science-fair-guide.pdf | |
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Download and check out this great "science fair guide" above. See also the list of internet links for thousands of great ideas and helpful guides below.
NEW for 2013! Engineering Projects will be accepted at the elementary level.
Rather than doing a pure research project, you may choose to solve a design challenge. You could invent a new kind of solar cooker, a better way to keep a can of soda cold in your hand, a new safety device, or a type of gadget that will find your keys in a haystack.
Whichever type of project you choose, you must prove or disprove an original hypothesis with a "fair test" of your idea.
Only a fair test can provide evidence that your hypothesis is correct or not. For example, if I want to find out if saltwater will rust an iron nail faster than regular water, I should make sure all my nails are exactly the same when I begin. Nails should be placed in the same kind of water, same amount of water, and the same temperature of water--except for the addition of salt to the "test sample." Both containers will be the same, and all the nails should be placed in them for the same amount of time. (If I use different nails, different water temperature, or leave the nails in the water for different amounts of time, it can't be a fair test.)
Here's a project I created:
Question: What is the effect of weight on the speed of a toy car down a ramp?
Background research: The forces that affect the speed of the car are gravity, inertia, friction, and weight. Another variable to consider is the height of the ramp. I loved competing in the Pinewood Derby, and now my son is a cub scout who wants to know if weight really helps a car go faster.
Hypothesis: I think that a heavier car will complete the distance of the ramp faster than a lighter one.
Experimental Procedure: I will use the same exact car for each test. To make it heavier, I will tape a roll of ten pennies to the top of the car.
Data:
Number of seconds: toy car down 2 meter ramp--15 cm off floor.
Conclusions: My hypothesis was correct. The heavier car finished the ramp about a quarter of a second faster. I was surprised that the difference was so small. Further research has shown me that gravity accerlates the speed of all weights the same. So why is there a difference? It has to do with the friction of the wheels. Since a heavier object has more inertia, the friction added by the wheels has a smaller effect on the heavier car. The effect may be small, but it is probably enough to win you first place in the Pinewood Derby. But if a heavier weight increased the friction, I wonder if the car would more likely go slower.
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Results:Median time for 0 pennies:
3.06 seconds (3.18 3.09 3.06 3.06 3.06 3.06 3.00 2.93 2.87 2.84) Median time for 10 pennies: 2.795 seconds (2.47 2.66 2.72 2.74 2.78 2.81 2.81 2.84 2.88 2.94) |
http://sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_experiment_fair_test.shtml
Question: Where can I find good project ideas?
Answer: See also links below for a nearly unlimited selection of science project ideas and resources!
Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/projectguide/
Discovery.com: Science Fair Central
http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/
Science Fair Idea Exchange
http://www.halcyon.com/sciclub/cgi-pvt/scifair/guestbook.html
Cyber-Fair
http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/welcome.html
Try Science
http://tryscience.com
The Yuckiest Site in the Internet
http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/
Experimental Science Projects: An Introductory Level Guide
http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/SciProjIntro.html
Gateway to Educational Materials: Science Fair Projects
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/scifun/projects.htm
Science Fair Primer
http://users.rcn.com/tedrowan/primer.html
Science Fair Project Guidebook
http://www.energy.sc.gov/K-12/science_fair.htm
Science Project Guidelines
http://www.thesciencefair.com/guidelines.html
The Ultimate Science Fair Resource
http://www.scifair.org/
What Makes A Good Science Fair Project
http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/Resources/Good_Project.html
Mr. McLaren's Science Fair Survival Page
http://www.ri.net/schools/East_Greenwich/Cole/sciencefair.html
Neuroscience for Kids: Successful Science Fair Projects
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/fair.html
These are some of my favorites:
http://www.sciencefair-projects.org/
http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/
http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/
http://www.freesciencefairproject.com/
http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scifair/index.html
http://www.cool-science-projects.com/Science-Fair-Project-Ideas.html
http://www.education.com/science-fair/
http://www.ipl.org/div/projectguide/choosingatopic.html
Question: How should my final project look?
