Science projects
Your Science Exhibition Guide
Choose a project, build it, present it and answer the judges with confidence
Science project idea finder
1028 science project ideas, from class 1 to college.
Find a project by class, subject and type. Every idea explains the science it shows, what you need, how long it takes and how to stay safe, with free ebooks and ready-made kits if you need them. 929 ideas have numbered steps and viva questions on their own page.
Every idea by class: Class 1 to 5, Class 6 to 8, Class 9 and 10, Class 11 and 12, College and diploma.
Want a complete build with diagrams? 16 free detailed project guides
- Class 1 to 5Simple, safe models made with help at home.224 ideas
- Class 6 to 8Working models of the science you learn in class.485 ideas
- Class 9 and 10Energy, electricity, light and first robots.467 ideas
- Class 11 and 12Investigatory projects for the practical exam.331 ideas
- College and diplomaArduino, IoT and sensor projects.119 ideas
Idea finder
Find your project
Choose your class and what interests you, or search for a word such as magnet, solar, heart or robot. Open any card for a summary, or its title for the full page with the science, the steps and the viva questions.
PhysicsMedium
Solar cell I-V curve and maximum power point with a potentiometer load
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A solar panel is not a battery: its voltage and current change with the load. By plotting current against voltage and power against voltage, a student finds the maximum power point, fill factor and effect of shading, which are the basis of MPPT charge controllers.
You will need
- A 6 V, 1 W or 2 W small solar panel
- A 100 Ω, 5 W rheostat or a 1 kΩ potentiometer with a 10 Ω series resistor
- Two digital multimeters
- A lux meter app or a reference cell
- Cardboard strips for shading
- A spreadsheet
Safety: Panels of this size are low voltage. Do not stare at bright reflected sun. Rheostats get warm, so an adult must be present, and use fixed connectors rather than loose wires.
Take it further: Build an Arduino I-V tracer that sweeps a MOSFET load automatically and plots the curve on the laptop.
PhysicsMedium
Peltier mini cooler box: temperature drop with different heat sinks
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Mini fridges for medicines and vaccines in remote places use Peltier modules, which pump heat electrically without gas. The project builds a small insulated box and shows that how well the hot side is cooled decides how cold the box becomes.
You will need
- A TEC1-12706 Peltier module, 12 V, run at reduced power
- Two aluminium heat sinks and a 12 V fan
- A 12 V, 5 A ready adapter or a 12 V battery
- A thermocol box with a lid
- Thermal paste
- Two digital thermometers or DS18B20 sensors
- A switch and wires
Safety: The hot side of the module can exceed 70 degrees and the module can be destroyed without a heat sink. Never run it without the fan. Use a sealed 12 V supply only. An adult must supervise.
Take it further: Add a DS18B20 sensor and an Arduino with a relay to hold the box at 8 degrees by switching the module on and off.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
PWM speed controller for a 12 V DC motor with an IR tachometer
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Fans, conveyors and e-rickshaws vary motor speed by switching power on and off very fast rather than wasting it in a resistor. The project builds a PWM controller, measures real rpm with an infrared sensor and plots speed against duty cycle.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno or Nano
- A 12 V DC geared motor (about 100 to 300 rpm)
- A logic-level MOSFET IRLZ44N and a 1N4007 flyback diode
- A 10 kΩ potentiometer and a 10 kΩ gate pull-down resistor
- An IR obstacle sensor module and a slotted disc or a disc with a black and white stripe
- A 12 V adapter or battery
- A breadboard and wires
Safety: Use a battery or sealed 12 V adapter. Keep fingers and hair away from the rotating disc. The MOSFET can get warm. An adult must check the wiring.
Take it further: Add a PID loop that adjusts the duty cycle to hold the rpm at a set value as the load changes.
PhysicsChallenging
DC motor torque-speed curve and back EMF measured with a rope brake
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Selecting a motor for a robot or pump needs its torque-speed curve and efficiency. A homemade rope brake loads a small motor with known torque, while voltage, current and rpm are measured to plot the characteristics and show the back EMF effect.
You will need
- A 12 V DC motor with a 3 cm pulley on its shaft
- A cord, two kitchen spring balances (0 to 1 kg) or two 100 g weight sets
- A 12 V battery or sealed adapter
- Two multimeters
- An IR tachometer made from a sensor and Arduino, or a phone app tachometer
- A wooden stand with clamps
- A ruler and thermometer
Safety: Use a battery or sealed adapter only. Keep hair, clothing and fingers away from the pulley. The motor and cord will get hot, so keep each run short. An adult must supervise.
