STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is a national instructional priority. As part of Southeastern Louisiana University's STEM Outreach Initiative, funded by a Shell Oil Company Foundation grant to raise interest in STEM-related activities, teacher candidates were given the opportunity to leave their classroom to…

Science fair judges provide secrets to a successful science fair. Whether students are competing in science fairs at the high school, local, district, regional, state, or international level, their success is dependent on the judges' interpretation of their work. In this article, the authors present a series of questions and answers from past…

Examines the practice of holding competitive science fairs. Offers suggestions on judging, competition and recognition, student participation, and alternative experiences. (MA)

Suggestions for developing creative and original science fairs include trying new categories, issuing a challenge, and involving the community. (DF)

Science fairs offer students the opportunity to develop skills in inquiry, writing research proposals, working with peers, verifying results, and sharing experimental findings. However, the science fair itself does not necessarily translate into a student's attainment of such skills. Project quality and a student's successful achievement of good…

This paper lists 35 studies in biology which can be tailored to suit the full range of student age groups and are designed to involve most or all of the key elements of the scientific process (study design, data collection and presentation, and experimental manipulation). Examples of some studies are: (1) study the growth of molds on food items…

Science fairs can be used to advance a student's scientific knowledge, sharpen laboratory techniques, practice statistical analysis, and gain a better understanding of the process of science. This article describes an outline for developing a science fair that covers the objectives above and develops library and writing skills as well. (PR)

Describes problems with school science fairs including poor judging and a lack of understanding by the students of their own projects. Suggests improvements to the system. One suggestion is for science fair projects to be displayed only in classrooms and not district or regional fairs. (PR)

Presents three articles that describe different ways of teaching the scientific method using cookies ("The One-Hour Science Fair"), cola ("Are All Medium Colas the Same Size"), and television ("Timing Televiewing"). (PR)

Presents inexpensive options for both student science fair projects and setting up display boards. (PR)

Presents an alternative to the competition fostered through traditional science fairs. The Science Expo is an all-day event meant to show students and the community that science is fascinating and fun. (PR)

Presents an alternative to the traditional science fair. The Science Expo features students projects, science games, teacher demonstrations, and business and organizational exhibits. (PR)

Science projects are a great way for students to learn more about science as they search for the answers to specific problems. This book offers guidance and provides ideas for students as they plan experiments, find and record information related to the problem, and organize data to find answers to the problem. The 20 topics in this book suggest…