I have many biases when it comes to Science Fair projects. I don’t like models at all—not even a maglev train model. Yes, I mean solar system models and volcanoes, too! I discourage testing the strength between paper towel brands or music and plant growth. Instead I like projects with more depth. One young student wanted to test Fizz Keepers. Do they work? I helped her set up controls and lent her the CO2 sensor, after showing her how it operates. Why is this a good experiment? The student had the original question.
Instead look for Testable Questions. Are birds attracted to different types of bird feeders? Measure the strength of your password. A group of girls asked 30 or more adults to enter their most used passwords for this project. None were saved or recorded. Water quality comparison are always good. What do the results mean? Aquarium strips are fairly inexpensive and include several types of tests. Here are some basic tests. One of the hardest aspects of Science Fair is coming up with a testable idea that a child can complete in a reasonable amount of time. If you are doing a science fair project, spend time developing a good testable question, such as, ‘Which local fishing pond has the best water quality?’
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