Take it further: Repeat at 6 V and 9 V supply and show that the whole line moves down in speed with the same slope.
PhysicsMedium
Rotating-magnet coil generator: output voltage against speed and turns
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Bicycle dynamos and wind turbines make electricity from a moving magnet near a coil. The project builds a model generator and tests how peak voltage depends on the speed of rotation and the number of turns, which is Faraday’s law in action.
You will need
- A cardboard or wooden disc with four neodymium magnets fixed at the edge
- A motor or a hand crank to spin it (a 12 V geared motor with variable battery voltage)
- Three bobbins wound with 100, 200 and 400 turns of enamelled wire
- A sound-card scope app or a multimeter with AC range
- An IR tachometer or phone app to measure rpm
- A stand, glue, tape
Safety: Neodymium magnets are very strong and can pinch fingers or shatter. Keep them away from phones, cards and pacemakers. An adult must handle the magnets and the motor.
Take it further: Add a bridge rectifier and a 1000 µF capacitor to get DC and light a 5 V LED at the highest speed.
PhysicsMedium
Falling magnet through a coil recorded with a phone sound card
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A magnet dropped through a coil induces a voltage pulse, and one dropped through a copper pipe falls slowly because of eddy currents. The project records both events and measures how induced voltage depends on speed and how Lenz’s law slows the fall.
You will need
- A coil of about 500 turns of enamelled wire on a plastic pipe
- A neodymium magnet that slides inside the pipe
- A copper pipe about 50 cm long and a plastic pipe of the same size
- A 3.5 mm audio jack and a 10 kΩ resistor in series
- A laptop with free audio-recording software such as Audacity
- A stopwatch or phone slow-motion video
Safety: Strong magnets can pinch skin and snap together hard. An adult must handle them. Never connect the coil directly to a phone input without the series resistor.
Take it further: Cut a slit along the copper pipe and show that the magnet now falls faster because eddy currents are broken.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
HX711 load cell kitchen scale with calibration and an error table
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Digital weighing scales in shops use strain-gauge load cells, which change resistance by a tiny amount when bent. An HX711 amplifier and Arduino turn that into grams. The project calibrates the scale with known masses and reports its accuracy.
You will need
- A 5 kg bar load cell and an HX711 module
- An Arduino Uno or Nano
- A 16x2 I2C LCD or the serial monitor
- Two small acrylic or wooden plates and spacers
- M4 or M5 bolts and nuts
- Known masses: coins, a 100 g and 500 g standard weight or filled bottles checked on a shop scale
- A push button for tare
Safety: Do not overload the cell past its rating. Handle the bolts and plates with care; an adult must help with drilling.
Take it further: Add a price-per-kg keypad and compute the cost of the item for a small shop-style scale.
PhysicsMedium
Slider-crank and scotch yoke models compared for piston displacement
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Engines, compressors and pumps convert rotation to straight-line motion. A slider-crank gives a motion that is not quite sinusoidal, and a scotch yoke gives a perfect sine. The project builds both from plywood or acrylic and measures piston position against crank angle.
You will need
- 6 mm plywood or acrylic sheets
- Bolts, nuts and washers M4
- A 12 V geared motor or a hand crank
- Metal rods or bolts as pins
- A ruler glued along the slider
- A protractor disc fixed to the crank
- A phone for slow-motion video
Safety: Wear eye protection when cutting and drilling, and an adult must use the saw and drill. Keep fingers clear of the moving links.
Take it further: Add a spring-loaded pen to draw the displacement graph on a moving paper strip, a mechanical oscilloscope.
PhysicsMedium
Spur gear train model testing speed ratio, torque and backlash
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Gearboxes in bicycles, clocks and winches trade speed for torque. A model gear train made from salvaged toy gears or laser-cut MDF lets a student check that the speed ratio equals the inverse of the teeth ratio and measure backlash and losses.
You will need
- A set of plastic gears with 12, 24, 36 and 60 teeth (from old toys or hobby gear kits)
- A wooden or MDF base with 4 mm shafts and bearings made of straws
- A 12 V small motor and a pulley to lift weights
- Cord and 50 g weights
- A stopwatch or tachometer
- Marker paint for the gear teeth reference
Safety: Keep fingers away from the meshing gears. An adult must cut MDF and drill. Use a battery or sealed 12 V adapter for the motor.
Take it further: Build a three-speed selector with sliding gears and compare the measured top speed for each ratio.
