High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (2024)

Science Buddies' high school science projects are the perfect way for high school students to have fun exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our high school projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the high school grades. Students can choose to follow the science experiment as written or put their own spin on the project.

For a personalized list of science projects, high schoolers can use the Science Buddies Topic Selection Wizard. The wizard asks students to respond to a series of simple statements and then uses their answers to recommend age-appropriate projects that fit their interests.

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Build a Paper Roller Coaster

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STEM Activity

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910 reviews

Have you ever ridden a roller coaster? Have you ever wanted to design your own? There are plenty of expensive toys and even video games that will let you build your own coasters—but in this project you'll make one out of paper and tape, and learn about roller coaster physics along the way! Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (2)

Make Popping Boba Balls Out of Your Drinks

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High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (3)

Science Fair Project Idea

Forget drinking your juice. Instead, try snacking on it! Use the steps and recipes in this food science project to transform drinks into semi-solid balls that pop in your mouth. The technique is called spherification and it is part of a larger food science trend called molecular gastronomy— but we just call it yummy science! Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (5)

Electrolyte Challenge: Orange Juice Vs. Sports Drink

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High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (6)

Science Fair Project Idea

The makers of sports drinks spend tens to hundreds of millions of dollars advertising their products each year. Among the benefits often featured in these ads are the beverages' high level of electrolytes, which your body loses as you sweat. In this science project, you will compare the amount of electrolytes in a sports drink with those in orange juice to find out which has more electrolytes to replenish the ones you lose as you work out or play sports. When you are finished, you might even… Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (8)

Build a Pizza Box Solar Oven

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STEM Activity

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Have you ever cooked something outside, like for a BBQ or while camping? It can be a lot of fun to be outdoors and enjoy eating the fruits — or burgers — of your cooking labors. Did you know that you can directly use solar power to cook food? This can be done using a solar oven, which is a low-cost, ecologically-friendly technology that seems to have everything going for it. In this science activity, you will build your very own simple solar oven out of a pizza box to gather the… Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (10)

Make an Alka-Seltzer Powered Lava Lamp

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Have you ever seen a lava lamp? They were the height of 1960's "groovy" room decorations. A few minutes after turning it on, a lava lamp has blobs of colored liquid floating towards the top of the lamp and then drifting back down. Making an actual lava lamp that you plug in would require some effort and unusual supplies, but you can create a non-electric version in just a few minutes with the help of the fizzing power of Alka-Seltzer. In this activity you can find out how to make your own… Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (12)

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Make an Automatic Pill Dispenser

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High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (13)

Science Fair Project Idea

Remembering to take medicine at the right time can be hard, especially if you need to take multiple medications at different times of day. It might not be a big deal if you forget to take your daily multivitamin, but for some people, forgetting to take medication at the right time can be dangerous. What if you had a device that could not only set off an alarm at the right time, but also automatically dispense the right pills for you? In this project, you will build an automatic medicine… Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (15)

Explore Optical Illusions: Build an Infinity Mirror

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Science Fair Project Idea

Do you want to trick friends and visitors with an amazing optical illusion? In this engineering design project you will learn how to build an infinity mirror,with built-in lights that make the mirror look like a deep tunnel with no end. But pick the mirror up and look behind it, and you will see that it is only a couple of inches thick! Read this project to find out not only how this illusion works, but how to design and build your very own infinity mirror from scratch. Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (17)

Chemistry of Ice-Cream Making: Lowering the Freezing Point of Water

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High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (18)

Science Fair Project Idea

Have you ever made your own ice cream? If you have, you probably know that you need to get the ice cream mixture really cold to freeze it quickly. Ice cubes alone will not do the job, but if you add chemicals, such as salt or sugar, to the ice cubes that surround the ice cream container, the mixture gets cold enough to freeze. Why does that work? How does adding salt or sugar affect the freezing point of water? Find out with this ice-cold science project and use your results to make your own… Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (20)

Build a Miniature Self-Driving Car

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High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (21)

Science Fair Project Idea

How do self-driving cars stay on the road? How do vehicles with autonomous or driver-assist features automatically brake, steer around obstacles, or perform tasks like adaptive cruise control? Experiment with these behaviors and more in this science project as you build and program your own autonomous Arduino robot. Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (23)

Marble Roller Coaster: How Much Height to Loop the Loop?

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Science Fair Project Idea

This is a really fun project even if you don't like going on roller coasters yourself. You'll build a roller coaster track for marbles using foam pipe insulation and masking tape, and see how much of an initial drop is required to get the marble to "loop the loop." It's a great way to learn about how stored energy (potential energy) is converted into the energy of motion (kinetic energy). Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (25)

Are Fingerprint Patterns Inherited?

