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How to Make a Telescope for a Fourth-Grade Science Fair

Astronomy experiments at science fairs are a way for children to learn about the fundamental components of the universe. The interaction of natural forces and the cosmos can be seen in the simplest ways. Fourth-graders can experience this in a science fair demonstration of a homemade telescope. Before fourth-graders attempt to build one, it is a good idea to teach them about astronomy. Students can then recreate what they know from the classroom and see it from another perspective.

Things You'll Need

Paint
Two cardboard mailing tubes
Large, weak magnifying glass
Small, powerful magnifying glass
Strong glue or epoxy

Instructions

- 1
  Paint two cardboard mailing tubes if you wish to decorate your telescope. The two cardboard tubes will comprise the telescope's body. The smaller tube slides inside the larger one. Once the paint is dry, slide the tubes together. Test for a range of motion.
- 2
  Buy a large, weak magnifying glass about the diameter of a baseball and a small, powerful magnifying glass about the diameter of a tennis ball. Weak magnifying glasses are usually thick; strong ones are thin. You can buy them at any optometrist shop. Look for magnifying glasses that are larger than the diameter of the cardboard tube hole openings.
- 3
  Mount the thick, weak magnifying glass. This will be the end of the telescope. Hold the body of the telescope upright, with the large tube opening facing up. Place the large, weak magnifying glass over the hole and affix it with strong glue or epoxy. Let it set.
- 4
  Mount the strong, thin magnifying glass. This will be the eyepiece to view objects. Turn over the tube so that the smaller opening is facing up. Be gentle, or the glass that has been already set will break. Place the small, thin magnifying glass over the smaller hole of the tube and affix it with glue or epoxy. Let it set.
- 5
  With both magnifying glasses attached, you can slide the two cardboard tubes in and out, which will change the focus of an object you are looking at. This is called making a refractor telescope, which simply means you are seeing the reflective property of light. Light is converging at the center of the large, weak magnifying glass and being magnified by the eyepiece.

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