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1000 Science Fair Projects with Complete Instructions

60 Science Fair Projects for 8th Graders

60 Science Fair Projects for 8th Graders

Are you looking for an intriguing eighth grade science fair project? We've got you covered with this carefully selected list of science fair projects specifically for eighth graders.

Onion DNA Extraction with Household Items
1. Onion DNA Extraction with Household Items
Crack open onion cells with detergent and meat tenderizer. Watch white strands of DNA float up in ice-cold ethanol.
Medium
New Plants from Geranium Stem Cuttings
2. New Plants from Geranium Stem Cuttings
Place a cut geranium stem in water and watch new roots appear within two weeks — no seeds needed.
Easy
Bicycle Helmet Brands and Shock Absorption
3. Bicycle Helmet Brands and Shock Absorption
Drop a weight onto three bicycle helmets at different price points and compare pressure gauge readings to see if cost equals protection.
Hard
Light Sources and Phosphorescent Glow
4. Light Sources and Phosphorescent Glow
Charge glow-in-the-dark stickers with four different lamps and discover which type of light keeps them glowing longest.
Medium
Fabric Type and Water Resistance
5. Fabric Type and Water Resistance
Sprinkle water over six fabrics on a ramp and discover which one soaks up the least.
Medium
Temperature and Dissolving Power
6. Temperature and Dissolving Power
Heat water in steps from 20 to 100 degrees and discover how much more sugar, salt, and baking soda dissolve at each temperature.
Medium
Sunspot Viewing by Solar Projection
7. Sunspot Viewing by Solar Projection
Project the sun's image through a telescope or pinhole and spot the cooler dark patches on its surface.
Medium
Surface Type and Greenhouse Heating
8. Surface Type and Greenhouse Heating
Place four sealed jars with different ground surfaces in the sun and track which one heats the trapped air fastest.
Medium
Chocolate and the Rock Cycle
9. Chocolate and the Rock Cycle
Use chocolate shavings and heat to build three types of model rock that match real geology.
Medium
Triangles vs. Squares in Bridge Strength
10. Triangles vs. Squares in Bridge Strength
Build two toothpick bridges from different shapes and load them with gravel to see which collapses first.
Medium
Hamster Alertness and Time of Day
11. Hamster Alertness and Time of Day
Build a maze for a hamster and time its runs at four hours of the day to discover peak alertness.
Medium
Vital Signs During Sleep vs. Waking
12. Vital Signs During Sleep vs. Waking
Measure your vital signs during the day and during deep sleep to discover how your body changes at rest.
Medium
Facial Expressions and Emotion Recognition
13. Facial Expressions and Emotion Recognition
Photograph 12 emotions on different faces and discover which ones people guess correctly and which ones stump almost everyone.
Medium
Sensory Conditions and Time Perception
14. Sensory Conditions and Time Perception
Place participants in a room under five different conditions and discover which one makes five minutes feel the longest.
Medium
Scratch Testing and Rock Hardness
15. Scratch Testing and Rock Hardness
Scratch rocks with everyday objects like coins and nails to rank their hardness on the Mohs scale.
Medium
Bioluminescent Bacteria as Pollution Sensors
16. Bioluminescent Bacteria as Pollution Sensors
Transfer glowing bacteria into test tubes and watch their light fade as you add everyday pollutants like hair gel and river water.
Hard
Peperomia Root Growth in Water, Soil, and Nutrient Solution
17. Peperomia Root Growth in Water, Soil, and Nutrient Solution
Place peperomia cuttings in three different growing conditions and measure which one sprouts the longest roots in two weeks.
Medium
Cooking and Vitamin C in Fruit
18. Cooking and Vitamin C in Fruit
Test raw and cooked tomatoes and cherries with an iodine solution to discover whether cooking destroys or concentrates vitamin C.
Medium
Vitamin C Levels in Different Orange Juices
19. Vitamin C Levels in Different Orange Juices
Add drops of orange juice to a blue indicator solution and count how many it takes to turn it clear.
Medium
Clay Soil and Electrical Charge
20. Clay Soil and Electrical Charge
Lower two battery-connected wires into muddy water and discover which terminal attracts clay particles.
Medium
Antibubbles: Air-Skinned Spheres Underwater
21. Antibubbles: Air-Skinned Spheres Underwater
Squeeze a jet of soapy water through a surface droplet and watch air-coated spheres drift underwater with rainbow colors.
Medium
Light Scattering in Glue Sticks
22. Light Scattering in Glue Sticks
Shine a flashlight through clear glue sticks and watch the beam shift from blue to red, just like the sky at sunset.
Medium
Music Genres and Bean Plant Growth
23. Music Genres and Bean Plant Growth
Grow bean plants under two music genres and compare them against a silent control group to see which grows tallest.
Easy
Magnets and Radish Seedling Growth
24. Magnets and Radish Seedling Growth
Place magnets above and below radish seedlings and measure whether the stems bend toward the magnet as they grow.
Medium
Acid Rain and Carrot Seed Germination
25. Acid Rain and Carrot Seed Germination
Soak carrot seeds in water with increasing amounts of acid and count how many sprout after two weeks.
Hard
Insulation Materials and Heat Retention
26. Insulation Materials and Heat Retention
Pack five materials around a beaker of boiling water in a refrigerator and find which one holds heat longest.
Hard
Rainfall Patterns Across the US
27. Rainfall Patterns Across the US
Collect rain and snow data from schools across the country and discover how much precipitation varies from city to city.
Medium
Ground Beef Doneness and Cooking Yield
28. Ground Beef Doneness and Cooking Yield
