles with color mixing. 

Make research for your K–2 students easier by using PebbleGo , a reading and research database specifically targeting younger elementary students.

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The Brown Bag Teacher

Teach the Children. Love the Children. Change the World.

January 12, 2020

Organizing Research in 1st & 2nd Grade

Independent research in 1st and 2nd Grade is not something that just magically happens. Organizing writing is not something that just happens automatically. Both of these skills have to be explicitly modeled and scaffolded for students. The great news? When given the opportunity, students rise. The Common Core Standards ask our 1st and 2nd grade students to “Participate in shared research and writing projects”, as well as, “…gather information from provided sources to answer a question.” Our students are very capable of participating in real-world research with the appropriate scaffolds, supports, and explicit instruction. But how do we get there?

Where Do We Get Our Research in 1st & 2nd Grade?

Initially, research in 1st and 2nd Grade begins with books ( Pebble Go and National Graphic Kids are some of our favorites). I’ll also print articles and books from Reading AZ and Read Works if they are available. (If you have RAZ Kids, then you can just assign the Reading AZ texts to specific students and they can access them online. #savethetrees). Starting with print resources help me better manage the research and allows us to learn basic research skills before integrating technology.

Then, we slowly branch to ebooks using EPIC . I’m able to create topic specific collections for students and share them directly to their EPIC accounts. From there, we model using videos from YouTube ( SciShow Kids ). Now, the SciShow Kids videos are on Epic , so it’s even safer!! (Note – These are 6 and 7 year olds. In my classroom, they will not have the privilege or responsibility to freely roam the internet or YouTube.)

Finally we branch into online databases (all KY schools have free access to Kentucky Virtual Library) and teacher-chosen websites. I link specific websites students are allowed to visit from Google Classroom. As we explore these online resources, we have frequent conversations about internet safety and internet expectations. When online, our choices should always help us become better readers, writers, and humans.

Scaffolding research collection in this way allows me the opportunity to model expectations for each resource and how to use it, as well as, ensure students are safe.

Why Organize Research in 1st & 2nd Grade?

Organizing and structuring writing is not a skill that is innate within students. Students have to be explicitly taught executive functioning skills – such as organization. Additionally, when we research I don’t want students just copying down an entire book or webpage. The world’s most random collection of information will not be helpful in sharing our learning down the road. Researching in 1st and 2nd Grade means we invest the time to learn, read, model, practice, and tweak together.

When teaching students to gather and organize information, there are DOZENS of structures for doing it. As a teacher, I typically pick 3-4 different ways that are developmentally appropriate for my 1st and 2nd graders, as well as, lend themselves to the types of research we will be doing.

Planning of Instruction

Reading and writing are forever connected and they should be. We can leverage each one to ensure that students see both subjects in context, as well as, part of their daily lives. Additionally, as I am preparing for our research unit , we will leverage whatever we are learning in science and/or social studies. This ensures students have the background to do specific research about a topic, rather than “All About Monkeys”.

As new strategies for organizing research are explored we do not abandon all the others. Rather, the strategies we learn are ones that can easily be combined. Sketch noting is the best example of this. It can be a part of a concept map, questions and answers, and/or creating subtopics.

As I introduce ways to organize writing , I will typically do it as a part of our reading or science mini-lessons. The strategy is modeled in the context of content and then, we practice again together during writing. Next, students typically work in partners to try the strategy out and ultimately, they work independently. Some students will need more teacher support in independently researching and that’s okay.

Sketch Noting

Sketch noting is typically the first way students to collect research. It is the most kid-friendly and non-threatening. As a class, we read a text from our science or social studies learning and then, consider the big ideas. (At this point, we haven’t talked about developing a research question, so our information gathering is broad.) We talk about the ideas and what symbols or pictures represent them. Then, we discuss importance of including captions that contain important vocabulary, people, ideas, and numbers. Sketch notes don’t need to be in complete sentences, so it’s fine to write single words, bullets, or fragments.

Teaching students to create subtopics is a great way to start narrowing the research field. From all-the-random-facts to these-facts-fit-the-subtopics-I-have-chosen, students are to start differentiating between important information and “fun extras”.

The use of subheadings is easily modeled using the table of contents in informational texts. We spend time looking at these texts, noticing what subtopics the author chose to write about, and what types of information he/she included (and didn’t include).

As students choose subtopics, we put each subtopic as a heading on a different page in their writing notebook. Then, research collected for each subtopic is placed on the page specific to the learning. This can be done using bullets or sticky notes. Although expensive, I prefer the sticky-note route. It allows the details to be easily manipulated/moved around and seem less daunting for students who are reluctant writers.

