The 9th-grade science fair is quickly approaching, yet your ideas either lack excitement or were used in last year’s fair…well, look no further! We have collected 56 unique and creative science fair projects that are sure to impress both your students and fairgoers. From optical illusions to black lights and chemical reactions, whatever sparks your students’ imagination, we’ve got you covered! Grab your science goggles and let’s start experimenting!
1. Accurate Weather Forecasting
This experiment works best with access to a weather station. Most cities do have one, so see if weather records are available to use with your class. If not, keep a log from various weather channels: 1-day t, 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day forecasts. Your students will compare these predictions to real-time weather to gauge the forecasting accuracy.
Learn More: Weather Forecast
2. Floating Rice
Friction happens all around us, and without it, our world would slip into chaos! To complete this simple experiment, your kiddos will only require some rice, a bottle, and a long utensil such as a chopstick or pencil. Have them fill the bottle with rice, push the pencil or stick inside, and lift the bottle to see what happens!
Learn More: Floating Rice
3. Gender Influence on Math Anxiety
This experiment challenges your kiddos to take on some pretty advanced concepts like adding control groups, managing variables, and data interpretation. They can use heart monitors connected to other kids in a math class and a different subject, and then compare the results. Can they identify anxiety patterns between genders and subjects?
Learn More: Gender And Math Anxiety
4. Hydroponic Garden
Are vertical gardens the way of the future? This engineering project requires your kiddies to have some prior knowledge of plant caretaking, and the willingness to construct a complex system with pipes and connectors. Let them build their hydroponic garden and find out if plants can grow without soil!
Learn More: Hydroponic Garden
5. Crystal Powered Radio
With just a diode, a piece of wood, and an earphone, your students can make their own homemade radio! Following the specific instructions, they’ll be able to connect materials in order to pick up signals from the surrounding area! Let them explore different options and make the best radio they can!
Learn More: Homemade Radio
6. Plastic Bottle Bridge
This experiment tests your kiddos’ engineering skills by building a bridge out of plastic bottles and metal screws! Their creation will need to be strong enough for your class to walk and sit on! Your engineers will love cutting and connecting plastic bottles and inflating them with dry ice to create a strong structure.
Learn More: Bottle Bridge
7. Apple Wrecking Ball
This awesome STEM challenge uses momentum, force, and inertia to maneuver an apple to hit target objects. Have your learners create a structure using string and construction paper rolled into cylinders. Next, they can get creative by choosing markers, highlighters, empty bottles, or other items to face down the apple wrecking ball!
Learn More: Apple Bowling
8. Symbiotic Plants and Bacteria
Do bacteria and plants work together? How do nitrogen-fixing bacteria support the growth process? Have your class answer these questions with this simple chemistry experiment using pots, soil, seeds, a sterile inoculating loop, and a Rhizobium leguminosarum culture (bacteria). They’ll observe what happens when only half their pots receive the bacteria!
Learn More: Bacteria And Plants
9. The Chemistry of Colorful Fire
Explore the chemical process behind the change in color in flames with this cool experiment! Your students will test common chemicals by running a metal rod under cold water and dipping it in the chemical being tested, before exposing it to a flame. They will then record the results to show which chemicals change the flame’s color! Who knew chemistry could be so colorful!?
Learn More: Rainbow Fire
10. Second Language Learning Factors
This project focuses on the social sciences by exploring whether gender, native language, or age affects how we learn a second language. Have your kids dive in by creating a hypothesis and then let them test this prediction out with willing study participants! They’ll love the chance to get their friends and family involved with this fun project idea!
Learn More: Slideshare
11. Optical Illusions in Color and Black & White
What role does color play in how our eyes perceive the world around us? For this project, your kiddies will time how long it takes for participants to solve both color and black-and-white illusions to find out which type is more challenging to see! The results might surprise them!
Learn More: Optical Illusions And Color
12. Rubber Band Car
Your learners will love this project where they can make a car from just a few simple household items! In this fun engineering design project, they’ll use paper cups, rubber bands, a paper clip, a small washer, and one chopstick. Once the parts are assembled, show them how to twist the chopstick around the rubber bands to change potential energy to kinetic energy causing the little car to take off!
