View the official judging sheet for the Living Things category here.

View the student checklist for the Living Things category here.

Here are the "must-haves" for an effective Living Things investigation:

  • Most of the projects submitted in this category will be traditional scientific investigations. Use of the scientific method is expected.
  • Please include a log of your progress through your whole process. This can be in electronic form or using a log-book.
  • Your display should summarize all of your work through the process and needs to highlight each step in the scientific method.
  • Please include graphs and/or images where appropriate.
  • Include materials lists, cited sources for research, procedures, etc.
  • Include the real-world application. Why did you choose this experiment?

This document provides valuable information on the scientific method and the difference between scientific EXPERIMENTS and DEMONSTRATIONS. Please read this carefully before deciding on your project.

Scientific Experiments and Demonstrations

Sample science inquiry questions for the Living Things category:

  • Does caffeine affect plant growth?
  • Does the color of light affect plant growth?
  • Does the age of seeds affect germination?
  • Does diet affect your body's pH?
  • Are insects attracted to heat or light?