Students participating in science fairs typically select a scientific question or hypothesis and conduct experiments to test it, while also conducting rigorous research into their topic of choice before compiling a scientific report detailing their results.
When choosing your project, it is essential that it piques your genuine curiosity. Doing this will ensure you can successfully adhere to the scientific method and complete it within its allotted timeline.
1. Water Filtration
Filtration systems use water filtration systems to filter out unwanted particles from fluids such as water, chemicals and gasses so as to produce a pure end product. This high school science experiment shows how this works using basic materials.
Explore one of the most captivating molecular chemistry concepts with this fun experiment that creates laboratory-produced peppermint candy for your classmates to sample.
2. Heart Rate Measurement
Over an average lifetime, our hearts beat 2.5 billion times! Students can experiment with how different activities impact heart rate in order to determine which can keep it healthy and which can prevent heart attacks and strokes.
This science fair project requires the use of a stethoscope. Other supplies may include clock with second hand, stopwatch and notebook or recording sheet.
3. Plant Growth
Plant growth can make an engaging topic for high school science fair projects. Students can observe the rapid expansion of herbs such as basil or thyme or even aloe vera plants that spread quickly.
Kids can use this project to explore phototropism – plants’ tendency to move towards light sources – as well as exploring its impact on seed germination and plant growth.
4. Energy Efficiency
Students submitting projects or experiments at science fairs often use engineering projects or scientific experiments that require special lab equipment and adhere to safety protocols.
Building a waterwheel, for instance, involves understanding surface tension and mass calculation – two fundamental concepts necessary for renewable energy concepts. Building one is an excellent way of exploring these renewable energy ideas while learning these core concepts simultaneously.
5. Pesticides
Pesticides are substances designed to prevent, destroy and control insects, mice, unwanted plants (weeds) fungi or bacteria – in many cases found in nature; others are manufactured chemically and may be biodegradable or persistent in action.
Pesticides often contain toxic chemicals that pollute air, water and sediments causing harm to both people and wildlife. Even exposure from occupational, accidental or recreational sources may increase disease risks significantly.
6. Solar Energy
Renewable energy should be included in science fair projects as it gives students an excellent opportunity to showcase their creativity. This area can really set students apart.
Solar power, unlike wind turbines that require physical motion to generate power, hydro-electric plants using water and hand crank generators requiring muscle power – makes comparing data much simpler using multimeters or volt meters.
An experiment using color light filters on solar cells could demonstrate how they generate different amounts of energy.
7. Food Safety
Use this fun experiment to teach your students more about taste. Have them compare different foods to determine their thresholds of what tastes good and bad.
Experts advise using youth interest in cooking and food to teach food safety, including proper handwashing techniques and safe cooking temperatures. Excite their creativity with an engineering challenge such as building a contraption that can volley ping-pong balls back and forth.
8. Electricity
Electrical energy exploration makes for an intriguing science fair project idea. Students can investigate static electricity by rubbing their hair against an object like an umbrella or create a Lichtenberg figure out of wood, acrylic and toner to observe how electricity travels through circuits.
Kids can explore magnetics by turning non-magnetic objects magnetic using a copper wire coil, battery and magnets. Furthermore, they can experiment with various types of kinetic friction by rolling balls across both smooth and rough surfaces.
9. Biology
Teens interested in biology can participate in various science fair experiments that could prove both enjoyable and educational. For instance, students could test the “5-second rule” to gain more insight into scientific processes.
For those uncomfortable with dissecting frogs, try an experiment in which participants observe the intricate petals of a flower instead. This provides a great way to develop analytical thinking skills and increase attention to detail.
10. Chemistry
Chemistry is the branch of science concerned with compounds and elements. High school students can experiment with numerous topics to learn more using scientific method.
Use an acid/base or caffeine experiment to gain insight into these widely-used substances, or assess how gender, age and native language impact how we learn a second language – these projects may prove especially engaging for future forensic scientists!