Science fair projects, grade one to seven needs to increase in difficulty a little each year. By grade five you can really start to expect good scientific method from the kids. Still, all science fair projects, grade one to seven needs to be fun if it is going to serve any purpose. Elementary school kids needs to find out exiting things to make them exited about science and to instill in them an eagerness to explore.

Here is a fun science fair project that can be part of a series of experiments to show the power of energy. On it’s own it is not enough for a science fair, but if combined with a water wheel it will be a very visual and exiting experiment for the little ones. Smaller kids do have to do this science fair project under adult supervision though, as a lot of cutting is involved.

What you need for this science fair project:

• A large plastic soda bottle (in the photos you will see we used a small bottle, it worked but not as well as a large bottle would)
• 2 Wide drinking straws
• A pair of scissors
• Plastic sticky tape
• Thin string
• Water

What you have to do:

1. Cut off the bottle’s top with the scissors
2. With your pencil (we used a pocket knife and it worked) poke holes around the base of the bottle
3. Cut the straws, push them through the holes and secure them with the sticky tape.
4. Now you have to poke three holes around the top of the bottle.
5. Cut three equal lengths of string.
6. Tie them through the holes in the top.
7. Tie these strings to one long string.
8. Hold the turbine over a tray or go outside on the grass like we did so as not to make a mess.
9. Fill the bottle with water and notice how it starts spinning as the water squirts through the straws.
10. For a good science fair project, grade two or three it is a good idea to take photos of each step for your display, it will of course be even better if you can make a video of the end result.

Of course this is only the experiment as such. For a good science fair project you will need to explain the concept of energy and how it can be captured to make something move. It will also be necessary to give examples of how it is used in real life and to show some photos of the uses. Get a good science fair e-book to show you exactly what is expected of you. Even thought science fair projects, grade 1 to 7 still needs to be done according to sound scientific method, so have a look at a good Science Fair E-Book.

On the photos our cat Wittekat is supervising us!

What you need for this science fair project:

• A large plastic soda bottle
• The wire from the bottom of a wire hanger (ask an adult to help you)
• Scissors Craft knife
• Cork
• String
• Sticky tape
• A small weight
• A jug
• Water
• A large plate or a shallow bowl

How to do this experiment:

1. Cut of the top third off the soda bottle
2. To let the water out you have to cut a small hole in the bottom piece near the base of the bottle
3. Now you have to cut a V-shape on each side of the rim (opposite each other)
4. Get the help of an adult to push the wire through the centre of the cork to make an axle.
5. Using the top third of the soda bottle, cut six small curved blades to fit on the cork
6. Get the help of an adult to cut six slots with your craft knife.
7. Push the blades into the slots to make the water wheel
8. Now you have to carefully rest the axle in the v-shape slots
9. Tape a piece of string on the end of one end of the axle and tie your small weight to it
10. Now you fill your jug with water.
11. Place your water wheel on a large plate or shallow bowl to prevent a mess.
12. Pour the water on the wheel so that it hits the blades.
13. As your wheel turns it should lift the weight.
14. Once again a photo of each step is a good idea as well as a video of the end result.
15. Make sure you know exactly why it happens and once again show photos of examples where this form of energy is used in real life.
16. Once again make use of a good Science Fair Projects e-book to make sure you comply with all the regulations and know how to do your display.

Once again it is important that first of all, science fair projects, grade one to seven needs to be fun. If you can get your kid to get exited about science, motivating you kid later to do science will be very easy. Science fair projects, grade one to seven has to lay a real good basis for the grades to follow.