Science Project Ideas

Good Science Fair Projects:

  • Focus on a topic that is relevant and meaningful (e.g. sea level rise, space travel, etc.)
  • Yield analyzable data and provide a positive experience with science.
  • Relate to important science ideas that build students’ science knowledge and skills.

There are many straight-forward, doable science fair projects that fit this criteria. These projects provide a much better opportunity to impressing teachers, judges, and others. A few examples are provided below.

Sea Level Rise

  • Relevant: Sea level rise is a major global problem.
  • Interesting/Yields Data: With a simple apparatus data useful data can be collected for analysis.
  • Science Ideas: Addresses climate change, thermal expansion, and collecting and analyzing data.

Does Air Occupy Space?

With three separate, yet simple experiments, students answer a research question about the nature of the air all around us.

  • Relevant: Although we don’t typically see the air around us, there are many everyday phenomena that can be explained with a basic understanding of air.
  • Interesting/Yields Data: The experiments are quick, fun to do and easy to share with others, and observations lead to meaningful analysis.
  • Science Ideas: Air pressure, behavior of gases, data collection.

Biofuels from Citrus Peels

A bit more involved than the previous science fair projects, the Biofuel project evaluates three potential sources of biofuel (orange, lemon, lime peel).

  • Relevant: Alternative energy sources are a frequent topic in the news and science classrooms and make good science fair projects.
  • Interesting/Yields Data: There’s a flame involved, something many students find compelling. And the project uses video to capture and analyze data.
  • Science Ideas: Biofuels, digital data collection and analysis.

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