Learn More: Kinetic Car
13. Earthquake Science
This cool science experiment explores how static friction works to create an earthquake-like disruption using natural materials. Grab standard bricks and see how much force it takes to rub them together. Your students will gain extra practice with math when varying the controls by adding weight to fluctuate the friction!
Learn More: Earthquake Math
14. Forensic Fingerprints
This project is based on the techniques used by forensic scientists to identify fingerprints found at crime scenes! Let your kiddies become mystery solvers too using just some muriatic acid and oily fingers. The muriatic acid reacts with the amino acids in the skin to make fingerprints glow green – so cool!
Learn More: Fingerprint Science
15. Effects of Antibiotics on Bacteria
How do the most common antibiotics react with gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria? Have your learners collect bacteria from their skin or mouth and swab them onto a petri dish. Show them how to establish a control dish and then add different antibiotics to the other dishes. They’ll be amazed as they observe how the antibiotics react with the bacteria!
Learn More: Antibiotic And Bacteria
16. Glowing Water
This experiment will receive glowing reviews! Your students will need a highlighter, a black light, tonic water, and a dark room to create their glowing water. Instruct them to soak the felt tip of the highlighter in tonic water; after a while, they can place the water next to a black light in the dark room, and see it glow!
Learn More: Glowing Tonic
17. Candy Lab
This two-day experiment offers your pupils the opportunity to apply their knowledge of moles and molecules to make peppermint-flavored candy! All they’ll need is an aluminum tin, a Bunsen burner, and the focus to follow careful directions so that candy will be made! Learning to make candy? They won’t believe their luck!
Learn More: Candy Labs
18. Rain or Snow: Which is more Acidic?
This experiment compares acid rain with acid snow to discover which has a lower pH and is therefore more acidic. Your little scientists will collect samples from water sources like rain, snow, and sleet, and then test them using pH paper. Have them record each result so that they can compare them at the end!
Learn More: Acidic Water Types
19. Soda Rocket
Chemical reactions are a great topic for a science project. In this demonstration, your kiddies will create their own rockets using just soda and Mentos candy! They’ll show what happens when these two substances interact and form a reaction – much to the delight of their audience!
Learn More: Hessun Academy
20. Chladni Plate
Your kiddos won’t believe you when you say they can see sound! For this experiment, they can use recycled materials to build a cylinder and then stretch a balloon over the top. Next, have them add salt to the surface and then blow or speak into the side tube to create sound. Seeing the moving effects of sound will truly ‘wow’ your audience!
Learn More: Science Mom
21. Burning Ice
Can ice really burn? This experiment is a great way for your learners to find out! Adding alcohol over ice creates the illusion of it being on firefire, but the true source of the flame is really the alcohol. They’ll love coming to this conclusion, documenting the process, and demonstrating this at, their science fair
Learn More: Steamsational
22. Oxidation Experiment
This experiment shows your class which items are prone to oxidation. Have them collect items made from different types of metal and submerge them in water and/or salt water to observe how fast they rust. Applying the scientific method and keeping a close record of the process will support budding scientists!
Learn More: Teach Beside Me
23. Create a Biodome
Any of your students who are interested in environmental science and the engineering design process will love this biodome project! They can use materials including sand, seeds, and insects, and measure the effects of different amounts of water on their environment. What a fantastic way to observe the interconnectedness of ecosystems!
Learn More: Teach Engineering
24. Light Maze
Scientists eager to learn how light works will enjoy creating these light-bending mazes. Have your kiddies build a maze and then add mirrors to reinforce and explore the concept that light travels in a straight line. This experiment also encourages them to think like engineers as they construct and build their mazes.
Learn More: Science-Sparks
25. Build Your Own Fan
Give your kiddos a better understanding of how currents and circuits work by having them build this small electric fan. This kit comes with all of the items needed to build this fan and includes step-by-step directions for them to follow; perfect if you need an idea that’s ready to go with minimal prep!
Learn More: Amazon
26. DIY Hot Air Balloon
The sky’s the limit with this project focusing on forces and motion. Challenge your students to find the best design and materials for a hot air balloon. Testing it will be the real task! Will it fly or fall flat? Remind them to document their trials so they have the data to present at the fair!
Learn More: Teaching Is Messy
27. Which Fertilizer is Best?
Let your students discover the secret ingredient to great plant growth. This experiment will expand on their existing knowledge of what plants need to grow by having them determine the best fertilizer for producing and enhancing growth. Your future agronomists will test the effects of different fertilizers and record their observations to present at the fair!
