It is difficult to say what the best investigatory project would be for a child in grade five. The type of project can depend on what the child has been studying at school and what their individual strengths and weaknesses are. Some schools may give out a list of topics or subjects that the projects should fall within. Some examples of grade five investigatory projects include; does the starting temperature of ice cubes affect how fast they freeze, what brand of battery lasts the longest or do foods that are cooked in the microwave stay warm for the same length of time as those cooked in an oven or on a stovetop. These are all experiments that can be carried out at home, with the help of an adult, and will produce results that are reasonably easy to explain and display.
Taking the example of the last experiment, it is possible to organize a few simple experiments that can be carried out to make a good investigatory project. Choose a food that can be heated in the microwave, oven and stovetop. Heat each food separately in the three different sources for exactly the amount of time. It is best if each of these steps are done individually. Then, using a thermometer, measure the temperature of the food at predetermined times, e.g. 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds. Take note of each of these temperatures and compare them against the results from the different heat sources. If there is time, repeat the experiment three times so that you can get an average. These results can then be used to determine which of the heat sources keeps the food warm for the longest period of time. This experiment could be carried out on a variety of food products to see if the efficiency of the heat source varies according to the food it is heating.
Taking the example of the last experiment, it is possible to organize a few simple experiments that can be carried out to make a good investigatory project. Choose a food that can be heated in the microwave, oven and stovetop. Heat each food separately in the three different sources for exactly the amount of time. It is best if each of these steps are done individually. Then, using a thermometer, measure the temperature of the food at predetermined times, e.g. 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds. Take note of each of these temperatures and compare them against the results from the different heat sources. If there is time, repeat the experiment three times so that you can get an average. These results can then be used to determine which of the heat sources keeps the food warm for the longest period of time. This experiment could be carried out on a variety of food products to see if the efficiency of the heat source varies according to the food it is heating.
