project assignment science

Introduction

1. get your idea and do some research, 2. ask a testable question, 3. design and conduct your experiment, 4. examine your results, 5. communicate your experiment and results.

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How to Do a Science Fair Project

To get started on your science fair project, you'll learn to observe the world around you and ask questions about the things you observe.

Observe the world around you and ask questions about the things you observe.

Develop your idea into a question you can test. Your question should follow the format, "How does [input] affect [output]?"

Design your experiment and keep track of the results. Remember to only change one variable and conduct your experiment multiple times for each trial. Each trial should be repeated in exactly the same way.

Now that your experiment is done, it's time to examine your results. You want to look for trends in your results and draw conclusions from those trends. You also want to examine your data for possible influences from factors you didn't consider at first.

Make a poster display that summarizes your experiment so you can share your results. Be sure to include the question you were trying to answer (your hypothesis), the steps you took to answer that question, your results and any factors that may have influenced your results. Your poster should be visually appealing, but also clear about what you did and why people should care.

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72 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand

Because science doesn’t have to be complicated.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed to get your students excited, it’s a good science experiment! While some experiments require expensive lab equipment or dangerous chemicals, there are plenty of cool projects you can do with regular household items. We’ve rounded up a big collection of easy science experiments that anybody can try, and kids are going to love them!

Easy Chemistry Science Experiments

Easy physics science experiments, easy biology and environmental science experiments, easy engineering experiments and stem challenges.

1. Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow! Tip: Have extra Skittles on hand so your class can eat a few!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

2. Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

3. Make a volcano erupt

This classic experiment demonstrates a chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid), which produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate.

Learn more: Best Volcano Experiments

4. Make elephant toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” Tip: Add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for plastic bottles.

5. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

6. Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

7. Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test. Have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

8. Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table! This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

9. Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

10. Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

11. Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results! This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

12. Mix up some slime

Tell kids you’re going to make slime at home, and watch their eyes light up! There are a variety of ways to make slime, so try a few different recipes to find the one you like best.

13. Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

14. Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

15. Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

16. Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done!

17. Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

18. Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

19. Pull an egg into a bottle

This classic easy science experiment never fails to delight. Use the power of air pressure to suck a hard-boiled egg into a jar, no hands required.

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

20. Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school. The baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases when you fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda.

21 Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid-base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

22. Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste-and-toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

23. Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog! No need for canopic jars , just grab some baking soda and get started.

24. Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

25. Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

26. Create dancing popcorn

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

27. Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Explosion

28. Send a teabag flying

Hot air rises, and this experiment can prove it! You’ll want to supervise kids with fire, of course. For more safety, try this one outside.

Learn more: Flying Tea Bags

29. Create magic milk

This fun and easy science experiment demonstrates principles related to surface tension, molecular interactions, and fluid dynamics.

Learn more: Magic Milk Experiment

30. Watch the water rise

Learn about Charles’s Law with this simple experiment. As the candle burns, using up oxygen and heating the air in the glass, the water rises as if by magic.

Learn more: Rising Water

31. Learn about capillary action

Kids will be amazed as they watch the colored water move from glass to glass, and you’ll love the easy and inexpensive setup. Gather some water, paper towels, and food coloring to teach the scientific magic of capillary action.

Learn more: Capillary Action

32. Give a balloon a beard

Equally educational and fun, this experiment will teach kids about static electricity using everyday materials. Kids will undoubtedly get a kick out of creating beards on their balloon person!

Learn more: Static Electricity

33. Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle, float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north.

Learn more: DIY Compass

34. Crush a can using air pressure

Sure, it’s easy to crush a soda can with your bare hands, but what if you could do it without touching it at all? That’s the power of air pressure!

35. Tell time using the sun

While people use clocks or even phones to tell time today, there was a time when a sundial was the best means to do that. Kids will certainly get a kick out of creating their own sundials using everyday materials like cardboard and pencils.

Learn more: Make Your Own Sundial

36. Launch a balloon rocket

Grab balloons, string, straws, and tape, and launch rockets to learn about the laws of motion.

37. Make sparks with steel wool

All you need is steel wool and a 9-volt battery to perform this science demo that’s bound to make their eyes light up! Kids learn about chain reactions, chemical changes, and more.

Learn more: Steel Wool Electricity

38. Levitate a Ping-Pong ball

Kids will get a kick out of this experiment, which is really all about Bernoulli’s principle. You only need plastic bottles, bendy straws, and Ping-Pong balls to make the science magic happen.

39. Whip up a tornado in a bottle

There are plenty of versions of this classic experiment out there, but we love this one because it sparkles! Kids learn about a vortex and what it takes to create one.

Learn more: Tornado in a Bottle

40. Monitor air pressure with a DIY barometer

This simple but effective DIY science project teaches kids about air pressure and meteorology. They’ll have fun tracking and predicting the weather with their very own barometer.

Learn more: DIY Barometer

41. Peer through an ice magnifying glass

Students will certainly get a thrill out of seeing how an everyday object like a piece of ice can be used as a magnifying glass. Be sure to use purified or distilled water since tap water will have impurities in it that will cause distortion.

Learn more: Ice Magnifying Glass

42. String up some sticky ice

Can you lift an ice cube using just a piece of string? This quick experiment teaches you how. Use a little salt to melt the ice and then refreeze the ice with the string attached.

Learn more: Sticky Ice

43. “Flip” a drawing with water

Light refraction causes some really cool effects, and there are multiple easy science experiments you can do with it. This one uses refraction to “flip” a drawing; you can also try the famous “disappearing penny” trick .

Learn more: Light Refraction With Water

44. Color some flowers

We love how simple this project is to re-create since all you’ll need are some white carnations, food coloring, glasses, and water. The end result is just so beautiful!

45. Use glitter to fight germs

Everyone knows that glitter is just like germs—it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage and show kids how soap fights glitter and germs.

Learn more: Glitter Germs

46. Re-create the water cycle in a bag

You can do so many easy science experiments with a simple zip-top bag. Fill one partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.

Learn more: Water Cycle

47. Learn about plant transpiration

Your backyard is a terrific place for easy science experiments. Grab a plastic bag and rubber band to learn how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration.

Learn more: Plant Transpiration

48. Clean up an oil spill

Before conducting this experiment, teach your students about engineers who solve environmental problems like oil spills. Then, have your students use provided materials to clean the oil spill from their oceans.

Learn more: Oil Spill

49. Construct a pair of model lungs

Kids get a better understanding of the respiratory system when they build model lungs using a plastic water bottle and some balloons. You can modify the experiment to demonstrate the effects of smoking too.

Learn more: Model Lungs

50. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to collect rocks, and there are plenty of easy science experiments you can do with them. In this one, pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Experiments

51. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: DIY Rain Gauge

52. Build up towel mountains

This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some landforms are created. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!

Learn more: Towel Mountains

53. Take a play dough core sample

Learn about the layers of the earth by building them out of Play-Doh, then take a core sample with a straw. ( Love Play-Doh? Get more learning ideas here. )

Learn more: Play Dough Core Sampling

54. Project the stars on your ceiling

Use the video lesson in the link below to learn why stars are only visible at night. Then create a DIY star projector to explore the concept hands-on.

Learn more: DIY Star Projector

55. Make it rain

Use shaving cream and food coloring to simulate clouds and rain. This is an easy science experiment little ones will beg to do over and over.

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain

56. Blow up your fingerprint

This is such a cool (and easy!) way to look at fingerprint patterns. Inflate a balloon a bit, use some ink to put a fingerprint on it, then blow it up big to see your fingerprint in detail.

57. Snack on a DNA model

Twizzlers, gumdrops, and a few toothpicks are all you need to make this super-fun (and yummy!) DNA model.