Concept Mapping

Additionally, concept mapping is very similar to creating subtopics. Ultimately, this strategy becomes a little nebulous. Often times I will introduce it before subtopics sometimes after. There is no hard and fast rule. If taught after subtopics, we will create concept maps with ALL the information and then, create subtopics into which to sort the information. If teaching after subtopics, we natural embed subtopics into our mind maps.

The student sample belows shows a general collection of information with some sketch noting. That’s okay! It is a signal to me, as the teacher, we may need more support in structuring our thinking or we may not be focused on a specific research question.

Question & Answer

Hands-down the question/answer strategy is THE most effective for helping students explore specific research questions and avoiding the “All About” book filled with lots of random facts.

To begin this strategy, we read an informational text aloud and identify a sentence or idea in the text that we want to learn more about. We write this sentence or details from the text on a sticky note and stick it at the top of a page in our writing journal. From there, we make a bulleted list of questions from that detail. What do we want to know more about? What would our reader want to know more about?

Now, as we read/listen/write, these become our research questions. This strategy is gold because it means students are driving the inquiry, we are looking at something specific, and the questions will determine which sources we need. Therefore, using multiple information sources become authentic.

We Have the Information…Now What?

Now that we have completed research on several different topics, questions, and/or questions, we are ready to publish and share our learning. The science or social studies unit our learning aligned with determine how the information is shared. Sometimes we use Google Slides, paragraphs , letters, and sometimes we’ll share our ideas in a speech.

Research in 1st and 2nd Grade is a tough task. There will be missteps – not so great mini-lessons, skipping of steps, moving too fast, hard-to-find-research topics – and that’s okay. All of these things help us, as teachers, and students grow. Research in the real-world is not perfect, and it shouldn’t be in our classrooms either.

So, my challenge to you – offer students real opportunities to learn and research without over scaffolding. Be brave in teaching students’ strategies that allow choice, flexibility, and curiosity to reign. You’ve got this, friends.

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April 22, 2024 at 4:51 am

Thank you for providing a useful framework for using sketch notes as an information gathering tool, especially in the early stages of research before developing specific research questions. If you are also feeling free, you can try some online games like a small world cup .

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The Trapped Librarian

Make your library the center of your school

February 19, 2021 by: Laura

Research Skills for Kindergarten and First Grade

Last Updated on February 18, 2024 by Laura

Is it possible to teach research skills in the primary grades? Of course the answer is a resounding “YES!” The key is looking at the big picture – what will your students need as they progress though school? Research skills for kindergarten and first grade students lay the groundwork for future learning and success. Think of these skills in the primary grades as building a strong foundation.

Scaffold Research Skills

As with so many important skills, we need to start small when approaching research skills for kindergarten and first grade students. But, don’t just think about your students’ needs right now – look to the future. If you begin with the end in mind (5h grade? 8th grade? 12th grade?), you will be helping your young students understand concepts that will serve them well in later learning. It is important to teach skills each year that build upon one another .

Use Research Vocabulary

Using the proper vocabulary while teaching research skills to primary students is one way to build that strong foundation for future learning. Make sure you use the same words that you use with your older students, taking time to explain their meanings and give examples as you go. These words will be familiar each year as you do more research lessons. Some important words to consider:

• Informational Text

Do a Project Together

One strategy for teaching research skills to kindergarten and first grade students is to do a project together. As the teacher, you can choose the topic – perhaps George Washington or Abraham Lincol n in February, or your school’s mascot animal any time of year. You might even want to try a holiday research activity in December. Using a simple notetaking outline or booklet, you can model taking notes and writing down interesting facts as you go.

Give Choices

Of course, it’s always nice to give choices when you can. You want your students to know that they can use library resources to explore topics of personal interest any time! Now, I know I just suggested that you do a guided project together, but can you offer choice within your guided project? Giving your kindergarten and first grade students the choice between George Washington or Abraham Lincoln is still manageable for you as a librarian or teacher. You could also let them choose an animal to researc h . Give a list of 5 to choose from, if you’re concerned about this lesson getting out of control.

Use Kid-Friendly Resources

Does your school library subscribe to any online databases for primary students? The Abdo Zoom Animals and Biography databases are excellent for kindergarten and first grade students. When you guide them through a joint research project and model searching and navigating your databases, you’re definitely setting your young learners up for future success. After the project is over, give them time to explore topics of their own choosing using the database.

