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.
Computing and codingMedium
Linear regression to predict used scooter prices with scikit-learn
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People who buy a second-hand vehicle want a fair price. A regression model learns from listed prices, age and kilometres how much a scooter is worth. A student can build it from an open data set or from 100 prices noted from classified advertisements, and check how accurate it is.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, pandas, numpy, matplotlib and scikit-learn
- A CSV of used vehicle prices from an open data portal, or one that you collect (age, kilometres, company, price)
- Jupyter or Thonny
- A notebook for the report
Safety: Use only public data and do not include phone numbers or names of sellers in your file.
Take it further: Try a decision tree regressor and a random forest and compare their errors with the linear model.
Computing and codingMedium
Flask online quiz app with SQLite score storage and a leaderboard
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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 codingMedium
K-nearest neighbours classifier on the iris and wine data with a confusion matrix
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A first machine learning project should show how a computer decides from examples. The k-nearest neighbours method classifies a new flower or wine by looking at its closest known examples. A student tests how the choice of k and scaling of the features change accuracy.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, numpy, pandas, matplotlib and scikit-learn
- The iris and wine data sets that come with scikit-learn (open data)
- Jupyter or Thonny
- A notebook for the report
Safety: No special safety needs. Save your work often.
Take it further: Collect measurements of 30 leaves from your neighbourhood and train a classifier to recognise two local plant species.
Computing and codingEasy
Tkinter attendance register app with a monthly summary and CSV export
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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
Seasonal rainfall prediction for a district with a random forest model
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Farmers decide sowing dates and reservoir managers plan releases using rainfall outlooks. The project builds a machine learning model that predicts the coming month’s rainfall of one district from past rainfall and temperature, tests it honestly against a simple average baseline and reports where it fails.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, pandas, numpy, scikit-learn and matplotlib
- 30 or more years of monthly rainfall and temperature for one district from an open data portal (CSV)
- Jupyter notebook
- A notebook and printer for the report
- Free Google Colab account as an alternative
Safety: Use only public data and cite the source and licence. State clearly that the model is a student exercise and not a forecast for decisions.
Take it further: Add a sea-surface temperature index such as the Indian Ocean Dipole as a feature and test if the skill improves.
Computing and codingChallenging
Clinic OPD appointment and patient queue system with Flask and SQLite
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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
Handwritten digit recognition with a CNN on MNIST and a browser demo
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Cheque and form readers recognise handwriting. A small convolutional neural network learns to read digits from the open MNIST data set. The project trains it on a laptop, tests accuracy, studies the errors and builds a web page where a user draws a digit.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, TensorFlow or PyTorch, numpy and matplotlib (or Google Colab free tier)
- The MNIST data set (open, built into the libraries)
- Flask or TensorFlow.js for the demo
- A browser with canvas support
- A notebook for the report
Safety: Training can make a laptop hot for long periods, so keep it ventilated. Save work often.
Take it further: Collect 500 digits written in Devanagari by classmates and train a model for Hindi numerals.
Computing and codingMedium
SMS spam classifier using Naive Bayes with a web form and error analysis
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Fake lottery, loan and KYC messages reach millions of phones. A Naive Bayes classifier learns spam words from labelled messages. The project trains on an open SMS data set, measures precision and recall and builds a small web page that scores a message.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, pandas, scikit-learn, Flask
- The open SMS Spam Collection data set (about 5,500 messages)
- Jupyter notebook
- Twenty real spam and ham messages written by you in Hinglish (no personal data) for a second test
Safety: Use only public data and your own invented examples. Never click links in real spam messages.
Take it further: Collect 300 Hinglish messages, label them and show how retraining improves recall.
Computing and codingChallenging
Kirana shop inventory and billing web app that prints GST invoices as PDF
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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
Plant leaf disease classifier using transfer learning on an open image set
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Farmers lose crops to diseases that are spotted too late. A neural network trained on leaf photographs can suggest the likely disease. The project fine-tunes a pretrained image model on a subset of an open plant leaf data set, measures accuracy and tests it honestly on photographs taken in the field.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3 and TensorFlow or PyTorch (or Google Colab free GPU)
- An open plant leaf image data set (a subset of 3 to 5 classes of one crop, about 300 images per class)
- A phone to take 50 test photographs of real leaves from a garden
- A notebook and printer
Safety: Go with an adult to a field or garden and ask permission before taking leaves or pictures. Use gloves around diseased plants.
Take it further: Convert the model to TensorFlow Lite and run it in an Android app that classifies from the phone camera.
Computing and codingChallenging
City bus route and fare finder using Dijkstra’s algorithm on a graph
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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.
Computing and codingMedium
Student marks analytics dashboard with pandas and Streamlit
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Teachers have term marks in spreadsheets but rarely get quick views of weak topics, class comparisons or students at risk. A Streamlit dashboard reads a marks file and shows distributions, correlations and a list of students needing help, which teaches data handling, statistics and responsible use of student data.
You will need
- A laptop with Python 3, pandas, plotly and Streamlit
- An invented marks data set of 120 students across 6 subjects and 3 terms generated with random numbers
- A browser
- A notebook for the design
Safety: Use only invented data. Real marks are private and must not be used without permission from the school and parents.
Take it further: Add a simple prediction of the final term marks from the first two terms with a regression line and show the error.
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.