Education

Water can be a great subject area for your science fair project. The physical, chemical, biological or social aspect of water in your life can be considered. The surface tension of water that is different temperatures, the capacity of household products to absorb water, the survival rate of plants being irrigated by different types of water and the ability of younger versus older family members to conserve water are just a few ideas worth investigating. If you are looking for a science fair idea, consider the role of water in your everyday life and you’re sure to come up with a fun and interesting topic.

Read the science fair tips below to help you on your way. There are many websites that can provide additional assistance. Listed below are some sites you might want to explore.

Super science fair project tips

Follow the guidelines or instructions you receive from your teacher. If a parent or other adult is going to help you with your project,share your teacher’s guidelines and instructions before you do anything else.

1. Allow yourself enough time, don’t wait until the last minute to start your project.
2. Take care to include enough content in your display, flashy displays without valid information will not impress many science fair judges.
3. Select a project that is not too complex.
4. Don’t change the project results to fit a hypothesis.
5. Do the work yourself with only limited help from an adult.
6. Be creative.
7. Select a project suitable for your age, skills and knowledge.
8. Have fun and learn something new.
9. Use the scientific method.

The scientific method

Roger Bacon, (1214-1294) an English philosopher, is thought to be one of the earliest advocates of the scientific method, which simply stated is an orderly approach to acquiring knowledge in the natural sciences. The scientific method involves several steps:

• Identifying a problem
• Developing a hypothesis (an assumption made to be tested)
• Deciding on a procedure to test the hypothesis
• Collecting and analyzing the data
• Formulating a conclusion

Additional information:

• The scientific method
• The science fair scoring rubric can be used by teachers for science fair projects.

Sites about science fair projects

Florida State Science and Engineering Fair will give you information on official science fair requirements, competition dates and resources that can be used by students and educators.

Science Buddies provides science fair project ideas, information on how to do a science project, including a timeline, and other science fair resources. Resources and information are provided for the student and educator.

Scifair.org is an extensive resource on science fair projects, science fair ideas, tips on carrying out science experiments, and winning your science fair.

This U.S. Department of Education website provides resources for parents to help their children learn science. This site will provide resources, including books and websites that can be used with a child’s science fair project or to learn about science.

For background information for water projects, consider visiting the following sites:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the lead agency in state government for environmental management and stewardship. This site includes diverse information about protecting Florida’s air, water and land, including restoring the Florida Everglades.

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency site offers an array of information for students, teachers, the public and research students about all aspects of protecting the environment.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) focuses on biology, geography, geology, geospatial information and water. The USGS website provides a wealth of education resources for students, teachers and adults.

Virtual science fair archive compiles award-winning projects exhibited at the Canada Virtual Science Fair since 1999. It features the use of the computer and technology by K-12 students. The site gives tips and ideas to incorporate the computer and technology into science fair projects.

More science fair ideas with water

• Are there differences in water quality between a local stream and pond/lake, and why?
• What do the macroinvertebrates found in a local river tell me about its water quality?
• Which type of water treatment/filter works best for removing different contaminants?
• How can I design a simple water treatment system for my home/cattle/fish tank?
• What type of contaminants are found in runoff from local parks, neighborhoods or highways?
• What is the best method for keeping eroding sediments out of a stream?
• Why does dissolved oxygen content differ between water bodies, seasonally, and at different times of the day? How does this affect aquatic organisms?
• How does the pH of soil differ between sites that are under pine trees and those that are not, and why?
• How does sediment enter a waterway and what effect does it have on the temperature and the dissolved oxygen of the water?
• What ecological and water quality changes occur when different restoration practices are conducted for a lake or stream?