Science Fair Information:  (steps to picking a project located below this table)  

NOTE: Change starting in 2011-2012 school year: TVSEF is now part of Alameda County Science & Engineering Fair, therefore we are now associated with the Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair (CCCSEF). This fair requires a $25 application fee,  students are still required to complete a science project for the class but are no longer obligated to enter the CCCSEF due the fee requirement. Email me if you have additional concerns or questions at rgroch@srvhs.org.

Direct link to Science Fair Site (CCCSEF affiliated with ISEF) Link to Application

Parent/Student Science Fair Confirmation Letter

Science Fair Assignment Calendar and Approved Microbe List

How to Get Started on the Science Fair: Student Primer; Additional Rules

2010-2011 Science Fair Participants

2009-2010 Science Fair Participants

2008-2009 Science Fair Participants

2007-2008 Science Fair Participants

Science Fair Titles 2006-2007

Science Fair Schedule 2006

2006 Science Fair Results

2005-2006 Science Fair Titles and Status (10/21/05)

2004-2005 Science Fair Titles

 2003-4 Science Fair Titles and Awards (3/25/04)

2002-2003 Science Fair Titles

Last year's project titles and sample project titles and ideas to avoid #1 and #2

 Advice and Comments from this year's class to next year's class 

Link to Mrs. Nevis' class comments  (sage and funny also).

Tips from a Sweepstakes Winner

Example Science Fair Project (from American Biology Teacher)

Science Fair Class Rubric

Science Fair Project Encyclopedia (what's out there)

 

Other helpful information about the science fair process

Science Fair Info

 

Science Project Resources:

Why ARE you doing this project?  http://sciserv.org/isef/students/why_complete_project.asp

Remember almost all of these projects have already been done. These links are here to help you get an idea of what kinds of testable questions have already been performed and also the level of questions you are expected to ask.  Also you can take any of these ideas and ask the next logical or deeper question. After reading through a project, does a question pop into your mind, can you develop this question into a separate and unique project?

Okay, it’s time to JUMP in and get your idea!

Step One:

Go to Science Buddies and take the topic selection wizard to get an idea of what topics you’re interested in right now:

http://www.sciencebuddies.com/science-fair-projects/register_guest.php

Step Two:

Check out all topic categories (please stick to categories related to biology)

Science Fair Categories and sub-categories http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/students/research_categories.asp

Step Three:

See what’s out there; use the links below:

 Science Buddies

Science Fair Project Encyclopedia

http://www.terimore.com/

Discovery Channel

California State Fair

Large link to lots of fair projects

http://www.envirolink.org/

http://www.sciencefair-projects.org/biology-projects/

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/ : click on a topic of interest; scroll down to see projects. Look only at high school level of difficulty. 

Other Links to current news for additional ideas:

a. Nature News:

b. Science Magazine News:

c. National Geographic News:

d. Scientific American News:

e. Discover Magazine News:

List of links to research journals online

Check out the newspaper for the latest science news:

Environment: http://www.sfgate.com/news/environment/

General Science: http://www.sfgate.com/science/

Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/

Step 4: Check out science fair projects and winners:

1. Local Tri-Valley Science Fair Winners: https://tvsef.llnl.gov/pdf/2008_awardwin.pdf

2. Check out all these science fair project title winners from the Intel International Science Fair: http://sciserv.org/isef/results/index.asp

3.  What do science fair judges look for in a project http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/isefitems/JudgingGuide.pdf (see pages 6-8)

4. Meet successful Intel ISEF 2007 Finalists as they discuss their projects (click on link… youtube video)

5. Organisms used in prior science fair projects (and are fairly easy to obtain approval):

C. elegans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans

Drosphilia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosophilia

Yeast (Saccharomycetes) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast

Bacteria (approved list: http://www.srvhs.org/staff/teachers/rgroch/bio/bio_home_page/safemicrobelist.htm)

Wisconsin Fast Plants http://www.fastplants.org/

Fungi (mushrooms) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus

Algae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae

6.  Here is a partial list of the 2008 California Science Fair Projects:

Category

California Science Fair Projects http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/Current/Panels/

