Science Fair Projects for Seniors Need Depth

The scope of science is so vast that picking up ideas for science fair projects should seem really simple. Unfortunately not everyone is too creative at coming up with new ideas for the science fair. Why else would we be seeing the baking soda volcano, the solar system model, the litmus paper test and the conductivity tester every year?

It is true that it is much simpler to do what has been done before. Yet it is also true that these repetitive projects are not the ones that win the awards. What wins the award is something new and innovative. Where the involvement of the student is clearly seen by the judges of the competition.

By the time you reach high school you are expected to have a sound science background for the basic principles. You are supposed to know that acids are corrosive. That beyond the seven visible colors of the rainbow you have X-rays and gamma rays at one end of the spectrum and radio waves and microwaves at the other end.

You know about sound being measured in decibels. About the temperatures measured in Celsius and also in Fahrenheit. Now that you know all these things, you are expected to base your science fair projects on some such principle. Preferably with a working model which proves your hypothesis. Only then will you end up with an award winning project.

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Getting Enthusiastic about your High School Science Project

After years of enjoying the science fair and coming up with new ideas for science projects you might feel that your enthusiasm is no longer what it used to be. This is natural in high school as there are so many more interesting things happening on campus. The ideal science project is about as far from you as mars.

The truth is that by the time you get to high school there are way too many distractions. There is sports, and contests, and quizzes, and the opposite sex besides studies all vying for your attention. So in all this commotion, who has time for designing a science project?

While you might not be too keen on completing this task, it is still part of your academic activities. So you need to get a bit more enthusiastic about the science fair and complete a winning project.

Think of ways to make it more interesting. If you want to take on a partner of the opposite sex to help you get more enthusiastic about the project, do it. Spending time with your partner on the project will be legitimate and you will actually get some school work done as well.

If you want just pick your best friend as your partner. Whatever ideas you come up with will be all the more fun to work out in practice. Just make sure that you don’t lose your enthusiasm for your science project midway.

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Check list to Write a Great Science Fair Report

There are many ways to go about writing a good report. What system may work for another person may not work for you. Yet there are a few basic steps that you will follow no matter how you write your report.

Step one will involve making the science projects. Till you have a project you cannot write a report about it. So deciding what to work on and making the project is the logical beginning.

Step two will be collecting the data that you want to add to the report. The scientific principles and theory that you are making use of in your science projects must be reflected here. If the project is based on principles of aerodynamic you will want to project some of the details.

Step three is to organize the data that you have in a logical sequence. Get the serial order right as you represent your facts. Make sure you cover all the relevant points in the report.

Step four is purely cosmetic. This consists of prettying up the report. You get the right font, best pictures and ideal page layout done here.

That’s how simple writing your report on science projects can be. Just follow these basic steps and you’ll be done in no time.

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Writing a Great Science Fair Report Needs Preparation

Getting your project ready for the science fair is usually fun. This is because you are having a good time experimenting with what works and what does not. At the same time most students don’t want to write the science fair report. This is because they find it boring.

Any task you under take can become interesting. Yes, even if it is a dull task like writing a report. The key to making it fun is to be well prepared. Do you go out skating without wearing your helmet and knee pads? No, that would be foolish.

In the same way, you need to be prepared when you sit down to write your science fair report. Get your writing material in order. Place all the reference books you will need in front of you. Think up of an orderly process in which you must proceed.

Half the time when you have collected your thoughts you will find that the report just flows from you. If the project is about Rocket Science you need to get the theory in. Then the exact process you followed to get your working model.

Add a few illustrations. The internet is a great resource for pictures to download. And suddenly you will find that your report has written itself.

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Ideas for Science Projects can come from anywhere

Perhaps because of my extra finely tuned interest in all things related to science I tend to see possible scientific experiments in a lot of day to day things. For instance if I take out a bottle of water from the refrigerator, what do I think? The first thought is about the temperature difference that the water will face. The second is about how it will get warmer in this heat. Then I think about how long it will take to reach room temperature.

Next I wonder what the exact temperature is at that instance. That’s not all, as the droplets of water form on the surface of the bottle I think about condensation. It is the easiest way to prove the existence of water vapor in the air. Then I start thinking about the presence of other gases in the air that we breathe. Maybe even the experiment to prove that oxygen is required for a candle flame to keep burning.

I might go out for a walk and see a science project waiting to be done along the way. I see an empty jar which can be converted into a fountain with the help of a small motor pump. I hear a wind chime and wonder about the resonance of the sounds. Then I think about how that musical sound can be converted into an experiment.

What I am trying to say is that great ideas for a science project can come from extremely mundane every day activities. All you have to do is to keep your eyes and ears open. Explore the world around you in a different light. Once you do have an idea you might want to consider some other aspects of the project. So have fun as you learn more about your world.

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Make the Right Choice

While there are a large number of options to choose from for your science fair project, you need to ensure that you make the right choice. It is okay to be confused about this for a while. There is so much data available these days. On the internet itself you will have hundreds of sites booming with ideas. To filter down to a single one can take some time. Here’s a simple method that you can try out.

It is natural that you have some vague idea about the field of science you want to use. Next try and figure out what you would like the project to do. If you want to make a working model get the theory and read up on it. Is it something that you will be comfortable handling? If it is, you have to see how practical it will be to construct.

There is no point in making a huge model that takes up half the room. It can’t be shipped out to school for the science fair with ease. Plus the larger it is the more the chances of something breaking off and making it useless. Ideally the project size should be something that you can personally carry in your arms. If it has to be larger try and make it into two pieces that you can assemble together.

Don’t forget about the display board and the report. Make sure that you finish it well in advance of the date of the science fair. Also try and get part of the project to school the previous day so that you don’t have too much to do on the final day. And whatever else you do make sure that you have fun.

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Showcase Your Science Projects

The science fair is a place to show off your knowledge. Especially the kind of things you learn independently from the rest of the class. The more details you know the more your science teacher will be impressed. Just make sure that you don’t go into too many irrelevant details because that can get boring. The trick is to get in some of the facts that are interesting and to leave a few out.

Then while you are displaying the project you should use a couple of facts as part of your introduction. This will bolster the science projects and make you look good. Try not to cram in too many details in your talk. Focus on a couple of points and then build on them. In fact if you can go through a logical sequence of events in the working model it will be even better. This will demonstrate to the judges that you truly do have working knowledge of the project.

In a typical science fair scenario it is very difficult for the judges to keep each and every project in mind. The minute you give your project a twist it is far more likely to stay in their minds. Just think of it as advertising your project. Remember the way an advertisement for a particular cola stays in your mind? In the same way you have to create an advertisement type jingle for your project.

It does not have to be something very elaborate or fancy. Simple things work best. Stick to a sentence that is easy to remember and relevant to your project. You can sit and scribble out ten to fifteen of them. Then try them out on a friend to check which one is the best. Remember go for one that is easy to recall rather than one which sounds good. This little trick really ought to help your chances of winning at the science fair.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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