High school science fair projects should provide students with an engaging learning experience. To maximize success, students should select an experiment which speaks to both their interests and skill level; furthermore, conducting background research to understand how their experiment will function is also recommended.
Discover molecular chemistry through making peppermint candy lab-made. Or build a bridge out of plastic bottles as part of an engaging STEM challenge.
Experiments
High school science fair projects present students with the unique opportunity to explore their scientific interests while developing critical thinking abilities. Experiments may span disciplines as diverse as biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.
Students can test the effects of diet on saliva pH in this exciting experiment. They can also build a plastic bottle bridge and test out a Michael Faraday replica which induces current through a coil of wire.
Students can understand momentum and force by launching an apple into the air and monitoring how it bounces on different surfaces. Furthermore, students can investigate kinetic friction by testing whether smooth surfaces impact objects differently from rough ones; finally they could design a bottle rocket!
Presentation
Science fair projects for high schoolers emphasize presentation as much as experiments themselves, with students having to present their work in an engaging and informative manner to attract judging panels and win awards.
Science fair projects should focus on an issue or question that is truly captivating to a student and has them thinking in-depth about it; projects copied directly from existing works run the risk of being disqualified immediately by judges.
Popular high school physics science experiments may include measuring the heights of bounced balls, investigating potential and kinetic energy by building a ball launcher or creating a smoke chamber, or exploring background radiation levels with smoke chamber experiments. Earth scientists could investigate how different materials affect soil, ways to recycle nonbiodegradable items, or research ways of processing biodegradable materials; additionally they should shop early for their display boards so they have an accurate sense of how much room will be available on them for their exhibits.
Ethics
Ethics and professionalism are crucial concepts that students should embrace when participating in science fair projects, particularly those involving animals or human participants in research studies.
Not all students are required to participate in a local school science fair; nonetheless, most agree that participating offers significant advantages for both participants and organizers, including developing critical thinking and research skills as well as presentation abilities and creating a poster board project presentation board for presenting projects.
Not surprisingly, some of the negative responses to science fair competition required by regulation included lack of enjoyment or interest in participating and competing. Some students also anticipated that carrying out projects would be more difficult than it actually was and others anticipated using research misconduct to overcome obstacles; whether or not these assumptions are realistic remains an open debate that should be explored further in future studies.
Rules
High school science fairs require students to adhere to specific regulations depending on the event, including any necessary animal-specific experiments and experiments that cannot take place without specific permission from management. Students should carefully read through all rules and regulations so they do not waste either their time or money.
Students should ensure the experiment they conduct meets both their grade level and time constraints, and requires no outside help to complete it within an appropriate timeline. Some projects may also need an adult sponsor who will assist the student in gathering necessary background knowledge, teaching techniques correctly and monitoring for safety concerns.
Before they can participate in a regional science fair, students must get their project approved for display by its judging committee. Usually this involves an interview between judge and student to explain your research findings and present them in an engaging fashion. You should be ready to answer questions regarding your findings professionally as well as discuss any conclusions drawn or results of experiments performed during this process.