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.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Energy transfer: one toy motor spins another that lights an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A DC motor is also a generator. When a second motor is turned by the first, its coil spins inside its magnets and produces a voltage that lights an LED, showing that electrical and mechanical energy can be converted in both directions.
You will need
- Two 3 V DC toy motors
- A short piece of rubber tube or a rubber band to couple the shafts
- One red LED and a 100 Ω resistor
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- A piece of wood or cardboard as a base
- Hot glue or clamps, and a multimeter if available
Safety: An adult must use the hot glue gun. Keep hair and loose sleeves away from the spinning shafts.
Take it further: Replace the rubber coupling with a bottle-cap pulley and belt so the generator turns faster than the driving motor.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Salt water conductivity tester with a transistor and an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water conducts electricity only through dissolved ions. Two probes in a liquid feed a tiny current into a transistor, which amplifies it to light an LED. Distilled water gives nothing, tap water a faint glow and salt water a bright one.
You will need
- One BC547 transistor
- A 470 Ω resistor and a 10 kΩ resistor
- One red LED
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two probe wires with 1 cm bare ends taped 1 cm apart on a stick
- Four cups: distilled or rain water, tap water, sugar water and salt water
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. Dry your hands before handling the circuit, and rinse the probes between cups.
Take it further: Add a multimeter in the base lead and record microamperes for each liquid instead of judging brightness by eye.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Pocket continuity tester with a buzzer and an LED in a tic-tac box
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A continuity tester tells you whether a path conducts: touch its two probes to the ends of a wire, a fuse or a switch and it beeps if current can flow. It is the first tool for finding broken wires and checking which materials conduct.
You will need
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- One green LED and a 470 Ω resistor
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two probe wires with pointed bare ends (old pen refills make good holders)
- A small plastic box such as a mint box
- Tape and a slide switch if you want one
Safety: Test only unplugged things. Never touch the probes to anything connected to the mains or to a car battery.
Take it further: Add a 1 kΩ resistor across a second pair of sockets and compare how loudly the buzzer sounds through it.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Steady hand wire loop game with a buzzer and a penalty LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A bent bare wire and a wand loop form a switch that closes whenever your hand shakes and the loop touches the wire. The buzzer and LED make the contact obvious, turning a simple circuit into a game.
You will need
- About 60 cm of thick bare copper wire or a straightened coat hanger
- A 15 cm stiff wire bent into a small loop on the end of a pen as the wand
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- One red LED and a 470 Ω resistor
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A shoe box lid or wooden board as the base
- Insulated wire, tape and two small blocks to hold the track up
Safety: Wire ends are sharp; an adult should bend and tape them. Battery power only.
Take it further: Add a 555 timer that keeps the buzzer sounding for two seconds after a touch so brief touches cannot be hidden.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Cardboard table fan with a bottle propeller and a slide switch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A DC motor turns electrical energy into rotation. Angled blades cut from a bottle push air backwards as they turn, so a breeze comes forward, and a switch in the circuit starts and stops the fan.
You will need
- A 3 V DC toy motor
- A plastic bottle (for the propeller) and its cap
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- A slide switch or a paper clip switch
- Cardboard for the stand and base
- Hot glue, scissors and insulated wire
Safety: An adult must cut the bottle and use the hot glue gun. Keep fingers and hair away from the spinning blades.
Take it further: Add a second battery holder and a selector switch so the fan has a slow (3 V) and a fast (4.5 V) setting.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Cardboard conveyor belt driven by a toy motor and rubber band
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A motor turns a small pulley, a rubber band carries that rotation to a larger roller, and a loop of cloth belt stretched between two rollers moves objects along. It shows belt drives, friction grip and speed reduction through pulley sizes.
You will need
- A 3 V DC toy motor
- Two cardboard tubes or thick pencils as rollers
- Two wooden skewers as axles
- A strip of cloth or an old sock cut into a loop as the belt
- A rubber band and a bottle cap pulley
- A 2 x AA battery holder with a switch and cells (3 V)
- A shoe box, hot glue and tape
Safety: An adult must use the hot glue gun and cut the skewers. Keep fingers out of the rollers while running.
Take it further: Add a paper clip lever switch at the end so an arriving object stops the motor automatically.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Motorised cardboard crane that lifts a load with a thread spool and reversing switch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A motor winding thread onto a spool converts rotation into lifting. A DPDT slide switch swaps the battery polarity so the same motor raises and lowers the hook, which is how real crane winches are controlled.
