Science Fairs Unfair?

Posted on January 21, 2021 by pat

Science fairs suck! — Year after year throughout the US, and around the world, when science fair season comes along, I hear these exact words from kids, parents and teachers. I probably hear these sorts of things more than most people, because I served as leader of one of the oldest science fairs — if not the oldest state fair in the country — for well over a decade. Not to mention, I held (and probably still hold) the record for first place science fair wins in Massachusetts, and likely one of the top in the country.

Barnas Monteith was a two-time Grand Award winner in high school at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

I’ve judged and spoken at national fairs in numerous countries, and have written a few books on the topic. Four of my business partners are people I’ve met through science fairs, and I continue to be involved decades after my first science fair in middle school. I’ve pretty much been doing science fairs my whole life (among other science & engineering related things), and I hope you find my point of view valuable.

In my travels around the world to different science fairs, I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard some variation of the following:

Science fairs wreak havoc on families and living room floors. All that rushing around at the last minute, buying materials and making a giant mess. It’s expensive and it’s not really part of school. How can this be educational?
It’s impossible for kids to come up with ideas for science fairs on their own when their life experiences are so short; and, how are they expected to commit to that single project idea for 3 or possibly 6 months?
Most top-winning science fairs are done by wealthy, academic parents. Everybody knows this. How can regular kids have any chance at winning something?
How can a science fair be “fair” when there are kids from so many different backgrounds, and different income levels? There’s no way that my kid, from a poor town, could afford all the supplies and equipment to compete against the kids from the rich towns, who seem to win every year.

Continuing reading here about Barnas’ suggestions for fixing science fair equity: Science Unfair. Science fairs suck! — Year after year… | by Barnas Monteith | Mediu

Example of a science project in the 1950’s. Electrophoresis science fair project by Taimi Toffer Anderson; Acc. 90–105 — Science Service, Records, 1920s-1970s, Smithsonian Institution Archives

Improving Science Project Understanding with Poetry

Posted on October 3, 2016 by pat

This summer, I had the pleasure of attending the final presentations by middle school students who attended a summer space science program organized by the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning at Framingham State University. As I went around the room talking with each group of students, I was amazed by the detailed information the students knew about the subjects of their displays. I was fascinated by the range of subject matter, from detailed plans of a planetarium, through a model of the solar system to a recently discovered world made of water.

I figured that the students were space-fans before they participated, so asked each of them whether they had previous knowledge about their subject or had learned it from the summer program. To my surprise, all but one student responded that they had just learned the material as part of the program.

As I was driving home, I remembered each of the students enthusiastically asking me if I would like to hear the poem they had written about their project. Each poem, short or long, was packed with an amazing amount of rich and colorful imagery! At first it seemed strange to combine science and poetry, but then I read a 2015 NIH report that states, “Poetry hones critical skills in imagery, metaphor, analogy, analysis, observation, attentiveness, and clear communication. All of these are commonly useful in understanding, problem-solving, and decoding scientific and medical mysteries.”

It’s true what they say, “Poetry can make a topic memorable through the use of well-chosen words and vivid images.” Kudos to the staff at the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning for guiding students in an unforgettable experience. Perhaps, those of us who assist students to get ready for their science fair presentations can incorporate this method to help them better understand their project.

A Hiaku about The Hercules Cluster

Poem about the “Freeze-Burn” planet

Poems about the Orion, Ring, Dumbbell and Crab Nebulae

Don’t Attack the Science Fair Project – Embrace It!

Posted on September 19, 2015 by pat

I was upset last year when I saw this photo, below, printed in the Huffington Post and circulate through social media. It seems like every year there is the angst that a science fair project assignment creates for many students and their families. It’s unfortunate that science fairs and independent research projects seem to get attacked this way. As a new school year kicks off, it’s a great time for parents to take a fresh look at what science fair is all about, the role parents should play, and what everyone involved can do to make the process less stressful for all involved and a success.

To start with, attitude plays a huge role in how students approach their science fair project. Maybe you had a bad experience with a science project as a child, but adults need to put that experience behind them and to understand the process so that if they encourage their child with a positive perspective, the end result may not be as traumatic.

For whatever reason you cringe at the thought of a science fair project, you are not alone. But instead of shying away from it you need to embrace it because even though your child may not grow up to be a scientist, the learning that happens by doing a hands-on science project is enormous. For starters, it integrates almost every skill children have been taught and 21^st Century skills your child needs to experience from reading, writing, research, math and critical thinking, to computer science, graphic arts, public speaking, gaining confidence and the thrill of discovery. As a parent, you should encourage all this blended learning rather than discourage it.

So before you groan, and before you allow your child to complain about his or her science fair project, realize that your response might have an impact on it being a positive experience and a great learning opportunity.

And, let’s not forget that if your child is selected to go on to local or national competition, it can pay off in cash or other prizes, and may open the doors to internships and scholarships.

What’s the best reaction you can have when you discover there’s a science project due? How about saying something like, “Wow, that’s great, maybe you can do a project about [insert your child’s favorite hobby, interests, subject, etc. here]. Then, help them get started right away.

Elsewhere on this website you’ll find information about how to get started, and how to choose a science fair topic if you don’t already have ideas. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us: info (at) MisterscienceFair.com or via our web contact form.

Make sure you also regularly check our Facebook page for on-going ideas and information about other competitions you can enter.

We know this is not a real science fair project (this never made it to a science fair – it stays permanently in the home of a very frustrated mom who made this project to show her frustrations - see Huffington Post article here). Don’t let this happen to your family. Don’t start your child’s science fair experience off on the wrong foot!