Search for Science Fair Projects

1000 Science Fair Projects with Complete Instructions

73 Science Projects for 3rd Graders

73 Science Projects for 3rd Graders

Looking for ways to develop a lifelong love of learning in 3rd graders? Our handpicked list of 3rd grade science projects is designed to do just that!

Colorful Temperature
Let's find out how the color of a building affects the temperature inside!
Easy
Preserving Flowers with Sugar
Do you want to make your flowers last longer? Try adding sugar to the water!
Easy
Bacteria on Our Hands
Let's explore the microorganisms on our hands and the objects we touch! We'll use agar plates and a microscope to see what we can find.
Easy
How Soil Affects Pinto Bean Growth
Let's find out how different types of soil affect the growth of a pinto bean!
Easy
Paper Airplane Challenge
Let's see which paper airplane can fly the farthest! Fold, decorate, and launch your own planes to find the winning design.
Easy
Sparkling Rainbow Crystal
Make your own sparkling rainbow crystals at home with Borax and see science in action!
Easy
Make Your Own Anemometer
Learn how to make a wind speed indicator with paper cups, cardboard, and a pencil!
Easy
Balancing a Ball in Air
Suspend a ball in a stream of air and feel the force of the air pushing it back in!
Easy
Swimming Raisins
Have you ever seen raisins swim? Find out how to make raisins swim with this fun science experiment!
Easy
Baking Soda Volcano
Create a fizzing, bubbling reaction with baking soda and vinegar! Learn about acid-base reactions and have fun while doing it!
Easy
Rock Hardness Challenge
How hard is that rock? You can learn how to classify your own rocks by their hardness just like geologists!
Medium
Staining Teeth with Beverages
Let's find out which beverage leaves the most stains on our teeth!
Easy
Testing the Strength of Water Surface Tension
Can water hold up a weight? Find out by testing the surface tension of water with salt and temperature!
Easy
Bouncing Soccer Balls
Let's find out which type of turf makes a soccer ball bounce the most!
Easy
The Invincible Soap Bubble!
Can you make a bubble that won't burst? Find out with this fun science project!
Easy
Can You Taste With a Plugged Nose?
Can you tell the difference between an apple and a pear if you can't smell? Find out in this fun experiment!
Easy
Test Your Reflexes!
See how fast you can react to different situations! Compare your reflexes to your friends and family and see who is the fastest!
Easy
Memorizing with Rhyme and Rhythm
Does singing a poem help you remember it better than just reading it? Let's find out!
Easy
Dominant Hand, Foot, Eye and Ear
Do you know which hand, foot, eye and ear you use the most? Find out with this fun experiment!
Easy
Make Plastic From Milk
Did you know that milk from the fridge can be transformed into plastic? How cool is that?
Easy
Sea Shells with Vinegar
Did you know that something interesting happens when you place a sea shell into vinegar? Explore chemical reactions involving acids and bases in this fun experiment!
Easy
Cloud in a Bottle
With just a few simple steps, creating a cloud in a jar can help us understand the process of cloud formation!
Easy
Jumping Rice Krispies
Make Rice Krispies jump with static electricity!
Easy
Explosive Elephant Toothpaste
Get ready to create a massive, bubbling tube of toothpaste using only hydrogen peroxide, yeast and dish soap!
Easy
Play-doh Solar System Scale Model
Explore our solar system with Play-doh! Make a scale model of planets and moons and learn about their size and distance from each other.
Easy
Geode Rock Borax Crystal
Make your own sparkling geode rock crystals at home with Borax and see science in action!
Easy
Rock Candy: Sweet Science
Get ready to become a candy-making scientist! Grow your own giant sugar crystals and make rock candy you can eat!
Easy
Fizzy Rocks: Vinegar on Rocks
Find out if rocks have calcium carbonate, also known as calcite, in them with a simple fizz test!
Medium
Rocks and Minerals: Candy Geology
Have you ever wondered what the difference between a rock and a mineral is? Find out with this sweet experiment!
Easy
Growing Crystals in Different Temperatures
Let's find out if temperature affects the size of crystals!
Medium
Soil Erosion: How Dirt Moves Away
Let's explore how soil erosion happens and what we can do to prevent it!
Easy
Is Yeast Alive?
Have you ever wondered if the little brown grains of yeast you buy in the grocery store are alive? Let's find out!
Easy
Powering Up with Potatoes
Learn how to make a battery from potatoes and measure the voltage and current it produces!
Easy
Make a Pinhole Viewer
Make a simple pinhole viewer to see the images carried by light shining through a pinhole!
Easy
Does One Bad Apple Spoil the Bunch?
Have you ever wondered why apples ripen at the same time? Find out if one bad apple can spoil the bunch in this fun science project!
Easy
Sink or Float?
Can you figure out why some cans of soda sink and others float? Join us in this experiment to find out!
Easy
Cooling Down with a Fan
Does a fan really cool you down? Find out in this fun experiment!
Easy
Plant's Favorite Color for Photosynthesis
Do plants have a favorite color for photosynthesis?
Easy