Learn more: Edible DNA Model

58. Dissect a flower

Take a nature walk and find a flower or two. Then bring them home and take them apart to discover all the different parts of flowers.

59. Craft smartphone speakers

No Bluetooth speaker? No problem! Put together your own from paper cups and toilet paper tubes.

Learn more: Smartphone Speakers

60. Race a balloon-powered car

Kids will be amazed when they learn they can put together this awesome racer using cardboard and bottle-cap wheels. The balloon-powered “engine” is so much fun too.

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car

61. Build a Ferris wheel

You’ve probably ridden on a Ferris wheel, but can you build one? Stock up on wood craft sticks and find out! Play around with different designs to see which one works best.

Learn more: Craft Stick Ferris Wheel

62. Design a phone stand

There are lots of ways to craft a DIY phone stand, which makes this a perfect creative-thinking STEM challenge.

63. Conduct an egg drop

Put all their engineering skills to the test with an egg drop! Challenge kids to build a container from stuff they find around the house that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

64. Engineer a drinking-straw roller coaster

STEM challenges are always a hit with kids. We love this one, which only requires basic supplies like drinking straws.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster

65. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. This experiment takes a little more time and effort, but the results are always impressive. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Solar Oven

66. Build a Da Vinci bridge

There are plenty of bridge-building experiments out there, but this one is unique. It’s inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old self-supporting wooden bridge. Learn how to build it at the link, and expand your learning by exploring more about Da Vinci himself.

Learn more: Da Vinci Bridge

67. Step through an index card

This is one easy science experiment that never fails to astonish. With carefully placed scissor cuts on an index card, you can make a loop large enough to fit a (small) human body through! Kids will be wowed as they learn about surface area.

68. Stand on a pile of paper cups

Combine physics and engineering and challenge kids to create a paper cup structure that can support their weight. This is a cool project for aspiring architects.

Learn more: Paper Cup Stack

69. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected by windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: Parachute Drop

70. Recycle newspapers into an engineering challenge

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge kids to build a tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenge

71. Use rubber bands to sound out acoustics

Explore the ways that sound waves are affected by what’s around them using a simple rubber band “guitar.” (Kids absolutely love playing with these!)

Learn more: Rubber Band Guitar

72. Assemble a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Umbrella STEM Challenge

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Computer Science Projects

Computer science is a popular topic of study today, with numerous applications spanning a wide range. Final-year students frequently find it difficult to select the appropriate computer science project. On the final day of graduation, projects are the only thing that matters. Any IT-related industry where projects have a substantial impact can be chosen for a job or further education. Project work indicates knowledge depth as well as some soft skills like creativity and problem-solving. Your interview prospects will also improve as a result of your final year projects. As a result, in their last year of graduation, students are required to complete a project.

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Computer Science – FAQs

1. what is computer science .

Computer science (CS) is the study of computers and algorithmic processes including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their applications, and their impact on society.

2. Which is the best project in the final year?

The best final-year project is subjective and depends on your interests and skills. Choose a project that appeals to your interests, challenges you, and provides real learning possibilities.

3. How do I choose a major project for CSE?

To choose a major project for Computer Science Engineering (CSE), follow these steps: Identify your interests and strengths within CSE. Research current trends and emerging technologies in the field. Discuss project ideas with professors, peers, and industry professionals. Consider the project’s feasibility, scope, and potential impact. Select a project that excites you and aligns with your academic goals.

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16 Ideas for Student Projects Using Google Docs, Slides, and Forms

July 31, 2016

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As you probably know, Google Drive is far more than a place to store files online. It also includes a suite of versatile creation tools, many of which perform the same functions as the ones we use in other spaces. These include  Google Docs,  a word processing program that behaves similarly to Microsoft Word,  Google Slides,  a presentation program similar to PowerPoint, and  Google Forms,  a survey-creation tool similar to Survey Monkey.  Although Drive also includes other tools, these three are particularly useful for creating rigorous, academically robust projects. If your school uses Google Classroom or at least gives students access to Google Drive, your students are probably already using these tools to write papers or create slideshow presentations, but there are other projects they could be doing that you may not have thought of.

Below I have listed 16 great ideas for projects using Google Docs, Slides, and Forms.

Annotated Bibliography By the time a student reaches the later years of high school, and certainly by the time she’s gotten to college, it’s likely that she’ll be required to write an annotated bibliography, a list of resources that not only includes the bibliographical information of each source, but also a short paragraph summarizing the resource and reflecting on its usefulness for a given project. Usually an annotated bibliography is required as a part of a larger research paper, but it could stand alone as an assignment that tasks students with seeking out and evaluating sources just for the practice of doing so. And the research tools in Google Docs allow students to locate, read, and cite their sources all in one place. To learn more, see this guide from Cornell University Library on How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography .

Book Review Instead of a book report, have students write a book review instead. This is certainly not a new idea, but publishing the work electronically allows students to enhance the final product with the book’s cover image, a link to the book’s page on Amazon, and even links to other titles the author has written or articles on related topics. For models and inspiration, elementary and middle school students can read student-written reviews on sites like Spaghetti Book Club . Older or advanced students might work toward more sophisticated, nuanced review styles like book reviews written on Oprah.com .

Collaborative Story Because Google Docs is cloud-based, multiple people can work on a Doc at the same time. So students can work together on a story, a script for a play, or any other kind of group writing project. They can use the comments feature to give each other feedback and make decisions together. And because students can work from any location with an Internet connection, collaboration isn’t restricted to school hours; each group member can work on the project from any location whenever they have time.

Media-Rich Research Paper Any kind of research paper can be given a big boost when done in a Google Doc, because students can insert images, drawings, and links to other relevant resources, like articles and videos. Using the research tools built into Docs, students can research their topics and include in-text citations with footnotes.

Super Simple Blog If you don’t want to mess with actual blogging platforms, but want students to be able to experience writing blog posts that contain images and hyperlinks to other websites, this could be accomplished easily in a single running Google Doc.

Table Being able to organize information visually is an important skill, and students who understand how to build a table in Google Docs will have a skill for presenting all kinds of information in the future. They can be used as a compare and contrast exercise, to display data from an experiment, or even put together a schedule. Yes, you could do these things yourself, print them, and have students fill them out, but why not have students practice creating the tables themselves? 

Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story Because slides can contain hyperlinks to other slides, students could build a whole story where the reader chooses different options at key points in the story, leading them down completely different paths. The reader would consume the content as a slideshow, clicking on the links themselves as they go through. This could be a pretty massive undertaking, but we all know students who would be totally up for the challenge.

E-book These could take a variety of forms: mini-textbooks, children’s books, cookbooks or how-to manuals, personal art or writing portfolios, even yearbook-style memory books. To learn more about the possibilities, see my post from earlier this year on  Student E-Books .

Magazine Along the same lines as an e-book, students could use a similar template to create a PDF magazine or newsletter that is shared online on a regular schedule. The possibilities here are endless, useful for student clubs or sports teams, classroom or grade-level newsletters, or magazines put out by groups of students who share a common interest, like gaming systems, soccer, or books.

Museum Kiosk Imagine if we could enhance science fair projects with a looping video display that provides the audience with vivid visuals and text about our topic. Or imagine an art show, where a self-running informational slideshow could be placed beside an art display to share the story behind the piece and photos of the work in progress? This is possible and EASY in Google Slides: Simply create a slideshow, then use the “Publish to the Web” feature to create a slideshow that auto-advances and has no need for a presenter. Pop that up on an iPad or laptop and you’re all set. This mock-up of a slideshow on Coral Reefs shows you what it could look like (click the image to open in a new window).

