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.
Earth and spaceEasy
Torch on a grid showing why slanting sunlight gives cooler seasons
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The same beam of light spread over a larger area heats each square less. Sunlight arrives at a slant in winter and spreads thin, which is the main reason winter is cold, not the small change in distance from the Sun.
You will need
- A torch with a narrow beam
- A sheet of graph paper or a hand-drawn centimetre grid
- A protractor
- A ruler
- A dark room
- Optional: a thermometer and a black card
Take it further: Measure the noon Sun angle in your town in June and December with a shadow stick and compare it with your torch results.
Earth and spaceMedium
Stream table in a tray that grows river meanders and sandbars
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A river flowing over loose sediment erodes the outside of each bend, where water moves fastest, and deposits sand on the inside, where it is slow. Over time the bends grow into meanders and may be cut off to leave oxbow lakes, as happens on the Ganga plain.
You will need
- A large plastic tray or a cut-open jerrycan
- Fine sand, about 2 kilograms
- A plastic bottle with a small hole near the base as the water source
- A bucket to catch the outflow
- A few bricks to tilt the tray
- Coloured sprinkles or small confetti to trace the flow
Safety: Work outdoors or in a bathroom; wipe wet floors at once.
Take it further: Plant small sprigs of grass along one bank and show how vegetation slows bank erosion.
Earth and spaceMedium
Aquifer in a jar with a working well and a pollution test
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Groundwater is not an underground lake but water filling the spaces between grains of sand and gravel. A straw well draws it out, rain refills it from above, and anything spilled on the surface can reach the well, showing why wells go dry and why they get polluted.
You will need
- A large clear jar or a cut 5 litre bottle
- Gravel, coarse sand and a layer of clay or modelling clay
- A straw or a transparent pipe as the well
- A syringe without a needle to pump
- A jug of water and a watering can for rain
- A drop of food colour as the pollutant
Safety: An adult should cut the bottle.
Take it further: Add a second well on the clay side and show how a shallow and a deep aquifer behave differently.
Earth and spaceMedium
Why the monsoon blows: sand versus water heating and cooling test
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Land heats and cools much faster than water. In summer the hot Indian land has low pressure and air flows in from the cooler sea, carrying moisture; in winter the land is colder and the flow reverses. Measuring sand and water under the same sun shows the difference that drives the monsoon.
You will need
- Two identical containers
- Dry sand and water to the same depth
- Two thermometers
- A sunny spot and a shaded spot
- A notebook and a clock
- Optional: a lamp for a repeat indoors
Safety: Handle glass thermometers gently; a digital probe is safer.
Take it further: Repeat with wet sand and show how moist ground behaves more like water.
EnvironmentMedium
Vermicompost tub that turns kitchen peels into worm castings
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Composting worms eat vegetable waste and pass it out as dark, crumbly castings that are a rich plant food. A tub with drainage, bedding and the right moisture turns a family's peels into compost and shows how much kitchen waste never needs to reach a dump.
You will need
- A plastic tub with a lid, about 20 litres, with holes drilled in the sides and base
- Shredded newspaper and dry leaves as bedding
- About 100 composting worms (Eisenia fetida) from a nursery or a farmer
- Kitchen peels without citrus, onion, oil or dairy
- A tray under the tub to catch liquid
- A spray bottle
- A kitchen scale
Safety: An adult should drill the holes. Wash hands after handling the tub, and keep it shaded; worms die above about 35 degrees.
Take it further: Count the worms at the start and after eight weeks to estimate how fast they multiply.
EnvironmentEasy
One-week plastic audit of a household with a bar chart of sources
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Counting and weighing every piece of plastic a family throws away in a week shows where it comes from: packaging of snacks, milk pouches, carry bags and bottles. Sorting it by type and by whether it can be recycled shows which habits would cut the most.
You will need
- A large bag or box to collect the week's plastic
- A kitchen scale
- Gloves
- A tally sheet with columns for item, type, count, weight and recyclable yes or no
- Chart paper and colours for the bar chart
Safety: Wear gloves, rinse food packaging before storing it, and keep sharp or medical plastics out of the collection.
Take it further: Repeat the audit a month after the family tries the two changes and compare the charts.
