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.
PhysicsMedium
Force on a current carrying wire: swinging foil strip in a magnet gap
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A wire carrying current in a magnetic field feels a sideways push, F = B I L. Reversing the current or the magnet reverses the push, as Fleming’s left-hand rule says.
You will need
- Two ceramic ferrite magnets from an old loudspeaker, placed on a steel strip or an iron bar to make a gap
- A strip of kitchen aluminium foil, 1 cm wide and 15 cm long, folded to a stiff ribbon
- Two cells (3 V) in a holder and a rheostat or 10 ohm resistor
- A wooden frame or a cardboard box with two paper clips as hangers
- A protractor and a ruler
- Flexible wire, a switch and crocodile clips
Safety: An adult must supervise: the foil can get warm and the current is large for a short time, so tap the switch only for a second or two. Keep magnets away from phones, watches and bank cards.
Take it further: Estimate the field B between the magnets from F = B I L using the swing angle and the mass of the foil strip.
PhysicsMedium
Two-lens compound microscope model with measured magnification
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A short focal length objective makes a magnified real image, and a second lens, the eyepiece, magnifies that image again. The total magnification is the product of the two.
You will need
- A convex lens of about 4 cm focal length as the objective (a strong magnifier or a lens from a broken projector)
- A convex lens of about 5 cm focal length as the eyepiece
- Two cardboard tubes that slide inside each other (rolled paper or kitchen roll tubes)
- A small LED torch and a cardboard stage to hold the slide
- A millimetre ruler or graph paper as the specimen
- Tape and black paper to line the tube
Safety: An adult must make any cuts in the card. Do not use a mirror to point sunlight at the slide or your eye.
Take it further: Change the tube length and plot magnification against tube length to show that a longer tube gives a larger M.
PhysicsMedium
Two-lens astronomical telescope: magnifying power equals f0 divided by fe
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A long focal length objective and a short focal length eyepiece make a refracting telescope. In normal adjustment its angular magnification is f0 / fe.
You will need
- A spectacle lens of +2 dioptre (focal length 50 cm) as the objective
- A strong magnifier or a lens of about 5 cm focal length as the eyepiece
- Two cardboard or PVC tubes that slide into one another, about 50 cm total length
- Black paper, tape and clay
- A brick wall or a building with bricks at a distance for testing
- A ruler
Safety: Never look at the Sun through the telescope, even for a moment; it can blind. An adult must supervise any cutting.
Take it further: Add a third lens of suitable focal length as an erecting lens to make a terrestrial telescope and test it on a distant tree.
PhysicsChallenging
Linear expansion of a metal rod magnified by a rolling-needle pointer
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A metal rod lengthens by only a fraction of a millimetre when heated. A pointer fixed on a rolling needle magnifies the tiny change so that the coefficient of linear expansion can be measured.
You will need
- A 50 cm aluminium or copper rod (a curtain rod or a pipe)
- A long tray or a length of PVC gutter to hold hot water
- Hot water from a kettle at about 90 degrees C (an adult pours it)
- A sewing needle and a long straw as the pointer
- Clay to hold one end of the rod fixed
- Two thermometers
- A ruler and a paper scale behind the pointer
Safety: An adult must heat and pour the water; hot water and metal can scald. Do not touch the rod during the test.
Take it further: Build a bimetallic strip from aluminium foil taped to thin steel and watch it curl when warmed by hot water.
PhysicsChallenging
Chladni patterns: salt figures on a speaker-driven metal plate
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A vibrating plate has nodal lines where it stays still, and sprinkled salt collects on them to draw beautiful patterns. Each pattern belongs to one natural frequency of the plate, and higher frequencies give more complex figures.
You will need
- A thin square steel or aluminium sheet about 15 cm wide (a flat biscuit tin lid works)
- A small loudspeaker of 8 ohm from an old radio
- A bolt, nut and strong glue to fix the plate at its centre above the speaker cone
- A phone with a tone generator app and a small amplifier or a speaker lead from an old phone
- Table salt or fine sand
- A tray to catch spilt salt
- A soft ruler or card for tapping
Safety: An adult must cut the metal sheet and file the edges smooth, and must supervise the wiring of the speaker; keep volume moderate.
Take it further: Use a round plate and compare its patterns with the square one.
PhysicsMedium
Straw hydrometer: calibrating a float to measure liquid density
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A weighted straw floats lower in a lighter liquid and higher in a denser one. Marking it in liquids of known density turns it into a hydrometer.
You will need
- A plastic drinking straw about 20 cm long, sealed at the bottom with clay
- Lead shot, sand or small nuts as ballast
- Salt and a kitchen scale
- A tall glass or measuring cylinder
- A ruler and a waterproof marker
- Water, milk and cooking oil to test
Safety: An adult should supervise if sharp objects are used to cut the straw. Do not drink anything used in the experiment.
