The school year’s almost over… but science isn’t!
Not sure what to do after state testing? I’ve rounded up all the best end of year science activities to help you cruise through those final weeks without burning out. From ready-to-go mini units (think forensics, neuroscience, astronomy, and more) to hands-on STEM challenges, science-themed projects, one-day activities, and last-day favorites, this guide has you covered. Whether you’ve got three weeks or just one day left, you’ll find creative, engaging options that keep students learning and let you breathe. Let’s finish the year strong—and have a little fun while we’re at it.
If you’ve got a few weeks to fill after state testing, it’s the perfect time to dive into a mini unit! These bite-sized explorations offer a chance to spark curiosity, introduce fresh content, and keep students engaged without the pressure of test prep. Whether it’s investigating crime scenes in a forensics unit, exploring the wonders of space, or learning how the brain works, mini units provide structure and purpose during those “what now?” weeks. Plus, they’re a great way to explore topics you wish you had time for during the regular curriculum.
1. Forensics – Channel your students’ inner detectives with a forensics mini-unit packed with mystery and intrigue. They’ll explore fingerprinting, DNA, and crime scene analysis while applying real-world science to solve fictional cases. It’s hands-on, high-interest, and perfect for keeping attention during those chaotic final weeks. The best part? The Science Spot offers tons of free resources to get you started!
2. Astronomy – Blast off into outer space with lessons that cover stars, planets, black holes, and more. Whether you’re stargazing in class or simulating space travel, this unit brings awe and wonder—plus, it’s great for weaving in visuals and multimedia to keep engagement high.
3. Neuroscience & Psychology – Introduce your class to the fascinating world of the brain! This mini-unit explores how neurons fire, how we process emotions, and even dives into fun topics like the placebo effect and brain-computer interfaces. It’s a perfect mix of curiosity-driven learning and meaningful discussions about the power of our minds.
4. Kingdoms of Life (coming soon) – Wrap up the year with a colorful look at life on Earth. From bacteria to fungi to mammals, students will explore classification, compare organisms, and gain a better understanding of biodiversity. It’s the perfect blend of nature and science to spark curiosity and close out the year strong.
Hands-on activities are a lifesaver during those final weeks of school when attention spans are short and energy is high. Whether it’s building balloon towers, launching bottle rockets, or making ice cream in a bag, these engaging experiences give students a chance to apply what they’ve learned in a fun, memorable way. They encourage collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking—without needing a ton of prep. Best of all, they help you end the year on a high note, turning your classroom into a place of exploration and excitement right up until the last day.
5. Ball Launcher Challenge – Engineering meets creativity in this team-based competition. Using basic supplies like solo cups, pencils, tape, and cardboard, students design and test launchers for foil balls. It’s a perfect way to introduce simple machines, energy transfer, and the engineering design process—plus, it gets them moving.
6. Paper Airplane Design Competition – Grab some paper and take to the skies! Students test different designs, tweaking shape and size to see what flies the farthest or stays in the air the longest. It’s a fun, low-prep way to spark conversations about aerodynamics, lift, drag, and controlled experimentation.
7. Make Slime – You know they love it. Why not harness the power of polymers to end the year on a stretchy, squishy note? Explore the chemical reaction between glue and borax (or saline solution) and let students customize their slime with colors or glitter.
8. Corn Starch Bouncy Balls – Mix science and play by creating DIY bouncy balls! Students learn about polymers and non-Newtonian substances while forming their own bounce-worthy creations from basic kitchen ingredients. A perfect end of year science activity!
9. Bottle Rockets with Film Canisters – Get a mini explosion of excitement! These mini rockets—powered by baking soda and vinegar or Alka-Seltzer tablets—demonstrate Newton’s Third Law in action. It’s quick, easy, and thrilling for all ages.
10. Peppermind Racers Project – A multi-day challenge that’s equal parts design and delight. Using lifesaver mints as wheels, students engineer race cars with straws, cardboard, and tape. It’s a creative way to explore friction, force, and motion while fostering teamwork.
