Science projects
Your Science Exhibition Guide
Choose a project, build it, present it and answer the judges with confidence
Science project idea finder
1029 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. 930 ideas have numbered steps and viva questions on their own page.
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.332 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
Shoebox moon phases viewer with a foam ball and a torch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The Moon always has one half lit by the Sun, but we see different amounts of it as it moves round the Earth. The box shows each phase from the viewer’s eye.
You will need
- A shoebox with a lid
- A polystyrene or paper ball painted white
- A torch
- A skewer to hold the ball
- Black paper
- A small hole as an eye window (adult cut)
Safety: An adult must cut the box. Use a torch, not a candle or a flame.
Take it further: Keep a real Moon diary for a month and compare it with your sketches.
MathsMedium
Straw and protractor clinometer to find building height by trigonometry
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The height of a tall object can be found from the angle of elevation and the distance to its base using tan of the angle. The clinometer measures that angle.
You will need
- A cardboard protractor or a printed one
- A drinking straw
- Thread and a small weight (a nut)
- Tape
- A measuring tape
- Notebook and calculator
Safety: Do not look at the Sun through the straw. Measure on level ground and away from traffic.
Take it further: Measure the height of a tree and check it using shadow lengths.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Cardboard traffic signal with three LEDs and a rotary switch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Each lamp has its own circuit with a cell and a switch path. The model shows red, yellow and green lights and teaches how a circuit is completed.
You will need
- A cardboard box painted as a signal post
- Three LEDs red, yellow and green
- Two 1.5 V AA cells in a holder
- Aluminium foil strips
- A cardboard disc with a foil contact as a rotary switch
- A 100 ohm resistor and copper wires
- Tape
Safety: Use only cells, never mains. An adult must supervise the wiring and cut the card.
Take it further: Use a 555 timer chip to change the lights automatically.
PhysicsMedium
Newton’s cradle from marbles, thread and an ice-cream stick frame
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
When one ball hits a row of balls, the one at the far end swings out and the others stay still. This shows that momentum and energy are conserved in an elastic collision.
You will need
- Five identical steel balls or large marbles
- Strong thread
- Ice-cream sticks to make a frame
- Strong glue or tape
- A ruler
- Small beads and clay to hold the thread
Safety: An adult must cut and glue the frame. Keep marbles away from small children.
Take it further: Replace one marble with a heavier one and see what happens.
PhysicsEasy
Pizza box solar oven that warms a cup of water
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Foil reflects sunlight into the box, a clear cover traps heat, and a black cup absorbs it. The test shows how reflection, absorption and trapping of heat make a solar cooker.
You will need
- A clean pizza box or a shoe box
- Aluminium foil
- Black paper or paint
- Cling film or a clear plastic sheet
- A stick to prop the lid
- A thermometer
- A steel cup with water
Safety: The box and cup can become hot, so an adult must handle them. Never look at the reflected glare; wear sunglasses.
Take it further: Change the tilt of the flap with the Sun and note the best angle.
PhysicsMedium
Spool block and tackle that lifts a brick: counting the ropes
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Several rope sections supporting a load share its weight. The mechanical advantage equals the number of supporting rope sections, so you pull a longer length with less force.
You will need
- Four empty thread spools or round discs
- Strong string, about 4 metres
- Two ice-cream stick frames or cardboard holders
- A hook and a half-brick or a bag of sand
- A spring balance or a rubber band
- A measuring tape
Safety: Keep feet clear of the load. An adult must supervise lifting heavier loads and cut the frame pieces.
Take it further: Compute efficiency as work out divided by work in for each setup.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
555 monostable delay timer: calculated against measured pulse width
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Staircase and passage lights, bell pushes and sample-and-hold stages all need a pulse of fixed length after a single trigger. A 555 timer in monostable mode gives such a pulse, and its length is set by one resistor and one capacitor. The project tests how close the formula T = 1.1 RC is to what a stopwatch measures.
You will need
- A NE555 timer IC and an 8-pin socket
- Resistors 10 kΩ, 47 kΩ, 100 kΩ, 470 kΩ and a 100 kΩ preset
- Electrolytic capacitors 10 µF, 47 µF, 100 µF and a 10 nF ceramic
- A push button, one LED with a 470 Ω resistor
- A 9 V battery with clip or four AA cells
- A breadboard and wires, a multimeter, a phone stopwatch
Safety: Use a battery only. Connect the capacitor with the correct polarity, because a reversed electrolytic can heat up and burst. An adult must check the circuit before the first power-up.
Take it further: Make it retriggerable by adding a BC547 transistor that discharges the capacitor on every new press, and use it as a corridor timer.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
LM317 adjustable 1.25 to 12 V bench supply with a load regulation test
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Every student lab needs a variable DC supply, and shop-bought ones are costly. An LM317 regulator with two resistors gives an adjustable output. The project builds one from a 15 V adapter output and tests how much the output falls when the load current rises, which is the load regulation.