Take it further: Make a lactometer scale and test milk diluted with 10 and 20 percent water to see how the reading changes.
PhysicsMedium
Savonius wind turbine from cans: lifting a weight at different wind speeds
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A vertical-axis turbine with two curved scoops spins in a wind, and the turning axle winds up a thread to lift a weight. The useful power it delivers can be compared with the power in the wind, which is ½ ρ A v³.
You will need
- Two halves of a plastic drum or a large bottle cut lengthways, or a cylinder cut in half (about 20 cm tall)
- Two round cardboard or plastic discs as the end plates
- A 30 cm steel rod, a long bolt or a bicycle spoke for the axle, and two bearings made from bottle caps with holes
- A base board and two uprights
- Thread and small weights such as washers, with a paper clip hook
- A table fan at its three speeds, or a strong natural breeze
- A hand anemometer or an anemometer app, and a stopwatch
Safety: An adult must cut the plastic and plug in the fan; keep fingers and hair away from the fan and the spinning turbine.
Take it further: Add a small DC motor as a generator and measure the voltage and current of an LED load at each speed.
PhysicsChallenging
Spoon Pelton wheel: output power and efficiency against water head
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A jet of water hitting spoon-shaped buckets turns a wheel that lifts a weight. The power in the jet is ρ g Q H, and comparing it with the power lifting the weight gives the efficiency.
You will need
- A circular plywood or thick plastic disc about 20 cm across
- Twelve plastic spoons or bottle-cap halves as buckets
- A steel rod or long bolt as the axle, and two bearings from bottle caps
- A large bucket or tank on a raised stand, with a tube of 6 mm bore and a clamp as the nozzle
- A tray and a lower bucket to collect the water
- Thread and washers as the load
- A measuring jug, a stopwatch and a tape measure
Safety: An adult must drill the disc and cut materials; work outdoors or over a tray, and keep any electric device away from water.
Take it further: Replace the lifting load with a small DC motor as a generator and measure the voltage and current to find the electrical output.
BiologyEasy
Ear model with a funnel and balloon eardrum and dancing salt
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Sound is collected by the outer ear and makes the eardrum vibrate. A balloon stretched over a tube acts as the eardrum, and grains of salt dance on it when you speak into the funnel.
You will need
- A plastic funnel or a cone of thick paper (the outer ear)
- A cardboard tube or a cut plastic bottle 6 cm wide (the ear canal)
- A balloon, cut open and stretched flat (the eardrum)
- A rubber band
- A pinch of salt or sugar
- Three small cardboard strips and a pin for the bone chain
- Card, a coiled pipe cleaner or a spiral of wire for the cochlea
- Glue and markers
Safety: An adult must cut the balloon and bottle. Never put anything into a real ear, and do not shout loudly close to anyone’s ears.
Take it further: Compare the salt dance for different distances from the funnel and make a graph of the distance against the height of the jumps.
BiologyMedium
Shoebox eye model with a lens that shows an upside-down image
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The eye works like a camera. A lens at the front focuses light from the world onto a screen at the back, giving a small image that is upside down.
You will need
- A shoebox or a tube box, painted black inside with black paper
- A magnifying glass or a spectacle lens of about 15 cm focal length
- A piece of tracing paper or butter paper for the retina
- A card with a round hole of about 1 cm for the pupil
- A cardboard sleeve or second box that slides over the first
- Tape and a black cloth
- A bright window scene or a torch pointed at a drawn object
Safety: An adult must cut the box. Never look at the Sun through the lens and never point it at the Sun, because it can burn paper and harm eyes.
Take it further: Replace the lens with a thicker lens and measure how the focus distance changes, to explain short sight and long sight.
BiologyEasy
Funnel and tube stethoscope to hear the heartbeat
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A funnel and a rubber tube can carry the sounds of the heart to your ear. You hear a steady lub-dub that is made as the heart valves close.
You will need
- A small plastic funnel
- About 50 cm of soft plastic or rubber tube that fits the funnel
- A balloon cut open for a thin membrane (optional)
- A rubber band
- A watch for counting
- Soapy water and a clean cloth
- A friend or family member
Safety: An adult must help to fit the tube. Keep the sounds soft, never blow into the tube, and clean the funnel with soapy water between users.
Take it further: Record heartbeats per minute for several family members at rest and see how age and fitness relate to the rate.
BiologyMedium
Kidney filtration model with a strainer, cloth and funnel
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
The kidney filters blood: small molecules such as water, salt and sugar pass out, while blood cells and large proteins are held back. A layered funnel shows the filtering idea step by step.
