Projects for Your Science Fair

David Anderson, Ph.D.

Science fair projects can be an enjoyable way to learn about science, but a project can also cause frustration. Teachers must realize that one of the most important considerations is that each student be interested in his project. Otherwise, the ill will of a student already fearful of science may be increased. Remember, science-project topics are not limited to chemistry, physics, and biology but can include cooking, sewing, and music.

A senior high student should do most if not all of the planning, reasoning, experimenting, and constructing of the display. Parents or teachers should still oversee projects to ward off flagrant mistakes and dangerous experiments. All help from anyone should be acknowledged in the exhibit and the bibliography of the report.

Once a project area has been chosen, the details of the project must be worked out. The scientific method must be followed. Timing of the experiment should be scheduled. Some materials will need to be purchased, but it is acceptable to substitute household items for expensive materials.

A science fair project (at least in junior and senior high) must have a controlled experiment. A controlled experiment has a control group. The control group does not have the variable added to it. If the problem is to determine which detergent best removes stains, the hypothesis is that detergent "Brand X" is the best. The experiment consists of washing identical stains in different detergents. The control group is a stain washed without detergent. Through comparison with the control group, the student can determine how effective the detergent treatments are. A weakness is that a conclusion is made based on a very small sample size/amount of data. While statistical significance is beyond the abilities of most students, teachers should encourage repetition of experiments or suggest a reasonable amount of data to be compiled before a conclusion is made.

The objective of a science fair is to learn firsthand about the process called science. It involves using the scientific method, but it also requires reporting what was done and what happened in enough detail that another student could repeat the experiment. Materials, methods, and results from the experiment should be recorded in a journal. Quantitative measurements are the best (weights, etc.), but some experiments allow only qualitative data (e.g., shades of color). It is not necessary to put all the information from the journal into the project exhibit, but this should be available in case a judge wishes to see it. The typed report includes an abstract, materials and methods, and results and conclusions. Senior high students may be asked to give an oral presentation of their work.

It is essential that the following topics be addressed in the exhibit:

1. hypothesis--what I thought would happen
2. experiment--what I did
3. results--what happened
4. conclusion--what this means

The experimental apparatus is usually included as part of the display unless it is not feasible. Analyzed data (graphs, etc.), photographs, and videotapes can be used to show the results and to help describe the experiment. Glitter and gloss are no substitutes for a good experiment.

Most exhibits use a display board made of lightweight plywood or heavy cardboard. The board is cut into sections and hinged so that it can be folded for easy transport and can stand upright if partially unfolded. The title of the project is centered near the top. Neatness and choice of colors are important. Visual aids should be labeled clearly. The exhibit should, in a logical sequence, show the course of the project. The best exhibits make the story obvious without the need for reading a lot of print.

If you plan to send the best projects on to regional or state science fairs, the projects should follow the regional/state rules from the beginning. (For example, no experiments on vertebrate animals are permitted.) Meanwhile, students can make the project better and learn more about science if the judges' score sheets point out strong and weak points in the exhibit, but do not expect this. As the teacher, you should discuss with the student the strengths and weaknesses of his project. Remember that the purpose is to learn more about science, not just to win.

Reprinted from Teacher to Teacher, January 1997.

Used with permission from BJU Press. For permission to reproduce this article, please write BJU Press.