You will need
- A 3 V DC toy motor
- An empty thread spool or bottle cap glued to the motor shaft
- A DPDT slide switch (six pins)
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- Cardboard tubes and a shoe box for the tower and jib
- Strong thread, a paper clip hook and a small load such as a toy car
- Hot glue, tape and insulated wire
Safety: An adult must use the hot glue gun. Do not lift anything heavier than about 100 g or the motor will stall and heat up.
Take it further: Add a paper clip limit switch at the top that opens the circuit when the hook reaches the jib.
Electronics and roboticsChallenging
Electric bell model with a nail electromagnet and a hacksaw blade clapper
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An electromagnet pulls a springy steel strip towards it, which breaks its own contact, loses the magnetism and springs back to close the contact again. The strip vibrates to and fro, striking a tin lid to ring like a doorbell.
You will need
- A 10 cm iron nail
- About 5 m of thin enamelled copper wire (28 to 30 SWG)
- A short strip of springy steel such as a broken hacksaw blade or a metal ruler, with the teeth taped
- A drawing pin or bolt as the contact screw
- A tin lid or small steel bowl as the gong
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V) and a push switch
- A wooden base, screws, hot glue and sandpaper
Safety: An adult must handle the hacksaw blade (tape the teeth) and screws. Run the bell in short bursts; the coil warms up.
Take it further: Replace the push switch with the reed switch door sensor project so the bell rings when a door opens.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Traffic light with red, amber and green LEDs on three push switches
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Three LEDs each with their own resistor and switch share one battery. Each switch controls only its own branch, which is a parallel circuit, the way the lights in a house are wired so that one can be on while the others are off.
You will need
- One red, one yellow and one green 5 mm LED
- Three 150 Ω resistors
- Three push buttons or paper clip switches
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- A cardboard tube painted black as the signal post
- A breadboard or a cardboard strip with brass fasteners, plus wire and tape
Safety: Battery power only. Scissors and drawing pins with an adult present.
Take it further: Replace the switches with a 555 timer and two transistors to make the lights change by themselves.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
555 timer blinking an LED once a second on a breadboard
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A 555 timer in astable mode charges and discharges a capacitor through two resistors, producing a steady stream of pulses. With 1 kΩ, 470 kΩ and 1 µF the output switches about 1.5 times a second, blinking an LED without any switch being pressed.
You will need
- One NE555 timer IC
- A 1 kΩ resistor, a 470 kΩ resistor and a 470 Ω resistor
- A 1 µF electrolytic capacitor and a 10 nF ceramic capacitor
- One red LED
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. Fit the electrolytic capacitor the right way round; its negative lead is marked with a stripe.
Take it further: Replace the 470 kΩ resistor with a 1 MΩ potentiometer and make a blink rate you can adjust with a knob.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Finger touch sensor with two BC547 transistors that lights an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Dry skin has a resistance of hundreds of kilohms, far too high to light an LED directly. Two transistors in a Darlington pair multiply the microampere current through a fingertip by about 40,000, so a light touch across two pads switches the LED on.
You will need
- Two BC547 transistors
- A 470 Ω resistor and a 100 kΩ resistor
- One red LED
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- Two small foil pads or two bare wire ends 5 mm apart on a card
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: A 9 V battery through dry skin is far below any level you can feel; still, keep the circuit away from cuts and wet hands.
Take it further: Swap the LED for a 5 V relay module and let the touch switch a small motor on.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
555 tone generator with a knob that changes the pitch of a piezo disc
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Running a 555 astable fast enough produces audio frequencies. A potentiometer changes the timing resistance, so turning the knob slides the pitch up and down, demonstrating the link between frequency and pitch.
You will need
- One NE555 timer IC
- A 1 kΩ resistor and a 100 kΩ potentiometer
- A 10 nF ceramic capacitor (marked 103) and a second 10 nF for pin 5
- A passive piezo disc or a small 8 Ω speaker with a 100 Ω series resistor
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. The sound can be shrill; keep it away from ears and pets.
Take it further: Add a second 555 running at 2 Hz to pin 5 of the first and you have a two-tone siren.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Magnetic door alarm with a reed switch that sounds when the door opens
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A reed switch closes when a magnet is near and opens when it moves away. With the magnet on the door and the switch on the frame, opening the door removes the magnet, and a transistor circuit turns the buzzer on, the same way shop door sensors work.
