Science Projects

Below are listed a number of science and energy activities for students, K-12. Each of them have a short description on this page and then a link to the actual activity. Some activity sheets will need to be downloaded or printed with your Web browser software. Some activities require help from an adult. Check first with your teacher or parent before doing a project.

Please note that because of lots of variables, we cannot guarantee that these projects will work. Some have been tested, and others have been adapted from science experiments and projects books.

Check with the California Science Fair for information about their annual contest.

Click here to see a small portion of Shyamal Buch presentation, on his project, "Got Motor? Got Generator! Can a Motor Act Like a Generator, and How Efficiently?" Shyamal won first place in the Electronics and Electromagnets category of the Junior Division at the 2007 Science Fair. He also received an Energy in Science Recognition Award from the California Energy Commission. (2 Min. 6.39 mb)

For a really comprehensive list of every science fair accessible through the World Wide Web, both real and "virtual," go to http://physics.usc.edu/~gould/ScienceFairs/.

What makes a good science project?

Most science projects usually need the following:

A project question (problem)
A hypothesis
An experiment that contains these parts:
- a control
- an independent variable
- a dependent variable

Project Categories

Chemical/Stored Energy Projects

Peanut Power - How much energy is in a single peanut? Find out...

Electricity Projects

Battery Life - A Science Experiment (By Tracy and Emily)
An experiment using the scientific method to determine which brand of battery lasts the longest.

Electromagnet - Here's an "attractive" project, create a magnet using electricity.

Lemon Power - Use a lemon to make a voltaic battery and even power a digital watch.

Light By Friction - Another static electricity project.

Make Your Own Lightning - Find out how lightning works in a storm by safely creating mini-lighting bolts.

Open & Short Circuits - Find out how to make an open and a short circuit.

Make a Rheostat - A small device that controls the voltage flow by a dial or knob.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power Plant - Make a model of a power plant that uses steam.

Hydro-Power / Water Energy Projects

Hydro-Power - The force of water!

Splitting H₂O (Water) to Make Oxygen and Hydrogen - Water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen, and these gases can be produced through electrolysis.

Make a Steam-Powered "Rocket Boat" - Even Fulton would have loved one of these.

Make a Turbine - For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Using Water to Produce Energy - Water can be used to do work. Build a couple of water projects.

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Chain Reaction - A chain reaction demonstration

Saving Energy

Cool House - Using shade trees to keep your home cool.

Heat From Light Bulbs - the higher the watts, the hotter the bulb?

Insulation - What materials make the best insulation?

Solar Projects

Energy From the Sun - Three activities that "bring the sun to life."
Infrared-Hot - Discover infrared by repeating Herschel's experiment, and learn the relationship between frequency and wavelength.

The Sun's Jobs - What jobs does the sun do? Make a "sun jobs" chart or book with students.

Solar Hot Dog Cooker - Instructions on building a solar-powered hotdog cooker.

Transportation Energy Projects

Air Power - Use the force of compressed air to move a "vehicle"

Wind Energy Projects

Measuring the Wind - A simple gauge to measure how strong the wind is blowing.
Making an Anemometer - Make a device to measure wind speed.

Other Projects

Greenhouse Effect - Why does it get really hot inside a car parked in the sun? It's the greenhouse effect.

See Spot Run - Explore the concept of color as a complex mixture. It will also explore the unique properties of water that make it a good "mix separator," using hands-on techniques like paper chromatography and virtual science.

Make a Thermometer - thermometer measures heat energy. Build a simple one.

Links to Other Science Projects Sites

Elmer's Science Fair Central - Gives tips for choosing, creating and displaying your science project.

Best of the Web - Science Fairs

Bill Nye the Science Guy^TM - Click "Home Demos" for science projects.

Experimental Science Projects: An Introductory Level Guide

For Kids Only - NASA's Earth Science Enterprise

KidSpace @ Internet Public Library - Science Fair Project Resource Guide

Make It Solar - Science Fair Projects and Topics.

National Energy Education Development Project Science Fair Projects.

PBS Program - ZOOM - Science Projects by Kids for Kids

Science Buddies - Science Buddies offers detailed guidance and examples for serious students who want to do the best possible science project.

Science Club - Kids' Science Projects

Science Fair Center - Science Fair Project Ideas and Water Topics.

Science Fairs HomePage - from the Eastern Newfoundland Science Fairs Council

Science News for Kids - highlights award-winning science projects and lots of advice for science projects, including the "Ask an Expert" section.

Score Science - Kid's Corner - Hot links to science activities

Solar Cooker - A link to another site on the Internet to get instructions on building a real Solar Cooker. These cookers can prepare an entire meal...including dessert...just with the heat of the sun.

Spike's Science Projects - More than 400 science projects for teachers and students to browse, download or just read.

Static Electricity Experiment - from The Exploratorium Museum.

Student science projects from NSRC - (great for ideas!)

Super Science Fair Projects Fun Science Experiments & Ideas. Ultimate Science Fair Resource - Excellent site for getting the big picture.

Yahoo - Science Fair Guides

WWW Virtual Library: Science Fairs - (huge index)


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