When science fair season rolls around, consider dealing with a subject that is quite timely and interesting at the same time by doing a science fair organics vs. non-organic project. These projects can be relatively simple or extremely complicated depending on how much effort you want to put forth.
Hot Topic
The key to presenting a winning science fair project is to find a topic that is scientifically relevant while also being interesting. You want to approach a science project as though it is an actual experiment. In other words, you want to form a hypothesis and then prove or disprove it.
Science fair subjects regarding organic topics are relevant to current scientific and media trends. It is also quite easy to form a hypothesis when dealing with a science fair organics vs. non-organic project.
Science Fair Organics vs Non-Organic Project Comparison
The number of science projects you can conduct that involve comparing organic versus non organic items is nearly limitless. As long as you have access to organic and non-organic products, you can easily develop an impressive science fair project.
Growth Comparison
Grow two plants: one organic and one non-organic. Keep the growing conditions as identical as possible with the only variation being that one plant is raised in organic conditions while the other plant's conditions include pesticides and other conventional gardening methods. Be sure to rigorously note the differences between the two soils as well as any variations between the growths of the two plants.
Toxin Comparison
Since organic products are often advertised as being healthier because of the lack of chemicals and toxins encountered by the products, it may be interesting to actually conduct a comparison of the various potentially toxic chemicals present in both organic and non-organic items. You can choose the various toxins that you want to test for, whether a certain pesticide or a wide variety of toxins present within gardening environments.
Durability Comparison
Compare the durability between organic and non-organic cloth or test the sustainability between organic, preservative-free food versus non-organic, preservative-laden food. Make sure that the two items are held in identical settings as you measure how long they last. Document everything that occurs. How long does it take for the two items to start spoiling or molding?
Preference Comparison
You can conduct a taste test of organic and non-organic food items to find out if one actually tastes better than the other. In order to get reliable data for a project like this you will have to make sure that you have a wide range of participants. You will also need to go beyond simple taste testing and delve into the scientific reasoning behind why people may prefer one over the other. You should also make sure to keep it secret which item is organic and which item is non-organic.
Analyze the Data
Beyond simply observing whatever comparison you make, you should also make an effort to explain what scientific significance your findings have. For example, you may find that organic meat spoils more quickly than non-organic meat, but you need to search beyond the initial findings. What does this discovery mean for agriculture, and more specifically, for the scientific community?
No matter what the topic, you will always have a bias regarding how you think the project will turn out. Keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with disproving your own theory as long as the project is well researched and is conducted properly.
Try to keep your own bias from influencing the project. For example, if you believe most people will always prefer organic grapes over non-organic grapes you might subconsciously act a little more eager when presenting the organic grapes to your subjects. Pay close attention to your behavior to make sure you aren't influencing the outcome.
Presentation
Make sure your presentation is intriguing and aesthetically pleasing. Present your data in a way that a passerby can easily interpret, but ensure it's also academically correct and in-depth enough to impress your instructor.
