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6-week science course

Science Experiments

Six weeks of hands-on experiments where students learn to think like scientists and engineers - asking questions, testing ideas, and explaining what they find.

Ages
Grades 2-4
Length
6 weeks
Per week
45-60 minutes
You need
Kitchen supplies

No lab, no computer, and no science background needed.

Students running a hands-on science experiment at an Avanza STEM workshop

Every week is one real experiment you can run on a kitchen table.

See it first

The kind of science you'll be doing

Real reactions, real messes, real results - not worksheets. These are experiments from Avanza sessions and projects that pair with the course.

  • A baking soda and vinegar volcano erupting with orange foam

    Week 2 chemistry: mix two safe ingredients and watch a brand-new gas appear.

  • Hands squeezing oobleck, a cornstarch and water mixture

    Week 3 matter: a goo that acts solid when you hit it and liquid when you let go.

  • A tall column of foam erupting from a bottle in the elephant toothpaste experiment

    Reactions can be fast, foamy, and completely explainable once you know why.

What this course is for

Kids stop guessing and start investigating

Students learn science the way scientists actually work: they start with a question, make a prediction, run a fair test, observe carefully, explain what happened with evidence, and then improve their test or design. Each week is one experiment built from cheap, everyday materials - paper, baking soda, ice, a toy car, seeds - paired with one big science idea. The course builds from how scientists and engineers think, through chemistry, matter, forces, and machines, and finishes with living things and ecosystems.

  • Help students see science as something they do, not just read about.
  • Build the habit of testing ideas instead of guessing.
  • Teach real, accurate science ideas in words a second-to-fourth grader understands.
  • Show how scientists and engineers use the same loop to figure things out and make things better.

The method

Every week runs on the same loop

This is the loop real scientists use. Nobody aims for a perfect first try - you predict, test, see what happens, and improve.

  1. Ask

    Start with a real question about what will happen.

  2. Predict

    Make a smart guess and write it down before you test.

  3. Test

    Run a fair test, changing only one thing at a time.

  4. Observe

    Watch closely and record what really happens.

  5. Explain

    Use your evidence to say why it happened.

  6. Improve

    Change something and test again to learn more.

The path

6 weeks, 6 big questions

Each week opens with a question, answers it with one hands-on experiment, and ends with what you figured out. Work at your own pace - your progress saves on this device.

By the end

What your kid can do after six weeks

Over six weeks you did real science. You made a helicopter fall slowly, filled a balloon with gas you made yourself, kept ice frozen longer, raced a car down a ramp, built a machine or a tower, and grew a living thing. Every time, you used the same loop: you asked a question, made a prediction, ran a fair test, observed closely, explained your results with evidence, and improved your work. That loop is what scientists and engineers use every day - and now you can use it on any question you have.

  • Ask a science question and make a prediction before testing.
  • Run a fair test by changing only one thing at a time.
  • Observe carefully and record results with words, numbers, or drawings.
  • Use evidence to explain why something happened.
  • Improve a test or a design after seeing the results.
  • Explain a chemical reaction, states of matter, forces and friction, simple machines, and what living things need.

Shopping list

Everything you need, week by week

All of it is common and low-cost, and you only need a small handful for any single week - so gather as you go rather than buying it all up front.

Week 1

Think Like a Scientist and Engineer

  • 2 sheets of paper
  • Scissors
  • A ruler
  • A few paper clips
  • A timer or phone stopwatch
  • A safe spot to drop from, like standing next to a chair (with an adult)

Week 2

Chemical Reactions

  • 1 tablespoon of baking soda
  • About half a cup of white vinegar
  • A balloon
  • An empty plastic water bottle
  • A small funnel, or a piece of paper rolled into one
  • A measuring spoon

Week 3

States of Matter and Materials

  • 3 or more ice cubes that are the same size
  • Small cups or containers, one per material
  • Materials to test: foil, cotton or a sock, a paper towel, foam or a plastic bag
  • A plate or tray to catch melt water
  • A timer

Week 4

Forces, Motion, and Friction

  • A toy car or anything that rolls
  • A board or piece of stiff cardboard for a ramp
  • A few books to prop the ramp up
  • A tape measure or ruler
  • Surfaces to test: bare floor, a towel, sandpaper, and foil
  • Tape to hold surfaces flat

Week 5

Simple Machines, Structures, and Stability

  • For a machine: a ruler and a pencil for a lever, or a spool and string for a pulley
  • Small weights to lift, like a stack of coins or a small toy
  • For a structure: index cards, straws, or craft sticks
  • Tape
  • A ruler
  • Coins or washers to test how much weight it holds

Week 6

Life Science and Ecosystems

  • A few dried beans or fast-growing seeds
  • Clear cups or resealable plastic bags
  • Paper towels
  • Water
  • A sunny windowsill and a dark spot like a cupboard
  • A notebook to record what you see each day

Good to know

You do not need everything at once - each week uses only a small handful of supplies, and most weeks list swaps for anything you do not have on hand.

Before you start

Safety, in plain language

These experiments are safe, and a few habits keep them that way. Each week adds its own specific notes on the lesson page.

  • An adult should be nearby for every experiment.
  • Never taste or eat experiment materials, even food items like baking soda or seeds.
  • Keep liquids away from faces and eyes, and wipe up spills right away so no one slips.
  • Wash hands after each experiment.
  • Carry and pass scissors with the handle first, and keep them on the table.
  • Wear safety goggles if you have a pair, especially for the vinegar reaction.
  • Use only safe, everyday household materials.

An adult should be nearby

Do the experiments together, and keep water, vinegar, and scissors supervised. Nothing in this course uses a heat source, a flame, or a chemical you cannot buy at a grocery store.

For grown-ups

You do not need a science background

Your job is not to have the answers. It is to set out the materials and ask good questions - here is what makes each week go smoothly.

  • Skim the week ahead of time and set out the small list of materials before you start.
  • Have your kid write a prediction before they test. Being wrong is useful information, not a mistake.
  • Ask "what did you notice?" and "why do you think that happened?" instead of giving the answer.
  • Plan about 45-60 minutes per week. The seed lab in week 6 also needs a quick daily check-in.
  • Do the experiments together and keep water, vinegar, and scissors supervised.
  • Progress saves in this browser. There is no account, no sign-in, and nothing to pay for.

Finish line

Finishing the course

After week 6

You think like a scientist and an engineer

Over six weeks you did real science. You made a helicopter fall slowly, filled a balloon with gas you made yourself, kept ice frozen longer, raced a car down a ramp, built a machine or a tower, and grew a living thing. Every time, you used the same loop: you asked a question, made a prediction, ran a fair test, observed closely, explained your results with evidence, and improved your work. That loop is what scientists and engineers use every day - and now you can use it on any question you have.

Work through all six weeks, then come back here for your course reflection.

Look back and reflect

  • Which experiment surprised you the most, and why?
  • Which prediction turned out to be wrong? What did being wrong teach you?
  • Where in your everyday life have you seen one of these science ideas?
  • If you could redo one experiment to test something new, what would you change?

Keep exploring

  • Pick your favorite week and design a brand-new fair test for it.
  • Teach one experiment to a family member and explain why it happens.
  • Start a science notebook and write down questions you want to test next.
  • Try one of the related projects, like building a baking-soda volcano.

Ready to run the first experiment?

Start with Think Like a Scientist and Engineer and the Paper Helicopter Drop Test, then work through all six weeks at whatever pace fits your week.