Light and Dark on Seed Germination
Let's explore how light and dark affect the germination of seeds!
Easy
Photosynthesis: Lights Out!
Can plants survive without sunlight? Find out by covering part of a plant's leaves with shapes and observing the effects!
Easy
Salt Water and Plant Growth
Does salt water make plants grow differently? Find out in this fun science project!
Easy
Does Milk Help Plants Grow?
Does milk help plants grow better than water? Find out in this fun science project!
Easy
Changing the Color of Flowers
Did you know you can change the color of flowers? With this science experiment, you can!
Easy
Planting Bean Seeds: What's the Best Depth?
Let's find out which depth is best for growing bean plants in potting soil!
Easy
Plant Growth and Water
Let's find out how much water plants need to grow healthy and strong!
Easy
Balloon-Powered Rocket Car
Build a rocket car that rolls across the floor using air from a balloon!
Easy
Baking Soda Invisible Ink
Write secret messages using baking soda invisible ink and reveal them with grape juice in this cool science project!
Easy
Lemon Juice Invisible Ink
Want to uncover secret messages like a super spy? Learn how to write and reveal messages using lemon juice and a hair dryer!
Easy
How to Make Oobleck: Is it a Liquid or Solid?
This simple Oobleck recipe of cornstarch and water is a fun introduction to the complex science of non-Newtonian fluids!
Easy
Temperature and Water Movement
Let's explore how hot and cold water affects the movement of water!
Easy
Exploring Air
Let's explore air and find out what it's like and where it's found!
Easy
Super Hero Egg Shells
Learn how arches are used to support heavy things with this fun experiment using egg shells!
Easy
Ants in the Dark
Do ants like the dark? Find out by testing the effect of light and darkness on ants in this fun science project!
Easy
Oreo Moon Phases
Discover the tasty way to learn about the Moon phases using Oreo cookies! Create your very own edible Moon models to learn the different Moon phases.
Easy
Egg with Vinegar
Explore this fascinating egg experiment with vinegar that makes a bouncy egg! Discover the science of acid and base chemical reactions and protein denaturation!
Easy
Fruit Solar System
Explore the solar system with fruits! Pick which fruit represents each planet based on their size, then order them according to their distances from the sun.
Easy
Walking Rainbow Experiment
Watch the colors of the rainbow magically walk from cup to cup in this science project!
Easy
Galaxy in a Bottle
Create a mini Milky Way galaxy in a jar that sparkles! It's mesmerizing and so much fun to make and gaze at!
Easy
Magic Milk Experiment
See colors magically move in milk with soap! This fun experiment demonstrates surface tension in a vivid way!
Easy
Solar System Model with Foil, Play dough and a Balloon
Build a mini version of our solar system with planets made from play dough or foil and a balloon sun. Discover the wonders of space!
Easy
Pocket Solar System: A Scaled Model of Our Solar System
Ever wanted to hold the solar system in your hands? With this project, you can build your own pocket-sized model!
Medium
How Many Earths Fit Across the Sun?
Have you ever wondered how big the Sun really is? See how many Earths can go across the Sun!
Easy
Egg Drop Project: Protect the Egg!
Can you protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from high up? Have fun in this engineering challenge!
Easy
One Minute Spaghetti
Science makes it possible to cook spaghetti in just a minute! Soak it first, then cook in a flash. Save the planet while enjoying your favorite dish!
Easy
Salt Volcano Lava Lamp
Create a lava lamp with an erupting volcano effect when you add salt to oil and water! It's so much fun to watch this colorful explosion caused by density!
Easy
Magical Color-Changing Lava Lamp
Watch as changing colors swirl and dance in this mesmerizing lava lamp experiment using red cabbage juice and Alka-Seltzer tablets. Discover the secrets of pH indicators and fizzy reactions!
Medium
Glow-in-the-Dark Lava Lamp
Create a mesmerizing glow-in-the-dark lava lamp that looks like a swirling snowstorm of colors!
Easy
Alka-Seltzer Lava Lamp
Watch blobs of color float and dance in a homemade lava lamp made with Alka-Seltzer tablets, oil and water!
Easy
Glitter Lava Lamp Magic
Create your own mesmerizing lava lamp with glitter and antacid tablets! Watch as colorful bubbles dance and sparkle, revealing the fascinating science behind this magical experiment.
Easy
Baking Soda Lava Lamp
Create your own mesmerizing lava lamp with fizzy bubbles! Watch as colors swirl and bubbles rise in this exciting experiment.
Easy
Sprouting Seeds Into Plants!
Explore the magic of plant growth and watch seeds from your kitchen come to life! Sprout seeds on a paper towel, then plant them to see them thrive!
Easy
Jiggly Earth: Exploring Liquefaction
Are there liquefaction concerns where you live? In this science project, find out what happens when you add water to different types of soil to mimic liquefaction.
Easy
Sun Prints: Science Meets Art!
Want to make cool designs using leaves and flowers with sunlight? Explore how the Sun's UV rays affect construction paper while creating beautiful art.
Easy

