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Don't forget to check out Labrats, the ultimate FREE online science club for kids and families who want to do more hands-on science experiments. The Labrats Motto: Do the experiment! The Labrats Slogan: Data over dogma! The Labrats Credo
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Another Super Science Project Tip How To Pick the Right Science Project Since science includes absolutely everything that exists anywhere in the entire Universe, you aught to be able to find something out there that lead you to a successful science project. It's actually pretty easy if you remember these two simple rules. Rule #1: Your topic doesn't matter much. Unless your going after the top spot at one of the super elite national science competitions, your choice of project matters a lot less than you might think. Science fair judges are looking for evidence that you understand the methods of science and that you can actually carry out the entire scientific process--hypothesis to conclusion:That is, that you can formulate a testable question, design and implement a solid science experiment and write up an understandable science fair project report. They especially want to see that you understand whatever topic you have chosen, and that you understand the scientific method. Do all that, and you'll have a winning project. Rule #2: Just make sure you've selected a science project. For instance, do NOT try to substitute an art project for your science project! For instance, what does mixing baking soda and vinegar with a little red food coloring have to do with how volcanoes erupt? Answer... absolutely nothing. Yet many science fair students spend a whole lot of time creating a paper masche "volcano" around a soda bottle to deliver that classic but silly payoff. The truth is, the volcano "experiment" is an art project, not a science project, that has no place in a science classroom, let alone a science fair. And there are plenty of other disguised art projects at science fairs as well. How do you tell? ...It's pretty simple. If you haven't made measurements (or reviewed published data) to answer a specific and narrowly defined question, you haven't done a science project. Rule #3: (the most important rule of all!) Pick a science project that interests you! I can't emphasize this enough. If your science project doesn't get you excited, then it's the wrong project for you. You've got be interested in something, right? Then you can formulate a narrowly focused question about whatever that thing is, can't you? Well, if that question is one that you could answer in a reasonably short amount of time using stuff that you have ready access to, then you've got yourself a science project. For more hints about selecting your science project idea, check out my 4 Fundamental Rules of science project success. Dr. Shawn Are you running out of time? Check out Dr. Shawn's Desperation Science Projects for a complete science project instructions that can be carried out in just one day! Or, better, have a complete science experiment sent directly to your home for professional science experiment results fast! And, of course, you'll find plenty of science project ideas at Dr. Shawn's science project idea bank, or my student-driven science project idea exchange.
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