Short Film Students can upload their own images and add text boxes to a slideshow to create an animated story, then record the slideshow with a Google extension called Screencastify . They can either record their own voice as narration, add background music, or both. There are so many different kinds of films students could produce: illustrated stories or poems, final reflections for a 20 Time or Genius Hour project, video textbooks on content-related topics, or news-like feature stories of school or community events. In this quick sample, I added music from YouTube’s library of royalty-free music that anyone can use to enhance their recordings:

Video Tutorial Using the same screencasting software mentioned above, students could also create their own video tutorials by creating a Slides presentation on their topic (such as “How to Open a Combination Lock”), then recording the slideshow with narration. This would make a nice final product for a unit on informational writing or a way for students to demonstrate their learning at the end of a unit in science (“How to Take Care of Lab Equipment”), social studies (“How to Measure Distance on a Map”), or math (“How to Multiply Fractions”). Student-made tutorials could even be created to teach classroom procedures. And any tutorials students make could be stored for later, so other students can also benefit from them.  Learn more about how Screencastify works right inside Chrome .

Peer Survey Whenever students need to gather data to support an argumentative essay or speech, let them gather data quickly and easily by creating a survey with Google Forms. Links to the survey can be sent out via email, QR codes , or through a post in a learning management system like Edmodo or Google Classroom. When results come in, students can use them to support whatever claim they are trying to make in their argument, or make adjustments based on what they discover in their research.

Feedback Form Have students provide feedback to each other’s presentations, speeches, even videos using Google Forms. Here’s how it would work: Each student creates her own form, asking for the kind of feedback she wants on the project. As other students view or the project, they can be sent to a form to offer praise or constructive criticism, which the creator would then be able to view privately and use to improve the project. Students could even use their feedback to write a reflection on their process after the project is done.

Quiz One great way to learn material is to create a test or quiz over the content. Have students use Google Forms to create their own multiple-choice, True/False, fill-in-the-blank, or open-ended quizzes on the content they are learning.

Visual Representation of Data Sets Whenever people enter responses to a Form, Google allows the form creator to view responses in charts and graphs. Have students gain a better understanding of how data can be represented visually by accepting responses (or entering their own fake ones) into a Form, then looking at how the numbers are represented in graphs. This could work well as a series of math lessons.

Way Beyond Worksheets

Just this morning on Twitter, someone posted a comment along these lines: “A worksheet on a Google Doc is STILL a worksheet. Students should be using tech to create!” I’ve heard this sentiment over and over, and it’s exactly why I’ve put this list together. Google offers some incredibly powerful tools if we know how to use them. I hope this list has given you a few new ideas to put into your students’ hands. ♦

What to Read Next

Categories: Instruction , Technology

Tags: assessment , content area literacy , English language arts , Grades 3-5 , Grades 6-8 , Grades 9-12 , project-based learning , teaching with tech , tech tools

51 Comments

This is wonderful.

This is my first year teaching in an alternative high school. All students have IEP’s as well as social and emotional disabilities. I really want to focus on literacy as many are well below grade-level, ability wise. Writing of course is a big part of literacy. I’m looking for ideas that they can collaborate on, via Google Docs, Slides, etc. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Check out Boomwriter: A Fun Twist on Collaborative Writing . Lots of good resources there that you might like. Also take a look at Student-Made E-Books: A Beautiful Way to Demonstrate Learning .

I am an RSP teacher in Anaheim. For summer school I am going to have them build a “Bucket List” in Google slides.

Thanks for compiling these resources. I use many already but haven’t tried Screencastify yet. My district uses Google Classroom, but the forms app is blocked on student accounts- I think because it’s a perfect medium for under-the-radar cyberbullying (“How much do you hate Linda?…A little, a lot, a ton…”). Before teachers plan a lesson using forms, they should make sure the feature is enabled for students in their district. In my district, students can access forms and create them but they cannot send them to other students.

Thanks, Robyn. Good to know!

I love these ideas! You are so creative and now I have GREAT ideas for my SS project! Thanks! XD

this is all true

Our district is allowing extra credit this year and I have always been totally opposed to offering extra credit. These ideas are worth extra credit, and my focus this year is on what the students can teach me and the rest of their peers.

This gave me some good ideas for culminating activities. Thanks!

Thank you so much for sharing these ideas about creating projects by using the Google Drive! The middle school I teach at implemented a 1:1 program last year with Chromebooks, so the students have easy access to all of the Google apps. I had always grown up using Word docs and I was a little hesitant to start using Google docs at first. After just a few weeks, I absolutely fell in love with it! It is amazing how you can access all of your docs, forms, slides that you create from any device you’re using and the fact that everything automatically saves is just the cherry on top. I am grateful for this feature, especially working in a middle school where it is easy for students to forget to save something before exiting out. Although I teach Math, I found a lot of your project ideas to be utilized cross-curriculum and I truly appreciate it. I got my feet wet last year and had my students create google slides presentations in groups. At the beginning of this year, I started with a google form I created where students answered review questions from 6th grade Math. I love that when you get the results from all of the forms, you can easily see which areas students are struggling in and which areas they are proficient in because it is presented the results in graphs and charts. I just learned recently that you can create quizzes now, which is awesome because all of the testing in my district is done on the computers, so this will help prepare my students. I want to borrow your idea of having students create peer surveys that they can post on Google classroom in order to gather information and analyze results. This is a great skill for students to have. Thanks again, I truly enjoy reading your blogs!

Be positive at all time

Great collection of resources! Easy to read and very helpful for teachers who often do not get the tutorials they need to instruct with GAFE. I particular like the Museum Kiosk idea. It will work great will my history classes.

– Kevin

Hi everyone! I also would like to suggest my own (free) templates site. Im designing these presentations using “free” resources from other sites such as FreePik, FlatIcon,… and I think the result is pretty good. I invite you to have a look. The site is https://slidesppt.com

In the section of student blog posts, can you clarify how all the students in one class could be writing and posting a running blog which everyone in the class can read and respond to ?

This is Holly Burcham, a Customer Experience Manager. The idea Jenn laid out here is to simply create a shared Google Doc where each student would basically be responsible for his/her own page (literally page 1, page 2, etc.). Within a shared Doc, everyone with permission can be in and typing at the same time. Once “posts” are written, students can go in and add comments to others’ work. The comments would show up in the margins and would be arranged by corresponding content, not time like a typical blog post.

But, as you can imagine, this could quickly become very convoluted and a bit messy. The thought behind using Docs as a student blog is more for writing practice, getting the feel for writing a blog post without doing the real thing…

So, if you’re interested in your students truly creating a blog, we highly recommend checking out Edublogs and Kidblog . Hope this helps!

How are these good for projects? you said that these are for kid presentations, all I see are essay templates and idea’s for teachers to map out their classroom jobs(other then the coral)

Hi, Isaac! I’m not sure what could be used to map out classroom jobs specifically from this post, and I think the ideas here go way beyond essay outlines–please get back to me to clarify exactly what you’re referring to, because we believe all the ideas here are good for student use. Thanks!

You might update this post. Google Forms now supports branching which would be much easier to create a “choose your own” adventure type experience.

Thanks for the suggestion. I can picture how that would work, yes, but I guess the aesthetic experience might be lacking in a Google Form. With Slides you have complete creative freedom to design the slides like a real book. I guess it would be a matter of personal preference?

Where do I go to find accessibility features of Google docs, slides, and forms? I am a teacher of the blind and visually impaired. This technology is wonderful but without the ability to navigate the site independently, my students are at a lost. Can you direct me?