Choose a couple of strong print resources to use during your research project. Blastoff Readers and Bullfrog Books are excellent choices for their text features, clear photos, and kid-friendly layout. Create a display of related nonfiction titles for your kindergarten and first grade students to explore after the research is complete.

Encourage Sharing

One of the biggest joys of learning is sharing new information with others! Students can create a poster to display on a bulletin board, or a booklet to read to a big buddy. And of course you’ll want to encourage your primary students to bring home their projects to share their learning with their families!

Make it Easy on Yourself!

If you’re looking for made-for-you activities to help you teach research skills to your kindergarten and first grade students, I can help! These popular resources have been used as whole group activities, centers, and collaborative projects.

• Animal Research K-1 is fun and engaging any time of year!
• President Research K-1 is great for February activities around President’s Day.

Research Skills for Elementary Students

Research skills for kindergarten and first grade students lay the foundation for future learning. If you’re looking for scaffolded lessons to take the learning from kindergarten to fifth grade, check out the resources in this Ultimate Research Bundle . You’ll get lessons and activities for animal research projects and president research projects. Each grade builds upon skills taught the previous year. Help your students progress in their mastery of research skills throughout their elementary school years!

Be the light!

February 19, 2021 at 6:49 PM

Great tips for easing our littles into research! Thanks!

February 28, 2021 at 10:55 AM

First of all, I would like to mention that I really enjoyed reading your post and appreciate all the tips you are sharing. Second of all, you mentioned to “do a project together”. I have been a Kindergarten and Grade one teacher in the past and I remember how hectic things could get when I was trying to get every student connected at once. I don’t have any teacher librarian experience, I am currently enrolled in a Teacher Librarian program. So what suggestions do you have to run this experience smoothly? I was thinking in asking the help of the classroom teacher for that purpose but maybe there are other ways to do this. Thank you.

March 23, 2021 at 9:42 AM

Hi Carla – Thanks for stopping by! With these littles, you could project your source on the big screen and read through it with them, modeling your thinking and even taking very simple notes (using your document camera – toggle between the computer display and the doc cam). In “normal” years, I would pair up these students as a follow up to the lesson and allow them to explore the source (for example, Abdo Zoom – Animals or World Book Early World of Learning Animals category). Yes, you could get a volunteer or two or some older kids to come in and help. I would set up my computers before class and then rotate around and help students as needed. It is chaotic at first, but they get comfortable with the navigation pretty quickly, especially when you’ve modeled it first the week before. Best wishes to you!!

January 2, 2022 at 10:11 AM

You mentioned a winter sports research project. Is that one available for purchase? That would be fantastic for the Winter Olympics in February. Thank you for sharing all your fabulous lessons.

January 2, 2022 at 10:55 AM

Hi Kayla! I do have a resource for Winter Olympics/Winter Sports. It’s a bulletin board and mini research project and you can find it here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Sports-Bulletin-Board-and-Mini-Research-Kit-3653324?utm_source=trapppedlibrarian.org&utm_campaign=TL%20Winter%20Sports%20Blog

March 28, 2022 at 5:52 PM

I was doing research just today with my pre-k and 1st grade classes. We started with a KWL chart, listing things students know about birds, then developed questions for the want to know column. When we had 3 questions, I divided the students into small groups and gave them non-fiction picture books about many kinds of birds to look through and find answers. My TA, the pre-k TA, and I helped guide the students’ research and helped with reading as necessary.

Questions were: are all birds born from eggs? why do birds lay eggs in nests? are all nests built in trees?

Students were very engaged and excited about researching “like the big kids”.

April 15, 2022 at 10:22 AM

Sounds like a great lesson, Denise! Thanks for sharing!

thetrappedlibrarian

📚 Elementary School Librarian 🌟 NBCT 2011 👩🏻‍🏫 Teacher Author Blog: trappedlibrarian.org

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Researching with 1st Grade-Teaching Good Research Steps

Mar 19, 2015  •   2 Comments

     Teaching good research habits to younger grades is a very important part of being a librarian.  In the past, I have introduced the research steps using a lesson that connected the Big 6 steps to following a recipe for making an apple pie.  You can read about this “Recipe for Research” lesson on my blog here.       Typically, after I do this lesson, we would investigate Non-Fiction books, Text Features, and databases, and then they would do their research later in their classrooms with their teachers.      This year, I wanted to be more involved in helping them learn how to do the actual research part, so I decided to do a mini-research project with my first graders as part of their library lessons.   Step #1      I started off by asking them what they wanted to learn more about.  Most of them answered with some sort of animal, so we decided that our first research project together would be about animals.        This was actually perfect, as w e had just finished reading the book Those Darn Squirrels  by Adam Rubin. (By the way, if you haven’t read this, it’s a FANTASTIC book.  The kids LOVE raising their fists and shouting “Those Darn Squirrels!” whenever Old Man Fookwire yells at the crazy squirrels in his backyard.  Plus, they were super excited to find out that there are 2 more books in the series!)

