We at Science Fair Fun recognize the potential for Science & Engineering Fairs to be ideal incubators for inspiring and empowering our next generation of innovators when those fairs align with the following principles:
If 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.
If 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.
As 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…
Your 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.
Who 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!
Whew! 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.
A 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.
At 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.
Innovation 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.