High school science fairs give students an exciting opportunity to explore STEM fields, engage in research and build valuable skills. Talk with your guidance counselor today about signing up and getting things rolling!
Students can build a bridge from plastic bottles in this hands-on activity that explores how momentum and force affect structure.
Earthquake-Like Disruption
High school science fair projects give students an opportunity to further their scientific understanding while demonstrating research and problem-solving abilities. From building an original volcano model, to exploring how different colors of flowers grow, here are some great ideas for your next science project!
Earthquakes occur when continental plates collide, move apart or grind against each other. Create your own earthquake with this simple experiment designed to impress judges!
Forensic Fingerprints
Human fingerprints are intricate, almost unique, and long-term durable – ideal characteristics for use as evidence in courtroom cases. Students can test different ways of recognizing a fingerprint with this project on HubPages.
Avoid baking soda volcanoes! Discover new STEM challenge science experiments designed for high schoolers that explore the Scientific Method. Students can experiment with Da Vinci’s designs of flying machines or observe whether different types of bread grow mold differently.
Newton’s Cradle
This classic physics experiment illustrates the conservation of momentum and energy. For optimal results, use steel balls with similar size, weight and density as this produces the best results.
When one ball strikes another, no energy is lost – its force spreads evenly through all of them until reaching a final one that swings up. This simple demonstration of the law of conservation of energy is ideal for classroom labs.
Candle Relighting
Candles can help add warmth and ambience to a room, set the holiday atmosphere, and serve as lifesavers during power outages. Additionally, candles serve as the basis of some fun science experiments for high school students.
Experiments using burning candles may seem simplistic, yet they can help demonstrate basic scientific principles without needing expensive equipment or having extensive skillset. Always exercise extreme caution when conducting these tests with burning candles and use fireproof holders.
Lung Capacity
Lung capacity refers to how much air a person is able to inhale. It’s measured through three measurements: tidal volume, functional residual capacity and residual volume.
Large lung capacities give their cells access to more oxygen for fueling purposes, reflecting good health. A smaller lung capacity could indicate lung disease.
Paper Cup Structure
Science fair projects for high schoolers must involve real scientific process, with students also needing to submit a proposal and adhere to specific rules when conducting experiments.
Teenagers who enjoy designing and building may enjoy these STEM challenge experiments. They offer an engaging way for teens to practice scientific concepts like homemade water filtration systems and how lawn care chemicals and household cleaners pollute groundwater sources.
Fire
High school science fair experiments should challenge kids without pushing them too far beyond their abilities. When selecting projects for this year’s fair, make sure they stretch without going beyond.
Under adult supervision, conduct experiments involving fire in a well ventilated and safe space. Test different materials to see how they burn before creating a chart of results to record them.
Laundry Detergent
Science fairs can either excite or frustrate children, but either way they provide an invaluable opportunity for learning and skill building. Selecting an engaging project is paramount – here are a few easy, hands-on experiments using everyday items – perfect for engaging kinesthetic learners – who may even enjoy snacking on their masterpiece!
Acid Rain
Acid rain occurs when gases released into the environment combine with water to lower its pH level and produce acid rain. Budding environmental scientists can explore this phenomenon with these two experiments.
This experiment shows kids how acid rain can harm plants by observing its impact on plant growth and foliage. To conduct it successfully, students use a spray bottle, potted plants and distilled water as necessary.
Water Filtration
Building and designing a water filter provides students with an important lesson about clean drinking water while teaching engineering concepts such as physics, chemistry and biology.
Send student teams into pairs. Give each pair a 2-liter bottle with half to three quarters cup (100-200 ml) of polluted water in an open beaker or cup, one type of filter, and a spoon; direct them to answer discussion questions from their worksheet and record observations as part of this activity.