Science projects
Your Science Exhibition Guide
Choose a project, build it, present it and answer the judges with confidence
Science project idea finder
99 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.
- Class 1 to 5Simple, safe models made with help at home.19 ideas
- Class 6 to 8Working models of the science you learn in class.50 ideas
- Class 9 and 10Energy, electricity, light and first robots.47 ideas
- Class 11 and 12Investigatory projects for the practical exam.34 ideas
- College and diplomaArduino, IoT and sensor projects.12 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 the full details.
PhysicsEasy
Balloon-powered car
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Air rushing backwards out of the balloon pushes the car forwards. This is Newton’s third law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
You will need
- A balloon and a drinking straw
- A plastic bottle or stiff cardboard for the body
- Four bottle caps for wheels
- Two wooden skewers or straws for axles
- Tape and glue
Take it further: Try a bigger balloon or a wider straw, and measure how far the car travels each time.
ChemistryEasy
Rainbow in a glass (density tower)
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water with more sugar dissolved in it is denser, so it sinks below water with less sugar. Layers of differently sweetened, coloured water stack up like a rainbow.
You will need
- Sugar and warm water
- Four food colours
- Four cups and a tall clear glass
- A spoon or a syringe (no needle) for pouring slowly
Safety: An adult should handle the warm water.
Take it further: Pour the layers in the opposite order and see what happens.
BiologyEasy
What do seeds need to sprout?
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Seeds need water, air and warmth to germinate. Most seeds sprout even in the dark, but the seedlings need light to turn green and keep growing.
You will need
- Moong or chana seeds
- Cotton wool and small bowls
- Water
- Labels for each set-up: dry, wet, under water, in the fridge, in the dark
Take it further: Measure the shoots every day and draw a growth chart for each set-up.
Earth and spaceEasy
Solar system model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The eight planets in order from the Sun, and how much bigger the giant planets are than Earth. Real distances are far too large to show to scale, so say so on your label.
You will need
- Thermocol balls in different sizes
- Poster paints and brushes
- Wire or skewers
- A board or box base
- Labels
Earth and spaceEasy
Water cycle in a bowl
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Warm water evaporates, the vapour condenses into drops on the cold cover, and the drops fall back like rain: the water cycle in miniature.
You will need
- A large glass bowl and a small cup
- Warm water
- Cling film
- Ice cubes in a small bag
Safety: An adult should pour the warm water.
Take it further: Add food colour to the water in the bowl. Is the "rain" that drips into the cup coloured? (It is not: evaporation leaves the colour behind.)
PhysicsEasy
Magnetic fishing game
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Magnets attract things made of iron and most kinds of steel, but not paper, plastic, wood, aluminium or copper.
You will need
- A small magnet tied to a string and a stick
- Paper fish with a paper clip on each
- Objects to test: coins, foil, keys, erasers
- A tray or box as the pond
Safety: Keep small magnets away from young children who might swallow them.
Take it further: Guess which of 15 objects are magnetic before testing, then count how many you got right.
PhysicsEasy
Paper cup telephone
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Sound is a vibration. Your voice makes the cup vibrate, the tight string carries the vibration, and the other cup turns it back into sound.
You will need
- Two paper cups
- 3 to 10 metres of string
- Two toothpicks or matchsticks
- A pencil to make the holes
Take it further: Does it still work when the string is slack or touching something? Try thread, wool and fishing line.
PhysicsEasy
Simple electric circuit with a switch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Electricity flows only round a complete loop. The switch opens and closes the loop, turning the bulb off and on.
You will need
- Two AA cells in a holder
- A torch bulb in a holder, or an LED
- Insulated wires
- A switch, or one made from a drawing pin and a paper clip
- A cardboard base
Safety: Use cells only, never a mains socket. Do not join the two ends of a cell directly with a wire: it gets hot.
Take it further: Put different objects in the gap to find out which are conductors and which are insulators.
PhysicsEasy
Sink or float, and the clay boat
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Whether something floats depends on its density and its shape. A ball of clay sinks, but the same clay shaped into a boat floats, because it pushes aside more water.
You will need
- A tub of water
- Objects such as a coin, a cork, a key, a leaf and a plastic spoon
- Modelling clay
- Small coins or marbles to load the boat
Take it further: Which boat shape carries the most coins before it sinks?
Earth and spaceEasy
Phases of the moon model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun. As the Moon travels round the Earth we see different amounts of that lit half, which gives the phases. They are not caused by the Earth’s shadow.
You will need
- A torch or lamp as the Sun
- A white ball on a stick as the Moon
- A darkened room
- Or a shoe box with eight viewing holes and a ball hung inside
EnvironmentEasy
Plastic bottle bird feeder
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Waste plastic can be reused instead of thrown away, and a feeder lets you observe local birds. Keep a diary of which birds visit and when.