You will need
- An LM317 regulator with a small heat sink
- A ready-made 15 V DC, 1 A adapter output or a 12 V battery pack (not a mains-wired circuit built by you)
- A 5 kΩ preset or potentiometer, 240 Ω resistor, 1N4007 diodes (2)
- Capacitors 1000 µF 25 V, 10 µF 25 V and 0.1 µF
- Power resistors or a 10 Ω 5 W resistor and a rheostat as load
- A digital multimeter (two if possible), a DC jack and binding posts, a plastic box
Safety: Take power only from a sealed ready-made adapter or battery. Never open the adapter or build any mains-side circuit. The regulator and load resistors get hot: an adult must supervise, and let them cool before touching.
Take it further: Add a second LM317 as a current limiter with a sensing resistor so that the supply works as a constant-current LED tester.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Joule thief that lights an LED from a nearly flat 1.2 V cell
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A single cell below 1 V cannot light a white LED, which needs about 3 V. A joule thief is a tiny blocking oscillator that pumps energy from the cell in short bursts and steps the voltage up. The project builds it and measures the pulse frequency, the output voltage and the extra running time.
You will need
- A BC547 or 2N2222 transistor
- A small ferrite toroid core and 30 cm each of two colours of enamelled wire
- A 1 kΩ resistor
- A white LED
- A used AA cell that reads 0.9 to 1.2 V
- A cell holder, a breadboard, an oscilloscope or a phone oscilloscope app with a sound-card probe (optional)
Safety: An LED glowing at full brightness for long can be dazzling: do not stare at it. Use only a single AA cell. The enamelled wire ends must be scraped clean with sandpaper, which an adult may need to help with.
Take it further: Add a diode and a capacitor at the output to get a smoothed DC voltage and use it to charge a small capacitor.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
TV remote code decoder with a TSOP1738 receiver and Arduino
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Infrared remotes talk to TVs and fans by sending pulses of 38 kHz light. An Arduino with a TSOP1738 receiver can decode the pulse train of each button, which teaches the idea of a protocol, and can then switch low-voltage loads from any old remote.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno or Nano
- A TSOP1738 IR receiver module
- An old TV, AC or set-top remote
- Three LEDs with 330 Ω resistors
- The IRremote library from the Arduino library manager
- A breadboard and wires
- A 5 V relay module and a 5 V small fan (optional)
Safety: Use USB power only. If you add the relay, switch only a 5 V fan or an LED strip. An adult must supervise any wiring beyond the receiver.
Take it further: Use the Arduino as a learning remote that stores codes in EEPROM and sends them back using an IR LED.
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.
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
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
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
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
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
First flush diverter model that discards the dirty first rain from a roof
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
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.
Computing and codingMedium
Library management database in SQLite with a Python command-line app
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
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
Flask online quiz app with SQLite score storage and a leaderboard
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
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 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.
Computing and codingChallenging
Clinic OPD appointment and patient queue system with Flask and SQLite
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Small clinics and government dispensaries have long queues and paper registers. A web application that books slots, assigns token numbers and shows the doctor the day’s queue reduces waiting and lost files. The project designs the database, roles, screens and tests of such a system using sample data only.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, Flask, Flask-Login and SQLite
- A text editor and DB Browser for SQLite
- A browser and a phone for testing
- Sample data of 5 doctors and 100 invented patients
- Draw.io or paper for diagrams
Safety: Use invented patient data only. Real medical data is private and must not be used for a student project. Hash all passwords and do not expose the server to the internet.
Take it further: Send an SMS or WhatsApp reminder through a free test API the evening before the appointment.
Computing and codingChallenging
Kirana shop inventory and billing web app that prints GST invoices as PDF
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Neighbourhood shops often use handwritten bills and lose track of stock. A web application that records products, stock, purchases and sales, calculates GST on each bill and warns of low stock can fit that need. The project designs, builds and tests such software with invented shop data.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, Flask, SQLite and a PDF library such as ReportLab or WeasyPrint
- A browser
- Sample list of 100 products with HSN-style codes and GST rates written from public information
- DB Browser for SQLite
- A notebook for diagrams
Safety: Use invented shop and customer data. This is a training project, not certified accounting software, so check tax rules with an accountant before real use.
Take it further: Add a barcode scanner input using a phone camera and a JavaScript library for faster billing.
Computing and codingChallenging
City bus route and fare finder using Dijkstra’s algorithm on a graph
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Commuters in a town often do not know which buses to take or where to change. Modelling stops as nodes and bus links as weighted edges lets Dijkstra’s algorithm find the shortest or cheapest route. The project builds the graph from a published route list and shows the route on a map web page.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3 and Flask
- A published bus route and stop list of your town (written from public timetables), 20 to 40 stops and 8 routes
- The Leaflet library for maps loaded from a CDN, with OpenStreetMap tiles
- Latitude and longitude for each stop from a free map
- A notebook for diagrams
Safety: Check the timetable data from public sources. Do not collect data from private people. Mention that the app is a student project.
Take it further: Add time-of-day schedules so that waiting time for the next bus is added to each change.
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.