      I told them that I was going to research Squirrels since we had just read about them, and then  I introduced them to PebbleGo .   This is an absolutely FANTASTIC database by Capstone Digital!  It is ideal for younger grades, and makes it super easy for them to find information. Each topic is divided into 6 main tabs: body, habitat, food, life cycle, fun facts, and related articles.  Each tab allows the student to either read or listen to the information, and most topics have a video they can watch as well.  It is slightly expensive, but well worth the money!  (If you are interested in checking it out, you can get a free 2 week trial by filling out a short form found here .)  I gave them some time to explore the database so they would be familiar with it for our next lesson, and I told them to think about what animal they would like to research.

Step #2      On their next visit, we quickly reviewed the “Recipe for Research” steps again, and  brainstormed a list of “egg” questions to research about their animal.  T hey came up with things like: what does my animal eat, how fast can it run, who is it afraid of, how does it move, where is it’s home, etc.   I created a Research Brochure (aka: note-taking tool) and had them chose 4 questions to write inside each egg.  

  Once their questions were written down, I asked “What do you think the lines underneath each egg are for?”  They correctly guessed it was for their answers to the questions.  I had them look at the lines, and we discussed how they weren’t very long and they would have to make sure they only wrote down the important words.      I pulled up information on Squirrels on PebbleGo, and we read that “Tree Squirrels have bushy tails that are as long as their body.” I had them help me find the “important facts” and I told them the general rule was they could write up to 3 words from a sentence.  (I am trying to start them early on learning how to paraphrase and write notes, and not just copy everything that they see.)  It was fun writing down their ideas, and then they would check to see if they had more than 3 words. After several tries, they came up with “long, bushy tails”. We practiced a few more times together, and then they  spent the rest of their library time on PebbleGo trying to find the answers for their animal. Before they left, I collected their research brochures to keep them safe for next time. S tep #3       The next week in the library, I showed them another database that I love to use with the younger grades,  Facts 4 Me .  It’s super cheap (only $50.00 for an entire year subscription!) You can take a quick tour of the site to learn more here .  It’s developed by former teachers, and the layout is also very friendly.   Each topic starts with a “Quick Facts” section that gives basic information.  On animals, it gives a variety of info such as: type, habitat, diet, weight, height, etc.  Along the left side are photographs, and under the Quick Facts section are short paragraphs giving more information.    

     At  the bottom, it even gives the exact citation to include on your Works Cited page, so I took this opportunity to begin teaching  them how to do a simple Works Cited page.  For the younger grades, I created just a simple ABC form (A=Author or website, B=Book Title or topic title, C=Copyright date).  I told them anytime they used facts from a source, they had to fill out a slip for their Works Cited page.  I had a stack and we just stapled the slip to their brochure so it all stayed together.  I gave them the rest of this library period to finish finding answers to their questions.

Step 4      Now that they had their answers, I showed them how to take their notes and create detailed, complete sentences on notebook paper.  We also talked about how to write a simple paragraphs (one paragraph for each “egg” question that they had answers for.)  When they were done, I had them work in pairs and peer-edit.  They helped each other with spelling, capitals, punctuation, and made sure that all their egg questions were answered.   Step 5 I gave them a variety of formats to choose from for their final presentation:   1) They could write a basic report using the 2-page format. 

2) They could make their own animal book using the brochure format including a Table of Contents and Author page.

3) Those that wanted to create a true Non-Fiction animal book could create one with a Table of Contents, Index, and Works Cited page.

Step #6      For their finale, each student presented their animal reports to the group.  I believe it’s important for students to get practice talking in front of their peers. Next time, I think it would be fun to Skype with another library and let students from each class share.  Technology options:        There are so many different apps that you can use to present their final information as well.  I love Tellagami and Sock Puppets, and both of these are easy to use.  Since we completed these activities toward the end of the year, our normal schedules were interrupted due to state testing, book fair, and end of the year changes.  Exploring those apps were a great way to keep the kids excited about their research project and provided motivation for them to finish.  If you are interested in doing this research activity with your students, you can find it here on my website or at  TpT store .  I’d love to hear how you do research with your students! Sandy

2 Responses to “Researching with 1st Grade-Teaching Good Research Steps”

Clear and easy to follow, yet thorough and precise. Thank you!

