Biology · Plant Science
Find which conditions seeds need to germinate
Germinate seeds with and without water, warmth, air and light, and find which conditions are essential.
- Beginner
- 1–2 weeks
- Under 250
606 projects · 13 streams · every class
Science projects 27
Experiments, working models and investigations in physics, chemistry, biology, earth and space. Most can be done at home or in a school lab, and each one says what it costs and how long it takes.
27 Science projects
Chemistry · Analytical Chemistry
Make a red cabbage pH indicator and test household liquids
Extract a natural indicator from red cabbage and rank household liquids from acid to base.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Environmental Science · Pollution
Measure air quality with sticky cards
Hang petroleum-jelly cards at five locations and compare the particles they collect in a week.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- Under 250
Astronomy and Space · Observational Astronomy
Track the Moon's phases for a month
Sketch the Moon every clear night for a month and explain the pattern with a ball-and-lamp model.
- Beginner
- 2–4 weeks
- Free
Physics · Optics
Build a pinhole camera and find its magnification
Make a box camera with no lens and show that image size depends on object and screen distance.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Chemistry · Physical Chemistry
Grow crystals and test what changes their size
Grow alum or sugar crystals and find how cooling speed changes crystal size.
- Easy
- 1–2 weeks
- Under 250
Chemistry · Analytical Chemistry
Separate ink colours with paper chromatography
Separate the dyes in marker pens on filter paper and calculate an Rf value for each colour.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Astronomy and Space · Planetary Science
Build a scale model of the solar system on your street
Shrink the solar system so the Sun is a football and place the planets at true scale distances.
- Beginner
- 1 day
- Under 250
Astronomy and Space · Observational Astronomy
Make a model of the solar and lunar eclipses
Use a torch and two balls to show how the Moon's shadow and the Earth's shadow cause eclipses.
- Beginner
- 1 day
- Under 250
Physics · Dynamics
Test which shapes fall slowest: a parachute study
Make parachutes of different sizes and shapes and time their fall with the same load.
- Beginner
- 1 day
- Under 250
Physics · Optics
Build a periscope and test the law of reflection
Make a periscope from card and two mirrors and show that both must sit at 45 degrees.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Environmental Science · Water
Build a solar still to purify water
Make drinking-quality water from salty water with sunlight and measure how much you get.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
Biology + Environmental Science
Track how composting changes kitchen waste
Set up compost bins with different mixes and record temperature, smell and breakdown for a month.
- Easy
- 2–4 weeks
- Under 250
Biology · Human Physiology
Build a model of the lungs and measure lung capacity
Make a bell-jar lung model from a bottle and balloons, then measure real lung capacity by displacing water.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Astronomy and Space · Rocketry
Build and launch a paper rocket with a stomp launcher
Launch paper rockets with compressed air and test how fins and nose shape change the distance.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
Environmental Science · Climate
Model the melting of ice caps and sea level
Show that melting land ice raises water level but melting floating ice does not.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Electrostatics
Build an electroscope and test charges
Make a foil-leaf electroscope in a jar and use it to compare charged objects.
- Beginner
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Earth Science · Geology
Classify local rocks and make a rock key
Collect ten rocks, test hardness, streak and reaction to vinegar, and build an identification key.
- Easy
- 2–7 days
- Under 250
Environmental Science · Water
Build a simple water filter and test it
Layer cotton, sand and gravel in a bottle and see how clear muddy water becomes.
- Beginner
- 1 day
- Under 250
Physics · Current Electricity
Build a simple circuit board game
Make a quiz board where a bulb lights when a question is matched to the right answer.
- Beginner
- 1 day
- Under 250
Earth Science · Physical Geography
Model a river and study erosion
Run water down a sand tray and see how slope, flow and plant cover change erosion.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
Chemistry + Environmental Science
Test how well different materials filter dirty water
Build layered filters from sand, gravel and charcoal and compare how clear the water comes out.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
Earth Science + Crops, Soil and Horticulture
Test soil types for water holding and drainage
Pour water through sand, clay and loam and measure how much each holds and how fast it drains.
- Easy
- 1 day
- Under 250
Environmental Science · Circular Economy
Test the biodegradability of everyday materials
Bury ten materials in soil for a month and record which break down.
- Easy
- 2–4 weeks
- Under 250
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