SC IENCE 

FAIR FUN

DESIGNING ENvIroNmENtal 

SCIENCE ProJECtS for StuDENtS

GraDES 6-8

United States

Environmental Protection

Agency
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

Note for teachers:

This booklet provides students in grades 6-8 with ideas and resources for 

developing environmental science fair projects about reducing, reusing, and 

recycling waste materials. Terms and topics in this booklet are addressed without 

in-depth definition or discussion, under the assumption that students have been 

exposed to these topics already through a classroom environmental science unit. 

However, this document does include a glossary (page 16) and a list of resources 

that provide more information (page 18). Words contained in the glossary appear 

in bold text throughout this document. Some experiments take more time to 

complete than others. Be sure to discuss your intended time frame when helping 

students decide on a project.

Note for Students:

This booklet contains ideas and suggestions for projects on reducing, reusing, 

and recycling waste materials. You should discuss your project with your 

teacher and ask for help, if needed, in constructing a hypothesis, defining 

variables, and determining what kind of equipment is available to you. 

Definitions for important waste terms used in this booklet can be found in 

the glossary on page 16. Also, you should note that some experiments take 

longer than others to yield results, so be sure that you will have enough time to 

complete the experiment. In addition, your science fair may have specific rules 

about how to conduct your experiment or how you should display your results. 

Be sure you understand and follow those rules.
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

Table of ConTenTs

Getting Started .................................................. 1

think like a Scientist: the Scientific method ......... 2

Step By Step ....................................................... 3

What makes a Good Science fair Project? ............ 8

What the Judges look for ................................... 9

Sample Projects ................................................ 10

Wrapping up ................................................... 15

Glossary .......................................................... 16

resources ........................................................ 18
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

1

GeTTinG sTarTed

Science is fun—especially when you create 

a science fair project focusing on the 

environment! Science fair projects help you 

learn about the world around you, and they 

can also teach you and others how to improve 

the environment.

This booklet is a step-by-step guide to help 

you design an exciting science fair project that 

focuses on the 3Rs of waste management—

reduce, reuse, and recycle. Use your science 

fair project to show how the 3Rs lead to 

resource conservation. 

Check out the sample projects in this booklet, 

which also contains a list of useful resources 

to help make your project a winner!

What IS EPa?

The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA)

protects human health and 

the environment. Over 

18,000 people work at EPA, 

and more than half of them 

are engineers, scientists and 

policy analysts. Many of 

them were first introduced 

to science through science 

fair projects!
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

2

Think like a sCienTisT: 

the Scientific method

A good scientist learns about the world by 

using the scientific method. The scientific 

method tests a hypothesis, which is an 

educated guess based on observations.

The six steps of the scientific method are 

outlined in the diagram to the right. All 

fields of science use the scientific 

method as a framework for making 

observations, gathering data, and 

drawing conclusions.

You should use the scientific 

method to help design your project. 

The step-by-step instructions on 

the following pages incorporate the 

elements of the scientific method. 

The sample projects on pages 10 

through 14 provide ideas that will 

help you use the scientific method.

Be sure to find out whether 

your science fair is looking 

for true “experiments,” or 

whether other types of 

research (such as observation

or interviewing) are also 

acceptable.

Ask Question

Do Background

Research

Construct 

Hypothesis

Test with 

an Experiment

Analyze Results

Draw Conclusions

Report Results
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

3
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

4

GIvE Your ProJECt a tItlE

Choose a title that describes what you are 

investigating. Make it catchy, yet descriptive.

StatE thE PurPoSE of Your 

ProJECt

Ask yourself: “What do I want to find out? 

Why am I designing this project?” Write a 

statement that answers these questions.

DEvEloP a hYPothESIS

Make a list of answers to the questions 

you have. This can be a list of statements 

describing how or why you think the subject of 

your experiment works. The hypothesis must 

be stated in a way that will allow it to be tested 

by an experiment.

DESIGN aN EXPErImENt to 

tESt Your hYPothESIS

Make a step-by-step list of what you will do 

to test the hypothesis. Define your variables, 

the conditions that you control or in which 

you can observe changes. The list is called an 

experimental method or procedure.

oBtaIN matErIalS aND 

EquIPmENt

Make a list of items you need to perform the 

experiment. Try to use everyday, household 

items. If you need special equipment, ask 

your teacher for assistance. Local colleges or 

businesses might be able to loan materials to you.
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

5

PErform thE EXPErImENt 

aND rECorD Data

Conduct the experiment and record all 

measurements made, such as quantity, length, 

or time. 

rECorD oBSErvatIoNS

Record all your observations while 

conducting your experiment. Observations 

can be written descriptions of what you 

noticed during an experiment or the problems 

encountered. You can also photograph or 

make a video of your experiment to create 

a visual record of what you observe. Keep 

careful notes of everything you do and 

everything that happens. Observations are 

valuable when drawing conclusions and are 

useful for identifying experimental errors.