You will need
- A clean plastic bottle
- Two wooden spoons or sticks as perches
- String
- Grain such as bajra
Safety: An adult should cut the holes in the bottle.
BiologyEasy
Parts of a plant model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Roots take in water and hold the plant firm, the stem carries water up, leaves make food using sunlight, and flowers make seeds.
You will need
- Chart paper or a cardboard base
- Coloured paper, wool for roots and sticks
- Glue and labels
ChemistryEasy
Erupting volcano model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Vinegar (an acid) reacts with baking soda (a base) and gives off carbon dioxide gas, which pushes the foam out. Real volcanoes erupt molten rock, so the model shows the shape of a volcano, not its cause.
You will need
- A small bottle inside a clay or papier-mâché mountain
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- A drop of dishwash and red food colour
- A tray
Safety: Work on a tray or outdoors, and keep vinegar away from eyes.
EnvironmentEasy
Food chain and food web model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Energy passes from plants to plant-eaters to meat-eaters. Taking one living thing out of the web affects all the others.
You will need
- Pictures or clay models of plants and animals
- Arrows cut from card
- A board
PhysicsEasy
Air pressure holds up water
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Air pushes on everything around us. When the glass is turned over, the air pressure pushing up on the card is enough to hold the water in.
You will need
- A glass filled to the brim with water
- A smooth postcard or stiff card
Safety: Do it over a sink or a bucket.
Earth and spaceEasy
Rain gauge
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Rainfall is measured as the depth of water that would collect on flat ground, in millimetres. A straight-sided container gives a fair reading.
You will need
- A straight-sided clear jar or bottle
- A millimetre scale fixed to the side
- Stones to keep it steady
Take it further: Record the rainfall every day for a month and draw a bar chart.
MathsEasy
Fraction wall
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Strips cut into halves, thirds, quarters and smaller parts show which fractions are equal (2/4 is the same as 1/2) and which fraction is bigger.
You will need
- Coloured paper strips of equal length
- A ruler and scissors
- A board
PhysicsEasy
CD hovercraft
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Air from the balloon forms a thin cushion under the CD. The cushion cuts friction with the table, so the hovercraft glides.
You will need
- An old CD
- A pop-up bottle cap
- A balloon
- Glue
PhysicsMedium
Hydraulic arm with syringes
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Pressure applied to a liquid in a closed system is passed on equally in every direction (Pascal’s law), so pushing one syringe moves its partner and lifts the arm.
You will need
- 4 to 8 plastic syringes without needles
- Plastic tubing to fit
- Water, coloured so it is easy to see
- Cardboard or ice-cream sticks
- Nuts, bolts or split pins for joints
- A glue gun
Safety: An adult should handle the glue gun.
Take it further: Fill one pair with air instead of water. Why does that joint feel springy?
PhysicsEasy
Electromagnet
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An electric current in a coil of wire makes a magnetic field. Wound round an iron nail, the coil becomes a magnet you can switch off, and more turns of wire make it stronger.
You will need
- A large iron nail
- Enamelled copper wire
- A 1.5 V cell in a holder
- Paper clips
- Sandpaper to clean the wire ends
Safety: The wire and cell get warm: disconnect between tests. Use cells only, never the mains.
Take it further: Count how many paper clips it lifts with 20, 40 and 60 turns, and plot a graph.
PhysicsMedium
Simple electric motor
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A coil carrying current in a magnetic field feels a force and turns. Scraping the insulation off only half of one end switches the current on and off at the right moments, so the coil keeps spinning.
You will need
- Enamelled copper wire
- A D-size or AA cell
- Two large safety pins
- A small strong magnet
- A rubber band
- Sandpaper
Safety: The wire gets hot if left connected: unhook it between runs.
PhysicsEasy
Periscope
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Light reflects from a plane mirror at the same angle at which it arrives. Two mirrors at 45 degrees send the light down the tube, so you can see over a wall.
You will need
- Two juice cartons or a long cardboard box
- Two small mirrors
- Tape and scissors
Safety: Cover the mirror edges with tape.
EnvironmentMedium
Rainwater harvesting model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Rain falling on a roof is collected by gutters and pipes, filtered, and either stored in a tank or sent down a recharge pit to refill the groundwater.
You will need
- A cardboard house with a sloping roof
- Straws or thin pipes as gutters
- A small container as the storage tank
- A recharge pit of sand and gravel layers in a cup
- A base board
EnvironmentEasy
Three-layer water filter
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Gravel, sand and charcoal trap particles of different sizes, and charcoal also removes some colour and smell. The water looks clearer but is still not safe to drink, because germs pass through.
You will need
- A plastic bottle cut in half
- Cotton wool
- Fine sand, coarse sand and gravel
- Activated charcoal
- Muddy water
Safety: Never drink the filtered water.