Learn More: Education
28. Head to the Races
If any of your students have access to a 3D printer, this is definitely the project for them! They’ll be taking on the challenge of creating their own race cars to compete against their peers! They’ll need to consider how the cargo affects racing performance and think of ways to overcome this as they race to the finish line!
Learn More: Instructables
29. Life Cycles of Stars
Space exploration is always a topic of interest in any 9th-grade classroom. In this NASA lesson, your kids will study the life cycle of stars and diagram the different phases and processes that contribute to a star’s formation. It’s a super opportunity for your budding astronomers to explain the mysteries of the universe! To infinity and beyond!
Learn More: National Aeronautics And Space Administration
30. Water Wheels
Water wheels are an engineering marvel unfamiliar to most people, and this experiment lets you put these ingenious creations front and center for your kiddies! Challenge them to use their math skills to construct a water wheel and observe how it conducts energy and power. This experiment combines history, engineering, math, and science!
Learn More: Resource Center
31. Morse Code Machine
Although Morse code is no longer frequently used, at one time it was an important system of communication! Introduce Morse code by having your students build their own Morse code machines using a buzzer, some batteries, and push buttons. A demonstration of the sounds and the Morse code process will be a hit at the science fair!
Learn More: Surviving A Teacher’s Salary
32. Catapulting Pumpkins
What could be more fun than pumpkin chunkin’? Your kiddos will love building their own catapults and recording the distance that their flying pumpkins travel. This science fair project is not only a blast, but it is also a STEM learning experience all about tension, torsion, and gravity!
Learn More: TPT
33. Tiny Dancers
This fun project actually generates electricity! Your learners will use nothing more than some copper wire, a battery, some magnets, and a few tools and decorations to create tiny dancers on top of a battery. These dancers will get a groove on once the electric current runs through them!
Learn More: Babble Dabble Do
34. Birds and the Colors They Eat
Are birds attracted to certain colors? Have your kiddos find out by filling bird feeders with identical food, but disguise them in different colors to determine if our flying friends are drawn to specific colors. Challenge your class to come up with a way to document the data carefully to present their findings to an audience that is sure to be captivated by this interesting project!
Learn More: Science Bob
35. Solar Oven
Bring the kitchen to the (outside) classroom! Your kiddies will love building their own solar oven and conducting experiments to determine how different materials affect the cooking time of food. This is a great opportunity to create graphs and charts to show how materials influence the effectiveness of their ovens and make themselves some tasty treats in the process!
Learn More: Education
36. Measure The Speed Of Light With Chocolate
I think we can all agree that the best science projects involve chocolate! For this physics experiment have your kiddos heat chocolate in a microwave and then use this measuring process to work out the wavelengths of light. After the experiment is complete, don’t forget to eat your chocolate! You wouldn’t want it to go to waste!
Learn More: Fizzics Education
37. Overnight Crystals
Growing crystals is a science fair must! This experiment couldn’t be simpler as all your kids will need are some common household items, including Epsom salt and food dye, to create overnight salt crystals. Have them explore the world of saturated mixtures and evaporation as they create crystals of various sizes and shapes.
Learn More: Babble Dabble Do
38. Separate Your Water
This chemistry experiment helps your kiddos to understand that water is a combination of two different gases! Challenge them to separate the two gases by first of all researching the best way to do this! It may take several attempts before they find the approach that actually works!
Learn More: Navigating By Joy
39. Make Your Own Spectrometer
This amazing science project allows your learners to build and use their own spectrometers. Using all recycled materials and following a simple set of instructions, they’ll be able to observe different light patterns within their spectrometer. What a perfect activity to investigate light!
Learn More: Fizzics Education
40. Banana DNA
Do your kiddos know that they share 50% of their DNA with a banana? Once mashed, they’ll be able to put their banana under a microscope to closely examine the strands of this DNA! They are sure to feel like real scientists as they log their observations.
Learn More: Rainy Day Mum
41. Model and Function of the Brain
Do you think it’s impossible to get hands-on when learning about the brain? Think again! Let your students use a head of cauliflower to create a model of the brain, and then diagram each of its parts using color-coded labels. Have them use this to teach fair participants about the function of each part of our brains!
