Good Science Project Fair Ideas
You have dreams of great scientific fame and glory and Nobel Prizes for curing cancer and AIDS and single-handedly solving the energy crisis...someday, but for right now, you would be happy with a blue ribbon at the science fair. To make that happen, you need a good science fair project idea that stands out from the run of the mill. If you want to walk away with the honors, though, you will need to carefully follow scientific procedures and stick with demonstrating principles that you understand and can clearly articulate to the judges. At a science fair, it is not only about the science itself but your poise and confidence in communicating your understanding of your science project.
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Start with Good Science
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Start with a topic that interests you. Formulate an original, clear and testable question you want to answer with a description of the scientific principles you will test. Predict the results and design an easy-to-understand testing procedure. Be able to describe to science fair judges how your test relates to the scientific principles in question. Carefully interpret the data, stressing accuracy. Repeat your procedure to verify the results are not just chance or happenstance. Determine if you proved or disproved your point and why. Describe how your findings relate practically to everyday life and how they affect real people. Organize your data in a clear, visually appealing, neat and well organized display that illustrates the scientific process in detail.
Physical Science
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Pose physical science questions such as, "Which substance is most effective at removing ice from airplane wings?" or "Does temperature affect how long soda pop maintains its carbonation?" to better understand the chemical processes at work in the world. Find out what causes "red eye" in photographs or build a pinhole camera to find out the basic principles of photography.
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Engineering
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An engineering science project can ask questions such as, "How does sailboat design affect performance?" or "How does a magnetic levitation train work?" Experiment with the burn rates of different types of wood to discover the longest burning for your summer campfire.
Life Science
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Explore life science with a science fair project that answers questions such as, "Are fingerprint patterns inherited?" or "Does the presence of weeds affect the growth of genetically-modified plants treated with an herbicide?" Other possible questions include, "How can you preserve food without a refrigerator?" or "Does music affect animal behavior?"
Social Sciences
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If social sciences are more up your alley, try testing memory with questions such as "Does age (text color, music or gender) affect memory?" or test whether childproof containers are truly childproof. Challenge your viewers to identify human expressions or differentiate between real and fake smiles.
Environmental Sciences
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Get an environmental science project underway with questions like, "Do rooftop gardens save you money on your energy bill?" or "What is the most effective way to filter contaminated water?" You can also experiment with different types of renewable fiber sources for making paper.
Earth and Space Science
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Find out how things work in earth and space with questions like, "How does wind speed affect cooling?" or "How do fossils form?" Construct a miniature biosphere to learn how the earth recycles everything in a never ending cycle necessary to support life.
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References
Resources
- University of Washington: Successful Science Fair Projects: Lynne Bleeker: 2011
- California Energy Commission: What Makes a Good Science Project?
- University of Southern California: What Makes a Good Science Fair Project?
- Science Project: Secrets to Writing a Winning Science Fair Project Report
- Science Project: 10 Easy Steps to Science Fair Success
- Science Project: Four Most Important Secrets to Science Fair Success
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
