Revised: April 2012

Have you ever wanted to build your own telescope? How about a rocket? Either way, you could be on the road to a great science fair project. This webpage lists books and other resources that will help you create a science fair project that should be second to none, ideas on how to run a science fair, plus the account of a science fair experiment that began in high school and turned into a college-level research project! You may also find some interesting resources at our webpages on Science Education, Resources for Amateur Astronomy and Model Rocketry, or Children's Space Resources. Please exercise proper caution when you begin your science fair project, especially if it involves rockets or the Sun. Talk about it with a responsible adult, like your science teacher.

All items are available at the Headquarters Library, except as noted. NASA Headquarters employees and contractors: Call x0168 or email Library@hq.nasa.gov for information on borrowing or in-library use of any of these items. Members of the public: Contact your local library for the availability of these items. NASA Headquarters employees can request additional materials or research on this topic. The Library welcomes your comments or suggestions about this webpage.

Books

Bohren, Craig F. Clouds in a Glass of Beer: Simple Experiments in Atmospheric Physics. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2001. ISBN: 0486417387

QC861.2 .B64 2001 BOOKSTACKS

 

__________. What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?: More Experiments in Atmospheric Physics. New York, NY: J. Wiley, 1991. ISBN: 047152915X

QC871 .B64 1991 BOOKSTACKS

 

Design Squad in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration. On the Moon. Boston, MA: Design Squad in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2010.

QB582 .D475 O584 2010 BOOKSTACKS

 

Dyson, Marianne J. Space Station Science: Life in Free Fall. New York, NY: Scholastic Reference, 1999. ISBN: 0590058894

TL797 .D97 1999 BOOKSTACKS

 

Ghose, Partha, and D. Home. Riddles in Your Teacup: Fun with Everyday Scientific Puzzles. Philadelphia, PA: Institute of Physics Pub., 1994. ISBN: 0750302755

QC75 .G48 1994 BOOKSTACKS

 

Menicucci, D. How to Implement the Science Fair Self-Help Development Program in Schools. Albuquerque, NM: Sandia National Laboratories, 1994.

LB1532 .M46 1994 BOOKSTACKS

Available through ERIC as document no. ED368555.

 

Prochnow, Dave. How?: More Experiments for the Young Scientist. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, 1993. ISBN: 083064024X

Q164 .P84 1993 BOOKSTACKS

 

Wood, Robert. When?: Experiments for the Young Scientist. New York, NY: TAB Books, 1995. ISBN: 0070516340

Q164 .W68 1995 BOOKSTACKS

 

__________. Who?: Famous Experiments for the Young Scientist. New York, NY: TAB Books, 1995. ISBN: 0070516405

Q164 .W69 1995 BOOKSTACKS

Articles and Reports

Bolognese, Jeff, Harvey Walden, and Arthur F. Obenschain. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Virtual Science Fair. NASA/TM-2002-210011. Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, June 2002.

(20020070988: (May 2009) NTRS)

 

Lowman, Paul D., Jr., and David E. Smith. "Science Fairs and Observational Science: A Case History from Earth Orbit", The Science Teacher, October 2002.

Available through NTRS as document no. 20020080994.

 

Scott, AG, et al. "Bridging a High School Science Fair Experience with First Year Undergraduate Research: Using the E-SPART Analyzer to Determine Electrostatic Charge Properties of Compositionally Varied Rock Dust Particles as Terrestrial Analogues to Mars Materials", in: The 36^th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, League City, TX, March 14–18, 2005.

(20050175920: (July 2009) NTRS)

Internet Resources

Science Project Sites at NASA

 

Adams, Mitzi. Solar-B: For Educators: Science Fair Projects. July 30, 2007 [April 24, 2012].

http://solarb.msfc.nasa.gov/for_educators/learn/science_fairs.html

 

Benson, Tom. The Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics. Sept. 23, 2010 [April 27, 2012].

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/index.html

 

Fisher, Diane. Steps in a science fair project. Oct. 19, 2010 [April 24, 2012].

http://scijinks.nasa.gov/science-fair

 

Madigan, Jay. S'COOL: Science Project/Science Fair Ideas. April 4, 2012 [April 24, 2012].

http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/scifair.php

 

Netting, Ruth. Mission: Science. Experiments. April 14, 2011 [April 24, 2012].

http://missionscience.nasa.gov/scientist/experiments.html

 

Oostra, Daniel H. MY NASA DATA Science Project Ideas. April 24, 2012 [April 24, 2012].

http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/science_projects.php

 

Smith, DeLee. Stargazers: Students: Science Fair Projects. April 7, 2011 [Oct. 19, 2010].

http://stargazers.gsfc.nasa.gov/students/science_fair.htm

 

NASA Competitions

 

Globus, Al. NASA Space Settlement Contest. April 24, 2012 [April 24, 2012].

http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/Contest/

 

Harris, Thomas. Student Competition. Feb. 21, 2012 [April 24, 2012].

http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/competitions.htm

 

MacNeal, Paul. JPL Annual Invention Challenge. April 24, 2012 [April 24, 2012].

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/inventionchallenge/