EnvironmentMedium
How much rain your roof can catch: a measured roof yield study
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The water a roof can harvest equals roof area times rainfall times a runoff factor. Measuring a real roof and using the local annual rainfall shows that even a small house in a 800 millimetre rainfall town can collect tens of thousands of litres a year, often more than the family drinks.
You will need
- A measuring tape
- Annual and monthly rainfall figures for your town from the weather office website or a textbook
- A calculator or a spreadsheet
- Graph paper
- A sketch of the house roof
- A rain gauge if one is available
Take it further: Cost a tank of the size you calculated and compare it with buying tanker water for the dry months.
EnvironmentMedium
Home energy audit using the meter, appliance labels and a week of logs
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Reading the electricity meter daily and logging how long each appliance runs shows which ones use most of the units. In most homes a few items, such as the geyser, air conditioner, old refrigerator and ceiling fans running all day, account for most of the bill, and small changes cut it without any discomfort.
You will need
- Access to the house electricity meter reading (looking only, never opening it)
- The last three electricity bills
- A list of appliances with their rated watts from their labels
- A log sheet with hours of use per day
- A calculator or spreadsheet
- Chart paper
Safety: Read labels and the meter display only. Never open a meter box, switchboard or appliance, and never touch wiring; an adult must be present when reading the meter.
Take it further: Repeat the week after the changes and compare the two pie charts and bills.
EnvironmentEasy
LED, CFL and filament bulb: cost of light over ten years from the labels
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Three bulbs giving the same brightness draw very different power: about 60 watts for a filament bulb, 14 for a CFL and 9 for an LED. Using the lumens and watts printed on the packs and the price per unit from a bill, a ten-year cost comparison shows the LED is cheapest by far despite its higher price.
You will need
- Packaging or label photos of a filament bulb, a CFL and an LED of similar lumens
- Shop prices for each
- The per-unit rate from an electricity bill
- A calculator or spreadsheet
- Graph paper
Safety: Reading labels only; do not open or test the bulbs. A CFL contains a small amount of mercury and must not be broken.
Take it further: Count the bulbs in your school and estimate the yearly saving from switching all of them to LEDs.
EnvironmentMedium
Is our rain acidic? Testing rainwater pH at three locations
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Clean rain is slightly acidic, around pH 5.6, because carbon dioxide dissolves in it. Sulphur and nitrogen oxides from vehicles and industry make it more acidic. Collecting rain in clean containers at three sites and testing with pH paper shows whether local pollution is lowering the pH.
You will need
- Three clean glass jars or bottles, rinsed with distilled water
- Three wide funnels
- Universal indicator pH paper, range 1 to 14, or a pH meter borrowed from school
- Distilled water as a control
- Labels and a notebook
Safety: Do not drink the collected water. Rinse with distilled water, not tap water, which has its own pH.
Take it further: Leave a marble chip in a sample of the most acidic rain for a month and look for changes in its surface.
EnvironmentEasy
Noise map of your neighbourhood with a phone decibel meter
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Sound level is measured in decibels, a scale where every 10 decibels sounds about twice as loud. Measuring at the same spots at different times of day gives a noise map that shows where and when levels pass the limits set for residential and silence zones.
You will need
- A smartphone with a free sound level meter app
- A printed map or hand-drawn sketch of the area
- A notebook with columns for place, time, reading and main sound
- Coloured pencils for the map
Safety: Measure from the footpath with an adult near busy roads; never stand on the road to take a reading.
Take it further: Measure before and after a festival night and compare the levels.
EnvironmentMedium
Tree census of the school ground with species, girth and shade area
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A census records every tree in an area with its species, girth and canopy, the same way city forest departments do. The data show which species dominate, which trees are oldest, how much ground is shaded, and where new trees would help most.
You will need
- A measuring tape
- A notebook or a printed census sheet
- A tree identification guide or a plant app
- Chalk or ribbon to mark counted trees
- A sketch map of the ground
- Graph paper
Safety: Do not climb trees or pull branches. Watch for ants and bees on trunks.