PhysicsMedium
Four-bar linkage wiper mechanism and its coupler curve plotted on paper
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Windscreen wipers, bike pedals and door closers use four-bar linkages. A linkage turns one motion into another through four links and four pins. The project builds a crank-rocker model, traces the path of a point on the coupler and checks the Grashof rule for which links can rotate fully.
You will need
- Plywood, acrylic or thick card strips cut to lengths 5, 10, 12 and 14 cm
- M4 bolts, nuts, washers
- A drawing board and paper
- A pencil or pen fixed at a point on the coupler
- A protractor
- A hand crank or a 12 V geared motor
Safety: An adult must cut and drill the strips. Keep fingers away from pinch points while the linkage moves.
Take it further: Use a spreadsheet to compute the coupler curve for each crank angle and compare with the drawn path.
PhysicsMedium
Cam and follower model: three profiles and their displacement diagrams
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Engine valves and sewing machines use cams to give exact timed motion. The project cuts three cam profiles, measures the follower rise at each angle and plots a displacement diagram, which shows why the shape of the profile matters for smooth motion.
You will need
- 3 mm plywood or acrylic sheet
- A scroll saw or hand saw and sandpaper
- A shaft of 6 mm rod or bolt with a hand crank
- A follower made from a rod in a guide
- A ruler or dial indicator
- A protractor disc
- Graph paper
Safety: An adult must cut the sheet and drill. Wear a dust mask when sanding.
Take it further: Drive the cam with a 12 V motor and measure the follower motion with a phone video at 240 frames per second.
PhysicsMedium
Warren truss bridge from ice-cream sticks tested to failure
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Railway and road bridges use trusses because a triangle is rigid and each member carries either tension or compression. The project builds a Warren truss, loads it step by step until it fails, and compares the failure load with a simple member-force calculation.
You will need
- About 150 flat wooden ice-cream sticks
- Wood glue (white PVA)
- Two tables or two stacks of books 40 cm apart
- A bucket and a measured amount of sand or water in bottles to load
- A weighing scale
- A ruler and protractor
- Pins and cling film for the template
Safety: Wear eye protection when loading to failure, because sticks can snap. Keep feet and hands away from the falling load. An adult must supervise.
Take it further: Build a Pratt truss of the same weight and compare the failure load with the Warren truss.
EnvironmentMedium
Falling head permeability test on sand, silt and clay mixes
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How fast water moves through soil decides whether a field drains, a recharge pit works or an earth dam leaks. A simple falling head permeameter measures the coefficient of permeability k for sand, silt and clay mixes using Darcy’s law.
You will need
- A clear plastic pipe 5 cm across and 50 cm tall
- A nylon mesh and a rubber stopper with a short outlet tube
- A 1 cm diameter standpipe (burette or tall thin pipe) with a scale
- Dry sand, silt from a river bank, clay or red soil
- A stopwatch, a measuring cylinder
- A ruler and a bucket
Safety: Wear a dust mask when handling dry soil and wash hands after. An adult must cut the pipe.
Take it further: Compare three compaction levels of the same soil and show how denser packing reduces k.
PhysicsMedium
Model footing on sand: bearing load against footing width and depth
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Buildings stand on foundations that spread the load over soil. The project loads small square footings on a tray of sand and shows that a wider footing carries more total load but the same or lower pressure, and that burying the footing raises its capacity.
You will need
- A strong plastic tub or wooden box 40 x 40 x 30 cm filled with dry sand
- Square footings 3 cm, 5 cm and 7 cm cut from wood
- A loading rod and a bucket or plate
- Sand or water in bottles as weights
- A dial gauge or ruler with a pointer
- A kitchen scale
Safety: Dust from sand can irritate eyes and lungs: wear a mask. Keep the load stack low to avoid toppling. An adult must supervise.
Take it further: Repeat with wet sand and with a clay-sand mix to show how water and cohesion change the result.
EnvironmentMedium
First flush diverter model that discards the dirty first rain from a roof
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The first rain after a dry spell washes dust, bird droppings and leaves off a roof. A first flush diverter fills a side pipe with that dirty water before clean water reaches the tank. The project builds one and tests turbidity before and after to show how it protects stored water.
You will need
- A 1 m piece of 75 mm PVC pipe with a cap, T-joint and a float ball (a table-tennis ball)
- A drip hole made by an adult in the cap, 3 mm
- A model roof from a tray or a plastic sheet on a slope
- Garden dust and dry leaves
- A watering can or mug for rain
- Two clear bottles for samples and a turbidity tube (a clear tube with a black cross at the bottom)
- A rubber seal or tape
Safety: Do not drink any collected water. An adult must cut the pipe and drill the hole.