11. Paper Roller Coasters – Transform your classroom into a theme park! Students use cardstock or construction paper to build twists, turns, and drops for a marble roller coaster. It’s a blast and opens the door to discussions about kinetic and potential energy, gravity, and momentum.
12. Balloon Towers – How tall can you go? Using only balloons and tape, teams compete to build the tallest free-standing tower. It’s deceptively simple, great for collaboration, and teaches basic structural engineering and problem-solving under pressure.
13. Survive on a Desert Islant STEM Challenges – A ready-made mini unit with 10 exciting tasks! Students explore real-world survival strategies by building shelters, making rope, purifying water, and more—all while integrating science, technology, engineering, and math. Great for extended end-of-year engagement.
14. Spaghetti Bridges – With just 20 strands of spaghetti and a meter of tape, students must engineer the strongest bridge possible. Then comes the real test—how much mass can it hold? It’s a crunchy (sometimes literally) way to explore tension, compression, and structural design.
15. Boat Float Challenge – Give students foil or other simple materials and challenge them to build a boat that can hold the most weight before sinking. It’s a perfect introduction to buoyancy, density, and design thinking.
16. Elephant Toothpaste – Turn your classroom into a lab of foamy fun! With hydrogen peroxide, yeast, and dish soap, students create a dramatic exothermic reaction that overflows like giant toothpaste. It’s visual, exciting, and an unforgettable demo of chemical reactions.
17. Tie Dye T Shirts – End the year in technicolor! Let students create their own wearable masterpieces while learning about diffusion, solubility, and color mixing. Tie dyeing is a great outdoor activity, and students walk away with a souvenir from a year of science.
18. Science Fair – Bring it back to basics—or level it up! Whether students work independently or in teams, the science fair experience gives them a chance to think like real scientists. From forming a testable question and planning an investigation to analyzing data and presenting results, this project reinforces essential skills:
Designing experiments with variables and control groups
Collecting and graphing data
Writing lab reports
Practicing public speaking and presentation skills
It’s flexible enough for all grade levels and can be scaled based on time and materials.
19. Biosphere Project – What would it take to build a self-sustaining colony on another planet? In this cross-curricular project, students explore environmental science, engineering, and design thinking as they plan and build their own mini biospheres. From oxygen supply to food production to waste management, this project encourages systems thinking and creativity. It’s a natural fit for space science, sustainability, and life science connections.
See more student’s work here.
20. Build a Scale Model of the Solar System – Make astronomical distances make sense! Students use data to create a scale model of the solar system, comparing the relative sizes and distances of planets. It’s a powerful visual activity that reinforces NGSS-aligned skills like analyzing and interpreting scale properties. You can do this indoors or outside with chalk and measuring tape for an unforgettable walk through space.
21. Invention Convention – Challenge students to invent something that solves a real problem in their life, community, or the world. The Invention Convention combines science, engineering, and entrepreneurship—students research, design, prototype, and pitch their inventions. It encourages innovation, critical thinking, and student voice, and it’s an excellent project for wrapping up the year with purpose and passion.
See more student work here.
22. Invasive Species Research Project – Students choose an invasive species and investigate how it has affected a non-native ecosystem. They’ll explore ecological impacts, disrupted food webs, and potential solutions for restoring balance and maintaining biodiversity. The project culminates in a fun twist: students create a news-style video segment for a fictional show called Ecology’s Most Wanted, where they act as anchors reporting on their species like a true environmental crime story!
23. Teach A Topic of Your Choice – Let students become the experts! In this open-ended project, they choose any science-related topic they’re passionate about, research it, and teach the class in a 15–20 minute presentation. They can create slideshows, hands-on demos, videos—whatever inspires them! This project is perfect for building confidence, reinforcing communication skills, and celebrating student interests.
24. Code.org -Got early finishers or students ready for a new challenge? Introduce them to self-paced coding courses from Code.org. Whether they’re creating animations, building games, or learning basic HTML, coding helps build logical thinking and opens doors to STEM careers. Plus, they’ll walk away with a skill they can keep exploring all summer long.