You will need
- A plastic funnel or the cut top of a bottle
- A tea strainer or kitchen sieve
- A piece of clean muslin or cotton cloth
- A beaker or jar to collect the filtrate
- A mixture: water, a pinch of salt, a spoon of sugar, a few drops of food colour, 20 red beads and a teaspoon of fine soil
- A card for the nephron diagram
- Markers and glue
Safety: An adult must cut the bottle. Do not drink anything from the model; wash hands after handling soil.
Take it further: Add a second jar of clean water and use a sponge to model how water and sugar are taken back from the filtrate.
BiologyMedium
Vein valve model: how muscle squeezes push blood one way
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Veins have valves that let blood flow only towards the heart. A tube with a one-way valve and a squeezing hand shows how muscles help push blood back up the legs.
You will need
- About 60 cm of soft clear plastic tube (aquarium air tube)
- A small aquarium one-way (non-return) valve
- Two small jars or cups
- Water with red food colour
- A piece of stiff card to hold the tube
- A plastic bottle, cut, to hold the water
- A towel
Safety: Keep the model away from electrical items and sit it on a tray or in a basin. An adult must help with cutting the tube.
Take it further: Fit a second valve and a second squeeze point to make a two-stage pump and compare the volume moved per ten squeezes.
BiologyMedium
Closed bottle garden that recycles its own water
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A sealed jar with soil and plants keeps its own small water cycle. Water evaporates from the soil and leaves, condenses on the glass and runs back, while plants and soil life swap oxygen and carbon dioxide.
You will need
- A large clear glass jar or a 2 litre plastic bottle with a wide cut opening, with a lid or cling film
- A handful of small pebbles
- Crushed charcoal (a few pieces)
- Garden soil or potting mix
- Two or three small plants, such as a money plant cutting, a small fern or moss
- A spoon, a long stick to place plants
- A spray bottle of water
Safety: An adult must cut the bottle. Wash your hands after handling soil. Do not place the jar in strong direct sun, where it can overheat and cook the plants.
Take it further: Make a second jar without charcoal or pebbles and compare how the plants fare after a month.
BiologyEasy
Seed travel models: wind wing, fluff parachute, floating husk, hook and spring
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Plants spread their seeds far from the parent so the young plants have room to grow. Paper and cloth models copy how wind, water, animals and bursting pods carry seeds.
You will need
- Paper and scissors for a spinning helicopter wing
- Cotton wool and a straw for a fluffy parachute seed
- A piece of thermocol or a coconut husk for the water seed
- Velcro or a piece of rough cloth and a woollen sock for the hooked burr
- A clothes peg or a rubber band and a card for a pod that flicks seeds
- A tub of water, a hand fan and a tape measure
- Dried beans as seeds
- A notebook
Safety: An adult must help cut tough materials. Keep small beans and balls away from young children. Do not throw anything towards faces.
Take it further: Change the size of the helicopter wing and graph the average time it takes to fall from the same height.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Staircase light with two switches that each turn one LED on and off
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two single-pole double-throw switches wired together let you switch one lamp from either end of a staircase. Flipping either switch changes whether the loop is complete.
You will need
- Two SPDT slide switches (or two 3-pin toggle switches)
- One red LED and a 150 Ω resistor
- A 2 x AA battery holder with two AA cells (3 V)
- Five insulated wires about 15 cm long
- A cardboard staircase model or a plain card base
- Glue, tape and scissors
Safety: Use the cell holder only, never a mains socket or a house switch. Take care with scissors.
Take it further: Add a third switch in the middle of the two-way set using a DPDT switch wired as an intermediate switch.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Alternate LED flasher with two BC547 transistors and two capacitors
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Two transistors, each switching the other through a capacitor, make an astable multivibrator: a circuit with no stable state that swaps over by itself. The two LEDs flash alternately about once a second.
You will need
- Two BC547 transistors
- Two 47 kΩ resistors (base) and two 470 Ω resistors (LED)
- Two 22 µF 16 V electrolytic capacitors
- Two LEDs of different colours
- A 9 V battery with snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. Electrolytic capacitors have a marked negative leg: fit them the right way round or they can heat up and leak.
Take it further: Use unequal capacitors, 10 µF and 47 µF, and observe that one LED stays lit longer than the other.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Knob dimmer for an LED using a 10 kΩ potentiometer on a 9 V battery
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A potentiometer wired as a variable resistor changes how much current an LED gets, so turning the knob dims or brightens the light. Less resistance gives more current and more light.
