In this unit, you will begin thinking like a researcher and innovator. You will explore real-world problems, look for gaps in knowledge, and start turning your interests into possible research questions. You will also learn what makes a strong mentor, how science fair projects are judged, and how past award-winning projects can inspire your own ideas. By the end of this unit, you should have a stronger project direction, possible mentor ideas, and an early plan for where your research could go.

In this unit, you will turn your project idea into a real research plan. You will learn how to write stronger research questions and hypotheses, design an experiment or study, think about ethics, and identify any forms or approvals you may need. You will also begin building your project timeline so your work is realistic and ready for science fair deadlines. By the end of this unit, you should have a clearer project topic, a research plan, a timeline, and a better understanding of what needs to happen before data collection begins.

In this unit, you will focus on collecting, organizing, analyzing, and explaining your data. You will learn how to choose useful data tables, graphs, figures, and statistical tools that match your research question. You will also begin thinking about how your data tells a story and how to communicate that story honestly. By the end of this unit, you should have your data collection underway or close to finished, early figures or visuals, and a plan for how you will explain your results.

Winter break is a chance to make major progress on your project. You may still be collecting data, but you should also begin building your poster or slide deck with the sections you already know. This includes your introduction, research question, hypothesis, methods, early results, figures, and references. Your draft does not need to be perfect, but it should be complete enough to get helpful feedback when classes resume.

In this unit, you will move from project work to project communication. You will practice explaining your results, writing conclusions, drafting your abstract, and improving your poster or slide deck. You will also prepare for judging by practicing short presentations, answering questions, and using feedback from peers and instructors. By the end of this unit, you should be more confident explaining what you did, what you found, why it matters, and what you would do next.

In this unit, you will think about what happens after competitions. You will learn about publishing research, intellectual property, patents, and future opportunities connected to your project. You will also reflect on what you learned and decide what your next steps could be, such as improving your project, submitting a paper, joining Year 2, applying to another program, or continuing your research. By the end of this unit, you should have a clearer plan for how your project can keep growing.