Hi! A couple of things that may be of help: Go to “Tools” in the menu bar and select Voice Typing (use Google Chrome). You can also click on Add-Ons in the menu bar and add the Speech Recognition Soundwriter extension for free. Here’s a link to find more Google Accessibility features — you just have to spend a bit of time looking through the list to see what may be relevant to your needs. I hope this helps!

You can also combine Google forms and docs to simplify book reports for elementary students: https://electriceducator.blogspot.com/2016/03/elementary-book-report-machine.html?m=1

Is there an available rubric or assessment piece for the museum kiosk activity?

Hi Colleen! No, sorry, I don’t have anything on that!

Hi I am a teacher at a elementary school and I was wondering if you had any ideas for what I could do for an autobiography book report.

Hi Madison,

There really are so many things you can have the kids do — I would first think about what you’re expecting the kids to be able to do in the end. What will actually be assessed and what will they be accountable for? (I suggest checking out Understanding Backward Design if you haven’t already.) From there, they can choose how to present what they learned, meeting the assessment criteria. I think using some of the ideas in the Slides section of the post could work really well, especially Student Made E-Books , or making a short film.

Madison, I love the idea of using Google Slides for autobiography book report. I’m thinking about Jennifer’s Slides suggestions and just tailoring it to your book report criteria/rubric. Thoughts?

thank you very much!!

Thank you! I can’t wait to explore some of these options more. This list is very much appreciated! 🙂

I really appreciate your kindness and your efforts and I’m going to try everything you have mentioned in this wonderful article

Thanks. Higher Ed ESOL Prof -no lesson prep for me… but I DO have my reading list for the next several (10-12) hours! All suggestions added to the original post are appreciated.

I am a huge fan of Google resources, but you have showed me some new ways I can use these. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for some great ideas! I have another suggestion that I have used before- my students really liked it- a collaborative Google Slides presentation. I did this for types of organic molecules as an intro to organic chemistry. Each pair of students in the class was assigned a specific molecule to research. They had to create 1 slide with some specific information and add to a collaborative google slides presentation that I shared on Google Classroom. When the slideshow was complete, they could all access it, and they used it to take notes.

Great suggestion Susan! Thanks so much for sharing this idea.

I am wondering if I can find similar google instructions to send to my students now that we are teaching remotely and 90% of them probably don’t know how to use Google. This would be a fantastic use of their time. Thank you

Take a look at Jenn’s Google Drive Basics video course ! I think it’s got what you’re looking for – it’s for teachers and students!

I am thinking about doing a Rap Challenge in which they (as teams based on which class period they are in) create lyrics using WWII vocabulary we have used.

I create raps for my students and my though was that I would take parts of ALL of their submissions and create a WWII rap to add to the collection they have heard already.

Which of the Google Drive features would be my best bet for collaboration like that while the students are all working from home?

Hi Jim! I think this could be done in Google Docs pretty easily, as they are just writing a script, correct? If you want to share video or audio, you can just put these files into a shared folder in Drive and give all students access to those files. I hope this helps!

Amazing ideas

An innovative way to eliminate paper.

Hi! I love this site. I am beginning to use technology in my higehr education classroom. Could you help me to suggest some kind of game to use in Communication Skilss? Thanks a lot

Hi! Check out our Gamification Pinterest board and see what might be relevant. Hope this helps!

I’m a college student (who is now a nanny which brought me to this page) and for the screen recording, I highly reccomend Loom over Screencastify. In my experience using both during the remote learning period, the video quality is much higher on Loom, the user interface is easier, and you can’t edit Screencastify videos in an external editor like iMovie. (I had to do a group presentation and since partner lived in Kuwait we used this vs Zoom, etc. to record the presentation since we weren’t recording at the same time. It was very difficult to figure out how to merge our parts of the presentation into a single file.)

Also with screencastify the time limit per video on the free version (5 min I think) was frustrating as my work was longer. May not be a problem for students but for educators using the tool who don’t have the premium, this could be highly inconvenient. With Loom there isn’t a time limit.

What an adventure for me, who’s relatively new to this google drive thing. Mind blowing resources. It’s amazing. I’m excited as to what I can do with and in google drive. I’m definitely taking it one day at a time, will surely enjoy this ‘CRUISE’. Thank you Jennifer.

What does it mean to type I am from Germany?

Hi Flannery! It can mean a few different things depending on the context–either typing on a keyboard or the “kind” of something (“What type of ice cream do you like?”). We’d love to give a specific answer, so please let us know which part of the post or which comment you saw that you’d like more clarification on. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing these ideas. July 2021

I love all the awesome ways to incorporate technology in the classroom. This post had so many options to choose from and some that I personally loved when I was in school. There are so many different ways to make learning fun with technology!

So glad you enjoyed the post!

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E-Learning Science Project Assignment Brief

Compose a minimalist school project assignment brief and more by editing this e-learning science project assignment brief template.

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Create a clean project assignment brief and more with this E-Learning Science Project Assignment Brief Template. Make it your own by editing the brief with a monochromatic color scheme, bold headings, and icons. Keep the attention on the content of the assignment by using a monochromatic color scheme. Venngage has pre-generated color palettes you can pick from, or you can design your own monochromatic color scheme for the brief. Point out important sections of the project assignment brief by applying bold headings. You can also use bold typeface to emphasize crucial details within the content and you can also utilize italics for more options. Another way you can enhance the E-Learning Science Project Assignment Brief Template is by inserting an icon to check off the sections. Venngage has an array of icons available and you can even frame them with shapes so the icons pop off the page. Get started personalizing your own project assignment brief today!

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Browse Course Material

Course info, instructors.

• Prof. Samuel Madden
• Prof. Robert Morris
• Prof. Michael Stonebraker
• Dr. Carlo Curino

Departments

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

As Taught In

• Information Technology
• Algorithms and Data Structures
• Data Mining
• Software Design and Engineering

Learning Resource Types

Database systems, final project assignment and ideas.

A large portion (20%) of your grade in 6.830 consists of a final project. This project is meant to be a substantial independent research or engineering effort related to material we have studied in class. Your project may involve a comparison of systems we have read about, an application of database techniques to a system you are familiar with, or be a database-related project in your research area.

This document describes what is expected of a final project and proposes some possible project ideas.

What Is Expected

Good class projects can vary dramatically in complexity, scope, and topic. The only requirement is that they be related to something we have studied in this class and that they contain some element of research — e.g., that you do more than simply engineer a piece of software that someone else has described or architected. To help you determine if your idea is of reasonable scope, we will arrange to meet with each group several times throughout the semester.

What to Hand In

There are two written deliverables, a project proposal and a final report.

Project Proposal : The proposal should consist of 1-2 pages describing the problem you plan to solve, outlining how you plan to solve it, and describing what you will “deliver” for the final project. We will arrange short meetings with every group before the project proposal to help you refine your topic and would be happy to provide feedback on a draft of your proposal before it is due.

Final Report : You should prepare a conference-style report on your project with maximum length of 15 pages (10 pt font or larger, one or two columns, 1 inch margins, single or double spaced — more is not better). Your report should introduce and motivate the problem your project addresses, describe related work in the area, discuss the elements of your solution, and present results that measure the behavior, performance, or functionality of your system (with comparisons to other related systems as appropriate.)

Because this report is the primary deliverable upon which you will be graded, do not treat it as an afterthought . Plan to leave at least a week to do the writing, and make sure you proofread and edit carefully!

Please submit a paper copy of your report. You will also be expected to give a presentation on your project in class that will provide an opportunity for you to present a short demo of your work and show what you have done to other students in the class. Details about the format of the presentation will be posted as the date gets closer.

Project Ideas

The following is a list of possible project ideas; you are not required to choose from this list — in fact, we encourage you to try to solve a problem of your own choosing! If you are interested in working on one of these projects, contact the instructors and we can put you in touch with students and others around MIT working on these ideas. Note that these are not meant to be complete project proposals, but just suggestions for areas to explore — you will need to flesh them out into complete projects by talking with your group members, the course staff, and graduate students working on these projects.

Being able to compare performance of different DBMSs and different storage and access techniques is vital for the database community. To this purpose several synthetic benchmark has been designed and adopted over time (see TPC-C, TPC-H etc…). Wikipedia open source application, and publicly available data (several TB!!), provide a great starting point to develop a benchmark based on real-world data. Moreover, we obtained from the Wikimedia foundation 10% of 4 months of Wikipedia accesses (roughly 20 billion HTTP requests!). The project will consists in using this real-world data, queries and access patterns to design one of the first benchmarks based on real-world data.

Amazon RDS is a database service provided within the EC2 cloud. An interesting project consists in investigating performance and scalability characteristics of Amazon RDS. Also since RDS services run in a virtualized environment, studying the “stability” and “isolation” of the performance offered is interesting.

Hosted database services such as Amazon RDS, Microso SQL Azure are starting to become popular. It is still unclear what is the performance impact of running applications on a local (non-hosted) platform, such as a local enterprise datacenter, while having the data hosted “in the cloud”. An interesting project aim at investigating the performance impact for different classes of applications e.g., OLAP, OLTP, Web.

Performance monitoring is an important portion of data-center and database management. An interesting project consists in developing a monitoring interface for MySQL, capable of monitoring multiple nodes, reporting both DBMS internal statistics, and OS-level statistics (CPU, RAM, DIsk), potentially automating the detection of saturation of resources.

Being able to predict cpu/mem/disk load of database machines can enable “consolidation”, i.e., the co-location of multiple DB within a smaller set of physical servers. We have an interesting set of data from real-world data-centers, the project would consist in investigating machine-learning and other predictive techniques on such real-world data.

Flash memories are very promising technologies, providing lower latency for random operations. However, they have a series of unusual restrictions and performance. An interesting project investigates the performance impact of using flash memories for DB applications.

Often database assume data to be stored on a local disk, however data stored on network file systems can allow for easier administration, and is rather common in enterprises using SAN or NAS storage systems. The project will investigate the impact of local-vs-networked storage on query performance.

Partition-aware object-relational mapping. Many programmers seem to prefer object-relational mapping (ORM) layers such as like Ruby on Rails or Hibernate to a traditional ODBC/JDBC interface to a database. In the H-store Project we have been studying performance benefits that can be obtained in a “partitonable” database, where the tables can be cleanly partitioned according to some key attribute (for example, customer-id), and queries are generally run over just one partition. The goal of this project would be to study how to exploit partitioning to improve the performance of a distributed ORM layer.

Twitter provides a fire hose of data. Automatically filtering, aggregating, analyzing such data can allow a way to harness the full value of the data, extracting valuable information. The idea of this project is investigating stream processing technology to operate on social streams.

Client-side database. Build a Javascript library that client-side Web applications can use to access a database; the idea is to avoid the painful way in which current client-side application have to use the XMLHttpRequest interface to access server-side objects asynchronously. This layer should cache objects on the client side whenever possible, but be backed by a shared, server-side database system.

As a related project, HTML5 browsers (including WebKit, used by Safari and Chrome), include a client-side SQL API in JavaScript. This project would involve investigating how to user such a database to improve client performance, offload work from the server, etc.

Preventing denial-of-service attacks on database systems. Databases are a vulnerable point in many Web sites, because it is often possible for attackers to make some simple request that causes the Web site to issue queries asking the database to do a lot of work. By issuing a large number of such requests, and attacker can effectively issue a denial of service attack against the Web site by disabling the database. The goal of this project would be to develop a set of techniques to counter this problem — for example, one approach might be to modify the database scheduler so that it doesn’t run the same expensive queries over and over.

Auto-admin tools to recommend indices, etc. Design a tool that recommends a set of indices to build given a particular workload and a set of statistics in a database. Alternatively investigate the question of which materialized views to create in a data-warehousing system, such as

Scientific community data management requirements significantly differ from regular web/enterprise ones. To this purpose a specialized DB is currently being developed named: SciDB. Studying performance of SciDB on dedicated servers vs. on virtualized environment such as EC2 is an intriguing topic. Another interesting investigation would cover the impact on SciDB performance of storing the data over the network (e.g., network file system). A third interesting project would explore the performance of clustering algorithms on SciDB vs. MapReduce.

Asynchronous Database Access. Client software interacts with standard SQL databases via a blocking interface like ODBC or JDBC; the client sends SQL, waits for the database to process the query, and receives an answer. A non-blocking interface would allow a single client thread to issue many parallel queries from the same thread, with potential for some impressive performance gains. This project would investigate how this would work (do the queries have to be in different transactions? what kind of modification would need to be made to the database) and would look at the possible performance gains in some typical database benchmarks or applications.

Extend SimpleDB. SimpleDB is very simple. There are a number of ways you might extend it to explore some of the research ideas we have studied in this class. For example, you could add support for optimistic concurrency control and compare its performance to the basic concurrency control scheme you will implement in Problem Set 3. There are a number of other possible projects of this type; we would be happy to discuss these in more detail.

CarTel. In the CarTel project, we are building a system for collecting and managing data from automobiles. There are several possible CarTel related projects: * One of the features of CarTel is a GUI for browsing geo-spatial data collected from cars. We currently have a primitive interface for retrieving parts of the data that are of interest, but developing a more sophisticated interface or query language for browsing and exploring this data would make a great project. * One of the dangers with building a system like CarTel is that it collects relatively sensitive personal information about users location and driving habits. Protecting this information from casual browsers, insurance companies, or other undesired users is important. However, it is also important to be able to combine different users data together to do things like intelligent route planning or vehicle anomaly detection. The goal of this project would be to find a way to securely perform certain types of aggregate queries over CarTel data without exposing personally identifiable information. * We have speed and position data from the last year for 30 taxi cabs on the Boston streets. Think of something exciting you could do with this.

Rollback of long-running or committed transactions. Database systems typically only support UNDO of committed transactions, but there are cases where it might be important to rollback already committed transactions. One approach is to use user-supplied compensating actions, but there may be other models that are possible, or it may be possible to automatically derive such compensating action for certain classes of transactions.

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155 Final Year Project Ideas For Computer Science Students

Are you a computer science student about to embark on your final year project journey? If so, you’re in for an exciting and challenging ride! Your final year project is a chance to apply what you’ve learned throughout your academic journey and showcase your skills to potential employers. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 155 final year project ideas for computer science students, presented in the simplest language possible.

150+ Final Year Project Ideas For Computer Science Students

Table of Contents

Web Development Projects:

• E-commerce Website : Create an online store with features like product catalog, shopping cart, and secure payment processing.
• Content Management System (CMS) : Build a user-friendly platform for managing website content.
• Blog Platform : Develop a blogging website with user profiles, comments, and likes.
• Event Management System : Design a system to manage and promote events.
• Portfolio Website : Create a website to showcase your own work and achievements.

Mobile App Development:

• Expense Tracker : Build an app to help users manage their finances.
• To-Do List App : Create a task management app with priority levels and reminders.
• Recipe App : Develop an app for sharing and discovering recipes.
• Fitness Tracker : Build an app to track workouts and nutrition.
• Weather App : Create an app that provides real-time weather forecasts.

Data Analysis and Machine Learning:

• Stock Market Predictor : Use historical data to predict stock prices.
• Sentiment Analysis : Analyze social media data to gauge public sentiment on a topic.
• Recommendation System : Build a system that suggests products or content based on user behavior.
• Healthcare Analytics : Analyze medical data to identify trends and improve patient care.
• Image Recognition : Develop an image recognition system for objects or faces.

Networking and Security:

• Network Monitoring Tool : Create a tool to monitor network traffic and detect anomalies.
• Intrusion Detection System (IDS) : Build a system to identify and respond to network intrusions.
• Secure Messaging App : Develop an encrypted messaging app for privacy-conscious users.
• Firewall Management : Create a firewall management tool with user-friendly controls.
• Password Manager : Build a secure password manager for storing and generating strong passwords.

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics:

• Chatbot : Create a chatbot that can answer user questions and engage in conversations.
• Autonomous Drone : Build a drone that can navigate and perform tasks autonomously.
• Gesture Recognition : Develop a system that recognizes hand gestures for controlling devices.
• AI-Based Game : Create a computer game with intelligent non-player characters (NPCs).
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) : Work on an NLP project like language translation or sentiment analysis.

Database Projects:

• Online Library System : Design a database system for managing library resources.
• Inventory Management : Create a database for tracking product inventory in a store.
• Student Information System : Develop a system for managing student records and grades.
• Hospital Management : Build a database system for hospital patient records and appointments.
• E-Voting System : Create an electronic voting system with secure database management.

Web Security:

• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Prevention : Develop a tool or technique to prevent XSS attacks on websites.
• SQL Injection Prevention : Create a system to protect databases from SQL injection attacks.
• Firewall Rules Analyzer : Build a tool that analyzes firewall rules for vulnerabilities.
• Secure Authentication : Work on improving user authentication methods for websites.
• Data Encryption : Develop a system for encrypting and decrypting sensitive data.

Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR):

• AR Navigation App : Create an app that provides augmented reality navigation instructions.
• VR Game : Develop a virtual reality game or experience.
• Architectural Visualization : Design an AR/VR tool for visualizing architectural plans.
• Education in VR : Build an educational VR application for immersive learning.
• Medical Training Simulations : Create medical training simulations using AR/VR.

Internet of Things (IoT):

• Smart Home Automation : Build a system to control home appliances remotely.
• IoT-based Health Monitoring : Develop a device for monitoring vital signs and sending alerts.
• Smart Agriculture : Create a system for monitoring and controlling farm conditions.
• Traffic Management : Build a smart traffic management system using IoT devices.
• Environmental Monitoring : Create IoT sensors for monitoring air quality, water quality, etc.

Software Development Tools:

• Code Editor : Create a code editor with features like syntax highlighting and auto-completion.
• Version Control System : Build a version control system like Git.
• Bug Tracking System : Develop a tool for tracking and managing software bugs.
• Continuous Integration (CI) Pipeline : Design a CI/CD pipeline for automated software testing and deployment.
• IDE for a Specific Language : Create an integrated development environment (IDE) for a specific programming language.

Blockchain:

• Cryptocurrency Wallet : Build a digital wallet for managing cryptocurrencies.
• Supply Chain Tracking : Create a blockchain-based system for tracking the supply chain.
• Blockchain Voting System : Develop a secure online voting system using blockchain technology.
• Smart Contracts : Work on smart contracts for automating transactions.
• Blockchain-Based Authentication : Build a secure authentication system using blockchain.

Natural Language Processing (NLP):

• Language Translation Tool : Create a tool that translates text between languages.
• Chatbot for Customer Support : Develop an NLP-based chatbot for customer service.
• Text Summarization : Build a system that summarizes long texts or articles.
• Named Entity Recognition : Create a tool that identifies names, dates, and other entities in text.
• Speech Recognition : Work on a speech recognition system for converting spoken language into text.

Game Development:

• 2D Platformer Game : Create a classic 2D platformer game with levels and challenges.
• RPG Game : Develop a role-playing game with quests, characters, and a storyline.
• Multiplayer Online Game : Build a multiplayer game that can be played over the internet.
• VR Game : As mentioned earlier, create a virtual reality game.
• Augmented Reality Game : Design an AR game that combines the real world with virtual elements.

Robotics and Automation:

• Robotic Arm Control : Build a system for controlling a robotic arm for various tasks.
• Autonomous Robot : Create a robot that can navigate and perform tasks autonomously.
• Voice-Controlled Robot : Develop a robot that responds to voice commands.
• AI-Powered Robot : Work on a robot that can learn and adapt to different environments.
• Robotic Vacuum Cleaner : Build a robotic vacuum cleaner with obstacle avoidance.

Cloud Computing:

• Cloud-Based File Storage : Create a secure file storage system in the cloud.
• Serverless Computing : Develop applications using serverless computing platforms like – .
• Cloud-Based Machine Learning : Implement machine learning models in the cloud for scalability.
• Distributed Systems : Work on projects that involve distributed computing and data processing.
• Cloud Security : Develop tools or techniques for enhancing cloud security.

Cybersecurity:

• Vulnerability Scanner : Create a tool that scans networks or websites for vulnerabilities.
• Password Cracking Detection : Build a system to detect and prevent password cracking attempts.
• Phishing Detection : Develop a phishing detection system for emails and websites.
• Network Traffic Analysis : Analyze network traffic for signs of malicious activity.
• Malware Detection : Create a system that identifies and removes malware from systems.

Computer Vision:

• Facial Recognition System : Build a system that recognizes faces for security or authentication.
• Object Detection : Create a system that can identify and locate objects within images or videos.
• Traffic Sign Recognition : Develop a system that recognizes and interprets traffic signs.
• Gesture Recognition : As mentioned earlier, work on gesture recognition for human-computer interaction.
• Medical Image Analysis : Analyze medical images like X-rays or MRIs for diagnosis.

Data Visualization:

• Interactive Dashboard : Create an interactive dashboard for visualizing data.
• Geospatial Data Visualization : Visualize geographic data on maps.
• Real-time Data Visualization : Develop a system that updates data visualizations in real time.
• Stock Market Data Visualization : Visualize stock market trends and data.
• Healthcare Data Visualization : Visualize healthcare data for better decision-making.

Social Media and Networking:

• Social Media Analytics : Analyze social media data to gain insights into user behavior.
• Friend Recommendation System : Build a system that suggests friends or connections on social networks.
• Social Media Sentiment Analysis : Analyze sentiment on social media platforms.
• Online Dating Platform : Create a platform for online dating with matching algorithms.
• Social Networking App : Develop a new social networking app with unique features.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI):

• User Interface Design : Work on improving the user interfaces of existing software.
• Voice User Interface (VUI) : Create a voice-controlled interface for a software application.
• Gestural User Interface : Develop a user interface that responds to gestures.
• Accessibility Tools : Build tools to make software more accessible to people with disabilities.
• Virtual Reality User Interface : Design a user interface for VR applications.
• Big Data Analytics : Analyze large datasets to extract valuable insights.
• Real-time Data Processing : Develop systems for processing real-time data streams.
• Data Warehousing : Create a data warehousing solution for storing and retrieving data.
• Big Data Visualization : Visualize big data in meaningful ways.
• Predictive Analytics : Use big data to build predictive models for various applications.

Internet Security:

• Secure File Transfer : Develop a secure file transfer protocol or application.
• Email Encryption : Create a system for encrypting email communications.
• Identity Verification : Build a system for secure online identity verification.
• Secure Online Payments : Work on enhancing the security of online payment systems.
• Network Security Audit : Develop tools for conducting security audits on computer networks.

Mobile Security:

• Mobile App Security Scanner : Create a tool to scan mobile apps for security vulnerabilities.
• Anti-Malware App : Develop a mobile app that detects and removes malware.
• Mobile Payment Security : Enhance the security of mobile payment apps.
• Secure Messaging App : As mentioned earlier, build a secure messaging app.
• Mobile Device Tracker : Create a tool for tracking and recovering lost or stolen mobile devices.

Software Testing:

• Automated Testing Framework : Develop a framework for automated software testing.
• Load Testing Tool : Create a tool for simulating heavy user loads on web applications.
• Code Coverage Analyzer : Build a tool to measure code coverage during testing.
• Bug Reporting System : Design a system for efficient bug reporting and tracking.
• Test Data Generation : Develop a tool for generating test data.
• 2D Game Engine : Create a game engine for developing 2D games.
• Physics Engine : Build a physics engine for realistic game physics.
• Game Level Design Tool : Develop a tool for designing game levels and environments.
• Multiplayer Game Server : Create a server for hosting multiplayer games.
• Game AI Framework : Design a framework for implementing game AI.
• Serverless API : Build a serverless API for deploying and managing APIs.
• Container Orchestration : Develop a system for orchestrating containers in the cloud.
• Cloud Cost Management : Create tools for monitoring and managing cloud infrastructure costs.
• Serverless Data Processing : Implement data processing workflows using serverless architecture.
• Cloud-based IoT : Build an IoT platform that leverages cloud services.
• IoT-Based Home Automation : Create a system to control home appliances and security using IoT.
• Smart City Solutions : Develop IoT solutions for enhancing urban living.
• IoT in Agriculture : Create IoT devices and systems for precision agriculture.
• Industrial IoT : Build IoT solutions for monitoring and optimizing industrial processes.
• IoT-Based Healthcare : Develop healthcare devices and systems using IoT.
• Text Generation : Create a system that generates human-like text based on input data.
• Language Translation : Work on improving machine translation systems.
• Chatbots for Specific Domains : Develop chatbots tailored to specific industries or topics.
• Speech-to-Text and Text-to-Speech : Build systems for converting spoken language to text and vice versa.
• Emotion Recognition in Text : Create a system that can detect emotions in written text.

Artificial Intelligence (AI):

• AI-Powered Personal Assistant : Develop a personal assistant like Siri or Alexa.
• AI-Based Game Opponents : Create intelligent AI opponents for computer games.
• AI in Healthcare : Build AI systems for diagnosing diseases or suggesting treatments.
• AI in Education : Create AI-based educational tools and platforms.
• AI in Finance : Work on AI applications in the financial industry.
• Robotic Arm for Surgery : Develop a robotic system for assisting surgeons.
• Autonomous Delivery Robot : Create a robot for delivering packages autonomously.
• Robotic Pet Companion : Build a robot designed to provide companionship to users.
• Robotic Exoskeleton : Develop an exoskeleton for assisting people with mobility challenges.
• Autonomous Cleaning Robot : Create a robot for cleaning and maintaining spaces.
• Blockchain-Based Supply Chain : Develop a blockchain solution for supply chain transparency.
• Blockchain Identity Verification : Create a system for secure identity verification using blockchain.
• Blockchain-Based Voting System : As mentioned earlier, work on a blockchain-based voting system.
• Blockchain for Intellectual Property : Use blockchain for protecting intellectual property rights.
• Blockchain in Education : Implement blockchain solutions for verifying educational credentials.

That’s quite a list of project ideas for computer science students! Remember, the key to a successful final year project is to choose something that genuinely interests you and aligns with your skills and career goals. So, take your time to explore these ideas, consult with your professors, and select a project that excites you. Good luck with your final year project, and may you succeed in your computer science journey!

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Breaking the Scaling Limits: New Ultralow-noise Superconducting Camera for Exoplanet Searches

When imaging faint objects such as distant stars or exoplanets, capturing every last bit of light is crucial to get the most out of a scientific mission. These cameras must be extremely low-noise, and be able to detect the smallest quantities of light—single photons.  Superconducting cameras excel in both of these criteria, but have historically not been widely applicable because their camera sizes have been small, rarely exceeding a few thousand pixels, which limits their ability to capture high-resolution images.  However, a team of researchers has recently shattered that barrier, developing a superconducting camera with 400,000 pixels, which could be used to detect faint astronomical signals in a wide range of wavelengths—from the ultraviolet to the infrared.

While plenty of other camera technologies exist, cameras using superconducting detectors are very appealing for use in astronomical missions due to their extremely low-noise operation.  When imaging faint sources, it is crucial that a camera report the quantity of received light faithfully, and not skew the amount of light received or inject its own false signals.   Superconducting detectors are more than capable of this task, owing to their low-temperature operation and unique composition. As described by project lead Dr. Adam McCaughan, "with these detectors you could take data all day long, capturing billions of photons, and fewer than ten of those photons would be the result of noise."

But while superconducting detectors hold great promise for astronomical applications, their usage in that field has been stymied by small camera sizes that permit relatively few pixels.  Because these detectors are so sensitive, it is difficult to pack a lot of them into a small area without them interfering with each other.  In addition, since these detectors need to be kept cold in a cryogenic refrigerator, only a handful of wires can be used to carry the signals from the camera to the warmer readout electronics.

To overcome these limitations, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the University of Colorado Boulder applied time-domain multiplexing technology to the interrogation of two-dimensional superconducting-nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) arrays. The individual SNSPD nanowires are arranged as intersecting rows and columns. When a photon arrives, the times it takes to trigger a row detector and a column detector are measured to ascertain which pixel sent the signal. This method allows the camera to efficiently encode its many rows and columns onto just a few readout wires instead of thousands of wires. 

SNSPDs are one type of detector in a collection of many such superconducting detector technologies, including microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKID), transition-edge sensors (TES), and quantum capacitance detectors (QCD).  SNSPDs are unique in that they are able to operate much warmer than the millikelvin temperatures required by those other technologies, and can have extremely good timing resolution, although they are not able to resolve the color of individual photons.  SNSPDs have been collaboratively researched by NIST, JPL, and others in the community for almost two decades, and this most recent work was only possible thanks to the advances generated by the wider superconducting detector community.

Once the team implemented this readout architecture, they found it immediately became straightforward to construct superconducting cameras with extremely large numbers of pixels. As described by technical lead Dr. Bakhrom Oripov, "The big advance here is that the detectors are truly independent, so if you want a camera with more pixels, you just add more detectors to the chip." The researchers note that while their recent project was a 400,000 pixel device, they also have an upcoming demonstration of a device with over a million pixels, and have not found an upper limit yet. 

One of the most exciting things that the researchers think their camera could be useful for is a search for Earth-like planets outside of our solar system. To detect these planets successfully, future space telescopes will observe distant stars and look for tiny portions of reflected or emitted light coming from orbiting planets. Detecting and analyzing these signals is extremely challenging and requires very long exposures, which means that every photon collected by the telescope is very valuable. A reliable, low-noise camera will be critical to detect these incredibly small quantities of light.

SNSPD cameras can also be used on Earth to detect optical communication signals from missions in deep space. In fact, NASA is currently demonstrating this capability via the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) project, which is the first demonstration of free-space optical communication from interplanetary space. DSOC is sending data from a spacecraft called Psyche—which was launched on October 13 and is on its way to the Psyche asteroid—to an SNSPD-based ground terminal at Palomar Observatory. Optical links can transmit data at a much higher rate than radio frequency links from interplanetary distances. The excellent timing resolution of the camera developed for the ground station receiving Psyche data allows it to decode optical data from the spacecraft, which enables much more data to be received in a given time than if radio signals were employed.

These sensors will also be useful for many applications on Earth. Because the operating wavelength of this camera is very flexible, it could be optimized for applications in biomedical imaging to detect faint signals from cells and molecules, which were previously not detectable. Dr. McCaughan noted, “We would love to get these cameras in the hands of neuroscientists. This technology could provide them with a new tool to study our brains, in a completely non-intrusive way.”

Finally, the rapidly growing field of quantum technology, which promises to change the way we secure communications and transactions as well as the way we simulate and optimize complex processes, also stands to gain from this exciting technology. A single photon can be used to transfer or compute a single bit of quantum information. Many companies and governments are currently trying to scale up quantum computers and communication links and access to a single-photon camera that is so easily scalable, could overcome one of the major hurdles to unlocking the full potential of quantum technologies.

According to the research team, the next steps will be to take this initial demonstration and optimize it for space applications.  "Right now, we have a proof-of-concept demonstration," says co-project lead Dr. Boris Korzh, "but we'll need to optimize it to show its full potential." The research team is currently planning ultra-high-efficiency camera demonstrations that will validate the utility of this new technology in both the ultraviolet and the infrared.

PROJECT LEADS

Dr. Adam McCaughan (NIST) and Dr. Boris Korzh (JPL)

SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS

Astrophysics Research and Analysis (APRA) Program, DARPA Invisible Headlight Program

Related Terms

• Astrophysics
• Exoplanet Science
• Science-enabling Technology
• Studying Exoplanets
• Technology Highlights
• The Universe

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Killer Asteroid Hunters Spot 27,500 Overlooked Space Rocks

With the help of Google Cloud, scientists churned through hundreds of thousands of images of the night sky to reveal that the solar system is filled with unseen objects.

By Kenneth Chang

A couple of years ago, a team of researchers dedicated to finding killer asteroids before they kill us came up with a neat trick.

Instead of scanning the skies with telescopes for asteroids, the scientists wrote an algorithm that sifts through old pictures of the night sky, discovering about 100 asteroids that had been overlooked in those images.

On Tuesday, those scientists, with the Asteroid Institute and the University of Washington, revealed an even bigger bounty: 27,500 newly identified solar system bodies.

That is more than were discovered by all of the world’s telescopes last year.

“This is a sea change” in how astronomical research will be conducted, said Ed Lu, the executive director of the institute, which is part of the B612 Foundation, a nonprofit group that Dr. Lu helped found.

The finds include about 100 near-Earth asteroids, the space rocks that pass within the orbit of Earth. None of the 100 appear to be on a collision path with Earth anytime soon. But the algorithm could prove a key tool in spotting potentially dangerous asteroids, and the research assists the “planetary defense” efforts undertaken by NASA and other organizations around the world.

Most of the space rocks identified by the institute lie in the main asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Others, known as Trojans, are trapped in the orbit of Jupiter. The search also found some small worlds much farther out known as Kuiper belt objects, beyond the orbit of Neptune.

“A lot of great science in here,” said Dr. Lu, a former NASA astronaut who noted in the future the key to astronomical discovery might not be more observing time on telescopes but rather more powerful computers to churn through vast troves of observations already gathered.

Historically, astronomers spotted new planets, asteroids, comets and Kuiper belt objects by photographing the same swath of sky multiple times during one night. The pattern of distant stars and galaxies remain unchanged. But objects that are much closer, within the solar system, move noticeably within a few hours.

Multiple observations of a moving object, called a “tracklet,” sketch out its path, providing enough information to give astronomers a good idea of where to look on another night and pin down its orbit.

Other astronomical observations inevitably include asteroids, but only at a single time and place, not the multiple observations needed to assemble a tracklet.

The 412,000 images in the digital archives of the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, or NOIRLab, contain some 1.7 billion dots of light that appear in a just a single image.

The algorithm used in the current research, known as Tracklet-less Heliocentric Orbit Recovery, or THOR, is able to connect a dot of light seen in one image with a different dot of light in a different image taken on a different night — sometimes by a different telescope — and figure out that these two dots are actually the same object, usually an asteroid that has shifted positions as it orbits the sun.

THOR’s identification of asteroid candidates across disparate images is a daunting computational task, one that would have been impossible not too long ago. But Google Cloud, a distributed computing system, was able to perform the calculations in about five weeks.

“This is an example of what is possible,” said Massimo Mascaro, technical director in Google Cloud’s office of the chief technology officer. “I can’t even quantify how much opportunity there is in terms of data that is already there collected, and, if analyzed with the proper computation, could lead to even more results.”

Dr. Lu said the improved software tools have made it easier to tap into the computing power. When scientists no longer need a giant software engineering team to search their data, “that’s when sort of really interesting things can happen,” he said.

The THOR algorithm could also transform operations of the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which is expected to start operations next year . The 8.4-meter telescope, financed by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, will repeatedly scan most of the night sky to track what changes over time.

Currently, the Rubin telescope is to scan the same part of the sky twice a night, a cadence designed to spot asteroids. With THOR, the telescope might not need the second pass, which could allow it to cover twice as much area.

“Most science programs would be happy to shift from base-line cadence with two observations to just one observation per night,” said Zeljko Ivezic, a professor of astronomy at the University of Washington who serves as director of Rubin construction.

The algorithm could increase the number of asteroids that Rubin can find, perhaps enough to meet a mandate passed by Congress in 2005 to locate 90 percent of near-Earth asteroids that are 460 feet in diameter or larger.

“Our latest estimates say about 80 percent,” Dr. Ivezic said. “With THOR, maybe we can push it to 90 percent.”

Kenneth Chang , a science reporter at The Times, covers NASA and the solar system, and research closer to Earth. More about Kenneth Chang

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NASA details plan to build a levitating robot train on the moon

NASA's plan to build a train track on the moon is part of the agency's Innovative Advanced Concepts program, which aims to develop "science fiction-like" projects for future space exploration.

Does a levitating robot train on the moon sound far-fetched? NASA doesn’t seem to think so, as the agency has just greenlit further funding for a study looking into the concept.

The project, called "Flexible Levitation on a Track" (FLOAT), has been moved to phase two of NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC) , which aims to develop "science fiction-like" projects for future space exploration.

The FLOAT project could result in materials being transported across the moon 's surface as soon as the 2030s, according to the agency.

"We want to build the first lunar railway system, which will provide reliable, autonomous, and efficient payload transport on the Moon," project leader Ethan Schaler , a robotics engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory , wrote in a NASA blog post . "A durable, long-life robotic transport system will be critical to the daily operations of a sustainable lunar base in the 2030s."

Related: Packs of dog-shaped robots could one day roam the moon — if they can find their footing on Earth first

— The moon is shrinking, causing landslides and moonquakes exactly where NASA wants to build its 1st lunar colony

— Elon Musk's SpaceX could launch a private moon lander within weeks

— Pinpoint landing: NASA orbiter spies Japan's revived SLIM moon lander on lunar surface

According to NASA's initial design, FLOAT will consist of magnetic robots levitating over a three-layer film track to reduce abrasion from dust on the lunar surface. Carts will be mounted on these robots and will move at roughly 1 mph (1.61 km/h). They could transport roughly 100 tons (90 metric tons) of material a day to and from NASA's future lunar base.

NASA plans to send astronauts back to the moon as early as 2026 as part of the agency's Artemis mission, and aims to eventually set up a permanent lunar base to aid future space exploration.

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Other "science fiction-like" NIAC plans that have advanced to the next development phase include fluid-based telescopes and a rocket propelled by plasma.

Ben Turner is a U.K. based staff writer at Live Science. He covers physics and astronomy, among other topics like tech and climate change. He graduated from University College London with a degree in particle physics before training as a journalist. When he's not writing, Ben enjoys reading literature, playing the guitar and embarrassing himself with chess.

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