You will need
- One 10 kΩ potentiometer (rotary or small slide type)
- One 470 Ω resistor
- One LED (any colour)
- A 9 V battery with snap connector
- A small cardboard box for a front panel
- Jumper wires, tape and a marker
Safety: Battery power only. The 470 Ω resistor must stay in the circuit, or turning the knob to zero would overdrive the LED.
Take it further: Use a multimeter to measure LED current at five knob positions and plot current against knob angle.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Quiz board where matching question and answer wires light an LED
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A circuit is only complete when a wire joins the right pair of terminals. Touching a probe wire to the correct answer closes the loop and lights an LED, while a wrong answer leaves it open.
You will need
- A sheet of stiff card about 30 cm x 20 cm
- Ten brass paper fasteners (split pins)
- Insulated wire in five lengths
- Two probe wires with bare ends
- A 2 x AA battery holder with two cells
- One LED and a 150 Ω resistor, or a 3 V buzzer
- Tape and a marker
Safety: Cells only. Cover the back wire joints with tape so they cannot touch each other by accident.
Take it further: Add a buzzer for wrong answers using a second probe pair and a second circuit.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Tripwire alarm: a clothes peg with foil contacts and a pull-out card
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A plastic card between two foil contacts keeps a circuit open. Pulling the card out by a thread lets the contacts touch, which closes the circuit and sounds a buzzer.
You will need
- A wooden or plastic clothes peg
- Kitchen foil
- A strip of thin plastic (cut from a bottle or a visiting card)
- About 1 m of thread
- A 3 V active buzzer
- A 2 x AA battery holder with two cells
- Two 20 cm wires, tape
Safety: Cells only. Fix the thread across a doorway at ankle height only with an adult around, so nobody falls over it.
Take it further: Add an LED in parallel with the buzzer, with its own 150 Ω resistor, so there is a light as well as a sound.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Three-LED water level indicator for a bottle using three BC547 transistors
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
Water with a little salt conducts a tiny current. Each probe that touches the water passes enough base current to switch a BC547 on, so one LED lights for each level reached.
You will need
- A tall plastic bottle with the top cut off
- Three BC547 transistors
- Three 10 kΩ resistors and three 470 Ω resistors
- Green, yellow and red LEDs
- Five stainless steel nails or screws as probes with wires
- A 9 V battery with snap connector
- A breadboard, a pinch of salt and tape
Safety: Battery power only, never a mains supply anywhere near the water. Keep the breadboard dry and away from splashes. Wash hands after handling the salt water and probes.
Take it further: Add a fourth transistor stage that sounds a buzzer when the top probe is reached, as an overflow warning.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Polarity-proof LED lamp: a four-diode bridge that works either way round
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A diode lets current through in one direction only. Four diodes arranged as a bridge always pass the current the same way through the LED, so the lamp lights even if the battery is connected backwards.
You will need
- Four 1N4007 diodes (or 1N4148)
- One LED and a 680 Ω resistor
- A 9 V battery with snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
- A marker to note the diode bands
- A multimeter if available
Safety: Battery power only. Check the LED direction before snapping on the battery.
Take it further: Add a 470 µF capacitor across the LED branch to see the effect of smoothing, then connect a hand-cranked toy motor as the source.
Electronics and roboticsEasy
Push button LED that fades out slowly, powered by a charged capacitor
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
A capacitor stores charge like a tiny rechargeable tank. A quick press of a button fills it, and when the button is released the capacitor keeps the LED glowing for several seconds as it empties.
You will need
- One 4700 µF 16 V electrolytic capacitor
- One 100 Ω resistor and one 680 Ω resistor
- One LED
- A push button
- A 9 V battery with snap connector
- A breadboard and jumper wires
Safety: Battery power only. The capacitor has a marked negative leg and must be fitted the right way round, otherwise it can swell or leak. Never use a capacitor rated below 12 V.
Take it further: Plot LED brightness steps against time using a phone video and compare with the RC prediction.
Electronics and roboticsMedium
Hot water alarm that buzzes when an NTC thermistor reaches about 45 degrees
Show detailsHide detailsWhat it shows
An NTC thermistor is a resistor whose resistance falls as it gets hotter. In a voltage divider, this change swings a transistor base voltage and switches a buzzer on at a chosen temperature.
You will need
- A 10 kΩ NTC thermistor
- A 1 kΩ trimmer potentiometer
- One BC547 transistor and one 1 kΩ resistor
- An active buzzer, 3 to 12 V
- A 9 V battery with snap connector
- A breadboard, wires, a small plastic bag and a cup
- A kitchen thermometer if you have one
Safety: An adult must pour and handle the hot water. Never go above about 50 degrees for this test. Keep the breadboard away from water and keep the thermistor leads inside a sealed plastic bag.
Take it further: Swap the buzzer for a relay module and a small 5 V fan to make a thermostat.
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.