PErform CalCulatIoNS

Perform any calculations that are necessary 

to turn the data from your experiment into 

numbers you can use to draw conclusions. 

These numbers may also help you make tables 

or graphs summarizing your data.

SummarIzE rESultS

Look at your experimental data and 

observations to summarize what happened. 

This summary could be a table of numerical 

data, graphs, or a written statement of what 

occurred during your experiment.
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

DraW CoNCluSIoNS

Use your results to determine whether your hypothesis

is correct. Now is the time to review your experiment 

and determine what you learned.

DoCumENt Your fINDINGS 

IN a rEPort, DISPlaY, aND 

PrESENtatIoN

Record your experiment and the results in a report, a 

display, and, if required, a presentation. Your report 

should thoroughly document your project from start 

to finish. If you can choose the report format, it 

should include a title; background or introduction and 

purpose; hypothesis; materials and methods; data and 

results; conclusions; acknowledgement of people who 

helped; and bibliography.

You might want to prepare a poster or 3-sided display 

to give your audience an overview of your project. You 

can use charts, diagrams or illustrations to explain the 

information. Bring a computer with a slide show or 

video of your experiment and the results. Your display 

should include a descriptive title; photos, charts, or other 

visual aids to describe the project and the results; the 

hypothesis; and a project report near the display.

Some science fairs require oral presentations. In 

preparing your presentation, ask yourself, “What is 

most interesting about my project, what will people 

want to know about, and how can I best communicate 

this information?” Use an outline or note cards to help 

you in your presentation. Be sure to check the rules for 

the presentation. You will probably need to introduce 

yourself and your topic, state what your investigation 

attempted to discover or prove, describe your 

procedure, results and conclusions, and acknowledge 

anyone who helped you. Practice your presentation 

before delivering it. 

6
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

7
N C E FA I R F U N 

8

What Makes a Good Science Fair Project?

Use this checklist to help you walk through the steps to a good science fair project.

 Selectatopic.

Conductbackgroundresearchandpreparea

bibliography.

Formulateatestablehypothesis.

Writeastep-by-stepexperimentalprocedure.

Developalistofitemsandequipmentforthe

experiment.

Prepareaprojectschedule.

Conducttheexperiment,makeobservations,

collectdata,anddocumenteverything.

Preparevisualaids(suchaschartsandgraphs).

Developareportoutline.

Designacleardisplay.

Ensurethattherearenotypographicalerrorsonthe

reportordisplay.

Prepareforthejudges.

Practiceyourpresentation.

























S C I E
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

9

What the Judges look for

Good science fair judges do more than simply select winners; they also encourage 

students to enjoy science. Judges are not trying to stump you; they want to reward 

students who worked hard, learned a lot, and did a great job. Below is a list of criteria 

that judges often use. If your project meets these criteria, you’re likely to do well! 

 Doestheideafortheprojectshoworiginality?

 Istheideaclearlyexpressed?

 Didthestudentdoenoughbackgroundresearch?

 Arethevariablesclearlydefined?

 Didthestudentcompletetheexperiment?

 Didthestudentrepeattheexperimenttoconfirmtheresults?

 Arethedataaccurateandcorrectlyinterpreted?

 Arethereenoughdatatosupporttheconclusions?

 Istheexperimentclearlydocumented?

 Isthereportcomplete?

 Doesthedisplayeffectivelydescribetheexperimentandthe

results?

 Isthedisplayattractiveandinteresting?

 Wasthestudentabletoexplaintheexperimentandresults?

 Didthestudentcompletetheprojectwithlittleorno

assistance?

Have confidence in your work and yourself. Answer questions thoroughly and 

don’t be afraid to say you don’t know an answer.

Remember—being a winner isn’t simply about getting an award. It’s about being 

proud of the time, work, and energy you put into your project.
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

10
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

11

GooD thINGS IN Small 

PaCkaGES

Did you ever notice that many of the 

products you buy are packaged in boxes 

much bigger than the product itself? Other 

products are wrapped in plastic, placed inside 

a box, and then sealed with cellophane. 