3rd Grade Science Project FAQ


What are some easy 3rd grade science fair projects?

Any one of these easy 3rd grade science fair projects will teach you important scientific concepts and help you have fun while learning. An easy science fair project is a great way to introduce the wonders of science to 3rd graders!

  • Preserving Flowers with Sugar

  • Bacteria on Our Hands

  • Growing Your Own Yeast Fungus

  • Magic Milk Painting

  • Swimming Raisins

  • Making Oobleck: Liquid or Solid?

  • Sparkling Rainbow Crystal

  • Explosive Elephant Toothpaste

  • Colors of Skittles Experiment

  • Balancing a Ball in Air

Science fair project details right above the FAQ!


What is the best 3rd grade science project ever?

We love the Bacteria on Our Hands science fair project for 3rd graders. It's a great way to introduce 3rd graders to bacteria, tiny living things we can't see until we grow a bunch of them on a special plate called an agar plate.

If you're looking for more 3rd grade science projects, check out the 3rd grade science fair projects at the top of this page! 

Check out more Best Science Fair Projects


What are some cool 3rd grade science fair projects?

Get ready to be amazed by these super cool science projects for 3rd graders! With just a few simple things, you can be fascinated by science and have tons of fun with these cool 3rd grade science projects!

  • Bacteria on Our Hands

  • Magic Milk Painting

  • Swimming Raisins

  • Making Oobleck: Liquid or Solid?

  • Sparkling Rainbow Crystal

  • Explosive Elephant Toothpaste

  • Preserving Flowers with Sugar

  • Growing Your Own Yeast Fungus

  • Balancing a Ball in Air

  • Colors of Skittles Experiment

Science fair project details right above the FAQ!