25. Survivor Science – Think Survivor, but make it science! In this immersive, week-long challenge, students apply what they’ve learned across the year in a simulated survival scenario. They’ll tackle tasks in chemistry, botany, ecology, geology, and physics as they compete in teams to “survive” using scientific knowledge. It’s engaging, memorable, and reinforces the scientific method in a completely new context. (Bonus: The Science Spot offers ready-to-use versions of this challenge!)
When you’re down to the final days, sometimes all you need is a solid one-day activity to keep things fun, light, and low-stress. Whether it’s a science-themed movie, a color-by-number review, sidewalk chalk diagrams, or a classroom-friendly “Minute to Win It” game, these quick activities are perfect for celebrating the end of the year while still sneaking in a little learning. They require minimal setup, work well with unpredictable schedules, and give your students a joyful, memorable sendoff. After all the hard work, you deserve a last day that’s just as enjoyable as it is meaningful.
26. Science Themed Movies – End the year with a science movie day! Choose from educational and entertaining titles like Hidden Figures, The Martian, October Sky, or even Wall-E for younger grades. You can pair the movie with a reflection sheet or just let students enjoy the ride. Bonus points if you connect it to a unit you covered!
27. Kesler Science Escape Rooms – Let your students put their problem-solving skills to the test with digital or printable escape rooms from Kesler Science. These themed challenges are packed with puzzles and clues that reinforce science concepts—perfect for group work, review, and a little friendly competition.
28. Color by Number – A quiet, calming activity that still connects to science content! Use color-by-number pages that reinforce vocabulary or review key concepts from the year. It’s great for early finishers, sub plans, or a chill end-of-year day.
29. A to Z Challenge – Hand out a blank A–Z chart and challenge students to fill in a science word for each letter of the alphabet. From “Atom” to “Zygote,” this is a great way to review vocabulary and spark discussion—plus, it works as a partner or small-group activity, too! This activity is perfect for the end of year in science!
30. Choice Board – Give students autonomy with an end-of-year science choice board! Fill it with review games, drawing challenges, science memes, video reflections, or mini research prompts. Students choose a few to complete, allowing for creativity and voice while still staying on task.
31. Longest Paper Chain Activity – A race against time—and tape! Give each group a few sheets of scrap paper and a small piece of tape, and see who can create the longest chain. It’s fun, fast, and teaches lessons in planning, resource management, and teamwork.
32. Sidewalk Chalk – Take it outside and let students draw diagrams, label planets, sketch cells, or illustrate ecosystems in chalk. It’s active, creative, and gives everyone a breath of fresh air. Great for visual learners and end-of-year energy.
33. Blackout Poetry – Give students a page from an old science article or textbook and challenge them to create blackout poetry by highlighting select words and blacking out the rest. It’s a beautiful blend of science and creativity that makes space for reflection and expression.
34. Minute to Win It Challenges – Bring the energy with short, silly, science-twisted “Minute to Win It” games! Try stacking cups, building towers, or sorting mystery substances—all in under 60 seconds. These quick challenges are perfect for rotating stations or classroom competitions and require minimal prep and materials.
35. Make Ice Cream in a Bag – A classic for a reason! With just a few simple ingredients and some vigorous shaking, students can create their own ice cream while learning about freezing point depression and phase changes. It’s science you can taste—perfect for a memorable (and delicious) last day.
As you wrap up another school year, give yourself a well-earned high five—you’ve made it! Whether you’re diving into a mini unit, getting messy with hands-on challenges, or coasting into summer with one-day activities, this season is all about keeping it fun, flexible, and meaningful. When you’re ready to swap lesson plans for lounge chairs, don’t forget to check out the Summer Reading Guide for Science Teachers—packed with inspiring, energizing reads that’ll get your creativity flowing. And when the back-to-school buzz starts creeping in, I’ve got you covered there too with a Back-to-School Checklist to make sure you don’t forget a thing. You’ve got this, and I’m here to help every step of the way!