ChemistryEasy
Red cabbage indicator
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Red cabbage juice changes colour with acids and bases: pink or red in acids, purple when neutral, and blue, green or yellow in bases.
You will need
- Red cabbage leaves and hot water
- A strainer and clear cups
- Lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda solution, soap water and tap water
Safety: An adult should handle the hot water. Do not taste anything, and do not test bleach or toilet cleaners.
Take it further: Soak filter paper in the juice and dry it to make your own indicator paper.
BiologyEasy
Human digestive system model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Food travels from the mouth down the food pipe to the stomach, the small intestine and the large intestine. The liver and pancreas add juices that help digestion.
You will need
- A thermocol or cardboard base
- Clay or coloured foam for the organs
- Pipe or rope for the intestines
- Labels
BiologyEasy
Working lungs model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Pulling the diaphragm (the stretched balloon) down makes more space in the chest, the air pressure inside drops, and air rushes into the lungs. Pushing it back up pushes the air out.
You will need
- A plastic bottle with the bottom cut off
- Two small balloons as lungs
- A Y-shaped connector or two straws
- A large balloon as the diaphragm
- Clay to seal the top
Safety: An adult should cut the bottle.
BiologyMedium
Human heart model with double circulation
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The heart has four chambers. The right side pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen, and the left side pumps it to the rest of the body. Valves stop the blood flowing backwards.
You will need
- Clay or thermocol
- Red and blue paint, or pipes for arteries and veins
- A base and labels
- Red and blue LEDs to show the flow (optional)
PhysicsMedium
Wind turbine that lights an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A small DC motor works as a generator when its shaft is turned: the spinning blades turn motion energy into electrical energy that lights the LED.
You will need
- A small DC motor
- Blades cut from a plastic bottle or card
- An LED
- Wires
- A stand of pipe or wood
Take it further: An LED lights only one way round, so if it stays dark swap its leads or spin faster. Then compare three blade shapes.
EnvironmentMedium
Solar water heater model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Black surfaces absorb more sunlight than shiny or white ones, and a clear cover traps the heat, so water in a black, covered container warms fastest.
You will need
- A shoe box lined with foil
- Two small bottles, one painted black and one left clear
- Cling film or a sheet of glass
- A thermometer
- Water
Take it further: Record both temperatures every 15 minutes and plot them on one graph.
PhysicsEasy
Static electricity and a jar electroscope
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Rubbing a balloon moves electric charge onto it. A charged object attracts light things, and in the electroscope the two foil leaves get the same charge and push apart.
You will need
- A glass jar with a card lid
- A metal paper clip or thick wire
- Two small strips of aluminium foil
- A balloon or a plastic comb
Take it further: Static works best on dry days. Try it on a humid day and compare.
Earth and spaceEasy
Sundial
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
As the Earth turns, the Sun appears to move across the sky and the pointer’s shadow moves with it. For better readings, tilt the pointer towards the north at an angle equal to your latitude (about 28 to 29 degrees in Delhi).
You will need
- A cardboard or wooden base
- A stick or a triangle of card as the pointer
- A protractor and a compass
- A marker
Safety: Never look straight at the Sun.
PhysicsEasy
Pinhole camera
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Light travels in straight lines, so rays from the top of an object pass through the pinhole and land at the bottom of the screen. The image is upside down.
You will need
- A box or a tube
- Butter paper or tracing paper
- Aluminium foil and a pin
- Black paper and tape
Safety: Never point it at the Sun.
EnvironmentEasy
Soil erosion with and without plants
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Plant roots hold soil together. When water is poured on, bare soil washes away much faster than soil covered with grass or dead leaves.
You will need
- Three plastic bottles cut lengthwise
- Soil, grass seedlings and dry leaves
- Three cups to collect the run-off
- Water in a mug
Take it further: Compare how muddy the water in each cup is, and how much soil settles at the bottom.
MathsEasy
Pythagoras theorem model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
In a right-angled triangle, the square on the longest side has the same area as the squares on the other two sides together (a² + b² = c²). Cut the two smaller squares into pieces and they fit exactly into the big one.
You will need
- Chart paper and coloured paper
- A ruler, a set square and scissors
- Glue
- A triangle with sides 3, 4 and 5 units is the easiest to start with
MathsEasy
The angles of a triangle add up to 180°
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Tear off the three corners of any paper triangle and place them side by side: they always make a straight line, which is 180 degrees.
You will need
- Paper triangles of different shapes
- Colours to mark each corner
- A protractor to check
MathsEasy
Area of a circle by cutting sectors
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Cut a circle into many equal sectors and arrange them top to tail: they form a shape close to a rectangle with sides πr and r, so the area is πr².