Weigh hamburger patties before and after broiling to see how fat content and doneness change the cooking yield.
Medium
Light Color and Brightness Through Fog
29. Light Color and Brightness Through Fog
Shine different colors of light through a jar of milky water and measure which one cuts through the fog best.
Medium
Maximizing Solar Energy
30. Maximizing Solar Energy
Can you figure out the best way to get the most power from the sun?
Medium
Air Pressure and the Egg in a Bottle
31. Air Pressure and the Egg in a Bottle
Set a peeled hard-cooked egg on a jar, drop in lit matches, and watch air pressure push the egg inside.
Medium
Echoes and Measuring Sound Speed
32. Echoes and Measuring Sound Speed
Time an echo off a distant wall with a stopwatch and calculate the speed of sound from the round trip.
Medium
Human Body Battery
33. Human Body Battery
Create an electric current using your own body!
Easy
Fog Formation in a Bottle
34. Fog Formation in a Bottle
Place an ice cube on a bottle of hot water and watch a fog cloud form inside.
Easy
Regular vs. Low-Fat Taste Detection
35. Regular vs. Low-Fat Taste Detection
Serve regular and low-fat versions of six snacks side by side and find out if volunteers can spot the difference.
Easy
Growth Hormones and Plant Cutting Speed
36. Growth Hormones and Plant Cutting Speed
Dip plant cuttings in two different growth hormones and track which one produces taller, faster-rooting plants over seven weeks.
Medium
Temperature and Ocean Salinity
37. Temperature and Ocean Salinity
Set three jars of salt water at different temperatures for five days, then measure whether the salinity changed.
Medium
Exercise and Short-Term Memory
38. Exercise and Short-Term Memory
Test two groups on memory, then send one to play dodgeball and the other to read before retesting both.
Medium
Cold, Stress, Practice, and Reaction Time
39. Cold, Stress, Practice, and Reaction Time
Test reaction speed after ice water, verbal stress, and extra practice to discover which condition changes your reflexes the most.
Medium
Gas Production in Fresh vs. Processed Foods
40. Gas Production in Fresh vs. Processed Foods
Simulate digestion with vinegar and heat to measure whether canned and frozen foods release more gas than fresh ones.
Medium
Intentional vs. Passive TV Memory
41. Intentional vs. Passive TV Memory
Tell one group to memorize details from a TV show and tell another to just watch. Then quiz both to compare recall.
Easy
Lemon-Powered LED Light
42. Lemon-Powered LED Light
Turn a lemon into a working battery and find out whether it can produce enough electricity to light an LED.
Easy
Sugar Crystallization and Rock Candy
43. Sugar Crystallization and Rock Candy
Grow giant sugar crystals on a string and watch a supersaturated solution turn back into solid rock candy.
Medium
Rainbow Borax Crystals
44. Rainbow Borax Crystals
Grow sparkling rainbow crystals overnight on pipe cleaners and watch solid crystal structures form as the Borax water cools.
Medium
Planet Layers in a Bottle
45. Planet Layers in a Bottle
Shake a bottle of mixed materials and watch layers form the same way a rocky planet builds its inner structure.
Medium
Pocket Solar System to Scale
46. Pocket Solar System to Scale
Fold a strip of paper into a pocket-sized model that shows the real distances between the Sun and each planet.
Medium
Surface Tension and Water Strider Design
47. Surface Tension and Water Strider Design
Design a model insect from simple materials and see if you can make it stand on water using surface tension.
Medium
Play-Doh Solar System to Scale
48. Play-Doh Solar System to Scale
Shape Play-Doh into scale-sized planets and discover how tiny Earth looks next to Jupiter.
Easy
Ice Wedging and Rock Breakdown
49. Ice Wedging and Rock Breakdown
Freeze water inside plaster of Paris and watch ice wedging crack it apart, just like real rocks in winter.
Medium
Cornstarch Oobleck and Shear Thickening
50. Cornstarch Oobleck and Shear Thickening
Punch a bowl of cornstarch and water and discover a liquid that turns solid under force, then flows the moment you stop.
Easy
Vinegar Fizz Test for Calcite in Rocks
51. Vinegar Fizz Test for Calcite in Rocks
Drop vinegar on a rock and watch for fizzing bubbles that reveal hidden calcite inside.
Easy
Rock Porosity and Water Storage
52. Rock Porosity and Water Storage
Soak different rocks in water and discover which ones hold the most liquid like underground sponges.
Medium
Water Displacement and Rock Density
53. Water Displacement and Rock Density
Drop rocks into water to find their volume, then calculate which rock types pack in the most matter.
Medium
Pet Rock and the Rock Cycle
54. Pet Rock and the Rock Cycle
Identify your pet rock's type and trace its journey through the rock cycle to see how it could transform.
Medium
Crayons and the Rock Cycle
55. Crayons and the Rock Cycle
Transform crayons into three types of model rocks and see how the real rock cycle works.
Medium
Sidewalk-Scale Solar System
56. Sidewalk-Scale Solar System
Shrink the solar system to sidewalk size and discover how surprisingly far apart the planets really are.
Medium
Egg Drop Survival Challenge
57. Egg Drop Survival Challenge
Design a protective case from household materials and find out whether your raw egg survives a high drop.
Medium
Pre-Soaked Spaghetti and Cooking Time
58. Pre-Soaked Spaghetti and Cooking Time
Soak spaghetti in water for a few hours, then boil it for just one minute to test whether pre-soaking cuts cooking time.
Medium
Red Cabbage pH Lava Lamp
59. Red Cabbage pH Lava Lamp
Add Alka-Seltzer to a red cabbage lava lamp and watch the blobs shift color as you change the pH.
Medium
Paper Airplane Folds and Flight Distance
60. Paper Airplane Folds and Flight Distance
Fold paper airplanes with different designs and launch them to discover which shape flies the farthest.
Medium

