Organizing 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!
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Once you have all of the essential activities planned for your Science & Engineering Fair and have volunteers lined up, then you might consider organizing supplemental activities around your fair. Supplemental activities can include inspiring events, fundraisers, or carrots for student participation.
Science Fairs can take a lot of resources to be successful. Not all schools have the people power to go all out on Science Fair. Below is a summary of different components of your Science Fair and recommended numbers of volunteers for each component.
The logistics of the day of your Science & Engineering Fair can be hard to get your head fully wrapped around. There are a lot of moving pieces that need to be in sync for a smooth fair day. Here’s an example of what the days of your fair might look like.
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.
Keep 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.
Clearly 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.
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.
It 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.
Organizing 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!