You will need
- Coloured paper circles
- A compass, ruler and protractor
- Scissors and glue
- A chart to mount the pieces
Earth and spaceMedium
Seismograph model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A heavy hanging pen tends to stay still (inertia) while the box and paper shake beneath it, so the pen draws the shaking as a wiggly line.
You will need
- A cardboard box frame
- A pen tied to a weight on a string
- A long paper strip pulled under the pen
- Tape
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Automatic street light with an LDR
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A light dependent resistor (LDR) has a high resistance in the dark and a low resistance in light. A transistor uses that change to switch the LED on when it gets dark.
You will need
- An LDR
- A BC547 transistor
- Resistors, including a 10 kΩ variable resistor
- LEDs
- A 9 V battery and clip
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Water level indicator
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Tap water conducts a little electricity because of the salts dissolved in it. As the water rises it touches wires at different heights, and transistors light an LED or sound a buzzer for each level.
You will need
- Insulated wires with bare ends
- BC547 transistors
- LEDs, resistors and a buzzer
- A 9 V battery
- A container and a breadboard
Safety: Battery power only: never use the mains near water.
EnvironmentEasy
Compost in a bottle
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Microbes and small creatures break peels and leaves down into compost, but plastic does not break down. Layers of wet "greens" and dry "browns" rot best.
You will need
- A large plastic bottle with air holes
- Soil
- Vegetable peels and dry leaves
- A small piece of plastic and of paper for comparison
- A water spray
Safety: Wash your hands after handling soil and compost.
EnvironmentEasy
Greenhouse effect in a jar
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A covered jar in the sun warms faster than an open one. It is a simple model of how greenhouse gases keep heat near the Earth; the real atmosphere traps heat by absorbing infrared rather than by stopping air moving.
You will need
- Two identical jars
- Two thermometers
- Cling film or a lid
- Sunlight or a lamp
- A notebook for readings
EnvironmentEasy
Air pollution sticky cards
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Dust and soot in the air settle on surfaces. Sticky cards left in different places show where the air carries the most particles.
You will need
- White cards
- Petroleum jelly
- String
- A magnifying glass
- Labels for each place: roadside, garden, classroom, kitchen
Earth and spaceEasy
Layers of the Earth model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The Earth has a thin rocky crust, a thick hot mantle, a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.
You will need
- A thermocol ball cut to show a quarter section
- Paints or coloured clay
- Labels
Earth and spaceMedium
Why we have seasons
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The Earth’s axis is tilted by about 23.5 degrees. As the Earth goes round the Sun, each half spends part of the year tilted towards the Sun, with stronger and longer sunlight: that is its summer. Seasons are not caused by the Earth’s distance from the Sun.
You will need
- A lamp as the Sun
- A small globe or ball on a tilted stick
- A round board marked with four positions
Earth and spaceEasy
Anemometer and wind vane
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Wind pushes the cups round, and the faster the wind the more turns per minute. The wind vane points into the wind and shows the direction it is blowing from.
You will need
- Four paper cups
- Two straws or sticks fixed in a cross
- A pencil with an eraser, and a pin
- Card for the vane arrow
- A compass to mark the directions
EnvironmentEasy
Drip irrigation from plastic bottles
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water dripping slowly at the roots reaches the plant with far less waste than flooding, because less water runs off or evaporates.
You will need
- Plastic bottles
- A thin pipe or an old drip set
- A pin to make small holes
- Pots with soil and plants
PhysicsMedium
Rubber band powered car
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Winding the rubber band stores elastic potential energy, which turns into motion (kinetic) energy as it unwinds and turns the axle.
You will need
- Cardboard or a bottle for the body
- Old CDs or bottle caps for wheels
- Skewers or straws for axles
- Rubber bands
- Tape
PhysicsMedium
Plastic bottle vacuum cleaner
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A small fan blows air out of the back of the bottle, lowering the pressure inside, so outside air rushes in through the nozzle carrying dust and paper bits with it.
You will need
- A plastic bottle
- A small DC motor with a fan cut from a bottle cap or tin
- A battery pack and a switch
- A mesh or cloth filter
- Wires and glue
Safety: Keep fingers away from the spinning fan.
ChemistryEasy
Lemon and potato battery
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two different metals in an acidic juice make an electric cell, turning chemical energy into electrical energy. One lemon gives less than one volt, so several are joined in series to light an LED.
You will need
- Four lemons or potatoes
- Copper strips or coins, and galvanised (zinc-coated) nails
- Wires with crocodile clips
- An LED and a multimeter
Safety: Do not eat the fruit afterwards.
Take it further: Does the distance between the metals, or the type of fruit, change the voltage?
ChemistryEasy
What makes iron rust?
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Iron rusts only when both air (oxygen) and water are present, and salt water speeds it up. Nails kept dry, or in boiled water sealed with a layer of oil, stay bright.