Answer: Here is what a perfect science project looks like:
Notice that it asks a question, and then uses an experiment to fairly test a prediction that will answer that question. The experiment is clearly described results are presented.
When "Googling" for interesting project ideas, it helps if you can narrow down what kind of science you are most interested in. Otherwise, you might end up with a project like everyone else making your chances at a first place award very unlikely. For example, these are the Science Fair Categories for Georgia Science and Engineering Fair: GSEF Categories
Each GSEF exhibitor enters in one of the seventeen categories below. Your school, local, or regional fair may or may not use these same categories. Please check with those fairs for the appropriate category listings at that level of competition.
ANIMAL SCIENCES
Animal Husbandry
Development
Ecology
Pathology
Physiology
Populations Genetics
Systematics
BEHAVIORAL & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Clinical & Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Physiological Psychology
Sociology
BIOCHEMISTRY
General Biochemistry
Metabolism
Structural Biochemistry
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Cellular Biology
Cellular and Molecular Genetics
Immunology
Molecular Biology
CHEMISTRY
Analytical Chemistry
General Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Algorithms, Data Bases
Artificial Intelligence
Networking and Communications
Computational Science, Computer Graphics
Computer System, Operating System
Software Engineering, Programming Languages
EARTH & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Climatology, Weather
Geochemistry, Mineralogy
Paleontology
Geophysics
Planetary Science
Tectonics
ENGINEERING: Electrical & Mechanical
Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Controls
Mechanical Engineering,
Robotics
Thermodynamics, Solar
ENGINEERING: Materials & Bioengineering
Bioengineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering, Construction Eng.
Industrial Engineering, Processing
Material Science
ENERGY & TRANSPORTATION
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering, Aerodynamics
Alternative Fuels
Fossil Fuel Energy
Vehicle Development
Renewable Energies
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Bioremediation
Ecosystems Management
Environmental Engineering
Land Resource Management, Forestry
Recycling, Waste Management
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Air Pollution and Air Quality
Soil Contamination and Soil Quality
Water Pollution and Water Quality
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
Algebra
Analysis
Applied Mathematics
Geometry
Probability and Statistics
MEDICINE & HEALTH SCIENCES
Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
Epidemiology
Genetics
Molecular Biology of Diseases
Physiology and Pathophysiology
MICROBIOLOGY
Antibiotics, Antimicrobials
Bacteriology
Microbial Genetics
Virology
PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
Astronomy
Atoms, Molecules, Solids
Biological Physics
Instrumentation and Electronics
Magnetics and Electromagnetics
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Optics, Lasers, Masers
Theoretical Physics, Theoretical or Computational Astronomy
PLANT SCIENCES
Agriculture/Agronomy
Development
Ecology
Genetics
Photosynthesis
Plant Physiology (Molecular, Cellular, Organismal)
Plant Systematics, Evolution
Can you tell which questions lead to a testable hypothesis, and which are probably not going to give you many interesting experiments to try?
What material is the best insulator?
Do soap bubbles last longer on warm or cold days?
Are hot air balloons different from blimps?
What is the best method, other than heat, to melt ice?
How do we tell how far away a star is from Earth?
What soils are best to build a house on?
Does the color of food or drinks affect whether or not we like them?
Which paper towel brand is the strongest?
What is the best way to keep an ice cube from melting?
Can the food we eat affect our heart rate?
Can background noise levels affect how well we concentrate?
Does acid rain affect the growth of aquatic plants?
What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?
Does the color of light used on plants affect how well they grow?
What plant fertilizer works best?
Does the color of a room affect human behavior?
Do athletic students have better lung capacity?
What brand of battery lasts the longest?
Does the type of potting soil used in planting affect how fast the plant grows?
What type of food allow mold to grow the fastest?
Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
Does the color of hair affect how much static electricity it can carry? (test with balloons)
How much weight can the surface tension of water hold?
Do natural or chemical fertilizers work best?
Can people tell artificial smells from real ones?
What brands of bubble gum produce the biggest bubbles?
Does age affect human reaction times?
What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
What type of grass seed grows the fastest?
Each GSEF exhibitor enters in one of the seventeen categories below. Your school, local, or regional fair may or may not use these same categories. Please check with those fairs for the appropriate category listings at that level of competition.
ANIMAL SCIENCES
Animal Husbandry
Development
Ecology
Pathology
Physiology
Populations Genetics
Systematics
BEHAVIORAL & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Clinical & Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Physiological Psychology
Sociology
BIOCHEMISTRY
General Biochemistry
Metabolism
Structural Biochemistry
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Cellular Biology
Cellular and Molecular Genetics
Immunology
Molecular Biology
CHEMISTRY
Analytical Chemistry
General Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Algorithms, Data Bases
Artificial Intelligence
Networking and Communications
Computational Science, Computer Graphics
Computer System, Operating System
Software Engineering, Programming Languages
EARTH & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Climatology, Weather
Geochemistry, Mineralogy
Paleontology
Geophysics
Planetary Science
Tectonics
ENGINEERING: Electrical & Mechanical
Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Controls
Mechanical Engineering,
Robotics
Thermodynamics, Solar
ENGINEERING: Materials & Bioengineering
Bioengineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering, Construction Eng.
Industrial Engineering, Processing
Material Science
ENERGY & TRANSPORTATION
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering, Aerodynamics
Alternative Fuels
Fossil Fuel Energy
Vehicle Development
Renewable Energies
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Bioremediation
Ecosystems Management
Environmental Engineering
Land Resource Management, Forestry
Recycling, Waste Management
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Air Pollution and Air Quality
Soil Contamination and Soil Quality
Water Pollution and Water Quality
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
Algebra
Analysis
Applied Mathematics
Geometry
Probability and Statistics
MEDICINE & HEALTH SCIENCES
Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
Epidemiology
Genetics
Molecular Biology of Diseases
Physiology and Pathophysiology
MICROBIOLOGY
Antibiotics, Antimicrobials
Bacteriology
Microbial Genetics
Virology
PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
Astronomy
Atoms, Molecules, Solids
Biological Physics
Instrumentation and Electronics
Magnetics and Electromagnetics
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Optics, Lasers, Masers
Theoretical Physics, Theoretical or Computational Astronomy
PLANT SCIENCES
Agriculture/Agronomy
Development
Ecology
Genetics
Photosynthesis
Plant Physiology (Molecular, Cellular, Organismal)
Plant Systematics, Evolution
Can you tell which questions lead to a testable hypothesis, and which are probably not going to give you many interesting experiments to try?
What material is the best insulator?
Do soap bubbles last longer on warm or cold days?
Are hot air balloons different from blimps?
What is the best method, other than heat, to melt ice?
How do we tell how far away a star is from Earth?
What soils are best to build a house on?
Does the color of food or drinks affect whether or not we like them?
Which paper towel brand is the strongest?
What is the best way to keep an ice cube from melting?
Can the food we eat affect our heart rate?
Can background noise levels affect how well we concentrate?
Does acid rain affect the growth of aquatic plants?
What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?
Does the color of light used on plants affect how well they grow?
What plant fertilizer works best?
Does the color of a room affect human behavior?
Do athletic students have better lung capacity?
What brand of battery lasts the longest?
Does the type of potting soil used in planting affect how fast the plant grows?
What type of food allow mold to grow the fastest?
Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
Does the color of hair affect how much static electricity it can carry? (test with balloons)
How much weight can the surface tension of water hold?
Do natural or chemical fertilizers work best?
Can people tell artificial smells from real ones?
What brands of bubble gum produce the biggest bubbles?
Does age affect human reaction times?
What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
What type of grass seed grows the fastest?