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.
EnvironmentMedium
Terraces and contour furrows against straight slopes: runoff model
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Terracing and ploughing along the contours slow rain runoff and hold soil on hillsides. A sand tray model measures the soil and water lost on each slope.
You will need
- Three plastic trays or boxes with a spout at one end
- Garden soil or sand
- A watering can with a sprinkler head or a perforated bottle
- Three catch cups
- A tilted board or books
- A measuring cup and a kitchen scale
Safety: Work outdoors or over a tray. Wash hands after handling soil. Do not use trays near electrical items.
Take it further: Plant grass seeds on one tray and test the effect of vegetation cover as well.
Earth and spaceChallenging
Sand tank with two wells: drawdown and well interference
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Pumping water from a well lowers the water table around it in a cone shape. Two close wells lower each other’s water, which is why borewells too near each other fail in summer.
You will need
- A clear plastic box or aquarium about 40 cm long
- Clean coarse sand
- Two perforated plastic tubes with mesh as wells
- Two syringes or small pumps with tubing
- Dyed water
- A marker and ruler
Safety: An adult must cut and drill the tubes. Place the tank on a stable table in a tray. Wipe up spills at once, and keep electrical devices away from water.
Take it further: Add a layer of clay to the model and see how it changes the shape of the drawdown.
EnvironmentMedium
Recharge pit model that refills a borewell tube from roof water
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Roof rain can be led through a filter pit into the ground to raise the water table. The model shows how a recharge pit with gravel and sand layers refills a borewell.
You will need
- A large clear plastic bucket or box
- Gravel, coarse sand and fine sand
- A perforated plastic tube as the borewell
- A small tray roof with a downpipe made from a bottle
- A watering can for rain
- A ruler and marker
- A cup of dye for tracing
Safety: Cut plastic with an adult. Keep the model on a stable table over a tray, and wash hands after handling gravel and sand.
Take it further: Time how fast the water drains in the pit with different sand mixes.
PhysicsMedium
Gravity dam profile model: why the base is thick and the top thin
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water pressure grows with depth, so dams are thicker at the bottom. A model dam in a tray of water shows that a trapezoid profile resists the push of water better than a thin wall.
You will need
- A rectangular plastic tray or tank
- Clay or soft plasticine, or wet sand
- A thin cardboard wall to compare
- A spring balance or a small weight on a thread
- A ruler
- Water and food colour
Safety: Keep the tank on a table over a tray and wipe up spills. Do not stand on wet floors. Use only a small tank so the load is safe.
Take it further: Test a curved arch dam shape and compare with the straight dam.
PhysicsMedium
Canal lock model that lifts a boat between two water levels
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A lock raises or lowers boats by letting water in or out of a chamber between gates. The model shows how water finds its own level and moves a boat with no engine lift.
You will need
- A long plastic box or tray
- Three card dividers with waterproof tape
- Two small gates made from plastic sheet
- A foil or plastic toy boat
- Water and a jug
- A ruler and food colour
Safety: Work over a tray and keep floors dry. An adult must cut thick plastic. Do not use electric items near water.
Take it further: Add a side tank that stores some lock water to save it.
PhysicsMedium
Archimedes screw water lifter from a bottle and a coil of tube
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A screw turning in a tilted tube lifts water upward, an idea used for thousands of years to irrigate fields. The model shows how a simple machine moves water uphill without a motor.
You will need
- A thick transparent plastic tube or hose about 1 m long
- A rigid cylinder such as a 2 litre bottle or a wide pipe
- Strong tape
- A tray and two buckets
- A hand crank from a wooden stick
- Food colour for the water
- Rubber bands
Safety: An adult must cut plastic and tubes. Work over a tray and keep floors dry. Keep fingers away from the turning parts.
Take it further: Add more turns of tube and see if the lift per minute improves.
PhysicsMedium
Hand pump model from a bottle, tube and two one-way flaps
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A hand pump uses a piston and one-way valves to lift water from a well. The model shows how pushing and pulling the handle makes water move in one direction.
You will need
- A cut plastic bottle as the cylinder
- A rubber-sealed plunger from a syringe or cut rubber
- Two balloon flaps as one-way valves
- Flexible tubing
- A stick as the handle and a pivot
- A bucket of water and a jug
- Strong tape and glue
Safety: An adult must cut plastic and handle sharp edges. Work over a tray and keep fingers clear of the moving handle.
Take it further: Compare a pump with a larger and a smaller cylinder and see the water per stroke.
PhysicsMedium
Two-lens refracting telescope from a pair of magnifying glasses
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A long-focus lens gathers light from a distant object and forms a small image. A second short-focus lens acts as a magnifier for that image, so far-away objects look larger and nearer.
You will need
- One magnifying lens of long focal length, about 40 cm (objective)
- One magnifying lens of short focal length, about 5 cm (eyepiece)
- Two cardboard tubes, one sliding inside the other
- Black paper and glue
- A metre ruler
- Tape and a wooden stand
Safety: Never point the telescope at the Sun, because it can burn your eye. An adult must handle glass lenses.
