Embedded Files
How to Run a Community Science Fair
Wow, congratulations for your ambition to make a positive impact! Parents and kids will see the benefit and beg for it to come back next year. Follow these easy steps to make your science fair planning a breeze!
Step 1: Gauge Interest! 2 months ahead
Send a Google form (sample form) to your community to gauge interest. 5-20+ kids are a great group!
Step 2: Secure a venue and send all participants resources (1.5-2 months ahead)
Libraries or churches often have large meeting rooms you can use for free.
Send out the following to each participant
Encourage each child to work with an adult to plan a project. They can use this project plan to organize their thoughts.
Also see our complete Parent's Guide to Helping Their Child with Their First Science Project
Once the experiment is done, use these slides to get ideas for organizing their science poster board.
It might be fun for parents to read or listen to the Zoey and Sassafras series with their kids. It’s a fun way for 4-8 year olds to learn about the scientific method.
Step 3: Find judges and decide prizes (1 month before)
If you have a competition, decide on prizes. Such as:
1st place for lower grades and 1st place for upper grades each get $5 or a gift card..
Everyone gets a certificate and a make-your-own bouncy ball kit, which the kids enjoyed. Tell them to wait until they get home to open it.
Judges: ask people to be your judges and send them these documents to review in advance.
The Judges Document gives names of different categories and ideas for awards listed on certificates.
Use the Judges Scoring Sheet during the actual science fair to take notes and assign prizes.
Step 4: Final Logistics! (1 week/a few days before)
Send out a reminder email stating the place, time, and the prizes so the kids and adults can mentally prepare.
Tell them each child should be prepared to give a brief (2-3 minute) presentation explaining their project and what they learned. Group A will present their projects first and should stand next to their posters for the entire first half of the time, and then we will switch to Group B. We will not be going from poster to poster as a group, so please try to circulate to ask about/hear about each of the kids posters on your own, they will be excited to share with each of you.
Print and write names on awards to be given to each child after the science fair.
Make a map of where each child should set up their poster. Make sure those in A and B sessions are spaced every other one so the child can be heard and not distracted while presenting.
Step 5: Run the Science Fair!
Set up tables where the kids can put their boards.
Display the printed map of where each child should set up, with A and B kids spaced every other one.
When ready to begin, announce for the A group to stand by their board. Have non-presenting kids and adults circulate in small groups. Continue until the judges have visited each child.
When the judges are done with both groups, hand out the awards
Bask in the wonderful opportunity for the kids in your community to grow in confidence and knowledge!
Google Sites
Report abuse