Take it further: Test for different roof materials such as tile, tin and concrete and compare the amount of dirt in the first flush.
PhysicsMedium
Simply supported wooden beam: deflection test and Young’s modulus estimate
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Floors, shelves and bridges bend under load. A strip of wood supported at both ends and loaded at the middle bends by an amount that depends on its depth, length and Young’s modulus. The project measures the deflection and calculates the modulus for different woods.
You will need
- Strips of wood or bamboo of about 60 cm length with rectangular section (for example 2 x 1 cm)
- Two knife-edge supports made from nails or metal rods
- A hanger and 50 g weights
- A metre rule and a pointer or a dial gauge
- A vernier caliper
- A spreadsheet
Safety: Do not overload the strip because it can snap. Keep your feet away from the falling weights. An adult must supervise.
Take it further: Test a steel ruler and a bamboo strip and rank the materials by stiffness and strength to weight ratio.
Computing and codingMedium
Python and pandas analysis of 30 years of monthly rainfall open data
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Farmers and city planners ask whether the monsoon is changing. A student can download a public rainfall data set, clean it with pandas and plot monthly averages, yearly totals and a trend line, which teaches data cleaning, statistics and honest conclusions.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, pandas, matplotlib and Jupyter or Thonny
- A free monthly rainfall data set for an Indian district or state from an open government data portal or meteorological source (downloaded as CSV)
- A notebook for the report
- Internet only to download the data
Safety: Download data only from official public portals and check the licence terms. Back up your work regularly.
Take it further: Compare two districts and test whether their yearly rainfall changes are correlated using a correlation coefficient.
Computing and codingMedium
Library management database in SQLite with a Python command-line app
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A school or a mohalla library often keeps records in a register, and books get lost. A small relational database with books, members and loans tables lets a student issue, return and search books and see overdue lists, which teaches design with primary and foreign keys.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3 (the sqlite3 module is built in)
- DB Browser for SQLite (free) to inspect the tables
- A text editor or Thonny
- A list of 50 real or sample books, 20 sample members in a CSV
- A notebook for the entity relationship diagram
Safety: Use only sample or consented member data, not real students’ personal details. Keep a backup of the database file.
Take it further: Add a Tkinter or Flask front end so that a librarian can use mouse and forms instead of the terminal.
Computing and codingMedium
Linear regression to predict used scooter prices with scikit-learn
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People who buy a second-hand vehicle want a fair price. A regression model learns from listed prices, age and kilometres how much a scooter is worth. A student can build it from an open data set or from 100 prices noted from classified advertisements, and check how accurate it is.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, pandas, numpy, matplotlib and scikit-learn
- A CSV of used vehicle prices from an open data portal, or one that you collect (age, kilometres, company, price)
- Jupyter or Thonny
- A notebook for the report
Safety: Use only public data and do not include phone numbers or names of sellers in your file.
Take it further: Try a decision tree regressor and a random forest and compare their errors with the linear model.
Computing and codingMedium
Flask online quiz app with SQLite score storage and a leaderboard
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Teachers in small schools and coaching classes often mark quizzes by hand. A small web app lets students log in, answer multiple-choice questions in a browser, see their score and appear on a leaderboard. The project teaches routes, templates, forms and a database in one application.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3 and Flask installed with pip
- SQLite through Python
- A text editor such as VS Code
- A browser
- A list of 20 sample questions with four options each
- A second device on the same Wi-Fi to test (optional)
Safety: Do not store real passwords. Use hashed passwords from werkzeug.security and sample users only. Do not expose the development server to the internet.
Take it further: Add a timer for each question and an admin page for the teacher to upload new questions as CSV.
Computing and codingMedium
K-nearest neighbours classifier on the iris and wine data with a confusion matrix
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A first machine learning project should show how a computer decides from examples. The k-nearest neighbours method classifies a new flower or wine by looking at its closest known examples. A student tests how the choice of k and scaling of the features change accuracy.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, numpy, pandas, matplotlib and scikit-learn
- The iris and wine data sets that come with scikit-learn (open data)
- Jupyter or Thonny
- A notebook for the report
Safety: No special safety needs. Save your work often.
Take it further: Collect measurements of 30 leaves from your neighbourhood and train a classifier to recognise two local plant species.