You will need
- Four iron nails and four test tubes or jars
- Tap water, salt water, boiled water and a little oil
- A drying agent such as anhydrous calcium chloride
- Labels
Safety: Wear gloves to handle calcium chloride and keep it away from eyes. An adult should boil the water.
ChemistryEasy
Paper chromatography of inks
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Many inks are mixtures of colours. As water climbs the paper, each colour travels a different distance, depending on how well it dissolves and how strongly it sticks to the paper.
You will need
- Filter paper or coffee filter strips
- Sketch pens of different brands
- A glass of water
- A pencil and clips
Take it further: Measure each colour’s distance and work out its Rf value: the distance moved by the colour divided by the distance moved by the water.
BiologyEasy
Plant and animal cell models
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Both cells have a nucleus, cytoplasm and a cell membrane. Plant cells also have a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large vacuole.
You will need
- Thermocol or a clay base
- Coloured clay, beads and wool for the parts
- Labels
PhysicsChallenging
AC generator (electromagnetic induction)
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
When a coil turns in a magnetic field, the changing magnetic field through it induces a current (Faraday’s law). The current reverses every half turn, which is alternating current.
You will need
- Enamelled copper wire for the coil
- Strong magnets
- A wooden or plastic frame and an axle
- Slip rings and brushes
- An LED or a galvanometer
PhysicsMedium
Human eye and its defects
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The eye lens focuses light on the retina. In short sight the image forms in front of the retina and a concave lens corrects it; in long sight it forms behind the retina and a convex lens corrects it.
You will need
- A round-bottomed flask of water, or a ball model of the eye
- Convex and concave lenses
- A screen as the retina
- A torch
PhysicsMedium
Light trapped in a stream of water
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Light inside the water meets the surface at a large angle and is totally internally reflected, so it follows the curved stream. Optical fibres carry internet signals the same way.
You will need
- A clear plastic bottle with a hole near the bottom
- Water
- A low-power laser pointer or a bright torch
- A dark room and a basin
Safety: Never shine a laser into anyone’s eyes. Use a low-power pointer, with an adult.
ChemistryMedium
Electrolysis of water
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An electric current splits water into hydrogen at the negative electrode and oxygen at the positive one. About twice as much hydrogen as oxygen collects, which matches the formula H₂O.
You will need
- A 9 V battery
- Two pencil leads or graphite rods as electrodes
- Water with baking soda dissolved in it
- Two small test tubes
- A plastic tray
Safety: Use baking soda, not common salt, which gives off chlorine gas. Keep flames away and use a battery only.
ChemistryEasy
pH of household substances
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 neutral. Universal indicator or pH paper shows the value by its colour.
You will need
- pH paper or universal indicator
- Samples: lemon juice, curd, milk, tea, soap water, baking soda solution, tap water
- Clear cups and droppers
- The colour chart
Safety: Do not taste the samples or test strong cleaners.
EnvironmentMedium
Biogas plant model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Without air, microbes break down dung and kitchen waste and give off biogas, which is mostly methane. The slurry left behind is good manure.
You will need
- A plastic bottle as the digester
- Cow dung or kitchen waste mixed with water
- A balloon over the mouth to collect the gas
- A model of a dome-type plant to explain the parts
Safety: Biogas burns: never light it. Keep the bottle in an airy place and wash your hands after handling waste.
EnvironmentMedium
Box-type solar cooker
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The black inside absorbs sunlight, a mirror reflector sends more light in, and a glass lid traps the heat, so the box gets hot enough to warm food.
You will need
- A cardboard box inside a bigger box
- Newspaper or thermocol insulation between them
- Black paint
- Aluminium foil on a card reflector
- A glass or clear plastic lid
- A thermometer
Safety: The inside gets very hot: handle it with a cloth, and do not look at the reflected sunlight.
PhysicsMedium
Hydroelectric power plant model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water stored high up has potential energy. As it falls it turns a turbine, and a generator on the turbine’s shaft turns that motion into electricity.
You will need
- A raised bottle or tank as the dam
- A pipe
- A turbine made from plastic spoons or a bottle cap
- A small DC motor as the generator
- An LED and wires
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Smart dustbin with Arduino
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An ultrasonic sensor sends out a pulse of sound and times its echo to measure distance. When a hand comes close, the Arduino tells a servo motor to lift the lid.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno and USB cable
- An HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor
- An SG90 servo motor
- A small dustbin
- Jumper wires and a battery pack
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Obstacle-avoiding robot
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The robot measures the distance ahead with an ultrasonic sensor. When something is too close, the program stops, turns and looks for a clear path, driving the motors through a motor driver.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno
- An HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, with a servo to turn it (optional)
- An L298N motor driver
- A robot chassis with two geared motors and wheels
- A battery pack and a switch
Safety: Use a proper battery holder and never short-circuit lithium cells.
