DD did an acid-rain and geology project when she was in 7th. It wasn't for "science fair" it was one of these stupid "work sample" things that our state (at the time) thought that all students needed to do.
So DD did all of it.
I approved her experimental design, but it involved pH measurements, volume measurements, dilutions of vinegar, mass measurements, LOTS of different kinds of rocks/stone samples, and about half a million plastic gladware containers.
She did a great job, though, and the project write up was eventually deemed "exemplary" for the 11th grade level and she was told she didn't have to do another one for high school. {shrug}
I used to judge regional science fair projects. Personally, I really like the students who understand their own experimental design and have done it well. The project's sophistication is almost irrelevant in the face of that. But that is me.