Computing and codingEasy
Tkinter attendance register app with a monthly summary and CSV export
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Many coaching centres and small workshops mark attendance in a notebook and later struggle to total it. A desktop app in Python with Tkinter can store students, mark present or absent each day, and give a percentage report, which teaches file handling and a graphical user interface.
You will need
- A laptop or desktop with Python 3 (Tkinter is included)
- The csv and datetime modules
- A text editor
- A list of 25 sample student names
- Spreadsheet software to open the exported file
Safety: Use sample names only. Keep a backup copy of the data file.
Take it further: Move the storage to SQLite and add a login so that only the teacher can mark attendance.
EnvironmentMedium
Solar still yield study with three cover angles and two basin colours
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In coastal and desert regions with salty groundwater, solar stills give drinking-quality distilled water without fuel. The project builds a basin-type still, measures the daily yield of distilled water from salty water and compares cover angles and basin colours.
You will need
- Three identical wooden or plastic trays 50 x 40 cm with a collecting channel
- Window glass or clear polythene sheets cut at angles of 15, 30 and 45 degrees
- Black paint (a water-safe, non-toxic one) and a second tray left unpainted
- Salt water (2 spoons of salt per litre) and a measuring cylinder
- Silicone sealant
- A thermometer and a pyranometer app or sunlight timing record
- Collection bottles
Safety: Handle glass with gloves and have an adult cut it. Keep away from the hot water and steam. Never drink the collected water unless its safety is tested by a lab, because paint or sealant can contaminate it.
Take it further: Add a mirror reflector on one side or a second condensing surface and measure the gain in daily yield.
EnvironmentMedium
Solar dryer cabinet against open-air drying of chilli and fruit
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A covered, ventilated box dries food faster and cleaner than open-air drying. Weighing equal slices each day shows how quickly water leaves in each method.
You will need
- A cardboard or wooden box about 40 cm by 30 cm
- Clear plastic sheet for the lid
- Black paper for the floor
- Thin net or mesh trays
- Banana, mango or chilli slices
- A kitchen scale (0.1 g if possible)
- A few small holes for air
Safety: An adult must slice the food with a knife and handle chillies; wear gloves and do not touch eyes. Do not eat food dried in an experiment with other materials; use clean food only for a separate batch.
Take it further: Add a second black metal sheet as an absorber and see if the drying time drops further.
Before you start
How to choose a good project
Six things to think about before you decide. A project you understand and finish well beats a big one you rush.
Start with a question
Good projects answer a question you are curious about: why does iron rust, which fabric keeps tea hottest, how does a robot follow a line? A question gives your project a purpose.
Check what is asked
Find out whether your teacher wants a working model, a still model or an investigatory project, the size limits, the topic or theme, the date, and whether ready-made models are allowed.
Match your time and class
Each idea here shows a class band, a difficulty and a rough time. Choose something you can finish properly with time to test it, rather than something huge you have to rush.
Pick science you can explain
Judges and examiners ask how it works. Choose an idea whose science you understand, or can learn from your textbook and the free ebooks, and practise explaining it.
List materials and costs
Write down everything you need before you start. Many models use things from home; motors, LEDs, sensors and boards are easy to buy as spare parts or in a kit.
Make it your own
Change one thing and measure what happens, add a chart of your readings, or show a real-life use. Even a well-known model becomes yours when you add your own observations.
Plan your time
A four-week project timeline
Work backwards from the date of your exhibition or submission. Short of time? Do the same steps faster, but never skip testing.
- 4 weeks before
Choose and get it approved
- Shortlist two or three ideas
- Write your aim or question in one sentence
- Show your teacher and agree the idea
- 3 weeks before
Read and collect materials
- Read the science in your textbook and a free ebook
- Sketch the design with measurements
- Collect or buy the materials and spare parts
- 2 weeks before
Build and test
- Build one part at a time and test each part
- For an investigation, repeat each reading at least three times
- Write every observation in a notebook with the date
- 1 week before
Write the report and chart
- Aim, materials, method, observations, result and conclusion
- A neat table or graph of your readings
- A chart or poster with a labelled diagram
- Last 2 days
Rehearse
- Practise a one-minute explanation out loud
- Prepare answers to the questions below
- Pack spares: cells, wires, tape and glue
On the day
Present it with confidence
You will usually have a minute or two to explain your project, then questions. Practise both out loud at home.
A one-minute explanation
- 1Name and question“My project is a … It answers the question …”
- 2What it showsOne sentence of science, in your own words.