You will need
- A normally open glass reed switch
- A small magnet such as a fridge magnet or a neodymium disc
- One BC547 transistor
- A 10 kΩ resistor and a 1 kΩ resistor
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard, jumper wires and tape
Safety: Reed switches are thin glass; bend the leads gently with pliers, never near the glass body. Keep small magnets away from young children.
Take it further: Add a relay latch so the alarm keeps sounding even after the door is pushed shut again.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Bicycle wheel revolution flasher with a spoke magnet and a reed switch
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A magnet on a spoke closes a reed switch on the fork once every turn, flashing an LED. Counting flashes in a known time and knowing the wheel circumference gives the bicycle speed, the same method a bike speedometer uses.
You will need
- A normally open reed switch
- A small magnet and cable ties or tape
- One red LED and a 150 Ω resistor
- A 2 x AA battery holder with cells (3 V)
- About 1 m of twin wire
- A bicycle, a measuring tape and a stopwatch
Safety: Test with the bicycle upside down or on a stand, never while riding on the road. Keep hands clear of the spokes.
Take it further: Feed the reed switch pulses into an Arduino and display the speed on a small screen.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Thermistor hot water warning that beeps when a cup gets too hot
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An NTC thermistor loses resistance as it warms. In a voltage divider with a potentiometer, warming raises the transistor base voltage until it switches a buzzer on, giving an adjustable temperature alarm like the one in a geyser or a kettle.
You will need
- A 10 kΩ NTC thermistor
- A 10 kΩ potentiometer and a 1 kΩ resistor
- One BC547 transistor
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard, jumper wires and a cup of warm (not boiling) water
- A thermometer if available
Safety: An adult must pour the warm water; use water below 60 °C. Keep the breadboard and battery dry; only the thermistor on long leads goes near the cup.
Take it further: Swap the thermistor and the pot so the circuit sounds when something gets cold, for a fridge door alarm.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Cold night warning LED for seedlings using an NTC thermistor
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
With the thermistor placed on the ground side of a voltage divider, cooling raises its resistance and the base voltage, lighting an LED when the air drops below a set temperature. It shows how the same sensor can trigger on cold instead of heat just by swapping its position.
You will need
- A 10 kΩ NTC thermistor
- A 10 kΩ potentiometer and a 1 kΩ resistor
- One BC547 transistor
- One blue or white LED and a 470 Ω resistor
- A 9 V battery with a snap connector
- A breadboard, jumper wires, a bag of ice and a small plastic bag
Safety: Battery power only. Keep the thermistor in a dry plastic bag when testing with ice so water never reaches the circuit.
Take it further: Replace the LED with a relay module that switches on a battery lamp over the seedling tray.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Relay latching alarm that stays on after one press until reset
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A relay module can hold itself on: once its coil is energised, its own contact keeps feeding the coil even after the trigger button is released. This latch is how real alarm panels remember that a sensor tripped, until someone presses reset.
You will need
- A 5 V single-channel relay module
- A 4 x AA battery holder with cells (6 V) for the module, or a 3 x AA holder if your module pulls in at 4.5 V
- A push button for trigger and a push button for reset
- An active buzzer rated 3 to 12 V
- One red LED and a 470 Ω resistor
- Jumper wires and a breadboard
Safety: Battery power only; the relay contacts are rated for mains but you must never connect mains. Check the module label for its coil voltage.
Take it further: Replace the trigger button with the reed switch door sensor so a door opening latches the alarm on.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Night fan: an LDR and relay module that start a motor when it gets dark
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A small sensor signal can control a bigger load through a relay. The LDR and transistor sense darkness, the relay module switches a separate motor circuit, and the two circuits never share current, which is how electronics controls heavy machinery.
You will need
- One LDR, a 10 kΩ resistor and a 1 kΩ resistor
- One BC547 transistor
- A 5 V single-channel relay module
- A 4 x AA battery holder with cells (6 V) for the sensor side
- A 3 V DC toy motor with a cardboard propeller and its own 2 x AA holder
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only; the relay contacts may be rated for mains but the mains is never used. Keep fingers clear of the propeller.
Take it further: Swap the LDR for the thermistor divider so the fan starts when the room gets hot instead of dark.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Solar powered spinner: a small solar cell drives a toy motor top
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A solar cell turns light directly into electrical energy. Connected to a toy motor with a paper disc, it spins in sunlight, slows in shade and stops indoors, showing how output depends on the amount and angle of light.