Take it further: Make the telescope with a third lens to turn the image upright and discuss why binoculars use prisms.
Earth and spaceEasy
Stretched cloth gravity well with marbles in orbit
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A heavy ball on a stretched cloth makes a dip, and small marbles rolled nearby curve round it and spiral in. This is a simple analogy for how a massive object like the Sun pulls on planets and why orbits slowly lose energy to friction.
You will need
- A stretchy cloth such as an old dupatta or Lycra, about 1 m square
- A large hoop, round basin rim or cardboard frame to hold it
- A heavy ball or a stone wrapped in cloth
- Several marbles of different sizes
- Clips or strong tape
- A phone for slow-motion video
Safety: Place the frame on a table or the floor and keep marbles away from small children. Watch your toes if the heavy ball falls.
Take it further: Put two balls of different weights on the cloth to model a double star and see how marbles behave.
Earth and spaceChallenging
Night-sky clock that tells time from the Saptarishi stars
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The Saptarishi (Great Bear) pattern turns around the Pole Star once in about 24 hours, like a giant clock hand. A simple two-disc instrument called a nocturnal can use it to tell the time at night.
You will need
- Two cardboard or thick card discs, 15 cm and 10 cm wide
- A long thin strip of card for the pointer arm
- A paper fastener or screw
- A protractor and a pencil
- A phone compass and a clock for checking
- A torch with red cellophane
Safety: An adult must go with you at night, and keep your hands away from the sharp end of the fastener.
Take it further: Make a second version using the W of Cassiopeia and compare the readings.
Earth and spaceMedium
Globe and torch model of sunrise time gaps across India
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
India uses one standard time, but the Sun rises about two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh than in Gujarat. A globe and torch show why places east and west of each other have different local times.
You will need
- A globe or a ball with India marked on it
- A torch or table lamp
- A table in a dark room
- Sticky dots in two colours
- A printed table of sunrise times for a few cities
- A notebook
Safety: Keep the lamp bulb away from paper and fingers because it can get hot. An adult must set up the lamp.
Take it further: Work out the local solar time at five cities and compare it with the clock time.
Earth and spaceEasy
Pinhole projector for watching a partial solar eclipse safely
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A tiny hole makes an upside-down image of the Sun on a screen. During a partial eclipse the image shows a bite taken out of the disc, so you can watch without looking at the Sun.
You will need
- A long cardboard box or a tube, about 60 cm
- Aluminium foil, a pin and tape
- A sheet of white paper for the screen
- Black paper to cover the inside
- Scissors and a marker
- A ruler
Safety: Never look straight at the Sun, not even through the pinhole, sunglasses or a telescope. Stand with your back to the Sun, and an adult must supervise.
Take it further: Watch dappled sunlight under a tree during a partial eclipse and explain why the spots become crescents.
Earth and spaceEasy
Why we see one face of the Moon: a walk-around model with a friend
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The Moon turns once on its axis in the same time it takes to go once round Earth, so the same side always faces us. You can act this out with two people to feel why.
You will need
- A chair or stool to stand for Earth
- A friend as the Moon
- A ball with a smiley face marked on one side
- Chalk to draw a circle on the floor
- A stopwatch
- A notebook
Safety: Walk slowly in a clear space and keep chairs out of the path.
Take it further: Look up which space probes have photographed the far side and compare it with the near side.
Earth and spaceMedium
Comet model whose tail always points away from the Sun
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A comet’s tail always points away from the Sun, even when the comet is moving away. The solar wind and light push the dust and gas outwards, so the tail leads when the comet is going away.
You will need
- A foam or paper ball for the nucleus
- Cotton wool or thin strips of tissue paper for the tail
- A table fan or hair-dryer on cool setting to act as the Sun
- A cardboard ring track for the orbit
- A stick and a string
- Black paper background
Safety: Use only a fan with guards, and an adult must plug in the fan. Do not use a hot dryer near paper.
Take it further: Research why a comet has a separate curved dust tail and a straight gas tail.
PhysicsMedium
CD spectroscope that splits daylight, bulb and tube light
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A CD acts as a diffraction grating, splitting light into colours. Different sources give different patterns of colour, and astronomers use the same idea to find what stars are made of.
You will need
- A cardboard box with a lid, about 20 cm long
- A piece of an old CD with its silver layer on
- Two razor-blade-free straight edges, such as thick card, to make a narrow slit
- Black paper and tape
- A phone to take photographs
- A CFL tube light, an LED torch and a white card for daylight
Safety: An adult must cut the CD with scissors, and handle sharp CD edges. Never look at the Sun through the slit; use light from the sky or a sheet of white paper in sunlight.
Take it further: Mark a scale using a known source, and estimate the wavelength of the green line in a CFL.
PhysicsMedium
Gaganyaan-style crew capsule with a parachute to land an egg astronaut
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A crew capsule coming back from space is slowed by a parachute and lands softly. A larger parachute canopy gives more air drag and a slower fall, which protects the passenger.