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Line follower robot
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
IR sensors shine infrared light at the floor: white reflects it and black absorbs it. The controller reads which sensor sees the line and steers the motors to stay on it.
You will need
- An Arduino or a comparator board
- Two or more IR sensor modules
- A motor driver and two geared motors
- A chassis, wheels and a castor
- Black tape on a white sheet for the track
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Automatic plant watering system
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A soil moisture sensor gives a reading that changes with the water in the soil. When the soil is dry, the Arduino switches on a small pump until it is moist again.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno
- A soil moisture sensor
- A small low-voltage pump with tubing
- A relay or transistor driver module
- A pot plant and a water container
Safety: Keep the electronics away from water, and use only a low-voltage pump.
BiologyMedium
DNA double helix model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
DNA is two strands twisted into a double helix. The sides are sugar and phosphate; the rungs are pairs of bases, with A always joined to T and G to C.
You will need
- Beads or thermocol balls in four colours for the bases
- Pipe cleaners or wire for the two backbones
- A stand
- A colour key
BiologyEasy
Reflex arc model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
In a reflex, such as pulling your hand away from something hot, the message travels from the receptor to the spinal cord and straight back to the muscle, before the brain has time to think.
You will need
- A board with an arm and the spinal cord drawn on it
- Wires or coloured strings for the nerves
- LEDs that light in order (optional)
- Labels
BiologyMedium
Does the colour of light affect plant growth?
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light strongly and reflects most green light, so seedlings under green filters usually grow more weakly than those in white light.
You will need
- Six small pots of the same seedlings
- Red, blue, green and clear cellophane
- Boxes or frames to cover each pot
- A ruler and a notebook
Take it further: Keep everything else the same (water, soil, temperature) so the test is fair.
MathsEasy
Probability with coins and dice
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
With only a few throws the results are uneven, but as the number of throws grows, the share of heads gets closer to one half and each face of a die to one sixth.
You will need
- Coins and dice
- A tally sheet
- Graph paper or a spreadsheet
MathsEasy
Clinometer for heights and distances
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Measure the angle up to the top of a tree or building and your distance from its base. The height is the distance × tan(angle), plus the height of your eyes above the ground.
You will need
- A protractor
- A straw
- Thread and a small weight
- A measuring tape
- A calculator or tan table
Safety: Never look at the Sun through the straw.
MathsEasy
Fibonacci numbers in nature
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
In the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and so on, each number is the sum of the two before it, and the ratio of neighbours gets closer to about 1.618, the golden ratio. The spirals on sunflower heads and pine cones often come in Fibonacci numbers.
You will need
- Pine cones, sunflower heads or pineapples
- Coloured markers to count the spirals
- Graph paper
- A calculator
PhysicsChallenging
Water bottle rocket
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Pumped-in air pushes the water out of the nozzle downwards, and the rocket is pushed upwards (Newton’s third law). A little water gives far more thrust than an empty bottle.
You will need
- A fizzy-drink PET bottle
- Card fins and a nose cone
- A cork or a launcher with a valve
- A bicycle pump
- Water
Safety: Launch outdoors in an open space with an adult. Wear eye protection, never stand over the rocket, and do not over-pump.
ChemistryMedium
Vitamin C in fruit juices
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Vitamin C reacts with iodine. When iodine solution is added drop by drop to a juice containing starch, the blue-black colour appears only after all the vitamin C is used up, so more drops mean more vitamin C.
You will need
- Iodine solution and starch solution
- Fresh and packaged juices
- A dropper or a burette
- A measuring cylinder and small beakers
Safety: Iodine stains and is harmful if swallowed: do not drink any sample, and work with your teacher.
ChemistryEasy
Foaming capacity of soaps
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Soaps differ in how much lather they make. In hard water, calcium and magnesium salts react with soap to form scum, so less foam forms.
You will need
- Samples of different soaps
- Distilled water and tap water
- Test tubes with stoppers
- A ruler and a stopwatch
BiologyEasy
Yeast fermentation and temperature
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Yeast feeds on sugar and gives off carbon dioxide gas, which inflates a balloon fastest in warm water. Cold slows the yeast down and very hot water kills it.
You will need
- Dry yeast and sugar
- Three bottles and three balloons
- Cold, warm and hot water
- A thermometer, and a tape to measure the balloons
Safety: An adult should handle the hot water.
ChemistryEasy
Temperature and the rate of a reaction
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An effervescent tablet dissolves faster in warm water, because the particles move faster and collide more often and with more energy. Crushing the tablet speeds it up too, by giving it more surface area.
