View the official judging sheet for the Science Fiction category here.
View the student checklist for the Science Fiction category here.
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Submitting A Science Fiction Entry
Submitting A Science Fiction Entry
You must submit your entry via email to jmarquez@stancoe.org at least three days, but preferably a week in advance. Don't hesitate to contact us for help!
When you submit, you should be sure to include your name in the email so we can be sure to match it up with your registration. PDF format is preferred, but we can handle just about any electronic document format. If it's really obscure, we'll follow up with you.
Here are the "must-haves" for an effective Science Fiction entry:
Here are the "must-haves" for an effective Science Fiction entry:
Science fiction is the literature of STEM. Good science fiction tells a story where science has expanded beyond our current understanding. A good science fiction story includes a good story, set in a different reality.
This category includes presentations in the form of stories, graphic novels, comic books, plays, videos, etc.
There is no minimum or maximum length for any entry, but the quality of the entry should be “grade level appropriate”. Illustrations for written stories, and storylines for non-written entries are appreciated, and collaborative efforts to provide those (and other) combinations are welcomed.
Science Fiction uses and relies on the concept of “Willful Suspension of Disbelief”. This concept is a reader’s ability to accept what they know to be untrue (or not yet proven) to be real for the duration of the story. The best stories establish this adjusted reality early on, and don’t introduce changes or violate the principles that are set.
Science Fiction is not the only type of speculative fiction. Although fantasy (for instance) is a similar genre, it is not the same - stories that rely on magic, or phenomena that cannot be explained by the scientific reality described in the story will not be rated at the same level as those that follow the principles that are established.
An electronic version of the primary entry (not the display) must be submitted no later than three days prior to the STEM Expo event. If an entry is over 10 pages (10 minutes if in Audio or Video format) then this deadline is 7 days prior. See notes (above) for entry procedure.
As in all categories, the general requirements must be followed for this category as well, including some form of display for the day of the event. This display may be simple or complex, it may include:
- Description of the entry (an outline, a storyboard, etc. as appropriate)
- References to supporting or similar works
- A copy of the actual story/entry
- Any illustrations or images that represent the story
Sample Science Fiction writing:
Sample Science Fiction writing:
The following pieces were written by three students from Placer County:
STEM Expo 6 - "Interstellar Transmissions" by Annika Krein (8th Grade)
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