Excess packaging just means more waste to 

be disposed. Design a project that determines 

whether packaging waste can be reduced by 

encouraging people to change their buying 

habits. Create a hypothesis that asks whether 

the ratio of a product’s size to the size of 

that product’s packaging increases as the 

size of the product increases. Look at 

products that come in several sizes, 

such as laundry detergent or cereal. 

Measure the area of the packaging 

(for example, in square inches) and 

chart that against the weight or 

volume of the contents. Do small 

products have the same productsize to packaging-size ratio as large 

products? You may also want to ask 

whether small products have the same costto-volume ratio as large products.

NEW vErSuS rECYClED

Some people question whether products made 

from recycled materials can perform their jobs 

as well as products made from entirely new 

(“virgin”) materials. Plastics, paper products, 

aluminum cans, and some clothing are all 

commonly available with both new and recycled 

content. Choose a product, such as writing 

paper, and compare the performance of the 

virgin product to products made with recycled 

content. You may want to measure performance 

using criteria such as strength or durability.

*
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

12

SPrEaD thE WorD aBout 

rECYClING

With the approval and cooperation of your 

school administrators, set up recycling 

bins and trash cans near the cafeteria 

doors or in other safe, convenient 

locations. For a period of time— 

perhaps a week— weigh the amount 

of recyclables and trash collected. 

Follow this with an outreach campaign 

for a waste-free lunch. Put up posters 

and hand out flyers with information on 

how students can contribute to improving 

the environment by reducing, reusing, and 

recycling materials typically thrown away after 

lunch. After the conclusion of the outreach 

campaign, set up the trash and recycling bins again. 

Weigh the contents of both bins to see whether the 

outreach campaign had any effect on the amount of 

trash and recyclables. Did the amounts increase or 

decrease? Do a survey to see what element of the 

outreach campaign affected the students’ habits.

takING CharGE

Lots of everyday items require batteries: cell 

phones; portable CD, DVD, and music players; 

watches; cameras; and computers. Some 

batteries contain heavy metals that can harm 

the environment if not recycled or disposed of 

properly. Are there better alternatives to these 

batteries? Develop a hypothesis about the 

effectiveness versus environmental risk of different 

types of batteries, such as rechargeable alkaline, 

nickel cadmium (NiCd), and rechargeable nickel 

metal hydride (NiMH). How long do they last? 

How do their costs compare? What environmental 

risks do they pose?
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

13

EffECt of CoNvENIENCE oN 

rECYClING ratES

Although people may want to recycle, sometimes it 

is difficult. Conduct an experiment to see whether 

convenience affects recycling rates. Learn about 

the factors that increase or decrease recycling 

participation and design a way to test one of 

those factors. For example, with the approval 

and cooperation of your school administrators, 

place a recycling bin that accepts multiple types 

of materials (This type of recycling is often called 

co-mingled recycling.) next to a trash can. In 

another part of the school, set up the trash can 

next to separate bins for paper, aluminum, steel and 

other metals, and glass. See whether this affects 

how much is recycled. Conduct a survey to see 

whether students think separating recyclables into 

different bins is less convenient than co-mingling 

recyclable materials, and ask them whether it 

affects how much they recycle. 

CrEatING thE PErfECt 

ComPoSt

Composting can be a good way for gardeners 

to reuse food scraps and yard trimmings while 

making their gardens healthier. In order to work 

properly, a compost pile needs the right balance of 

air, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen. Build several 

different compost piles containing different 

amounts of air, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen. For 

example, a carbon-rich pile would mostly contain 

dried leaves and wood chips. A nitrogen-rich 

pile would contain grass clippings and fruit and 

vegetable peels. Make sure that your compost pile 

has good air circulation and a balance of ingredients 

to control the experiment. Note that indoor 

composting takes two to five weeks to be ready, 

and outdoor composting takes at least two months. 

You will also need to allow time to grow plants 

*
14

in the compost piles in order to determine which type of 

compost is most effective. Once you’ve created your compost

and measured the plant growth it produced, ask whether the 

composition of the compost affected plant growth. How?

ECoNomICS of rECYClING

More than 4,000 communities across the 

country have adopted “pay-as-you-throw” 

(PAYT) programs where residents pay fees 

based on the amount of trash they throw away. 

This encourages residents to recycle more and 

throw away less. Conduct a PAYT experiment at 

your school. Measure the amount of waste thrown 

away in your cafeteria over a period of time (perhaps 

a week). Then, with the approval and cooperation of your 

school administrators, hand out the same amount of fake 

money to each student and charge them based on the amount 

of trash they throw away from their lunch. For example, 

throwing away a paper bag might cost a student $10, throwing 

away a plastic bag might cost $20, and throwing away an 

aluminum can might cost $50. Keep this up for a few days 

and see if the students begin to bring in lunches that are less 

wasteful (and therefore less costly). Keep track of the amount 

of waste discarded to see if the “fee” reduces the amount of 

waste thrown away each day. Vary the fee to see whether 

higher fees change the amount of waste discarded.