8th Grade Science Fair Project FAQ

What are some easy 8th grade science fair projects?

Each one of these easy science fair projects is ideal for eighth grade science students to learn important scientific concepts using readily available materials. These are terrific project ideas to get 8th grade students interested in science and have fun doing it!

  • Static Electricity: What's Attracting?

  • The Effect of Temperature on Fingerprints

  • Soap and Surface Tension

  • Bicycle Helmet Shock Absorption

  • Glowing in the Dark

  • Growing Plants from Fragmentation

  • Extracting DNA from Onions

  • Temperature and Solubility

  • Viewing Sunspots

  • Bacteria on Chopping Boards

Science fair project details right above the FAQ!

What is the best 8th grade science project ever?

We think the Extracting DNA from Onions science fair project is awesome for middle school students! This science project aims to demystify DNA by showing how easy it is to extract from onions and what DNA looks like when it's outside of the cell. It's a classic science experiment to learn about DNA and how DNA can be extracted from many kinds of cells. Check out the video on the project page where DNA is extracted from strawberries too! What other fruits and vegetables can you extract DNA from?

If you're looking for more 8th grade science projects, check out the 8th grade science fair projects at the top of this page! 

Check out more Best Science Fair Projects →

What are some cool 8th grade science fair projects?

Get ready to be amazed by these super cool science projects for 8th graders! With just a few common items, get ready for have tons of fun with a cool science fair project!