You will need
- Effervescent antacid or vitamin tablets
- Water at three or four temperatures
- A thermometer and a stopwatch
- Clear cups
ChemistryChallenging
Oxalate in guava as it ripens
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Guava contains oxalate ions. Titrating extracts of raw, half-ripe and ripe guava with potassium permanganate shows how the amount of oxalate changes as the fruit ripens.
You will need
- Guavas at three stages of ripeness
- Potassium permanganate solution and dilute sulphuric acid
- A burette, a pipette and conical flasks
- Filter paper and a mortar and pestle
Safety: This uses an acid and an oxidiser: do it only in the school lab with your teacher, wearing goggles and gloves.
ChemistryMedium
Simple food adulteration tests
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Some adulterants show up with simple tests: starch in milk, paneer or khoa turns blue-black with iodine, and sawdust or brick powder in spices floats or settles when the powder is sprinkled on water.
You will need
- Samples of milk, paneer, turmeric and chilli powder
- Iodine solution
- Glasses of water
- A dropper and white tiles
Safety: Do not eat the tested samples. Tests that need strong acids must be done in the lab with your teacher.
BiologyEasy
Osmosis in potato strips
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water moves through cell membranes from a weaker solution to a stronger one (osmosis). Potato strips in strong salt or sugar water lose water and shrink; strips in plain water take in water and firm up.
You will need
- Potatoes, cut by an adult
- Salt or sugar solutions of different strengths
- Cups and labels
- A kitchen scale and a ruler
BiologyMedium
Salivary amylase and temperature
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The enzyme amylase in saliva breaks starch down into sugar. Iodine stops turning blue-black once the starch is gone, which happens fastest near body temperature; boiling destroys the enzyme.
You will need
- Starch solution and iodine
- Your own diluted saliva
- Test tubes and water baths at different temperatures
- A dropper, a white tile and a stopwatch
Safety: Use only your own saliva and never share samples. Handle hot water carefully.
BiologyEasy
Extract DNA from a banana
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Washing-up liquid breaks open the cell membranes, salt helps the DNA clump together, and ice-cold alcohol makes the DNA come out of solution as white strands you can see.
You will need
- A ripe banana or strawberries
- Washing-up liquid, salt and water
- A strainer and a tall glass
- Ice-cold rubbing alcohol (isopropyl)
- A wooden skewer
Safety: Rubbing alcohol is flammable and poisonous: keep it away from flames and never drink it.
BiologyChallenging
Stages of mitosis in onion root tips
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Root tips grow by cell division. A stained squash of an onion root tip under a microscope shows cells in prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.
You will need
- Onions grown in water until roots appear
- A stain such as acetocarmine, slides and cover slips
- A compound microscope
- A blade, used by the teacher
Safety: Stains and fixing chemicals are for the school lab only, with your teacher.
PhysicsMedium
Full wave bridge rectifier
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Four diodes arranged as a bridge send current through the load in the same direction on both halves of the AC cycle, turning AC into pulsating DC. A capacitor smooths the output.
You will need
- Four 1N4007 diodes
- An enclosed, ready-made low-voltage step-down transformer or a low-voltage AC supply
- An electrolytic capacitor and a load resistor or LED
- A breadboard and a multimeter
Safety: Never wire or touch the mains side yourself: use an enclosed transformer or a low-voltage AC supply from your teacher.
PhysicsMedium
Logic gates with diodes and a transistor
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two diodes and a resistor make AND and OR gates, and a transistor makes a NOT gate. Switches give the inputs and an LED shows the output, matching each gate’s truth table.
You will need
- Diodes, resistors and a BC547 transistor
- Two switches and LEDs
- A 5 V supply or battery pack
- A breadboard
PhysicsChallenging
Transformer working model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Alternating current in the primary coil makes a changing magnetic field in the iron core, which induces a voltage in the secondary coil (mutual induction). In an ideal transformer the voltages are in the same ratio as the numbers of turns.
You will need
- A laminated iron core or a soft-iron ring
- Enamelled copper wire for two coils with different numbers of turns
- A low-voltage AC supply in the school lab
- An AC voltmeter or a small bulb
Safety: Never connect a home-made transformer to the mains. Use only a low-voltage AC supply, with your teacher.
PhysicsEasy
Magnet falling through a copper pipe (Lenz’s law)
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A falling magnet induces eddy currents in the copper pipe. By Lenz’s law these currents make a magnetic field that opposes the motion, so the magnet falls far more slowly than a non-magnetic object.
You will need
- A strong neodymium magnet
- A copper or aluminium pipe
- A non-magnetic object of similar size for comparison
- A stopwatch
Safety: Neodymium magnets snap together and can pinch. Keep them away from phones, pacemakers and young children.
Take it further: Time the fall through pipes of different thickness or length.
PhysicsMedium
Refractive index of liquids by real and apparent depth
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A coin under water looks raised, because light bends as it leaves the water. The refractive index is the real depth divided by the apparent depth, so different liquids give different values.