You will need
- A plastic bottle or a paper cup as a capsule
- A thin plastic bag or cloth cut into a circle or square
- Thread for the strings and tape
- A boiled egg or a small ball of clay as the astronaut
- Cotton wool or foam for padding
- A stopwatch and a measuring tape
Safety: Drop only from a safe height such as a first-floor balcony railing with an adult, and keep people away from the landing zone. Use a hard-boiled egg to avoid mess.
Take it further: Cut a small hole at the centre of the canopy and test how it affects stability.
BiologyEasy
Paper-cup stethoscope for listening to a heartbeat and counting it
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Sound from the heart is passed through the chest and can be gathered by a cup, which makes it louder in your ear. Counting the beats gives the heart rate.
You will need
- A paper cup or a funnel
- A rubber tube or a 30 cm piece of clean plastic tubing
- Tape
- A stopwatch
- A cloth for cleaning
- A friend
Safety: Use quiet, gentle pressure on the chest. Wipe the funnel with a clean cloth between users. This model is not a medical tool and cannot be used to check health.
Take it further: Try cups of different sizes and tubing lengths and see which gives the loudest sound.
PhysicsMedium
Spinning paper-cup curve: the Magnus effect behind swing and spin bowling
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A spinning object moving through the air curves sideways. A paper cup launched with a rubber band shows a curved flight, as a spinning cricket or football does.
You will need
- Two paper cups of the same size taped open ends together
- A strong rubber band
- A long string for a ruler
- A tape measure
- A phone to film overhead or from the side
- A sheet of chalk marks on the floor
Safety: Launch in an open space away from people and put on eye protection. An adult must supervise.
Take it further: Count the number of spins and relate it to the sideways drift.
PhysicsEasy
Playground seesaw: where must two children sit to balance?
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A seesaw balances when the turning effect (moment) on one side equals that on the other. A lighter child must sit farther from the pivot to balance a heavier child.
You will need
- A wooden plank 1.5 m long
- A brick or a round log as the pivot
- Two bags of sand of 2 kg and 4 kg, to stand for the children
- A metre ruler
- A notebook
- A kitchen scale to check weights
Safety: Use sandbags and not real children for the measurements, and place the model on level ground with an adult to watch. Keep fingers clear of the plank pivot.
Take it further: Use three bags to balance on one side and find the combined moment.
PhysicsEasy
Magnet pole push: two toy cars that chase and run away
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Every magnet has two poles. Unlike poles pull together and like poles push apart, and we can use the push to move a small car without touching it.
You will need
- Two small bar magnets or strong fridge magnets (free from old toys)
- Two cardboard boxes, matchbox size
- Four bottle caps or round buttons as wheels per car (free)
- Sticky tape
- A smooth table or a long tray
- Red and blue marker
Safety: An adult must help tape the magnets and keep them away from phones and watches. Keep small magnets away from young children.
Take it further: Test how far apart the cars can be and still push each other, and draw the distance on a ruler.
ChemistryEasy
Walking rainbow: colours that climb a paper towel
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water climbs up paper and carries colours with it. When red and yellow meet in the middle they make orange, and blue and yellow make green.
You will need
- Six small glasses or cups (free)
- Water
- Food colours in red, yellow and blue, or washable markers dipped in water
- Six strips of kitchen paper towel, folded
- A tray
- A spoon
Safety: Food colour stains clothes and fingers. An adult must help, and the glasses should not be drunk from afterwards.
Take it further: Try a coffee filter paper or newspaper instead of kitchen paper and see which carries the water fastest.
PhysicsEasy
Torch and coloured cellophane: mixing lights on a wall
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Coloured light mixes differently from paint. Where beams of red, green and blue light overlap, we see new colours, and all three together look almost white.
You will need
- Three torches or phone torches (free)
- Red, green and blue cellophane sheets or sweet wrappers (free)
- Rubber bands
- A white wall or a sheet of white paper
- A dark room
Safety: Never shine a torch into anyone’s eyes. An adult must help set up the phone torches and supervise.
Take it further: Hold your hand in the beams to make a coloured shadow and note the colours of the overlapping shadows.
PhysicsEasy
Pencil rollers: how wheels help move a heavy box
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Rolling is easier than sliding. Rollers under a load reduce the friction, which is how the wheel was a great invention.
You will need
- A shoebox filled with books or rice packets
- Six round pencils or ruler-length sticks
- A rubber band
- A cloth bag as a pull bag
- A smooth floor or table
- A tape measure
Safety: Keep the box light enough for a child. Keep fingers clear of the roller and the box. An adult must watch.
Take it further: Use round bottle caps or marbles instead of pencils and compare.
PhysicsEasy
Cardboard gears with paper teeth that turn each other
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two gears with teeth that mesh turn in opposite directions, and a small gear spins faster than a big one.
You will need
- A flat cardboard sheet (free)
- Two paper cups or bottle caps as templates
- A pencil and scissors
- Two pins or brass paper fasteners
- A thermocol or cardboard base
- A marker
Safety: An adult must cut the cardboard and press the pins. Keep pins away from small children.
Take it further: Add a third gear and say which way it turns.
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.