Although nobody will expect entries for 8th-grade science projects to be outstandingly proficient and altogether scientific, there are a number of ways in which you can make a well-balanced project that will stand out and that will amaze the people who will see it. The main concern will be the validity of the information provided and the reliability of the sources used.
In many ways, a project will have to tackle a subject that is either imposed by the teacher, or some topic that will be investigated by the student himself. In the latter case, the student ought to pursue a certain subject that he feels drawn towards, something that he is interested in and also something that will be challenging. Many 8th-grade science projects will be judged on the originality of their content, or rather, on the originality of the method in which they are presented.
Getting to know the subject at hand as well as possible is also very interesting and challenging. The teachers may be interested in finding how well prepared the student has actually been, and he may ask questions regarding the subject that was not included in the project itself. That’s why a little history and a little bit of focus on the entire area of the subject will be very important from the student. There’s no better way to impress a teacher than to know the information presented without hesitation.
Another aspect that needs to be prepared carefully will be a practical application or a specific set of visuals to go along with the project. If there is a possibility to include a video or a slide show, there will be further praise for the student. Also, a video may be just as good, and given the ease with which a laptop computer can be integrated, a multimedia display may prove very important as well.
Another way to make your project stand out is to think of it as a tale, as a story. There is tension and plot and suspense that can be used in your presentation. Start out by making an almost unbelievable statement that will arouse the attention of the crowd and then slowly bring out the facts. Keep your information clean and well presented, make pauses, and allow for the audience to focus and to think.
The best results are those that require the extra bit of attention and a bit more work. In the field of education, there will be different levels of preparedness and the 8th-grade science projects will be judged according to the standards of the age group, but still, they should be well done and a good learning experience.