Project Idea Lab
Ideas at a glance
Good science projects start with a question. What interests you?
What have you always wanted to know? These are just ideas to help
you get started.
Plants
- In what type of soil do plants grow best?
- Do plants know which end is up?
- How much light do plants need?
- Can plants get sunburned?
- What color of light in the light spectrum causes green beans to grow the best?
- Does temperature affect the growth of plants?
- Can plants grow from the leaves?
- Do bigger seeds produce bigger plants?
- Does a plant grow bigger if watered with milk or water?
Food
- Compare the amount of starch in assorted vegetables.
- Compare the freezing time for ice cream using ice versus ice and salt.
- Will bananas brown faster on the counter or in the refrigerator?
- Do different kinds of apples have the same number of seeds?
- Which brand of popcorn pops the most kernels?
- Which brand of popcorn pops the fastest?
- Does sunlight affect the taste of milk?
Animals
- Do ants like cheese or sugar better?
- What foods do mealyworms prefer?
- What seeds do birds like best?
- Do mint leaves repel ants?
- Which travels faster a snail or a worm?
- On which surface can a snail move faster, dirt or cement?
- How far does a snail travel in one minute?
- How much can a Caterpillar eat in one day?
- What color of flowers attract hummingbirds best?
- What colors attract moths and other insects at night?
Plants
- What happens to mushrooms grown with no light, or too much light? No moisture, or too much moisture? No fresh air?
- Do roots of a plant always grow downward?
- Compare different methods of cooking a potato and the sensory differences.
- Does adding salt to a plant's water affect its health? How much salt can a plant tolerate before it dies?
- Can plants grow without soil?
- What type of soil is in my school yard?
- How does the spray from mister bottle affect plant growth?
- Does music affect plant growth?
- Does a green plant add oxygen to its environment?
- Compare organic pesticides to commercial pesticides.
- What percentage of cornseeds in a package will germinate?
- Does a plant need some darkness to grow?
- What are the effects of chlorine on plant growth?
- Do weed killers affect house plants?
- How do the moon phases affect plant germination?
- How fast do roots grow?
- What is the effect of chlorinated water on plant growth?
- How does the number of seeds produced by different plants compare?
- Will frozen seeds sprout?
- Will plants grow better in soil or water?
- What can be done to increase the decomposing rate of plants?
- Do plants grow bigger in soil or water?
- How much weight can a growing plant lift?
- Does it matter in which direction seeds are planted?
- Do living plants give off moisture?
- Can mushrooms be grown hydroponically?
- Which plants and vegetables make the best dye?
- Does the type of water affect the growth of plants?
- Do living plants give off moisture?
- Do living plants give off oxygen?
- Does the amount of light affect the growth of plants?
- Does sugar prolong the life of cut flowers?
Food
- Do microwaved foods cool faster than baked or stovetop foods?
- Which wrapping would keep sliced apples the longest in a refrigerator - foil, wax paper, plastic wrap or baggies?
- What plant foods contain starch?
- How much of an orange is water?
- How much of an apple is water?
- How does temperature affect the water uptake in celery plants?
Animals
- Do different species of birds prefer different types of seeds?
- Can earthworms be used to turn kitchen waste into compost?
- What products do beef cattle provide? Which body parts are not used?
- How do day-old domestic chicks behave?
- At what rate do pets drink water?
- Do mint plants repel insects?
Plants
- What factors affect the rate of fruit ripening?
- Will antacids help soil polluted by acid rain?
- What is the percentage of water in various fruits and vegetables?
- How can agricultural pests be controlled without the use of insecticides?
- Does temperature affect how well an insecticide will work?
- How does centrifugal force affect the germination of corn seeds?
- How does light direction affect plant growth?
- Will vitamins affect the growth of a plant?
- What is the effect of detergent on bean seeds?
- Under what color light do plants grow best?
- In what kind of material (sand, clay, etc.) do seeds grow best?
- What is the effect of fats and cholesterol on plants?
- Can a mushroom block continue to produce new flushes of mushrooms over a longer total life span if the block is lightly fertilized? Does an organic fertilizer (e.g. something like milk, gelatin, etc.) work better, or an inorganic one (something like Miracle Grow™)?
- Do different types of soil hold different amounts of water?
- Will adding bleach to the water of a plant reduce fungus growth?
- Does the color of light spectrum affect plant growth?
- What conservation practice works best to control erosion?
Food
- Observe the influence of different cooking methods and different pHs on the appearance, flavor and texture of vegetables.
- Does sunlight affect the amount of vitamin C in orange juice?
- What effect does cooking have on a food's nutritional value?
- How do microwaves work to cook food?
Animals
- Does playing music increase egg-laying in chickens? Ducks?
- What effect does increased soil acidity have on earthworms?
- How important are earthworms to soil formation and plant growth?
- What kind of life can be found in one square meter of backyard soil?
- How does a bird embryo grow in an egg?
- Can mice distinguish color?
- How do mealyworms respond to light?
- How does an earthworm react to light and darkness?
- Do different kinds of caterpillars eat different amounts of food?
- Does temperature affect the flash rate of fireflies?
- What is the effect of temperature on the activity of (mealyworms, crickets, etc.)?
- Does a student's grade level affect his/her knowledge of endangered species?
- How does earthworm population relate to soil type?
Other Science Fair Resources