Archive for March, 2009

High School Science Fair Project Ideas

If you thought that science was fun a few years ago, but now its too complicated to be enjoyed, you are wrong. The best part about science is that is can be scaled down to whatever level you are comfortable with. If you feel that the science in your books makes no sense, make it practical.

As soon as you actually put the theorems to test in the real world you will find that they are not so complicated after all. Expanding your awareness of the scope of science is what a science fair is all about. By getting you to generate science fair project ideas your teacher hope to excite the scientist living deep inside you.

Sure it might just seem as an extra distraction from more important things like prom and games, but hey give science a break. It does give you all that technology that makes your life so much easier. If you ride the bus to school it is because some guy took his science seriously enough to design the engine.

If you feel that all the important stuff has already been invented, take a look at the new gadgets that came in to the market since Christmas last year. Still need convincing about doing well in that project? Take a look here. Then when you feel motivated enough take out that old science book and think up of a few new ideas.

Brainstorming with friends will make the task more interesting. Think up of all the chemicals that you can use. List out the material that you will need for the project that you will make. Have some fun with the experiments and you might just hit home with a winner.

Leave a Comment

Display Your Experiments Well

A science fair project can be a lot of fun. Getting all the material together. Making the first prototype. Fixing all the flaws to get it functioning. It is a process that you can really enjoy. All the fun that you had as you went through the experiments in your project is not enough. It needs to be reflected to your judges. This is done by your display of the project.

The display board and the actual layout is what will be seen before you are heard. So it makes sense to give some thought to how you are going to showcase your science fair project. The right sized stand and background will make a difference. As will the colors that you use.

If you have been working on the project all by yourself, it is a good idea to get a second opinion on what to highlight. Since each aspect will seem important to you get a friend or teacher to help you choose the vital from the important.

The basic theory and your hypothesis are an integral part of the display. There are other elements that you might need to consider which are listed out in detail here. It might be well worth your time to see what tips you can get from others. Make sure you have a definite idea in mind before you start on the display.

Only when you are sure of what you want to show off and what you want to hide, will the project look great. Make sure that the images or diagrams you are using are neatly drawn. It would be a good idea to get computerized print outs if you can’t sketch too well. Just make sure that everything looks great.

Leave a Comment

Simple Science Experiments

The whole purpose of a science fair is to learn more science through practical experiments. In order to get into the swing of things for a science fair it is a good idea to pay attention to the workings of science in your daily life. It is not necessary to set up elaborate circuits and expensive equipment to do experiments.

A simple bottle of cold water covered with condensed liquid droplets is also science at work. Freezing different fluids in the fridge can be a fun experiment as well. Especially if the fluids you are trying to freeze are Popsicles of different flavors. It is fun to make ice cubes of different shapes and see how fast they melt.

There is a lot you can do with a pair of magnets as well. By simply using their polarity one can make two simple cardboard cars that attract or repel each other. The north pole and south pole of the magnet create a magnetic field that can be used to propel the cars forward.

There is nothing more fascinating that working with conductors. The thrill of knowing that you were responsible for shooting an electric current in a science experiment is unparalleled. For the early steps into experimentation it is the ultimate high. If you are interested in a simple working model of an Electrical Conductor, check it out.

There’s nothing like doing a simple science experiment with your friends to set the ball rolling for better ideas for the science fair. In time you will realize that the simplest ideas can be the best ones. They are easy to implement. Fun to work on, and guess what? They even win prizes.

Leave a Comment

An Easy Project That’s Fun to do

In this day and age when the fuel crisis is so much in the news, think about science fair projects in alternative energy sources. The planet’s fossil fuels are what have driven our technology so far. Where would we be without coal, and petroleum? The unfortunate thing is that these are non-renewable resources.

Very soon the deposits of coal and petroleum are going to run out. Then there will be no cars running on petrol or diesel. The electricity will be supplied by either hydro plants or by nuclear reactors. Both of which are rather costly to set up. This is why the world is searching for a simple and alternative solution to its energy needs.

The science fair projects that touch upon alternative energy are not only touching a hot chord, but can be great fun to do. One of the most popular energy sources that are being experimented with today is Solar Energy. Any project with this topic is bound be a potential winner. To ensure that it is a winner, take a look at these points as well.

With Solar Energy you get to do some cool experiments and can use the results well. Think about boiling an egg in your own Solar Cooker! Or forget about buying new batteries as you race your toy car with the aid of solar power. You can even add a remote control to it if you are feeling more adventurous.

The whole idea is to have fun. Don’t get worried if you can’t manage the remote control yet. You can always do the somewhat more complicated stuff next year. Maybe a boat in a tub is easier for you to manage right now. If you can make two of them you can also hold a racing challenge. There is so much that you can do.

Leave a Comment

Pick Science Fair Projects that are Easy for You

When you have the whole array of project ideas before you it is easy to get excited about a number of them. It is important to remember to pick a science project that is interesting, but also pick one that is easy for you to do. There is no point picking out a topic that does interest you but is not easy to do. It will take up too much time in research and will not be as much fun as it could be.

While your science project must be a learning experience, there is no point in making it a tedious one. For instance if you are not allowed to fiddle around with wires with out adult supervision it would be pointless trying to do an experiment which included many circuits.

At the same time if you want to do a project in robotics, you will need to read up on a lot of the theory behind it. Try and pick a topic that complements what you are already doing at school. It will ease out your project difficulty level. It will also reinforce what you are already learning at school.