You’re welcome Mona! I hope they help! 🙂 Sandy

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PBL in the Early Elementary Grades

Setting up project-based learning with young students can be a challenge, but it’s worth the work, according to first-grade teachers from across the U.S.

Making a change to classroom instruction can be complex, confusing, and even overwhelming. Educators may have reservations about shifting their teaching approach as they consider student response, increased time commitment, or lack of support. They also may not know how to take the leap. But taking the leap to project-based learning is well worth the effort. Moving toward a PBL teaching approach includes many potential benefits for educators and students alike.

Administrators and first-grade teachers from practicing PBL schools across the United States participated in focus-group conversations as part of a project to inform the development of a PBL-based first-grade curriculum. During the conversations, educators offered advice about areas they continue to navigate, what works well, and how to start a conversation about moving toward a PBL approach to teaching.

Anticipated Challenges and How to Address Them

If you’re considering PBL, you might be wondering about potential barriers and how to navigate them. In the course of talking with practicing PBL educators from around the country, some common challenges with PBL implementation emerged.

1. Lack of support from other teachers and/or administrators. Many educators indicated that there’s often a lack of support within the school as well as a general sense that teachers are fundamentally underprepared about how to implement PBL. External support is a crucial factor, so it’s important to talk with teachers and administrators about getting on board before launching PBL efforts. A network of other PBL educators inside and outside of school can provide support and help make the experience successful.

2. Additional time for lesson planning. Time is an important consideration that goes into planning and implementing project work, as a majority of educators mentioned during focus-group conversations. Since integrating PBL takes a substantial amount of time, educators can ask for understanding and flexibility from others in the school with planning, scheduling, and enacting.

3. Shifted role from instructor to facilitator. Successful PBL requires teachers to act as motivators for students in their learning. This shift in classroom control may cause apprehension and a need for adjustment for teachers and learners. Through the use of balanced instruction, increasing the amount of student choice, and providing appropriate scaffolding, this instructional shift becomes much easier to navigate and creates an opportunity to successfully implement PBL.

Successes of Moving Toward PBL

Using a PBL learning approach comes with many benefits and countless opportunities, as the educators we talked with pointed out. These advantages positively impact students, teachers, parents, and communities.

1. Opportunities for collaboration. Collaboration is paramount in PBL and one of the best ways students and educators can further develop soft skills, including communication and problem-solving. Students learn to consider alternative viewpoints, and educators benefit from being able to plan with the support of colleagues, collaborate with teachers from other classes, and think through ideas together.

Collaboration seems to be fundamental to educators’ perspectives with creating successful and meaningful project-based approaches to learning. Through collaboration, students and educators not only develop better project work but also learn important real-world skills that extend beyond their projects and will benefit them in multiple ways.

2. Increased student engagement. By using student voice and choice throughout PBL, educators can create opportunities to engage and motivate students who might otherwise not be interested in actively participating in learning opportunities. Project work requires balance and finesse to maintain engagement over the course of the entire unit. By utilizing PBL curriculum, however, these educators reported greater student connection, particularly for students who are often hard to engage.

When educators take the perspectives of their students into account throughout the learning process, they create engaging ways to keep up with their changing needs. It can be helpful to use formative assessments, including student interviews, as a way to check in with students throughout the PBL process to understand what motivates, engages, and excites them. Increasing student voice by linking student interests and motivations throughout the process can maintain engagement and ensure that students feel connected to the work.

3. Authentic learning opportunities. It’s important to ensure that projects serve a purpose beyond the classroom and allow students to draw real-world connections with the work they’re actively engaged in. When educators provide authentic context for student work through PBL and an authentic audience to present their work to, students feel more connected, excited, and engaged with their project work. Nearly all of the educators in focus-group conversations noted that it’s important for the project work to feel real to students and to remind students of their authentic audience throughout the course of project work.

Starting the Conversation

Previous research shows that PBL can foster intrinsic motivation , increase student engagement, and help develop creative thinking skills. It’s also been proven to be a catalyst that can encourage engagement of student learning , support sustained student interest in exploring novel ideas, and help promote communication and collaboration .   A great place to begin is to familiarize yourself with the essential project design elements of PBL . Next, start small. Think about a project idea you may have once had, dust it off, and start talking with your colleagues about how to bring it to life in your classroom. Then, recognize your capacity.