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Science Fair Project Idea

Have you ever looked at two girls and thought they looked so similar that they must be sisters? What about a father and his son — have you ever seen a boy who looked just like how his father did when he was younger? We can often tell that two people are related because they appear to have several similar physical traits. This is because children receive half of their DNA — their genetic blueprints — from each parent. What about fingerprints — are they an inherited trait?… Read more

High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (27)

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High School Projects, Lessons, Activities (2024)

FAQs

What are the 7 steps of project-based learning? ›

The seven steps, consisting of: (1) the formulating the expected learning outcome, (2) understanding the concept of the teaching materials, (3) skills training, (4) designing the project theme, (5) making the project proposal, (6) executing the tasks of projects and (7) presentation of the project report.

What are some projects you do in high school? ›

30 Passion Project Ideas for High School Students
  • Category #1: Complete a research project.
  • Category #2: Develop an academic-aligned, outside-looking project.
  • Category #3: Organizing or hosting live events.
  • Category #4: Build a social media presence.
  • Category #5: Showcase your writing in publications or magazines.

Is project-based learning effective? ›

We conclude that the studies comparing the relative effectiveness of PBL are generally consistent in demonstrating its superior efficacy for longer-term knowledge retention and in the application of knowledge.

What are the 6 A's of project based learning? ›

The 6 A's of PBL PROJECT DESIGN are the heart and soul of Project Based Learning Units. They focus in on the qualities that truly define PBL: Authenticity, Academic Rigor, Applied Learning, Active Exploration, Adult Connections, and Assessment Practices.

What are the 5 standard steps of a project? ›

There are typically five project life cycle phases: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closure. Initiation is where you define the goals, scope, budget, and timeline.

What is project-based learning in high school? ›

Project-based learning, or PBL, is a teaching method that actively engages students in learning by asking them to investigate an interesting and complex question, problem or challenge, and then to create something in response.

What are the criticism of project-based learning? ›

Critics say that the pedagogy places too much responsibility on novice learners, and ignores the evidence about the effectiveness of direct instruction by teachers. By de-emphasizing knowledge transfer from experts to beginners, the critics suggest, PBL undermines content knowledge and subject fluency.

What problem does project-based learning solve? ›

Project-based learning is a dynamic and effective approach to education that provides students with a real-world context for their learning, promotes collaboration and communication, and encourages the development of 21st-century skills, life skills, interdisciplinary learning, and a lifelong love of learning.

What are some project activities? ›

However, some common examples of activities that are typically used in project management include:
  • Planning. This activity involves defining the project's scope, objectives, and goals. ...
  • Design. This activity involves creating the project design or blueprint. ...
  • Execution. ...
  • Monitoring and Controlling. ...
  • Closing.

How do you start a high school project? ›

How Do You Begin Your Passion Project?
  1. Choose a project topic that excites you. ...
  2. Think about what you want your project outcome to be. ...
  3. Set intermediary project goals for yourself. ...
  4. Pinpoint the project resources you'll need. ...
  5. Consider potential project mentors. ...
  6. Just start!
Feb 10, 2023

What is the best topic for a school project? ›

Top 10 Research Topics for Students in College and Senior High School
  • Psychology Research Paper Topics. ...
  • Business and Economics Research Topics. ...
  • Social Sciences Research Topics. ...
  • Language and Linguistics Research Topics. ...
  • Health and Medicine Research Topics. ...
  • Renewable Energy & Clean Technologies Research Topics.
May 17, 2024

Do teachers like project-based learning? ›

I love teaching this way. Because at its core, PBL is really about giving purpose to student work. It's not a new fad like many of the other education-acronyms that seem to come and go. Project based learning is really just teaching with the awareness that people want to solve problems.

Do students do better on projects or tests? ›

“Projects measure students' learning and knowledge, not their ability to perform in high stress situations.” Students who prefer working with others might find that project based finals cater to their strengths. They may be more likely to try their best and give 100% on a final that fits them the best.

Why are so many schools turning to PBL? ›

One of the significant benefits of project-based learning is that it fosters more engaged and self-directed learners. As the learning environment transitions from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach, students become active participants in their learning journey.

What are the 7 standards of PBL? ›

Gold Standard PBL also consists of seven essential project design elements: (1) challenging problem or question, (2) sustained inquiry, (3) authenticity, (4) student voice and choice, (5) reflection, (6) critique and revision, and (7) public product.

What are the seven 7 stages of project cycle? ›

The Project Lifecycle consists of seven phases intake, initiation, planning, product selection, execution, monitoring & control, and closure.

What are the 7 steps to successful project planning? ›

Let's dive into the details:
  • Step 1: Define your goals and objectives. ...
  • Step 2: Set success metrics. ...
  • Step 3: Clarify stakeholders and roles. ...
  • Step 4: Set your budget. ...
  • Step 5: Align on milestones, deliverables, and project dependencies. ...
  • Step 6: Outline your timeline and schedule. ...
  • Step 7: Share your communication plan.

What are the 7 steps to effective project design? ›

For effective project design, teams must follow these seven steps:
  • Define goals. Project goals should be clear and achievable, never exceeding team members' abilities. ...
  • Establish outcomes. ...
  • Identify risks. ...
  • Create a project strategy. ...
  • Set a budget. ...
  • Prepare a contingency plan. ...
  • Track deliverables.

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