Learn More: Pinterest
42. Environmental Oil Spill
Creating a replica of an oil spill is a great science project to teach the scientific method and spread awareness about environmental issues! Get your learners to set up this amazing visual to demonstrate the effects of an oil spill on the environment and the process involved in cleaning it up.
Learn More: Teach Beside Me
43. Regrow Food from Scraps
This creative project is a great way to learn more about recycling and gardening. Have your learners use kitchen food scraps to grow a variety of fruit and vegetable plants. Encourage them to share the fruits of their labor at the science fair!!
Learn More: Hessun Academy
44. Growing Bacteria
You want to grow bacteria!?! Yes, actually! Start your kiddos off by having them begin to swab and label samples from places in their home or classroom. Next, have them use the Bacteria Growing Kit to analyze bacterial growth on each sample and record their results so that they can determine where bacteria are thriving!
Learn More: Our Journey Westward
45. Indoor Plant Growth
Growing plants has been done many times before, but this project has an exciting twist! Your students must use a cardboard box, light bulb, and aluminum foil to make an insulated indoor grow box! This is an opportunity to create charts that document how the box increases the plants’ growth rate.
Learn More: Uplifting Mayhem
46. Five Second Rule
Have you ever used the Five Second Rule? Have your little scientists test just how safe this well-known rule is by setting up six experimental groups – a control group and five groups representing different time spans for dropped food. They’ll compare the microbes grown on the samples to find out if this is really a rule to live by!
Learn More: ScienceNewsExplore
47. Egg Drop Contest
The time-tested egg drop challenge is a great way to inspire the future engineer in your students. They’ll design multiple contraptions that hold an egg and protect it during a fall! Which of their contraptions will result in the least egg damage?
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
48. Geometry Roller Coaster
This roller coaster experiment is the perfect science project to incorporate plenty of geometry while also having a lot of fun! Using paper, tape, and some accurate measurements, they’ll construct their very own roller coasters and then conduct test runs with marbles!
Learn More: Teaching High School Math
49. Lung Model and Tobacco Prevention
By building a model lung, your kiddies will be able to share the effects of tobacco, educating others about this important topic. Using a recycled bottle, balloons, straws, and tape, they’ll make a mock lung to show how it is affected by the use of tobacco.
Learn More: Surviving A Teacher’s Salary
50. Potato Power
Does the type of potato matter when hooked up to a battery to conduct power? This science project will help solve that puzzle and put a new spin on this classic science project! Your kiddos will focus on circuits and electricity, and test different potatoes to determine which type conducts electricity best.
Learn More: Mom Dot
51. Egg Floating in Salt Water
Here’s another great way to demonstrate your learners’ understanding of scientific testing methods! Challenge them to discover how much salt it takes to make an egg float! They can try out different amounts of salt, documenting the entire scientific process and reporting on whether or not the hypothesis checked out!
Learn More: Mom Dot
52. Soil Degradation Experiment
This super interesting project will be an eye-opener for your class! Guide them to set up different mock environments and show the effects on water when the soil is disrupted and soil degradation occurs. They can use recycled jugs and water bottles to set up this experiment.
Learn More: Geography Pods
53. Why Do Apples Turn Brown?
Teach your kiddies more about oxidation and preservation with this fun project! After they’ve researched why apples turn brown, have them test different substances to add, and see if any will preserve the apples longer. They could add vitamin C, honey, water, vinegar, or any other substances they’d like to test!
Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain
54. Fastest Way to Cook a Potato
Give your students a master class in the process of the scientific method! This project will see them testing out seven different methods of cooking potatoes in either an oven or microwave. After they determine which method is quickest, they can display their process and findings at the science fair!
Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain
55. Water Pollution Experiment
Your students will benefit from student choice when setting up and carrying out this experiment. Have them start by collecting water and treating it according to the plan they’ve come up with, and then use microscopes to observe changes in the water as bacteria begin to grow.
Learn More: Layers of Learning
56. Composting
Discover the wonders of decomposition with this composting cups project. Over time, your kiddies will observe the process of natural recycling right before their eyes! By adding a small amount of water each day, the bacteria in the composting cups will work its magic!
Learn More: The Happy Housewife
Math Puzzles For Middle School Students: Virtual And Hands-On Ideas