10 Exciting Back to School Science Activities

This is super fun, inexpensive, and one of my students’ favorite back to school science activities! Students will work in teams to design and construct paper airplanes. Each team will follow the scientific method to create a plane that flies the farthest using just paper and a measuring tape. After testing their initial control group designs, students modify and improve their planes based on their observations. This activity not only introduces fundamental concepts of aerodynamics but also emphasizes the importance of iterative design. Get a free copy of my paper airplane scientific method lab here!

Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and engaging icebreaker activity that helps students learn interesting facts about each other while fostering communication and critical thinking. Each team member writes down two true statements and one false statement about themselves. They then take turns sharing their three statements with the group, who must guess which one is the lie. This activity encourages players to be observant and thoughtful, as they must discern subtle cues and details to identify the false statement. It’s a great way to build rapport, enhance listening skills, and promote a lighthearted, collaborative atmosphere in your classroom.

Challenge teams of students to cut a hole in an index card big enough to squeeze their entire body through the hole. All students need is an index card, scissors, and a hefty dose of critical thinking and creativity. By carefully cutting the index card in a pattern, students can redistribute the entire surface area across the length of the ring, all while keeping the surface area connected.  The closer together they make their cuts, the longer the ring will be. Learn more about this activity from Steve Spangler here! This is another favorite one of my back to school science activities!

In these science-themed About Me templates, students fill in information about themselves on illustrations of scientific equipment. These are fantastic back to school science activities. This activity not only helps students introduce themselves in a creative and engaging way, but also it fosters a sense of community as classmates learn about each other’s interests and goals, making it an excellent icebreaker that promotes both creativity and a love for science. Grab your 4 FREE About Me activities here!

Saving Sam is a team-building back to school science activity where students work together to rescue a gummy worm named Sam, who is stranded on top of an overturned plastic cup (his boat), with his life preserver (a life saver) underneath. Using only four paper clips as tools, teams must maneuver Sam into his life preserver without directly touching him, the life preserver, or the boat with their hands. This engaging challenge encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and communication while introducing basic engineering and physics concepts in a fun and memorable way. Get a copy of the Saving Sam lab activity here.

The Getting to Know You bingo game is one of my favorite back to school science activities because it’s both engaging and interactive, helping students learn more about their classmates in a fun, relaxed way. Each square on the bingo card contains a different prompt, such as “can name all 8 planets” or “plays a sport,” encouraging students to ask questions and discover interesting facts about each other. As they find classmates who match the prompts, they mark off the squares, aiming to complete a row, column, or diagonal to achieve bingo. This game not only helps students break the ice and build connections but also fosters a sense of community and inclusivity in the classroom. Get a free copy of my bingo game here!Get a free copy of my bingo game here!

The Puzzle Race is an engaging team-building activity where students work in small groups to complete a puzzle as quickly as possible. Each team is given an identical puzzle and must collaborate, communicate, and strategize to finish first. This competitive challenge enhances teamwork, problem-solving, and time management skills while promoting clear and effective communication among team members. The first team to successfully complete their puzzle wins, making the activity both fun and educational. I strongly recommend 50-100 piece puzzles themed to your subject. You can find some of my favorite puzzles for this activity here or at most dollar stores.

The Cup Stacking Challenge is a favorite among back to school science activities, offering an engaging way for students to build teamwork from day one. In this hands-on activity, participants work in small groups to stack plastic cups into a pyramid using only a rubber band attached to four strings—no hands allowed! It promotes collaboration, problem-solving, and communication as students coordinate their movements and strategize to complete the task. Variations can include timed races or more complex structures to increase the challenge. This activity is a fun and interactive way to kick off the year while building critical thinking and classroom community. Read more about this team-building challenge here.

Charades can be an excellent ice breaker for back-to-school in a science classroom, as it promotes creativity, communication, and teamwork among students. Playing charades in small groups helps students get to know each other and feel more comfortable in a new environment. To play charades, divide the class into small groups and provide each group with slips of paper containing science-related terms or funny terms. One student from each group picks a slip and acts out the term without speaking, while their teammates try to guess the word within a set time limit. This activity not only breaks the ice but also reinforces scientific vocabulary and concepts in a fun and engaging way. Here is a great charades card generator to get you going.

The Paper Tower Challenge is one of those classic back to school science activities, where small teams of students compete to build the tallest freestanding tower using only ten sheets of copy paper. Teams must use creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration to design and construct their towers within a set time limit, without using any additional materials such as tape or glue. This challenge fosters teamwork, engineering skills, and strategic thinking as students work together to achieve the goal. The team with the tallest and most stable tower at the end of the time wins the challenge, making it a fun and educational exercise for all participants.