As demands on teachers increase to equip students with 21st-century skills to help them adapt to a quickly changing society, more educators are turning to teaching methods such as PBL, and it’s essential that administrators know how to support them. Talk with your administrator about your PBL thoughts, hopes, and dreams. Present the evidence, pitch your idea, and prepare for an exciting journey with PBL.

• ELEMENTARY TEACHING , LITERACY

How to Teach Research Skills to Elementary Students in 2024

Research skills are incredibly important in the world we live in today. When we come across a problem or a question, what do we do? We quickly search online to find the answer. We are using our research skills while we are doing this. Read below to learn how to teach research skills to elementary students! This will help you prepare your twenty-first century learners for the ever-changing world we live in. You’ll have the confidence to create opportunities to apply these skills to research projects like this animal research project .

What are Research Skills?

Research skills is the ability to search for information about a topic, evaluate that information efficiently, and share findings in an organized way.

What Research Skills do Elementary Students Need?

Your elementary students are required to learn research skills if your state uses the Common Core or TEKS.  Read below to learn what specific research standards your grade level covers.

Research Standards in Common Core

The standards listed below are a good starting point for figuring out how to teach research skills to your elementary students.

Kindergarten

• ELA.W.K.7 : Participate in shared research and writing projects.
• ELA.W.K.8 : With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

First Grade

• ELA.W.1.7 : Participate in shared research and writing projects.
• ELA.W.1.8 : With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Second Grade

• ELA.W.2.7 : Participate in shared research and writing projects.
• ELA.W.2.8 : Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Third Grade

• ELA.W.3.7 : Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
• ELA.W.3.8 : Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Fourth Grade

• ELA.W.4.7 : Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
• ELA.W.4.8 : Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. 
• ELA.4.9 : Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• ELA.4.9.B : Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts.

Fifth Grade

• ELA.W.5.7 : Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
• ELA.W.5.8 : Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
• ELA.W.5.9 : Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• ELA.W.5.9.B : Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts.

Research Standards in TEKS

The standards listed below are a good starting point for figuring out how to teach research skills to your students.

• Generate questions for formal and informal inquiry with adult assistance. (TEKS 12A)
• Develop and follow a research plan with adult assistance. (TEKS 12B)
• Gather information from a variety of sources with adult assistance. (TEKS 12C)
• Demonstrate understanding of information gathered with adult assistance. (TEKS 12D)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 12E)
• Generate questions for formal and informal inquiry with adult assistance. (TEKS 13A)
• Develop and follow a research plan with adult assistance. (TEKS 13B)
• Identify and gather relevant sources and information to answer the questions with adult assistance. (TEKS 13C)
• Demonstrate understanding of information gathered with adult assistance. (TEKS 13D)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 13E)
• Identify and gather relevant sources and information to answer the questions. (TEKS 13C)
• Identify primary and secondary sources. (TEKS 13D)
• Demonstrate understanding of information gathered. (TEKS 13E)
• Cite sources appropriately. (TEKS 13F)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 13G)
• Generate questions on a topic for formal and informal inquiry. (TEKS 13A)
• Identify and gather relevant information from a variety of sources. (TEKS 13C)
• Recognize the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials. (TEKS 13F)
• Create a works cited page. (TEKS 13G)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 13H)
• Generate and clarify questions on a topic for formal and informal inquiry. (TEKS 13A)
• Develop a bibliography. (TEKS 13G)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results . (TEKS 13H)
• Understand credibility of primary and secondary sources. (TEKS 13D)
• Differentiate between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials. (TEKS 13F)

20 Research Mini Lesson Ideas

Below are 20 research mini lessons for how to teach research skills to elementary students.

• Research and What it Looks Like
• The Steps in the Research Process
• Types of Resources
• Text Features in Websites
• Finding Resources on the Internet
• Finding Information in Non-Fiction Books
• Text Features in Non-Fiction Texts
• How to Use an Encyclopedia
• Conducting an Interview with an Expert
• Reading a Newspaper and Getting Information from it
• Previewing a Text for Research
• Evaluating a Resource to Determine if it is Reliable
• Citing Sources
• Facts vs. Opinions
• Taking notes
• Paraphrasing
• Summarizing
• Organizing Information
• Writing Like an Informational Writer
• Presenting Findings

What are the Research Steps for Elementary Students?

Here are the 4 steps of the research process for elementary students:

• Choose a topic.
• Search for information.
• Organize information.
• Share information.

Ideas for Elementary School Research Topics

Below are research topic ideas for elementary students.