You will need
- A small solar cell rated about 5 to 6 V, 100 mA or more
- A 3 V DC toy motor
- A coloured paper disc or bottle cap for the top
- Two wires and tape
- Cardboard to prop the cell at an angle
Safety: Use the cell outdoors in sunlight but do not look at the sun. The motor runs above its rated voltage only briefly in full sun, so stop if it gets warm.
Take it further: Measure the cell voltage with a multimeter at different angles and plot voltage against angle.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
How the angle of a solar cell changes its voltage and LED brightness
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The electrical output of a solar cell falls as the light strikes it at a shallower angle, because the same beam is spread over a bigger area. Measuring voltage and current at known tilt angles shows why rooftop panels in India are tilted roughly at the latitude angle.
You will need
- A small solar cell rated about 6 V
- A multimeter
- One red LED and a 220 Ω resistor
- A protractor and a cardboard stand with a hinge of tape
- A notebook and a sunny morning
Safety: Do not look at the sun. Work in the shade of a hat and take breaks; test in the morning or late afternoon rather than at midday in summer.
Take it further: Build a two-position tracker that tilts the cell by hand each hour and compare total output with a fixed cell.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Phone web page that switches a 12 V LED strip through an ESP8266 relay
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A NodeMCU (ESP8266) joins the home Wi-Fi, runs a tiny web server and turns a relay on or off when a phone browser taps a button. The relay switches a 12 V LED strip, so the whole thing is a low-voltage copy of a smart switch.
You will need
- A NodeMCU ESP8266 board and micro USB cable
- A 5 V single-channel relay module
- A 12 V LED strip, about 30 cm
- A 12 V, 1 A DC adapter or 8 AA cells in a holder
- A breadboard and jumper wires
- A phone on the same Wi-Fi
Safety: Only the 12 V LED strip goes through the relay. Never connect the relay to a mains wire or socket. An adult must check the wiring before the adapter is plugged in.
Take it further: Add a second relay and a DHT11 so the page also shows room temperature and lets you switch a 12 V fan.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
PIR corridor light that stays on for a set time after movement
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A passive infrared (PIR) sensor detects the heat of a moving person. An Arduino switches a 12 V LED strip on through a relay and keeps it on for a timer period that restarts with every new movement, so the light never cuts out while someone is still walking.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno or Nano clone and USB cable
- An HC-SR501 PIR sensor module
- A 5 V relay module
- A 12 V LED strip, 20 to 30 cm, with a 12 V adapter or battery pack
- A 10 kΩ potentiometer for setting the hold time
- Jumper wires and a breadboard
Safety: Low voltage only: the relay switches the 12 V strip, never a mains lamp. An adult must check the adapter connections.
Take it further: Add an LDR so the light only works after dark, and log each trigger time to the serial monitor.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Room comfort meter with DHT11 and an OLED display
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A DHT11 measures temperature and relative humidity, an Arduino calculates a heat index, and a small OLED screen shows the readings with a comfort message. The project shows how a digital sensor sends numbers over one wire.
You will need
- An Arduino Nano or Uno clone and USB cable
- A DHT11 temperature and humidity module
- A 0.96 inch I2C OLED display (SSD1306)
- Jumper wires and a breadboard
- A 9 V battery and clip or a power bank for the stand
Safety: USB or battery power only. Keep the OLED glass away from bending.
Take it further: Swap the DHT11 for a DHT22 and compare readings, or log readings to the serial plotter over a whole day.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Kitchen gas alarm that starts a 12 V exhaust fan through a relay
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An MQ-2 gas sensor changes resistance when LPG, butane or smoke touches its heated element. The Arduino compares the reading to a threshold, sounds a buzzer, flashes a red LED and switches a 12 V DC fan through a relay to clear the air.
You will need
- An Arduino Uno clone and USB cable
- An MQ-2 gas sensor module
- A 5 V relay module
- A 12 V DC computer case fan with a 12 V adapter
- A 5 V buzzer, a red LED and a 220 Ω resistor
- A 16x2 I2C LCD (optional)
- Jumper wires and a breadboard
Safety: Test with a gas lighter held unlit near the sensor for a moment, never with a cylinder valve open. The relay switches only the 12 V fan. An adult must be present for the gas test. The sensor heater gets warm; do not touch it.
Take it further: Replace the Uno with an ESP8266 and send a phone notification through a free IoT app when the alarm triggers.
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.