Science Fair Project Ideas
The best science project is one that answers a question for you! Did you ever wonder how something
works? Or what causes things that happen in the environment? Now is the time to find out. Here are some
suggestions to help you come up with a project idea:
1. Visit the science section of the library and look at science books and magazines (such as National
Geographic Kids, Discover, Popular Science, or Popular Mechanics). Pick a science topic that interests
you, and then use what you know about that topic to generate a question about something you don’t
know. For instance, you may know that water evaporates. You may wonder what determines whether
or not water will evaporate. You can refine that question to make it testable. For instance, what has the
most impact on water evaporation – climate or temperature?
2. When you are reading the newspaper, think of a science question related to current events. For
instance, crops die because of droughts – consider a project on growing plants to determine what
types can grow without much water. Oil spills can cause serious damage to our natural resources and
wildlife – explore how to clean oil out of water.
3. Think about ways to test the truthfulness of the claims you hear or see on commercials. For
instance, does one laundry soap really clean dirt better than another? Can kids tell the difference
between two types of cake mixes?
For inspiration, here is a list of science inquiry questions related to science units at each grade level. You
do not need to pick one of these – these ideas are provided to help you generate your own idea. Remember,
the idea behind your project is to practice the skills of scientific inquiry.
Grade 5
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How does the mass of a structure affect how much mass it can hold?
How does the size of magnets affect the number of paper clips that can be held?
How does the color of a dollhouse affect the internal temperature when placed in sunlight?
Which brand of battery really is the longest lasting?
If one battery weighs twice as much as another, will it last twice as long?
Trace a genetic trait (i.e. eye color) through several generations in your family and see if you can find a
trend.
What is the best predictor of someone’s height? Is it their hand size, hat size, shoe size, or belt size?
Do magnets affect plants?
Grade 4
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How does detergent affect plants in an ecosystem?
Do all soluble substances (such as sugar, salt, baking soda, ice tea mix, or chocolate milk mix) dissolve
at the same rate?
Does temperature affect how fast something will dissolve?
How does soil type affect the amount of water the soil can hold?
At what pH level does Elodea (or duckweed) grow best?
How does fertilizer affect the amount of algae growth in pond water?
Which plant pigments (colors from petals or juices) make the best indicators of acids and bases?
What form of crystals grow the biggest?
Does the pH of water affect how grass grows?
Grade 3
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How does gravity affect the germination of seeds?
How does soil type affect a plant?
Do year-old plant seeds germinate, grow, and develop the same as fresh plant seeds?
How does the liquid used for paper chromatography affect the pigment separation of a black marker?
How does the paper used for paper chromatography affect the pigment separation of a black marker?
How does the diameter of a tube affect the pitch of the sound it generates when air is blown through
it?
Does too much of a good thing (water, light) affect plants?
Where do seeds sprout best? Do various factors (heat, water, soil) make a difference in sprouting
success?
Does the color of light affect plant growth?
Grade 2
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How does the number of paper clips on a paper cut-out of a butterfly affect the placement of the
fulcrum?
How do the shapes of paper cut-outs affect the design of a mobile?
How does the size of a caterpillar compare to the size of the developed butterfly wings?
Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate?
Does color affect the evaporation of water?
How does the reaction of a hard cooked egg immersed in vinegar for one week compare to the
reaction of a hard cooked egg immersed for a week in a different liquid such as lemon juice, cola, or
orange juice?
Kindergarten & Grade 1
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How does the temperature of liquid water affect the rate of evaporation?
How does the color of a piece of paper in a closed clear container placed in sunlight affect the
temperature inside the container?
How does soil type affect the rate at which water can drain through the soil?
How does the temperature of water affect the rate at which it will freeze?
Does the size of a sphere affect the rate it can roll down a slope?
How does the rate of water filtering through plain soil compare to water filtering through soil with
grass (or other plant)?
Does grass grow and develop the same in sunlight and shade?
How does a surface affect how fast a ball will roll down a slope?
Miscellaneous
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Does the color of toilet paper affect how well or how quickly it dissolves?
Are paper grocery bags stronger than plastic? Does double-bagging change results?
Does music affect memory?