Animal Research Topics for Elementary Students

1. ocean animals.

Oyster, tuna, cod, grouper, shrimp, barnacle, barracuda, shark, bass, whale, lobster, starfish, salmon, clam, conch, coral, crab, sea otter, dolphin, eel, seal, sea turtle, flounder, octopus, sea star, haddock, jellyfish, krill, manatee, marlin, seahorse, sea otter, sea cucumber, sea lion, sea urchin, stingray, squid, swordfish, and walrus

2. Land Animals

Aardvark, elephant, frog, dog, tortoise, ant, anteater, antelope, fox, rabbit, baboon, camel, badger, owl, bat, bear, beaver, bison, rhinoceros, spider, bobcat, buffalo, bumble bee, butterfly, cat, chameleon, cheetah, chicken, chipmunk, cockroach, cougar, cow, coyote, gorilla, deer, donkey, dragonfly, eagle, emu, ferret, flamingo, goat, goose, hedgehog, heron, hippopotamus, horse, hummingbird, hyena, iguana, jaguar, kangaroo, koala, lemur, leopard, lion, llama, meerkat, mongoose, monkey, moth, mouse, mule, panther, parrot, peacock, pelican, peacock, pheasant, pig, platypus, porcupine, possum, puma, quail, raccoon, rattlesnake, sheep, skunk, sloth, squirrel, swan, termite, tiger, turkey, vulture, walrus, weasel, wolf, woodpecker, yak, and zebra

3. Endangered Species

Bengal tiger, polar bear, Pacific walrus, Magellanic penguin, leatherback turtle, bluefish tuna, mountain gorilla, monarch butterfly, Javan rhinoceros, giant panda, amur leopard, sei whale, Asian elephant, sumatran elephant, pangolin, African wild dog, amur tiger, blue whale, bonobo, chimpanzee, dugong, Indus river dolphin, orangutan, red panda, sea lion, vaquita, whale shark, yangtze finless porpoise, North Atlantic right whale, and yellowfish tuna

Resources for Teaching Elementary Research Skills

Below are resources for teaching elementary student research skills.

Animal Research Project

Learn more about the animal research project below!

What is the animal research project?

The animal research project is a printable and digital research project where students learn about any animal they choose. You can also choose the animals for them. The resource can be used over and over again all year long by just picking a new animal.

What grades is the animal research project appropriate for?

This resource includes tons of differentiated materials so it is appropriate for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.

What is included in the animal research project?

The animal research project includes the following:

• teacher’s guide with tips and instructions to support you with your lesson planning and delivery
• parent communication letter to promote family involvement
• graphic organizers for brainstorming a topic, activating schema, taking notes, drafting writing
• research report publishing printables including a cover, writing templates and resource pages
• grading rubric so expectations are clear for students and grading is quick and easy for you
• research activities (KWL, can have are chart, compare/contrast Venn diagram, habitat map, vocabulary pages, illustration page, and life cycle charts)
• flipbook project printables to give an additional choice of how students can demonstrate their understanding
• flap book project printables to offer students another way to demonstrate their learning
• research poster to serve as an additional way to demonstrate student understanding
• poetry activities to offer students an alternative way to demonstrate their learning
• digital version so your students can access this resource in school or at home

4 Research Websites

Below are 4 research websites for elementary students.

• http://www.kidrex.org
• https://www.kiddle.co
• https://www.safesearchkids.com
• https://www.kidzsearch.com/boolify/

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Want to add FUN to your Math block?

Light & Sound Activities & Lesson Plans for First Grade

Teaching Science has definitely  not been my favorite subject to teach…even in first grade! It always seemed so challenging to explain such difficult concepts to kids! I’m hopeful these ideas for teaching light & sound worksheets and activities will be as helpful for you as they were for me. 👇

I’m not gonna lie…I often pushed Science off in my plan book because I wouldn’t want to face the questions from first graders {lame, I know!} When my school district decided to move over to the Next Generation Science Standards, I knew I had to get ahead of this curve and dive in deep. I set out to create easy to understand and do science lessons!

I am SO excited for my first unit in the 1st Grade Standards, Sound & Light ! You guys, this labor of love was created so that ALL of us can easily teach the NGSS and actually understand it!

This unit is chock-full of step-by-step lessons, experiments, anchor charts, book suggestions, YouTube videos , response sheets and more to make sure your students understand Sound & Light through hands-on experiments and investigations.

