Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion The Dreaded Science Fair Project....

DD14 is very science oriented, but she still can't find a "testable" science project that would be interesting and relatively cheap. She probably won't be able to have a mentor or a lab .
The topic is due wednesday, and she's not feeling well today, so I'm thinking while she's a bit under and not doing much, we can try to figure something out. I think the stress from thinking she won't think of anything in time is contributing to her not feeling well, also, so I think the sooner the better. I'm not expecting anyone to actually have any ideas for the project itself, but has any parent at least gone through the science fair process, and how did you choose the topic? (oh, and how you got a mentor or lab if you did)
(Current ideas include- The effect of Vitamin D on Multiple sclerosis, The relationship between age and Pitch-audibility, and The relationship between microwave use and brain tumor frequency. But how are we supposed to test any of those without "connections"? Grr..)

We don't have science fairs around here, so I'm not sure of your terminology or what you need, sorry.

Can you figure out something to test about being sick? Or while she's home, maybe something involving chemical reactions in baking, showing different substitutions and results?

Reading over your post again, I realize I may be misunderstanding the time frame as well--you say "the topic" is due Wednesday, does that mean just come up with a topic, not do the project? I'm thinking along the lines of the way I did stuff as a kid, and from now to Wednesday would have been a huge amount of time for me to give myself, since I usually didn't start till the night before.

Anyway, good luck!

Bed bugs are a hot topic in this area. Last night, I woke up dreaming about GS11 using them as a science project, to test using common household items to kill them. I was thinking what temperature range, ammonia, bleach, moth balls, Sevin dust, DE, etc.

No, we don't have them, but I know people who do have them. They're also in the public library in a bordering county.

Hey, thanks for the replies.
Just to clarify, only the topic is due on wednesday. She has until January to actually do the project, she just needs to to know what she is doing.
Lol @ the bed bugs.. we just read an article about them making a reappearance, and when me and her broke out in some kind of rash (probably actually poison ivy), we were worried about the bed bugs. I don't really think we are going to be able to find a supply of them, though :P.

Lord, I hope not! I would be afraid to do a project on bedbugs for fear that we might end up with escapees! Plus, I think the only solution involves nuclear weapons and those are probably banned at science fairs for some reason.

This about.com page actually has come pretty cool ideas:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/sciencefairprojects/a/sciprohigh.htm