- 3How it worksPoint to each part as you explain it.
- 4What you foundYour readings or result, and what they mean.
- 5Real lifeWhere the same science is used every day.
Questions judges often ask
- What does your project show, in one sentence?
- How does it work? Which law or idea of science is behind it?
- What did you change, and what did you measure?
- What went wrong while you were making it, and how did you fix it?
- Where is this idea used in real life?
- What would you improve if you made it again?
What your project file needs
- Title page with your name, class and school
- Aim or question
- Introduction: the science behind it
- Materials list
- Method, step by step, with a diagram
- Observations in a table
- Result and conclusion
- Precautions and safety
- Sources: books and websites you used
Projects and kits
Ready-made projects, kits and spare parts
Need a working model, a kit to build yourself, or a motor, LED, battery or sensor to finish your own? Every idea card links to the matching section of the store.
School Projects, Class 1 to 9
Ready-made working models for class 1 to 9: science, maths, physics, chemistry and biology.Browse
School Projects, Class 10 to 12
Working models and investigatory projects for class 10, 11 and 12.Browse
Best Out of Waste
Models made from bottles, cardboard and old parts, for waste-management themes.Browse
Robotics and Coding
Robot kits, Arduino projects, line followers, obstacle avoiders and smart projects.Browse
DIY Kits
Kits with every part and step-by-step instructions, to build the model yourself.Browse
Components and Spares
Motors, LEDs, batteries, switches, wires, sensors and breadboards to build or repair.Browse
Engineering Projects
Minor and major projects for diploma and BTech students.Browse
Cannot find what you need? Ask the head office on WhatsApp.
Free ebooks
Free books for making projects
Step-by-step project books for every class, plus guides to exhibitions, project files and viva questions. Free to download, read and print.
Science projects
Writing a Science Project File
How to write the report, from the cover page to the bibliography
Science projects
Viva Questions for Science Projects
How to answer examiner questions, with sample questions for popular projects
Science projects
Easy Science Projects for Class 1 to 5
Simple, safe projects young children can make with a little help
Science projects
Science Projects for Class 6 to 8
Working models matched to middle-school science topics
Science projects
Investigatory Projects for Class 11 and 12
Topics, method and report structure for physics, chemistry and biology
Stay safe
Safety rules for every project
Read these with a parent before you start. Ideas that need extra care carry their own safety note on the card.
Never use mains electricity
Power your models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Never connect anything home-made to a wall socket.
Adult help for sharp and hot tools
Cutters, blades, glue guns, soldering irons and drills need an adult beside you. Cut away from your body on a board.
Chemicals with care
Use only safe household materials at home. Acids, stains and other lab chemicals are for the school lab with your teacher. Wear goggles and never taste anything.
Flames only with an adult
Candles and burners only with an adult present and water nearby. Tie back long hair and keep paper away.
Look after batteries
Do not short-circuit a battery, mix old and new cells, or puncture or heat a lithium battery. Remove batteries when the model is stored.
Small parts away from little ones
Magnets, button cells and small parts can be swallowed. Keep them away from younger brothers and sisters, and wash your hands after making.
Questions about science projects
Still have a question?
Chat on WhatsAppWhat is the difference between a working model, a still model and an investigatory project?
A working model moves or works to show a principle, such as a windmill that lights an LED. A still model shows how something is built or arranged, such as the layers of the Earth. An investigatory project asks a question and answers it by experiment: you change one thing, measure the result and draw a conclusion from your readings.
Can I buy a ready-made project?
Check your school’s rules first: some competitions want models made by the student, and some allow ready-made ones. Either way, you must understand how it works and be able to explain it. A good approach is to build from a kit, or to add your own measurements and chart to a ready-made model.
How long does a school project take?
Each idea here shows a rough time for the making. Leave extra time for reading, testing, the report and practice: three to four weeks from choosing to presenting is comfortable for most school projects.
What should go in my project report or file?
A title page, your aim, the science behind it, the materials, the method with a diagram, your observations in a table, the result and conclusion, precautions, and the books and websites you used. The free ebook “Writing a Science Project File” explains each part.
What if my model stops working on the day?
Carry spare cells, wires and tape, and test everything when you arrive. Take a short video or photos of it working at home. If something still fails, explain calmly what should happen and what you would check: judges value understanding as much as a perfect model.
More help
Stuck on a project?
Read the student help pages, try the free calculators for circuits and units, or ask the head office on WhatsApp.