Each lesson includes a learning target, background information, talking points, a book suggestion, and

Background Info for the Teacher & Prepping for Lessons

When I taught from our Science curriculum, I was always so overwhelmed by how much background info was provided! Was I going to be tested at the end? Eeeek!

In this Sound & Light Investigations unit  I’ve shared  just the right   amount of information to totally “get” what you’re teaching! There are also easy-to-understand vocabulary posters to help your students understand these big ideas!

Each of the investigations uses super simple materials that you have around your classroom or can easily get from parents.  I’ve included a Materials List to make gathering these goodies easy!

I’ve also included a Family Letter to inform your students’ families about what they’re learning about!

What is a Scientist? Activity

Kick off the unit by chatting about what being a scientist actually means!

Kids L•O•V•E science! Get them thinking about just what a Scientist does! It’s fun to gauge their thinking and start meaningful conversations about science.  The bonus is that your students will start to see themselves as scientists!

I had SO much fun doing these experiments when I was making this unit, so I am certain you will, too! The best part – your students will  definitely have fun and learn about light & sound along the way!

Sound Activities & Lesson Plan Ideas for 1st Grade

You’ll start this set of sound explorations by taking your kiddos outside for a sound hunt.  Give them a while to explore and record the sounds they hear using their senses.  They’ll fill out a mini book and add their sounds to a poster.

Once your students have an awareness that sound is  everywhere , you’ll move into lessons to get them making sounds and understanding sound waves.

This kazoo is SURE to be a hit in that exploration!

In the following lessons, students will continue to explore how sound moves and how they can change the sound things make.  Simple supplies from around your classroom will give students a chance to make their very own instruments!

Thankfully I had this cutie to help me test out this hanger instrument! This lesson helps students see how sound moves through different materials.

The final lesson in the sound exploration gives students a chance to see how sound moves through solids, liquids & gases.

By the end of these experiments, students will have a good understanding of sound! I’ve included book suggestions, YouTube links, and additional ways to extend the lessons!

Light Activities & Lesson Plans for 1st Grade

Here’s a peek at all the lessons for sound.

To start, your students will explore why light is needed! Without light, we can’t see anything!

Then, you’ll move into a discussion about Natural vs. Artificial light.

The students will follow up the discussion with this PowerPoint game.  Check out a sneak peek below!

After understanding that light is necessary to see and that there are various ways to see light, you’ll move into a bit meatier ideas.  In the next lesson, kids will investigate different materials to see how light reacts.

Grab some cheap flashlights from the dollar store and a few different cups and you’re all set to go!

Through exploration, the students will see that light affects transparent, opaque, and translucent materials differently!

By far, my favorite lesson is #4 – Eye Tricks!

Students will do a light experiment to see just how refraction works! I bet this will be a crowd pleaser in your classroom!

Check it out in action!

Have you ever met a kid who  doesn’t love a mirror? Well, turn that fun and curiosity into some learning with these explorations. 

Students will explore with mirrors, toys, and lights to see what happens with light!

To wrap up your light study, you’ll give students a chance to head outside and explore shadows!

Lesson Ideas to Better Understand Sound & Light

To show their learning, students will wrap up the unit combining their knowledge of sound and light!

First up, they’ll create a telephone using string and cups. Don’t you remember doing this when you were a kid? Now, you can do it again…and share the science behind it!

And the final project will be creating a way to communicate with a friend…without speaking! Your students are sure to get creative with this activity!

Recap of Sound & Light Activities and Lesson Plans for 1st Grade

I promise this entire Sound & Light Investigations unit is TEACHER friendly! The kids will have so much fun learning and exploring that they won’t even realize they’re learning those new Next Generation Science Standards!

Go find it in The Lucky Shop here!

Want to check out some Sound & Light books for teaching this unit? This post has my favorite light and sound books!

• Published: September 4, 2017
• Updated on: February 13, 2024
• Filed Under: Science

One Response

Hi, Thank you for the great FOSS info. We are also teaching Sound and Light for the first time. Can you share what your report card grades for this unit?

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Back to English Language: Elementary School: 1st and 2nd Grade

• Elementary School: 1st and 2nd Grade
• English Language: Elementary School: 1st and 2nd Grade

Grade 1 Writing - Research Project

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This English Language quiz is called 'Research Project' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at elementary school. Playing educational quizzes is a fun way to learn if you are in the 1st or 2nd grade - aged 6 to 8.

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Research projects are great for first graders. This allows students to participate together. They can work toward a common goal. Most first graders' research projects revolve around "how-to" books and using this information. In this quiz, the students practice where they need to go to research in addition to sequencing instructions.

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