Need help with science project for 5 year old

[steve_g]

Good grief... My 5 year old Grandson has to do a science project for Kindergarten. He wants to do something that involves using the basic hand tools I bought him for Christmas. I'm drawing a blank. Based on how much he likes the bottle of wood glue I included, I'm thinking of strength of different joints or strength of different glue or... HELP!

SG

[hh_woodworking]

How about building a incline ramp and rolling different cars down it to see which one rolls faster?

[tomwillis]

Steve - not sure what tools - but maybe 2" x 2" blocks that each have a letter of his name carved out on top.
Tom

[steve_g]

"not sure what tools"

Two hammers! Tape measure, Speed Square, rubber mallet, Screw driver set, File/rasp set, Keyhole saw, Glue, Nail assortment, Personalized tool box, Carpenter pencils, 47 piece wood assortment kit (to be added to by Papa as needed), Dremel drill & Utility knife (to be kept at Papas). We can get more... He'd love that!

Tools with a "cutting edge" are limited... So far we have been assembling some of the "Red Box" brand kits for kids and some things I have pre-cut out.

Science Projects must start with a "hypothesis" or a statement of what you intend to prove... "I think Tightbond II glue is stronger than Grandmas flour and water paste she makes for us to glue paper with..."

Or something like that.

SG

[tomwillis]

If each block was cut from a different species - you could examine different characteristics, such as densities etc. ie -Cutting walnut by hand would be much different than pine....and the great thing is after he's done - the blocks that spell out his name - could last a lifetime.

[Ajcoholic]

You could do something examining the characteristics of wood.

#1-You can show how wood shows most movement tangent to the growth rings, very little perpendicular to the rings and almost none in length (cut several test blocks, in the three directions, in several species - measure dry with calipers - soak in water and measure again)

#2-You can test the bending strength or limits of wood based again on the various grain directions. Make up some test sticks (say 1/2" by 1/2" by 8") both length wise and cross grain. Make a flex - chart, place the sticks in a vise say the first 1", pull on the opposite end and mark where the sticks break.

Basically showing wood has good bending strength in the lengthwise direction but little to none in the cross grain direction

#3-test the percentage by weight, that wood can hold in water for various species. Cut a bunch of 1" blocks from various species (kiln dried). Dry them 100% by putting them in the oven at 200 F for a half hour. Weigh them. Soak them in water over night. Weigh them again and plot the percentage of weight gained. Hypothesis could be what holds more water per mass - softwood or hardwood?

AJC

PS I made a bronze medal at the 1989 Canada wide science fair in Newfoundland. I built a robot that walked on metal surfaces :) I loved science fairs and did them all through school, even when it wasnt required.

[frank134]

How about something simple like a door stop. maybe you could cut out a figure like a dog he could paint and you or he could nail on the back end.

[Ajcoholic]

"Science Projects must start with a "hypothesis" or a statement of what you intend to prove... "

[myxpykalix]

For a 5 year old?

How bout this....how bout a taste test for the various types of glue?:eek:
Kids are always eating paste at that age anyway...:rolleyes:
(mmmm.....this tastes like Elmer's!)

[gene]

Well said Jack. I seem to remember seeing a block you glued up . you know about glue . :D

I think you said : if it don't ooze you loose!

[myxpykalix]

Here is my inspiration....you can tell the kids if they do good they could grow up like this...:eek::rolleyes:

[steve_g]

Thanks for the inspiration guys... I think I'll make two proposals to my daughter (grandson's mom).

1.) "What is the best glue for wood"... Elmer's white, Hot melt, Super glue, Wheat paste, or Tightbond II

2.) "What glue tastes the best"... Elmer's white, Hot melt (ouch!), Super Glue (umm umm umm ooooooh nooooo ) .....

Andrew... It's nice to meet another science fair winner. I've won first place four times so far... It's OK to count the ones I helped my kids with... Right?

SG

[steve_g]

Well... we had lots of fun, my grandson and I.

SG

[myxpykalix]

looks to me like grandpa had more fun then the little one! good fr you!:D

[kubotaman]

Well may I make a suggestion. I have watched small children for the past few years making birdhouses out of scrap material at a local fair. The people doing the over looking were, believe it or not, were motorcycle types. This comment is not to be taken as a rude remark. It looked like all involved were really enjoying themselves including the adults. The children would pound the nails as needed of course with assistance. Just a thought!