The final push to organizing your Science & Engineering Fair can be tough. Use a checklist two weeks before your fair to help you feel confident that you are ready to go. Here are some examples of items to be sure are set in place.
DetailsKeep in mind that not all children have access to support at home during their Science & Engineering Fair projects. If a student doesn’t have any adult support and they participate in fair, then it is easy for them to feel incapable when compared to other students who have access to necessary support and tools.
DetailsClearly communicating your Science & Engineering Fair expectations will help to reduce family stress, motivate students to participate, and save you loads of time in the end. Getting all of your communication materials readily available to your school community early in the season will streamline your whole experience.
DetailsIf you want students to participate in your school’s Science & Engineering Fair and for adults to support you during your fair, then you will need signups. Gauge whether online or paper signups will be most effective at your school. Consider that not all families have access to or are receptive to the use of internet tools. We’ve seen schools use online only, paper only, or the combination of the two.
DetailsIf you want students to participate in your school’s Science & Engineering Fair and for adults to support you during your fair, then you will need signups. Gauge whether online or paper signups will be most effective at your school. Consider that not all families have access to or are receptive to the use of internet tools. We’ve seen schools use online only, paper only, or the combination of the two.
DetailsIt is essential to be very explicit about your Science & Engineering Fair rules. There are good reasons for setting strict rules – health & safety, for one, and implications of being too lax, another. Your Fair’s rules should not be taken lightly.
DetailsOrganizing a successful Science & Engineering Fair takes a lot of volunteers. We recommend that you start forming a committee at least 4 months before your fair. Take a look at the committee member positions and roles that we’ve found ideal. If you only have 2-3 committee members, then divide and conquer!
DetailsNow that you have the principal on board with your school’s Science & Engineering Fair, it’s time to get others on board to set essential dates and reserve rooms. The sooner, the better. Be sure to include school administrators and parents (or PTA, PTSA, PTO, etc.) when evaluating dates. They might have insights on events that are in the pipeline that you might need to consider. The table below summarizes a few ideas for essential fair events, timing, and venue.
DetailsAs a Fair Organizer, there are a number of activities that you can plan to help inspire students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) projects. Here are the essentials…
DetailsYour very first step to organize a Science & Engineering Fair at your school: Meet with the Principal. Be sure s/he is on board and included in essential logistical decisions. S/he’ll help set you on a path to success.
DetailsWho doesn’t like slime? You’ll love making it and playing with it! Create a creative and fun Science Fair project out of your fascination with slime. Along the way, learn what it’s like to be a scientist!
DetailsOrganizing a Science & Engineering Fair can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be – reach 14 weekly milestones to organize and implement a fun and skills-based Science & Engineering Fair!
DetailsWhew! You have done all of the hard work of finishing up your Science & Engineering Fair project – congratulations! I’m sure you learned a ton. Now is your chance to celebrate and share all that you learned with your peers. No matter how your project turned out, you should be VERY proud of all that you learned along the way. Here are some good tips for putting it all together for your display.
DetailsA Science & Engineering Fair judge can either make or break a student’s passion for STEM. All too often, we’ve seen judges who are far too critical of students’ projects and don’t have a clear understanding of an appropriate level of work for the grade levels they are judging. Recruit professionals in your community who have connections to your school’s grade levels and provide them with clear instructions on how to assess students’ projects.
DetailsAt just about any Science Fair, you see projects that are absolutely perfect! They have perfect procedures, perfect results, and perfect project boards. Unfortunately, sometimes these projects are examples of perfect plagiarism. They are either copied from a published project or are actually the parents’ work. These students totally get robbed of the opportunity to use their creativity and critical thinking.
DetailsIs your school’s Science Fair in January or February? Winter break can be a perfect time for your child to make big progress on their projects! Consider scheduling time specifically for working together with your child on their projects and maybe time when they work on it on their own.
DetailsInnovation in elementary school? Absolutely! Kids are routinely pushing the limits of what is commonly accepted in their everyday world. Questioning “Why…?,” “Why not…?,” and “How…?” is the precursor to innovation.
DetailsAfter your child has completed their project, they can be sure that they’ve had a successful Science & Engineering Fair experience if they can honestly say they enjoyed the experience and feel confident and proud of what they did.
DetailsYou can find science in just about everything around you! Scientists study questions they have about the world around them, while engineers use their knowledge of science to make improvements to things. So there are very few things that scientists don’t study and what engineers can’t try to design.
DetailsEffectively mentoring your child on their Science & Engineering Fair project can be more challenging than actually doing the project itself. Have the patience to help your child develop the skills to work through challenging times, while empowering them to stay in the driver’s seat.
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