You will need
- A tall clear glass or beaker
- A coin and a scale
- Water, glycerine and cooking oil
- A travelling microscope in the lab, or pins and careful sighting
MathsEasy
Estimate pi by dropping needles (Buffon’s needle)
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Drop a needle of length L onto lines spaced d apart, with L no longer than d. The chance that it crosses a line is 2L ÷ (πd), so counting crossings over many drops gives an estimate of π.
You will need
- Toothpicks or matchsticks of equal length
- Chart paper ruled with parallel lines
- A tally sheet and a calculator
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Solar tracker with LDRs
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two LDRs compare the light on either side of the panel. The microcontroller turns a servo towards the brighter side, so the panel keeps facing the Sun and collects more energy through the day.
You will need
- An Arduino or similar board
- Two or four LDRs with resistors
- Servo motors
- A small solar panel
- A frame and a power supply
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Home automation with NodeMCU
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A Wi-Fi board receives commands from a phone app or web page and switches relays, so lights and fans can be controlled from the phone and on a schedule.
You will need
- A NodeMCU (ESP8266) or ESP32
- A relay module
- Low-voltage DC lamps or a demonstration board
- A power supply
- A phone app or web dashboard
Safety: Build the prototype with low-voltage loads. Any mains wiring must be done by a qualified electrician.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Automatic railway gate control
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
IR sensors detect the train before and after the crossing. The controller closes the gate with a servo and sounds a buzzer as a train approaches, and opens it again once the train has passed.
You will need
- An Arduino
- Two IR sensor modules
- A servo motor
- A buzzer and LEDs
- A model track and gate
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Fire-fighting robot
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Flame sensors detect the infrared light from a flame. The robot steers towards the strongest reading and switches on a small pump to spray water at it.
You will need
- An Arduino
- Flame sensor modules
- A motor driver, chassis, motors and wheels
- A small pump, tubing and a water tank
- A battery pack
Safety: Test only with a small candle, under adult supervision, with water ready.
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Vehicle accident alert with GPS and GSM
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An accelerometer detects a sudden impact or tilt. The controller reads the location from a GPS module and sends it by SMS through a GSM module to saved numbers.
You will need
- An Arduino or ESP32
- An accelerometer such as the ADXL335 or MPU6050
- A GPS module
- A GSM module and a SIM card
- A power supply suited to the GSM module
Electronics and roboticsMedium
RFID attendance system
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Each card carries an RFID tag with a unique ID. The reader picks up the ID by radio when the card is held near it, and the controller logs the name and time.
You will need
- An Arduino
- An RC522 RFID reader and cards
- An LCD display, or a computer for the log
- A real-time clock module
- A buzzer and LEDs
EnvironmentChallenging
Water quality monitor
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A TDS sensor estimates dissolved solids from how well the water conducts, a turbidity sensor measures how cloudy it is, and a pH sensor shows its acidity. The readings show whether a source needs treatment, but only a laboratory test can say water is safe to drink.
You will need
- An Arduino or ESP32
- TDS, turbidity and pH sensor modules
- A display or an IoT dashboard
- Water samples and calibration solutions
PhysicsMedium
Footstep power with piezo discs
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Piezoelectric discs make a small voltage when they are pressed. Many discs under a tile, with a rectifier and a capacitor, can light LEDs, though the energy from each step is very small.
You will need
- Piezo discs
- Diodes for a bridge rectifier
- A capacitor
- LEDs
- Plywood tiles and foam
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Gas leakage detector
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The resistance of an MQ-series gas sensor changes when LPG or smoke is in the air. The controller reads it and sounds a buzzer above a set level.
You will need
- An MQ-2 or MQ-6 gas sensor module
- An Arduino or a comparator circuit
- A buzzer and an LED
- A power supply
Safety: Test with a short puff of gas from an unlit lighter, with an adult, away from flames. A school model does not replace a certified home gas detector.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Bluetooth-controlled car
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A phone app sends commands over Bluetooth to an HC-05 module. The Arduino reads them and drives the motors forwards, backwards, left and right through a motor driver.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno
- An HC-05 Bluetooth module
- An L298N motor driver
- A chassis, motors and wheels
- A battery pack and a phone app
Earth and spaceMedium
IoT weather station
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Temperature, humidity and pressure sensors take readings every few minutes, and a Wi-Fi board sends them to a web dashboard, building up a record of the local weather.
You will need
- A NodeMCU (ESP8266) or ESP32
- DHT22 and BMP280 sensors
- A rain sensor (optional)
- A ventilated, shaded box for the sensors
- A free cloud dashboard
No ideas match all of those choices
Try fewer filters or a shorter search word, or ask the head office on WhatsApp for a suggestion.
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.