High School Science Fair Projects
High school science programs are designed to prepare students for the real world by teaching them basic concepts and practices. In a world dominated by technology and science, it is critical for young people to develop this basic knowledge and appreciation for science in order to make informed buying decisions.
Life Science & Physical Science
Your child's high school science experience will most likely consist of a balance between life science and physical science. Biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and earth science are all subjects offered at this level of education. Not all students aspire to become scientists one day, but all students should be encouraged to take four years of science if possible. This will give them the best preparation for the SATs, ACTs, and for their college studies.
Understand Scientific Methods
Science is both a body of knowledge and a process of investigation. It is imperative that young people understand the Scientific Method and how it accurately tests phenomenon and events in our world. Students who are preparing for high school should expect a rigorous curriculum that includes lab study, involves the use of technology, and demands higher-level reasoning.
Expanding On Science
Your child will be studying the structures, functions, and dysfunctions of the major systems of the human body. Other topics are more applicable to society, such as transportation, mechanical appliances, electricity, health practices, and household products. Cosmology (the study of our Universe on a large scale), stars, nebulae, pulsars, black holes, galaxies, quasars, and the Big Bang will be studied in astronomy. In biology, topics include ecology, cytology, reproduction, genetics, scientific evolution, and taxonomy. Thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, equilibrium systems, solutions and solubility, along with acids, bases, and salts are studied in chemistry classes.
More Complex Scientific Concepts
When brainstorming ideas for science fair projects, high school kids may need to dig deeper to come up with testable hypotheses. In elementary and middle school, your child may have been able to simply look at their daily lives and pull ideas from that for their science projects. Concepts were fairly simple and an experiment was easy to test. In high school, students may struggle to grasp more complex scientific concepts such as genetics, matter and energy, forces, parts and systems of the human body, atoms, molecules, and cells. For example, it is easy to look at a plant and see that it wilts when its water supply is depleted or when it lacks the direct sunlight it needs. It is harder to look at a plant or animal and see its genetic makeup and the other processes at work underneath the surface.
Be patient with your child and offer advice when you can. Good science fair projects will demonstrate your student's ability to make inferences, develop testable hypotheses, design experiments, make deductions from observations, and reach conclusions.