DEComPoSItIoN of EvErYDaY 

GarBaGE

Find out how waste decomposes and the 

factors that affect decomposition. Read 

about landfills and composting and how 

their properties affect the decomposition 

process. Plan an experiment to see if 

biodegradable objects kept in the dark 

(as in a landfill or in compost) will decompose 

faster when exposed to air (composting) or when not 

exposed to air (landfilling). Form a hypothesis using an if/then 

statement, such as: if air affects how fast biodegradable objects 

S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

15

Reduce

Reuse

recyc le

decompose, then I will see a difference between 

objects exposed to air and objects not exposed to 

air. Test to see if your hypothesis is correct. First, 

gather two pieces of bread, two apple slices, two 

pieces of cardboard, and other pairs of biodegradable 

items. Record all the features of each item. Then get 

two shoeboxes and fill one with dirt. Place one of 

each pair of items in the dirt-filled box. Place the 

remaining items in individual sealable plastic bags 

so that no air can enter; put some dirt in each bag; 

and place the bags in the second box. Then place 

the boxes in a dark space where there is no light. 

Observe the rate of decomposition every two days 

for a month. Prove or disprove your hypothesis 

by noting which items decomposed faster. Think 

about how or why exposure to air might affect 

decomposition, and identify properties that affect 

decomposition of biodegradable materials.

WrappinG up

A science project can be a great way to learn 

about your environment and teach others the 

benefits of the 3Rs of waste management—

reduce, reuse, and recycle. At the end of your 

science fair, think back over your experience. 

What did you learn? How could you improve 

your project? Start planning for an even better 

science fair project next year!
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

16

Glossary

Bibliography. A list of books and articles used by someone when writing or 

researching a written work. 

Biodegradable. Materials that are decomposed by bacteria into their original 

organic components within a reasonably short period of time. Most organic 

materials (such as paper, grass clippings, food scraps), are biodegradable under the 

right conditions.

Conclusion. A reasoned deduction or inference.

Conservation. Preserving and renewing, when possible, human and natural 

resources. The use, protection, and improvement of natural resources according 

to principles that will ensure their highest economic or social benefits.

Co-mingled materials. Recyclables (e.g., paper, aluminum, glass) that are 

collected mixed together, rather than separate from one another.

Compost. A crumbly, earthy, sweet-smelling mixture of decomposing organic 

matter (such as grass clippings, leaves, food scraps) that is often used to improve 

the texture, water-retaining capacity, and aeration of soil.

Data. Information, often in the form of facts or figures obtained from 

experiments or surveys, used to make calculations or draw conclusions. 

Decompose. To biologically break down into basic components, given the right 

conditions of air and moisture. Refers to organic materials such as food and other 

plant and animal matter.

Environment. All the external factors influencing the life and activities of people, 

plants, and animals.

Hypothesis. A statement that proposes an explanation to a phenomenon or 

event and that can be tested by an experiment.

Landfill. Disposal sites for non-hazardous wastes spread in layers, compacted to 

the smallest practical volume, and covered by soil or similar material at the end of 

each operating day. 
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

17

Observation. Viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for scientific or other 

purpose.

Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT). Systems under which residents pay for municipal 

waste management and disposal services by weight or volume collected, rather 

than general taxes or a fixed fee.

Policy analyst. A person who analyzes alternative courses of action or 

procedure, using quantitative or qualitative methods, to determine which will 

achieve a given set of goals.

Recyclable. Material that still has useful physical or chemical properties after 

serving its original purpose and can be reused or remanufactured to make new 

products. Plastic, paper, glass, steel and aluminum cans, and used oil are examples 

of recyclable materials.

Trash (Solid waste). Items that are discarded because they no longer work and 

are uneconomical or impossible to reuse, repair, or recycle.

Resource. Natural substances that are a source of wealth and support life, such 

as minerals, fossil fuels, timber, or water.

Variables. The things that affect an experiment. The independent variable is 

the variable you purposely change. The dependent variable changes in response 

to the independent variable. The controlled variable remains constant. 

Virgin materials. Previously unprocessed materials. A tree that is cut down and 

shredded to make paper is an example of virgin material. 

Waste materials. See Trash.
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

18
S C I E N C E FA I R F U N 

19

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