Many students think that science fair projects are boring and tedious. However, this is only because they think that their projects are limited to the same tired old topics that have been done a thousand times. This is not the case.
When developing a science fair project you need to think outside of the box and you need to be innovative. One way to do this is to develop a unique angle on a common science topic. For example, you can select the topic of chemistry and apply it to the field of adventure sports.
Adventure sports include everything from skiing to ice climbing to back country exploration. If you decide to do your chemistry science fair project on an adventure sport then you will want to select a sport that you are either interested in or that you participate in yourself.
The next step is to figure out what aspect of the adventure sport that you want to examine. For example, if you are interested in mountain climbing you can look at how your blood chemistry is impacted by high altitudes or cold temperatures. On the other hand, if you are interested in deep sea diving you can look at how various chemicals can be used in rebreathers to allow divers to stay underwater longer and to deal more effectively with the pressures found at depths.
Interesting stories in this site. Great tips for me to think about to lose my pot belly! lol
Great idea for science fair project. Very “outside the box” type of project. It just shows that science is all around us.
I remember doing one about the effects of adrenaline in action sports. Makes it much more interesting, I suggest speaking about something you particularly enjoy doing.
Make a single project that has a variable of fun, and then make an exact duplicate and get rid of that variable, so as to make it less entertaining, and then you will have a visible correlation.
Definitely agree-students should think outside the box a bit more. The only thing with adventure sports is it opens up various safety considerations which need to be taken into account.
Yes, and that is why most schools have the students get their project approved before proceding with their experiment.
Interesting ideas! Exercise experts have long assumed that heart muscles, unlike those of our legs and arms, don’t tire. This should be an interesting science projects, because a few studies of athletes have hinted that the heart also gets worn down by many hours of extreme exercise.
@sunshine
Fair point, although even if a project is discussed and gets approved, safety is still an important consideration. It’s often best to strike a balance between ‘thinking outside the box’ and keeping it simple. Good post though, nice ideas.
I loved science fair projects and they weren’t boring or tedious. There was a lot you could get into and develop into a project. This article sure did bring back memories and new perspectives.
Great Idea, that’s the right way to get kids thinking outside the box and to develop some good ideas for science fair projects that will have an interest for them, well done.
I would love to know the risk of broken bones from half pipe snowboarders. Every time I see the air those guys get it makes me cringe. I know all of them have been hurt at some point, but it seems that the likelihood of serious injury is minimal considering the number of times they both practice and compete in the event. Talk about a cool chemistry experiment!
Yes, I also think so. Knowledge is dead, but idea is alive and active. Sometimes, all we need to do is — Just Do It!
Very Interesting Post. Science fair projects can be very boring because everyone always seems to do the same thing. This idea helps you to think outside the box a little more than usual and can actually be used even when it comes to such things as writing a paper.
Interesting, I wonder what the statistics are on your first point there…