- Balloon Rockets: Create a rocket using a balloon, string, and a straw. Watch it soar through the air!
- Sink or Float: Gather various objects and predict if they will sink or float in water. Test your predictions and record the results.
- Dancing Raisins: Drop raisins into a glass of soda and observe how they dance and sink.
- Mentos and Coke Volcano: Drop Mentos candies into a bottle of Coca-Cola and witness an explosive reaction.
- Egg in Vinegar: Place an egg in a container filled with vinegar and observe how the shell dissolves, leaving a rubbery egg.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar: Mix baking soda and vinegar to create a fizzy chemical reaction. Explore different ratios to see varying results.
- Static Electricity: Rub a balloon on your hair and watch as it attracts small objects like paper bits or even makes your hair stand up.
- Color Changing Milk: Add drops of food coloring to a plate of milk and then dip a cotton swab with dish soap. Observe the mesmerizing color explosion.
- Straw Oboes: Construct a musical instrument using straws and learn about sound vibrations.
- Rainbow Jar: Layer different liquids with varying densities (such as syrup, water, oil, and food coloring) to create a rainbow in a jar.
- Magnetic Racing Cars: Create a racetrack using magnets and toy cars. Explore how magnetic attraction and repulsion influence motion.
- Lemon Battery: Use a lemon, copper, and zinc nails to create a battery that can power a small LED light.
- Invisible Ink: Write secret messages using lemon juice or white crayon, then reveal them by heating the paper or painting it with grape juice.
- Oobleck: Mix cornstarch and water to create a non-Newtonian substance that behaves like a liquid and solid simultaneously.
- Solar Oven: Build a simple solar oven using a pizza box and aluminum foil. Use it to cook s’mores or melt chocolate.
These 15 simple and fun science experiments and activities will engage 2nd graders in hands-on learning, sparking their curiosity and fostering a love for science. Enjoy exploring the world of science with these exciting projects!