Take it further: Repeat the girth measurements a year later and see which trees grew most.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Pocket dark detector that beeps when you cover the LDR
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A light dependent resistor has a low resistance in bright light and a very high resistance in the dark. In a voltage divider with a fixed resistor, this change swings the base voltage of a transistor, which switches a buzzer on when it gets dark.
You will need
- One LDR (5 mm or 10 mm)
- One BC547 transistor
- A 10 kΩ resistor and a 1 kΩ resistor
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. Do not short the 9 V battery terminals; it gets hot.
Take it further: Replace the 10 kΩ resistor with a 100 kΩ potentiometer so you can set the darkness level with a knob.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Bucket overflow alarm that beeps when water touches two wires
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Tap water conducts a small current because of dissolved salts. Two BC547 transistors joined as a Darlington pair multiply that tiny current enough to drive a buzzer, so the alarm sounds the moment water bridges the probe wires.
You will need
- Two BC547 transistors
- A 100 kΩ resistor and a 10 kΩ resistor
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two 50 cm insulated wires with 2 cm bare ends as probes
- A breadboard, jumper wires and a bucket of tap water
Safety: Battery power only; never use mains electricity near water. Dry your hands before touching the breadboard.
Take it further: Add two more probe pairs with their own LEDs at half and three quarters to make a full level indicator.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Rain alarm with an interleaved foil strip sensor on a card
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Raindrops bridge the gap between two sets of foil strips that are close but not touching. The water lets a tiny current flow, which a Darlington pair of BC547 transistors amplifies to sound a buzzer, warning you to bring the washing in.
You will need
- A plastic sheet or laminated card about 10 x 15 cm
- Aluminium foil cut into 5 mm strips
- Two BC547 transistors
- A 100 kΩ resistor and a 10 kΩ resistor
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard, jumper wires, glue and a dropper of water
Safety: Battery power only. Keep the breadboard and battery indoors and dry; only the sensor card goes outside.
Take it further: Replace the buzzer with a 5 V relay module and let the relay switch on a bigger battery-powered lamp indoors.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Two-station Morse telegraph line across a room with LEDs
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two keys and two indicator LEDs on one long wire pair let either station send to the other. It shows that a signal is really a current switched on and off, and that one shared return wire is enough for a two-way line.
You will need
- Two paper clip keys on wooden blocks (see the single key project)
- Two red LEDs and two 150 Ω resistors
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- About 10 m of twin insulated wire (bell wire or old speaker wire)
- Tape and a Morse chart for each station
Safety: Run the long wire along a wall, not across a doorway where someone could trip.
Take it further: Replace each LED with an active buzzer in parallel with the LED and compare how far the sound carries.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Energy transfer: one toy motor spins another that lights an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A DC motor is also a generator. When a second motor is turned by the first, its coil spins inside its magnets and produces a voltage that lights an LED, showing that electrical and mechanical energy can be converted in both directions.
You will need
- Two 3 V DC toy motors
- A short piece of rubber tube or a rubber band to couple the shafts
- One red LED and a 100 Ω resistor
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- A piece of wood or cardboard as a base
- Hot glue or clamps, and a multimeter if available
Safety: An adult must use the hot glue gun. Keep hair and loose sleeves away from the spinning shafts.
Take it further: Replace the rubber coupling with a bottle-cap pulley and belt so the generator turns faster than the driving motor.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Salt water conductivity tester with a transistor and an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water conducts electricity only through dissolved ions. Two probes in a liquid feed a tiny current into a transistor, which amplifies it to light an LED. Distilled water gives nothing, tap water a faint glow and salt water a bright one.
You will need
- One BC547 transistor
- A 470 Ω resistor and a 10 kΩ resistor
- One red LED
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two probe wires with 1 cm bare ends taped 1 cm apart on a stick
- Four cups: distilled or rain water, tap water, sugar water and salt water
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. Dry your hands before handling the circuit, and rinse the probes between cups.
Take it further: Add a multimeter in the base lead and record microamperes for each liquid instead of judging brightness by eye.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Pocket continuity tester with a buzzer and an LED in a tic-tac box
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A continuity tester tells you whether a path conducts: touch its two probes to the ends of a wire, a fuse or a switch and it beeps if current can flow. It is the first tool for finding broken wires and checking which materials conduct.