Used an outside advisor

Environmental Science
  1. When Growing Orange Goes Green
  2. The Advantage of Evolutionary Democracy: How Microorganisms Could Save Man's World
  3. Starch-Based Biodegradable Materials: It's Time to Go Green!
  4. Don't Move a Mussel!
  5. The Effects of Ocean Acidification
  6. Prevention of Marine Biofouling Utilizing Natural Substances

1.        Yes

2.       No

3.       No

4.       No

5.       Yes

6.       No

Microbiology
  1. The Utilization of a Photobioreactor to Optimize the Growth Rate of Lipids in Microalga for Use in Biofuels
  2. The Quantity of Microbacterial Colonies Found in Water Stored in Automatic Hog Waterers over a Four Day Period
  3. Effectiveness of Coliphage T4 on E. coli B at Variable Antibiotic Dilutions
  4. Modeling the Toxic Effects of Silver Nanoparticles under Varying Environmental Conditions
  5. Maximizing the Production of Ethanol from Corn Starch
  6. Between the Bristles
  7. Antimicrobial Peptide Susceptibility of Candida albicans Kinase Mutants
  8. Fungi Projects: http://www.mycomasters.com/Winners.html
  9. Natural Antimicrobial Agents*

1.        Yes

2.       No

3.       No

4.       Yes

5.       No

6.       No

7.       Yes

Medicine and Health
  1. Further Investigation of Diatoms as Biological Indicators of Pharmaceutical Runoff
  2. Pectin-Aid
  3. Indoor Air Pollution: The Pulmonary Effects of Ozone-generating Air Purifiers and Other Household Devices
  4. The Ferrometer: A Device to Detect Iron Deficient Anemia via Non-Invasive Optical Measurement of Zinc Protoporphyrin

1.        Yes

2.       No

3.       No

4.       Yes

Plant Sciences
  1. The Effects of TMV on Pinto Bean Plants after the Initial Innoculation of a Weaker Strain
  2. Helping Pinus ponderosa Fight Dendroctonus brevicomis and Dendroctonus ponderosae: Year II
  3. How Plants Respond to Ultraviolet Light
  4. The Effect of Charcoal on the Germination and Growth of Corn
  5. The Effect of Water Quantity on Methane Emissions from Constructed Wetlands
  6. The Safer Way to Eat Lettuce
  7. The Effects of Recycled Water on the Native Plant Species: Bouteloua gracilis, Juncus patens, and Nasella cernua
  8. Can Garlic Prevent the Fungi Growth?

 

1.        Yes

2.       Yes

3.       Yes

4.       No

5.       Yes

6.       Yes

7.       Yes

8.       Yes

Behavior and Social Sciences

1.      Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words?

2.       Pump Up the Volume, Bring Down the Grade? The Effects of Audio Stimulation on Mathematical Test Performance

3.       Spreading the Word: Simulating the Effect of Population Influence Structure on the Propagation of Ideas

4.       This Is Your Brain. This Is Your Brain on Music

5.       Can I Get a Ride? An Analysis of Carpooling

6.       Remember to Relax and Relax to Remember: Examining the Effects of Meditative Techniques on Cognitive Ability

7.       Remember to Relax and Relax to Remember: Examining the Effects of Meditative Techniques on Cognitive Ability

1. No

2. Yes

3. No

4. No

5. no

6. No

7. No

 

Animal Sciences

  1. Effect of Trans-Resveratrol, a Natural Polyphenolic Compound, on Body Weight, Size and Behavior of Baby Gallus gallus
  2. Determining the Effectiveness of Green Tea in the Expression of the SIR2 Gene in Drosophila melanogaster
  3. Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Drosophila melanogaster under the Exposure of WiFi 2.4 GHz Electromagnetic Field
  4. Cages or Tanks?
  5. Factors Affecting Competition for Food in a Woodland Bird Community
  6. Electric Fish Language: Communication through Electric Fields
  7.  A Goldfish Never Forgets: Year Three

1. No

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. Yes

5. No

6. Yes

7. No

Biochemistry

1. Cinnamon Gum and Mouth Microbes*

 

Cellular and Molecular Biology

1.        The Tree of Life – II (advanced)

2.       Computational Exploration of Protein Function

3.       Bioinformatics – The Perfect Marriage of Computer Science & Medicine

4.       The Cancer Genome Anatomy Project

 

Computer Science (biology related only)
  1. Fibonacci and Phyllotaxis
  2. Programming NANORGs in a Virtual World

1. No