  • Soap Bubbles in Carbon Dioxide

  • Extracting DNA from Onions

  • Exploring Cave Formations

  • Busting Acne Bacteria

  • Glowing in the Dark

  • Viewing Sunspots

  • The Effect of Temperature on Fingerprints

  • Soap and Surface Tension

  • Viewing Sunspots

  • Bacteria on Chopping Boards

Science fair project details right above the FAQ!

What are 5 testable questions for 8th grade?

A testable question is a question that we can answer through a science experiment. To do this, we do a control science experiment, then we change one thing in the experiment to see how it affects what happens. This is how we can discover the answer to our question! Eighth grade science students can use the following testable questions for a science fair project.

  • Do detergents affect plant growth?

  • Can drink and food taste different just by changing its color?

  • Does the color of light affect photosynthesis?

  • Does temperature affect seed sprouting?

  • What makes popcorn pop?

Here are more testable questions along with their science projects →

What are the top 10 science projects for 8th grade?

These are our top 10 science projects for 8th grade, with projects from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering and Environmental Science. These projects can be used as science fair project ideas or as a fun experiment to explore different areas of science!

  • Extracting DNA from Onions

  • Growing Plants from Fragmentation

  • Busting Acne Bacteria

  • Soap and Surface Tension

  • Bicycle Helmet Shock Absorption

  • Glowing in the Dark

  • Testing Fabric Types for Water Resistance

  • Temperature and Solubility

  • Viewing Sunspots

  • The Greenhouse Effect

Science project details right above the FAQ!

Can I do a 8th grade science fair project in a day?

Yes! Quick experiments or making a model can be a great option for a science fair project! Since you're short on time, they all use readily available materials. Here are quick science fair project ideas to get you started.

  • The Solar System: See it in the correct scale!

Create your own solar system model to scale on the sidewalk and take a walk through space! Solar System Scale Model on the Sidewalk

  • Chromatography reaction: Separating out colors!

Have you ever wondered why leaves change color in the fall? Let's find out by using chromatography to separate the colors of a green leaf! Uncovering Fall Colors

  • Heat reactions: Heat speeds things up!

Does the temperature of a room affect how quickly a candle burns? Burn Rate of a Candle

What are some hands-on ways to find inspiration for my science fair project?

Science museums are great places to explore if you're looking for inspiration for your next science fair project or just want to learn more about science. Science museums, natural history museums, space museums, and discovery museums are all great places to do that! You can discover all sorts of interesting things about science and find cool project ideas for science fairs.

There may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your local library for free museum passes, nearby science museums for free entrance days and your credit card for offers.

Find a science museum near you and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there! I always learn something new and am inspired whenever I go to a science museum!

How do I start a science fair project?

Science fair projects are a fun and unique way to discover science by asking a question and doing a science project. We'll help you find a science fair project idea and guide you through the process of doing and presenting your science fair project with Science Fair Coach's Science Fair Project Guide.

What should I do after I have a science fair project idea?

If you have a science fair project idea, Science Fair Coach can help you turn it into a full science fair project! Starting at Introduction to Science Fairs, we'll guide you through how to do a science fair project, from designing and conducting your experiment to collecting and analyzing your findings. Then, we'll help you showcase your results on a science fair board with our Guide to Science Fair Posters.

How do I make a science fair board?

Your science fair board is where you show off your science fair project for everyone to see and learn from. With our Guide to Science Fair Posters, you can make sure your science fair board stands out and impresses at the science fair!

What is the scientific method?

The 7 steps of the scientific method helps us understand how nature works. Learn how the scientific method is used in a science fair project example, and how it's evolved through history as scientists used different ways to learn about nature with our Guide to the Scientific Method!

What is the engineering design process?

The 6 steps of the engineering design process helps us design an effective solution to a problem. Learn how to use the engineering design process with the example of the egg drop challenge in our Guide to the Engineering Design Process!

Where can I find a science fair competition?

Science fair competitions are an excellent opportunity to explore science. One of the of the premier science advocacy organizations, the Society for Science, is associated with more than 400 science fair competitions in almost every US state, as well as over 70 other countries, regions, and territories. You can find out if there's a Society of Science affiliated science fair near you!

The www Virtual Library: Science Fairs website also has a collection of science fairs from all over the world, as well as national, state, regional, local, and virtual competitions!

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