Science Project Guidelines
• Help your child look around for ideas. Investigate libraries, Internet, etc.,
• Help your child collect and save materials. Inexpensive materials found around
the home often work the best.
• Assist as needed, but let your student do the work
• Allow your child time for thinking, exploring, and doing the experiment.
• These are the steps to go about with your project
- Choose a problem to investigate.
- Do some background research and get advice.
- Develop a hypothesis.
- Decide on the procedures you will use.
- Make a list of materials you will need and gather materials.
- Conduct your investigation and collect data.
- Organize your data or results.
- Draw your conclusions.
- Keep a project notebook (log).
- Design your exhibit. (Details given below)
- Turn in your project.
- Present your project.
Exhibit Guidelines
Use a trifold
display
board
The center will have
The Science question
Followed by Hypothesis
Observation table/Graphs/Data etc
Conclusion
The sides will have
Procedures
Materials Used
Uses
Any other Facts related to the
project
Sample Questions for Science Fair
Projects
• Does the type of liquid affect how fast an ice cube melts?
• Do colored ice cubes melt at the same rate as clear ice cubes? Add food coloring to an
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ice cube tray and compare how long the colored cubes take to melt compared with the
regular ones.
Do white candles and colored candles burn at the same rate?
Does changing the temperature of water affect the buoyancy of an egg?
Does the amount of Mentos (white candy) affect the height of the pop explosion?
Do frozen candles burn at the same rate as candles that were stored at room
temperature?
What type of liquid will rust a nail the quickest? You could try water, orange juice,
milk, vinegar, peroxide, and other common household liquids.
How does increasing the height of a ramp affect how far a ball rolls down the ramp?
Do cut flowers last longer if you put them in warm water or in cold water? You can
test how effectively flowers are drinking water by adding food coloring to it and using
white cut flowers, such as carnations. Do flowers drink warm water faster, slower, or
at the same rate as cold water?
Do all types of bread grow the same types of mold?
Do raw eggs and hard-boiled spin the same length of time/number of times?
Does light affect how fast food spoils?
Do all students in the class have the same size hands and feet as each other? Trace
outlines of hands and feet and compare them. Do taller students have larger hands/feet
or does height not seem to matter?
Does the flavor of ice cream affect how fast the ice cream melts?
Does changing the wingtip direction affect an airplane’s flight?
Does changing the movement of water affect the shade (color) of the water?
Does changing the height of a ramp affect how far a car will travel?
Does the type of shoe worn during a 20 yard dash affect the speed in which you can
run?
Does changing the size of a paper airplane affect how far it flies?
How does the type of liquid affect how much a penny will corrode in 5 minutes?
How does changing the amount of baking soda and vinegar affect the height of an
explosion? (careful to change only one: baking soda or vinegar)
How does the type of light affect how quickly a plant will grow
Does surface temperature of a glass affect fingerprints?
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Which antacid is the most effective in neutralizing an acid?
What materials provide the best insulation?
What material is the best to keep heat in?
What material filters oily water the best?
Will more air inside a basketball make it bounce higher?
How does the temperature of a tennis ball affect the height of its bounce?
How does the air pressure of a soccer ball affect how far it travels when kicked?
How does the temperature of water affect the time its takes to freeze into ice cubes?
How will adding different flavors of Kool-Aid to water affect the water's boiling
point?
Does the flavor of gelatin affect the amount of time it takes to set?
Given the same amount of water, how does pot size affect the amount of time it takes
to boil?
Which can support more weight: paper or plastic grocery bags?
What brand of paper towel is most absorbent?
Does the color of a shirt affect the amount of heat it absorbs?
How does temperature affect the growth of mold?
Which stays fresher longer: organic or non-organic fruit?
Can people use their sense of hearing alone to tell apart a penny, nickel, dime, and
quarter?
Can blindfolded people tell the difference between bottled water and tap water?
Which type of container traps the most heat: a shoe box covered in aluminum foil,
plastic wrap, or wax paper?
What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
Please feel free to pick up your own science questions. The above questions are just
samples provided to give you an idea. Some other resources for kids to find science
questions which are testable
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments.html
http://redtri.com/classic-science-experiments/slide/1/#slide
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/40-cool-science-experiments-web
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/search.shtml?v=ia&ia=FoodSci