What are 5 testable questions for 3rd grade?

A testable question is a question that we can answer through a science experiment. To do this, we do a control science experiment, then we change one thing in the experiment to see how it affects what happens. This is how we can discover the answer to our question!

  • What makes a cloud form?

  • Can drink and food taste different just by changing its color?

  • Does the color of light affect photosynthesis?

  • Does temperature affect seed sprouting?

  • What makes popcorn pop?

Here are more testable questions along with their science projects


What are the top 10 science projects for 3rd grade?

These are our top 10 science projects for 3rd grade, with projects from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering and Earth Science. These projects can be used as science fair project ideas or as a fun experiment to explore different areas of science!

  • Colorful Temperature

  • Preserving Flowers with Sugar

  • Bacteria on Our Hands

  • How Soil Affects Pinto Bean Growth

  • Growing Your Own Yeast Fungus

  • Jiggly Earth: Exploring Liquefaction

  • Growing Crystals in Different Temperatures

  • Make Your Own Anemometer

  • Balancing a Ball in Air

  • Swimming Raisins

Science project details right above the FAQ!


Can I do a 3rd grade science fair project in a day?

Yes! Quick experiments can be a great option for a science fair project! If you want to explore quick reactions, we have science project ideas on various topics to get you started.

  • Acid-base reactions: Mixing acids with bases quickly makes carbon dioxide gas!

Make a rocket fly sky high with just baking soda and vinegar! Rocket Film Canisters

  • Chromatography reactions: Separate out colors!

Did you know that some Skittles have a secret rainbow hiding inside them? Colors of Skittles Experiment

  • Heat reactions: Heat speeds things up!

Do you want to find out which color candle burns the fastest? Which Candle Burns the Fastest?


What are some hands-on ways to find inspiration for my science fair project?

Science museums are great places to explore if you're looking for inspiration for your next science fair project or just want to learn more about science. Science museums, natural history museums, space museums, and discovery museums are all great places to do that! You can discover all sorts of interesting things about science and find cool project ideas for science fairs.

There may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your local library for free museum passes, nearby science museums for free entrance days and your credit card for offers.

Find a science museum near you and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there! I always learn something new and am inspired whenever I go to a science museum!


How do I start a science fair project?

Science fair projects are a fun and unique way to discover science by asking a question and doing a science project. We'll help you find a science fair project idea and guide you through the process of doing and presenting your science fair project with Science Fair Coach's Science Fair Project Guide.


What should I do after I have a science fair project idea?

If you have a science fair project idea, Science Fair Coach can help you turn it into a full science fair project! Starting at Introduction to Science Fairs, we'll guide you through how to do a science fair project, from designing and conducting your experiment to collecting and analyzing your findings. Then, we'll help you showcase your results on a science fair board with our Guide to Science Fair Posters.


How do I make a science fair board?

Your science fair board is where you show off your science fair project for everyone to see and learn from. With our Guide to Science Fair Posters, you can make sure your science fair board stands out and impresses at the science fair!


What is the scientific method?

The 7 steps of the scientific method helps us understand how nature works. Learn how the scientific method is used in a science fair project example, and how it's evolved through history as scientists used different ways to learn about nature with our Guide to the Scientific Method!


What is the engineering design process?

The 6 steps of the engineering design process helps us design an effective solution to a problem. Learn how to use the engineering design process with the example of the egg drop challenge in our Guide to the Engineering Design Process!


Where can I find a science fair competition?

Science fair competitions are an excellent opportunity to explore science. One of the of the premier science advocacy organizations, the Society for Science, is associated with more than 400 science fair competitions in almost every US state, as well as over 70 other countries, regions, and territories. You can find out if there's a Society of Science affiliated science fair near you!

The www Virtual Library: Science Fairs website also has a collection of science fairs from all over the world, as well as national, state, regional, local, and virtual competitions!

Share this page: