INTERNATIONAL FINAL 2026–27 / ZHUHAI, CHINA / 23–26 JANUARY 2027

INNOVATION & EXPERIMENT

Project Themes & Requirements

From solving everyday frustrations to testing out inventive hacks. Find your grade group below and explore your scenario, task, deliverable, and criteria to win. This track focuses on the scientific method, creative problem-solving, and prototyping—no prior laboratory or engineering experience is required.

Grade K

Grades 1–3

Grades 4–6

Grades 7–9

Grades 10–12

01 / GRADE K

Direct Observation & Material Discovery

Core focus: Senses, Material Properties, and Simple Changes

The scenario

Students are given a small challenge: they need to help a toy animal stay dry while “raining” (using a gentle spray bottle or water drops) or stay cool on a sunny windowsill.

Your task

The student must test different household objects (e.g., aluminum foil, a paper napkin, a plastic bag, a leaf) to see which one works best to solve the problem. They will observe how the materials react to water or light.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

A 30-second audio/video clip holding up the material that worked best and the one that failed, explaining: “The plastic kept my toy dry, but the napkin got soggy, so I chose the plastic!”

Criteria to win

Clear recognition that different materials have different properties, and that testing them helps us choose the right tool for a job.

02 / GRADES 1–3

Simple Inventions & Everyday Hacks

Core focus: Identifying Problems, Brainstorming, and Functional Tweaks

The scenario

Think about an annoying minor problem at home or school—like a door that always slams, a desk cord that keeps falling behind the table, or snacks that go stale too fast because the bag won’t stay closed.

Your task

The student must invent a simple, clever solution using everyday items (e.g., binder clips, rubber bands, cardboard, magnets). They must build a quick “hack” to fix this specific frustration and test it out to make sure it actually works.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

Before-and-after photos or a short video showing the problem, how their simple invention attaches or works, and a brief verbal explanation of why it fixes the issue.

Criteria to win

Demonstrating clear ingenuity by transforming common, low-cost items into a practical, working solution for a real-life frustration.

03 / GRADES 4–6

Product Testing & Comparative Experiments

Core focus: Variables, Fair Testing, and Data Collection

The scenario

Imagine you want to buy the absolute best product for your needs, but advertisements claim that every brand is the best. Students will test a claim about a common household item (e.g., which brand of paper towel holds the most water, which dish soap lasts longest, or which generic battery lasts longest in a small flashlight).

Your task

Students must design a “Fair Test” experiment. They must keep the test conditions identical (controlled variables), changing only the brand being tested (the independent variable). They will run the experiment multiple times and measure the results using a ruler, a measuring cup, or a timer.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

A basic data sheet or bar chart showing the measurement results from each test, alongside a short summary explaining which brand won based on the facts collected.

Criteria to win

Absolute consistency in keeping the experiment fair (unchanged variables) and using accurate, honest measurements rather than opinions to declare a winner.

04 / GRADES 7–9

Biomimicry & Functional Prototyping

Core focus: Nature-Inspired Design, Iterative Modeling, and Structural Efficiency

The scenario

Nature has spent millions of years perfecting structures—like the aerodynamic shape of a bird’s wing, the water-repellent texture of a lotus leaf, or the strength of a honeycomb grid.

Your task

The student must pick one specific mechanism or structure from nature (animals, plants, or insects) and design a physical prototype of a human invention that copies it (e.g., a stronger packaging box shaped like a honeycomb, or a fan blade shaped like a whale fin). They will build a non-working visual model using cardboard, clay, or recycled materials.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

Photos of the completed visual model, a labeled sketch linking the natural structure to the proposed invention, and a short design explanation describing the intended benefit, materials used, and at least one refinement made during modeling. A working mechanism is not required.

Criteria to win

A clear, scientifically plausible connection between the natural inspiration and the proposed design; thoughtful use of materials; and evidence of iterative improvement. Students should explain the intended structural or functional benefit and acknowledge what their non-working model cannot demonstrate.

05 / GRADES 10–12

Open Innovation & Proof-of-Concept

Core focus: The Scientific Method, Hypothesis Testing, and Scalability Analysis

The scenario

Modern global challenges—such as food waste, water filtration, or renewable energy capture—require localized, scalable ideas.

Your task

Students act as independent researchers. They must formulate a specific hypothesis to solve or alleviate a local sustainability issue (e.g., testing natural filters like charcoal and sand on greywater, or measuring the insulating properties of shredded recycled textiles). They must execute a controlled experiment, collect quantitative data over multiple trials, and analyze the feasibility of scaling this solution up for a community.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

A formal 1,500-word experimental research paper utilizing data tables and trend graphs to illustrate the results, followed by a critical analysis of the prototype’s real-world limitations and production trade-offs.

Criteria to win

Rigorous adherence to scientific data collection, clear isolation of variables, and a highly mature discussion of experimental errors and the practical challenges of implementation.

Questions about your Innovation & Experiment project?

Contact the WOO! organizing team on WhatsApp

WOO! International Final 2026–27 · Zhuhai, China · 23–26 January 2027