You will need
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- One green LED and a 470 Ω resistor
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two probe wires with pointed bare ends (old pen refills make good holders)
- A small plastic box such as a mint box
- Tape and a slide switch if you want one
Safety: Test only unplugged things. Never touch the probes to anything connected to the mains or to a car battery.
Take it further: Add a 1 kΩ resistor across a second pair of sockets and compare how loudly the buzzer sounds through it.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Cardboard conveyor belt driven by a toy motor and rubber band
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A motor turns a small pulley, a rubber band carries that rotation to a larger roller, and a loop of cloth belt stretched between two rollers moves objects along. It shows belt drives, friction grip and speed reduction through pulley sizes.
You will need
- A 3 V DC toy motor
- Two cardboard tubes or thick pencils as rollers
- Two wooden skewers as axles
- A strip of cloth or an old sock cut into a loop as the belt
- A rubber band and a bottle cap pulley
- A 2 x AA battery holder with a switch and cells (3 V)
- A shoe box, hot glue and tape
Safety: An adult must use the hot glue gun and cut the skewers. Keep fingers out of the rollers while running.
Take it further: Add a paper clip lever switch at the end so an arriving object stops the motor automatically.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Motorised cardboard crane that lifts a load with a thread spool and reversing switch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A motor winding thread onto a spool converts rotation into lifting. A DPDT slide switch swaps the battery polarity so the same motor raises and lowers the hook, which is how real crane winches are controlled.
You will need
- A 3 V DC toy motor
- An empty thread spool or bottle cap glued to the motor shaft
- A DPDT slide switch (six pins)
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- Cardboard tubes and a shoe box for the tower and jib
- Strong thread, a paper clip hook and a small load such as a toy car
- Hot glue, tape and insulated wire
Safety: An adult must use the hot glue gun. Do not lift anything heavier than about 100 g or the motor will stall and heat up.
Take it further: Add a paper clip limit switch at the top that opens the circuit when the hook reaches the jib.
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Electric bell model with a nail electromagnet and a hacksaw blade clapper
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An electromagnet pulls a springy steel strip towards it, which breaks its own contact, loses the magnetism and springs back to close the contact again. The strip vibrates to and fro, striking a tin lid to ring like a doorbell.
You will need
- A 10 cm iron nail
- About 5 m of thin enamelled copper wire (28 to 30 SWG)
- A short strip of springy steel such as a broken hacksaw blade or a metal ruler, with the teeth taped
- A drawing pin or bolt as the contact screw
- A tin lid or small steel bowl as the gong
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V) and a push switch
- A wooden base, screws, hot glue and sandpaper
Safety: An adult must handle the hacksaw blade (tape the teeth) and screws. Run the bell in short bursts; the coil warms up.
Take it further: Replace the push switch with the reed switch door sensor project so the bell rings when a door opens.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
555 timer blinking an LED once a second on a breadboard
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A 555 timer in astable mode charges and discharges a capacitor through two resistors, producing a steady stream of pulses. With 1 kΩ, 470 kΩ and 1 µF the output switches about 1.5 times a second, blinking an LED without any switch being pressed.
You will need
- One NE555 timer IC
- A 1 kΩ resistor, a 470 kΩ resistor and a 470 Ω resistor
- A 1 µF electrolytic capacitor and a 10 nF ceramic capacitor
- One red LED
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. Fit the electrolytic capacitor the right way round; its negative lead is marked with a stripe.
Take it further: Replace the 470 kΩ resistor with a 1 MΩ potentiometer and make a blink rate you can adjust with a knob.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Finger touch sensor with two BC547 transistors that lights an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Dry skin has a resistance of hundreds of kilohms, far too high to light an LED directly. Two transistors in a Darlington pair multiply the microampere current through a fingertip by about 40,000, so a light touch across two pads switches the LED on.
You will need
- Two BC547 transistors
- A 470 Ω resistor and a 100 kΩ resistor
- One red LED
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two small foil pads or two bare wire ends 5 mm apart on a card
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: A 9 V battery through dry skin is far below any level you can feel; still, keep the circuit away from cuts and wet hands.
Take it further: Swap the LED for a 5 V relay module and let the touch switch a small motor on.
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.