There are many people and places that you can turn to for help with picking a subject, conducting research, and putting together your presentation: your teachers, your parents, college and university instructors, and, of course, the Web. We’ve begun collecting links to online resources here. If you find something that you think others should know about, send us a note.
Ideas & Activities
There are a number of sites that have ideas for projects and activities designed for elementary and high-school students. Not all of these sites have to do with science fairs specifically, but they all give you ideas of things that you can experiment with at home or school.
Science Buddies is a non-profit organization focused on providing free science fair ideas, answers, and tools for students in grades K-12.
Students Sections at the Canadian Space Agency
Ideas for space-related projects for students and teachers.
Science Fair Central from Discovery.com
A comprehensive site with, among other things, ideas for projects and links to other resources.
“BARC is a confederation of community stakeholders, devoted to revitalizing Hamilton Harbour and its watershed through promoting and monitoring the clean-up efforts.” Reading about the BARC and its activities may help you come up with an idea for a water ecology project.
Engineering Resources: Live Binders
This live binder is a collection of engineering resources to spark your creativity.
Tools, Methods & Guidelines
Science Fair Central from Discovery.com
A very comprehensive site! Plan to spend some time browsing around here.
Science Success!
BASEF developed the Science Success! program to help students to learn about the scientific process while producing a well-designed project. It also helps teachers use projects and school science fairs to realize specific curriculum outcomes.
The SMARTS Guide is a walk through of the science fair process from the point of view of an award winning student.
Canadian Council on Animal Care
This is a comprehensive and dense site, but students doing work with animals should have a look.
Math Activities for High School Students
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at McMaster University has provided material and references suitable for high school students.
Backboard, Presentation & Polish
A comprehensive site including helpful information and resources for your report and display.
Science Fair Project Report Writing
Some tips for documenting and presenting a project.
Resources for Teachers & Parents
Sites for teachers and parents to support students through their science fair process and create interest in STEM.
Science Success!
BASEF developed the Science Success! program to help students to learn about the scientific process while producing a well-designed project. It also helps teachers use projects and school science fairs to realize specific curriculum outcomes.
Let’s Talk Science is a STEM organization designed to provide resources, activities, professional learning and more.
The Learning Partnership
“The Learning Partnership develops linkages among business, education, and community through partnership projects, which excite and challenge thousands of students and teachers across Canada in the publicly funded education system to grow and become lifelong learners.”
Smarter Science
“Smarter Science is a framework for teaching and learning science in grades 1-12 and for developing the skills of inquiry, creativity, and innovation in a meaningful and engaging manner. Originally developed in the Thames Valley District School Board, Smarter Science was piloted in 50 schools over the past three years. The value of the framework began to be recognized by school boards across Ontario and in particular by Youth Science Canada. Smarter Science is now part of Youth Science Canada’s framework for engaging youth in science and providing a curricular connection to project-based science and science fairs. With the support of the Province of Ontario, Youth Science Canada aims to collaborate with every school board in the province, providing a common framework for the teaching of the revised Science and Technology Curriculum, with its renewed emphasis on inquiry and technological problem-solving.”
The Perimeter Institute Educational Resources
Free digital resources that explain a range of important physics and science topics for grades 5 to 12. Includes lesson plans, hands-on activities and demos, modifiable worksheets, background information for teachers, and original PI videos.
Others Lists of Resources
These sites contain little content of their own but have good lists of sites with ideas, guidelines, and tools.
https://www.universe-of-learning.org/universe-at-home
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html
Society for Science Research at Home: Large Data Sets
