Science Fair - Tips

The science fair date for your school will be set and announced by the principal, science fair coordinator, or science fair committee. It is the responsibility of each classroom teacher to keep his/her students informed and to help them, whenever possible. While science projects are an integral part of the science curriculum, science fair projects should not be required unless projects are a requirement of a course. For students electing to complete a science fair project, it is suggested that teachers:

  1. Outline the fair on the board.
  2. Have the students record the schedule and important dates.
  3. Schedule a day in the library for students to begin their research on possible science fair topics.
  4. From the start, keep parents informed about the fair and other science fair activities.
  5. Establish deadline dates from students to turn in key activities.
  6. Develop a point system, if projects are graded (completed projects should not be graded without advising students/parents of the grading criteria in advance). See suggestion below.
  7. Give the highest point value for the laboratory notebook or log, display, and oral presentation.
  8. Periodically schedule "project updates."
  9. Establish criteria for the project display.

Suggested Science Fair Project Point System

  Points
Title of Project 5
Statement of the Problem 5
Hypothesis 5
Identification of Variables
(Independent, Dependent, and Constants)
5
Procedure 10
Data Tables 10
Graphs 10
Review of Literature/Abstract 20
Results 5
Conclusion 5
Oral Presentation 10
Display 10

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