Have you ever been to those science fairs where science whizzes get to showcase their talents? In these exhibits, they get to show what they have learned from their classes and science textbooks. These projects can come in the form of model rockets, dioramas or makeshift volcanoes.
Anyone can actually cheat his way into bagging the best project award since manufactured school projects are sold in hobby shops. Then again, a true blue whiz kid would rather use his skills and creativity to have an edge in any competition.
Due to the wide scope of science and art, there are many different projects that you will encounter as a student. Some will require a lot of experiments with various chemicals, while others are as simple as gluing together folded paper. Here are some of the most popular school projects that until now have continued to amaze a lot of professors and students alike.
Model Rocket
A model rocket is made of cardboard, paper and a miniature engine. The engine is set to propel the rocket upward as it hurtles to the farthest ends of the school halls. It is easy to create as all you need to do is to form the various sections of your rocket by folding cardboard and paper then gluing them together. Affix the engine and the parachute inside the rocket, then you’re all set. Just make sure that you reinforce the connections of each rocket component with masking tape so that your rocket will hold together when launched.
Paper Mache Volcano
The paper mache exterior of your volcano is a product of art, while the eruption is obviously a science experiment. You can construct this project by piling up newspaper strips, until you are able to create the rough exterior of your volcano. Inside the volcano, you will create a mixture of baking soda, vinegar and red food coloring to produce makeshift lava. Remember to complete the lava mixture only when the professor asks you to present your project since the eruption will happen in an instant, once the mixture is complete.
Diorama
Among the projects tackled earlier, the diorama requires the greatest amount of creativity. You need to transform a simple shoe box and a pile of makeshift materials into a miniature version of a particular scene. The good part is, you can use absolutely anything as long as the items that you will use fit the shoe box. Use toy soldiers or small action figures to represent human activity. You can use your knowledge on paper mache to create environments like mountains and ridges. You can never run out of options when it comes to your miniature shoe box world.
Solar System
The makeshift solar system is the easiest project to conceptualize but the hardest to implement. This project will require a lot of hardwork since you have to make the planets stay upright and within their respective orbits. A nifty trick is to pierce each styrofoam planet with a barbecue stick below and a metal wire-based orbit on the side. Plant the barbecue sticks on a solid styrofoam base then affix those wooden rods to the metal wires so that the planets will stay upright.
Other Projects
There are other school projects where teachers ask their students to create random items such as lunch boxes, silly goo and rubber band guns. These items are very easy to create.
For lunch boxes, you will just need to sew together fabric and zippers until you form the lunch box. A sewing thread, needle, fabric and a few zippers are the only things you will need to create your lunch box.
For the rubber band gun, you will need to shape two wooden pegs then put them together. Add a clothespin and a box of rubber bands to the mix, then you can fire away at your classmates.
Silly goo is probably among the simplest projects that you can make. You just have to mix starch, glue and water then wait for the three ingredients to settle. You can even repeat the entire process without wasting the ingredients if you made a mistake when mixing the ingredients.
School projects are fun ways to see how you can apply what you have learned in class. Call yourself an academic genius or the ultimate whiz kid, but your claims will only hold true once you have created an exceptional school project. Let’s face it, books and lectures are merely words.