9 Science Fair Projects You Can Knock Out in a Weekend

Posted 8/21/15

When it comes to science fairs, students want to go beyond the standard potato clock or vinegar-baking soda volcano. Unfortunately, kids with a tendency toward procrastination find their project options growing fewer by the day as the deadline quickly approaches. You want your student to be self-sufficient, but that doesn't mean you can't help get the ball rolling. Finish before the weekend is over with one of these nine science fair projects sure to wow the judges. 

Chemistry Experiments for a Pint-Sized Scientist

Soda might be your student's favorite beverage, but it also contains phosphoric acid that corrodes materials such as copper. To see the chemical reaction, grab a couple of dull, tarnished pennies from under the sofa, and place them in a plastic storage container overnight along with some cola. They should be bright and shiny in the morning.

If you don't have all night for the science fair project, gather some felt-tipped markers and coffee filters to uncover the hidden colors in marker ink. Cut the coffee filters into small strips, and color one dot on the end of each. Place the strips against the wall of a glass with water. Keep the colored dot above the water line, watching the water seep through the paper and lift up the different colors composing the ink. 

Magnetic Science Projects to Draw You In

Your student doesn't need to look further than his or her breakfast cereal to explore the mysteries of magnets. For this project, crumble some iron-fortified cereal onto a plate of water and then hold a super strong magnet over the surface to see how the iron particles in the cereal are attracted to the magnet.

For a quick magnetic experiment using laser jet toner, mix equal parts vegetable oil and toner in a beaker, and pour the mixture into a shallow plastic storage container. As you move a magnet along the outside of the container, the toner moves around in unique shapes. This fun phenomenon occurs thanks to the small particles of iron in the toner fluid. It also makes a great interactive science fair display when showing off the experiment.

If your student is itching to create, help him or her make an electromagnet with a D battery, some thin-coated copper wire and an iron nail. Wrap the wire around the nail, leaving 8 inches of excess at either end, and remove the plastic coating from the ends. Tape the wire to the ends of the battery to create a working magnet that picks up pins and paper clips. For older students, differentiate this science fair project by trying different types of wire to see if it's more conductive than copper.

Electrifying Battery Projects

Students of all ages love the thrill of creating their own working electric motor, and adults love how easy it is to put this science fair project together. Use a rubber band to tie a round magnet to a 1.5-volt battery before connecting two safety pins to the poles loop-side-out with another rubber band. The pins should align with the magnet. Make a loop of copper wire with two straight pieces on either end, and slip the piece through the hoops of the safety pin to watch it rotate.

To make an easy science fair project that only requires watching and waiting, complete a flashlight test to see which batteries last longest. Collect alkaline and non-alkaline batteries of different brands, placing them in identical flashlights and turning them on at the same time. Record when the light turns off in each to discover which batteries are most powerful.

Light and Optics Experiments

In this fascinating science fair project with no mess to clean up, use a phone camera to detect the invisible infrared light that a remote control emits. Point the remote at the phone camera, pressing buttons as you watch the image. Although you can't see the infrared light itself, the LED diode at the end of the remote should get bright on the screen.

If you don't have a camera on hand, make a working microscope experiment by placing a drop of water into a tiny loop of fuse wire. Hold the wire over fine print to magnify it, and see what happens when you hold it closer or farther from the page. 

Showcase Your Child Doing the Experiment

Remember that every good science project needs a hypothesis to go along with the experiment. For instance, if you're making an electromagnet, ask whether the thickness of the nail affects the strength, and test out this hypothesis. Don't forget to have your student take pictures before, during and after the experiment to use when making a display board.