Remember this is not an attempt to discourage you from picking up some project that you will need to work extra hard at. It is only a reminder that you must not bite off more than you can chew. That is why you will find this article here rather useful. It is important to pick something that you will be able to handle on your own.

Leave a Comment

Quick and Easy Science Fair Projects

While most science enthusiasts love working on experiments, there are times when you are busy with other activities. Then when the added pressure of creating a good science project also comes on you, you don’t know what to do.

The first thing to do it quickly get an easy to do project settled as your final choice. To help make up your mind, browse the internet and get ideas. Pick out not more than five good ideas which are simple to do. Don’t waste time getting a long list together. Remember you only have to make one science project.

Now take a look at these five ideas and see which one appeals to you most on a personal level. Every one has their own preference. Even if you are doing some thing ridiculously simple you might prefer one project to the other. See how to pick a winner here.

After you have finalized your idea, get the material you need organized. If it is something around the house collect it, if you need to buy something get it, and put it all together in one location. Now you are ready to begin.

Get the theory for the project and understand how it works. Once you know this by heart you will waste less time referring to instructions. Now whenever you get some spare time from all your other activities work on your project.

One day you will find that your quick and easy project is ready. Now make sure that you have made plans to transport it to the fair location and your work is finished.

Leave a Comment

Picking a Winning Topic is Just the Beginning

After choosing amongst the many ideas that you have for science projects you finally settled on one which you believe is a winner. Does that mean its smooth sailing from here onwards? Yes and no. Yes because you know what all you need to do for completing the project. No because now you might find your enthusiasm levels flagging.

Once you have your topic you should have made a list of actions that you must take to complete the project. At this point some people feel laid back and relaxed believing that the project is now well in hand. I would suggest that you make your science projects completely and test them well in advance.

The principles of science are simple, but making them work can be tricky. This is why you need to test your project and make sure that it is in correct working order. If you leave it too close to the date of the science fair you might find yourself running around at the last minute trying to fix flaws.

After you have got the working model in order you also need to make the display board and write your report. Make sure that these steps are part of your action list. The display board needs to be well thought out and decorated. This is going to help the Judges short list your project amongst the potential winners. The report should also be well written.

Once all elements of your project are completed you can take a second opinion from friends or family on what improvements can be made. If you have the time you can make these changes if you complete the project too close to the D day you won’t be able to do this step. The more inputs you get the better the project will be.

Leave a Comment

Picking a Winning Science Fair Topic

Some times the choices that you have when it comes to science fair project ideas can confuse you. There are so many things that you can do that you want to do them all. This is perfectly natural for a science enthusiast. To see how things work in each experiment gets you excited and you wonder how you will narrow your choice down to one project.

While being enthusiastic is great, it is also important to stay focused on one good idea. Only when you focus on a single idea will you be exerting energy on the project the right way. When you put your full concentration in one direction the chances of you doing a really great job and winning increase greatly.

So how do you pick the winning idea from among so many science fair project ideas floating in your mind? Here’s a small technique that can help you. Sit down with some paper and pen when you are buzzing with ideas. Now write each idea down as it occurs to you. At this stage don’t think of what it will involve and how practical it will be.

Just keep writing all the ideas that occur to you on that paper. Once you have a long enough list and have used up all the ideas in your head put away the pen and paper. Then read this article here. After that go back to the list that you have made and see which of your ideas will work out.

Now write down this idea on a fresh piece of paper and concentrate on it henceforth. Sit down and work out all that you need to do and add it as a list of actions beneath the idea. Now you are ready to work on an award winning project.

Leave a Comment

Turn Your Project into a Winner

Just consider the time that you spent on all the science experiments that you made before choosing the final project for the fair. I am sure it was quite a fun and adventurous journey till the final product. Now take a look at how it will appear to an outsider. Sure you know what caused that scratch on the surface, but the judge will not.

So once you have your working model you need to pretty it up. If possible slap some paint on to it and spruce it up. Snip away any dangling threads and wires which serve no purpose. Wipe the shiny surfaces clean. In general make it look good.

Now turn your attention to the display board that will be placed next to the project. What all information will it give the reader? Make sure that all the pertinent facts are stated. At the same time don’t crowd it with too much writing. If you are using diagrams, make sure that they are neatly drawn.

If the project is based on a working model of a scientific experiment, make sure you explain it on the display board. If you are using current, make sure you check all the circuits after you set up. Some projects like this one here will need batteries and so make sure you carry them.

Cater for all problems that you might encounter. Then set up the project in your allotted space and sit back to enjoy the fair.

Leave a Comment

Creating a Great Display Board

Are you a science enthusiast who loves to experiment? Do you come up with concepts that others would not attempt? Have you got tired of taking your entry to the science fair and never winning a thing? Do you wish you knew the secret to winning the prizes at the fair?

Participating is not enough these days. If you want to win you have to have a good project. You know that. You have a good project and you still don’t win. Then the problem might be with your presentation of the project to the judges.

Imagine the difficult task that the judges have. They must see so many functional and not so functional gadgets and experiments in a science fair. Then they must short list the ones that stood out above the rest so that they can pick out their winners.

So the way you display your project becomes as important as the actual project. If you are all set to get your project to the fair, here’s another thing you need to work on. Your display board.

You might have a few good ideas to start with and there are some more ideas that can help you listed here. Remember to make the display attractive and the judges will be sure to short list you in their list of potential winners.

Leave a Comment