Our Science Fair
Tuesday, January 28, 12 - 1 PM
Does your child need help preparing? We're here to help! Our Young Scientist Symposium will take place on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 12:00-1:00 PM.
Oh no! Not a Science Fair...
We’ve all experienced the stress of science fairs. Just the words can make you cringe. There’s always the kid that has the perfect project that looks like it was completed by someone much older than them. Then there’s the project that came out of a box. And, of course, the stress of knowing that your child’s project is going up against other kids whose parents are scientists by profession. You can already feel the knot in your stomach.
But, Ours is Different!
Our science fair is created by scientists who are dads and who want to see every child be excited about science. Unfortunately, science and math are often taught by rote memorization which makes them seem dull. Instead, we want to use this science fair to stoke their natural curiosity in the world around them.
We plan to make sure that your child loves their experience by offering to mentor them throughout this process. We would like to spark your child's natural curiosity and creativity so that they will want to experience science again, and again, and again.
A Good Old Fashioned Science Fair
All events will take place at CSM, La Plata, Community Education Building.
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Which ages and when? Ages 4-18. Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 12:00 - 1:00 PM. (Our Young Scientist Symposium will take place in October 22, from 12:00 - 1:00 PM.)
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Student Fee and Registration: $30/student, includes:
registration, participation certificate, exhibit space, and participation in NCAC Science Fair and Young Scientist Symposium. This event is free to NCAC's EFH students.
Please contact Ms. Georgia to participate.
Presenting and Benefits
Presenting their project:
Students will present their exhibit and engage in dialogue with each other and our evaluators. This allows them to share all they have learned and be stimulated to think even more deeply about different aspects of their project.
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Your child will gain the following by participating in our Good Old Fashioned Science Fair:
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Ability to answer questions on the spot
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Learn to turn a question into an experiment
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Access reliable sources
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Increased awe and curiosity
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Ability to think independently
How can we help your child learn through this process?
We ask that you help your child choose a topic by having them write down 10 questions that they do not already know the answer to.
Examples might be:
We then ask them to form a hypothesis for what they think might be the answer to each one. As a parent or mentor, you then discuss which hypothesis might best be formulated into a testable experiment using items around the house. After your child performs their experiment they communicate the entire process via the science fair project.
If you are interested in participating, please bring your child to the Young Scientist Symposium on Tuesday, October 22, from 12:00 - 1:00 PM, where our volunteer scientists will go over this process in greater detail. We will also meet with your child (and you) to provide guidance by going through their questions and hypotheses. Hopefully, this will help your child craft their experiments. In addition, we will have example displays and science demonstrations presented by professional scientists who will be happy to engage in dialogue with your child as they explore more cool science!
How does removing milk from a cookie recipe alter the taste?
Can a butterfly hear?
Why can't a football kicker make a field goal from any distance?
What Now?
1: Contact Ms. Georgia at msgeorgia@neighborhoodcreativeartscenter.org to register your child.
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2: Encourage and guide your child as they carry out their experiments and research.
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3: Guide your child as they create their exhibit.
About the Exhibit
Your child's exhibit should include the following:
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Introduction and Background: A description of their question and the hypothesis they are testing in their experiment.
Methodology: A description of their experiment and the method they used to collect their data.
Results: A discussion of the data they collected and any analysis that was required.
Discussion and Conclusions: Address how their results map to their original hypothesis. Articulate lessons learned and whether their conclusions would be applicable beyond just their experiment. Finally, discuss what they would change in their question, hypothesis, or experiment if they were to do it again.
Let's Practice
Bring your child to the Young Scientist Symposium on Tuesday, October 22, from 12:00 - 1:00 PM. Your child will present their science exhibit to our guest scientists. This is an opportunity for each student to finetune their project and answer questions about their research and experiments. Our guest scientists will help them think about new aspects of their projects and ways to test their hypothesis.
At Last
Bring your child and their exhibit/project to our NCAC Good Old Fashioned Science Fair on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, from 12:00 - 1:00 PM. You are welcome to stand with your child as they present their project and engage in discussions with our evaluators. This is a great learning opportunity for each student, and as a parent, it’s always fun to see our children in action, as they are being stimulated to think and engage in thoughtful dialogue.
FAQ
What ages can participate?
We encourage ages 4 and up to participate.​
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May students compete in groups?
Yes, students of all ages may submit projects as a group.
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What type of items should my student use for their experiments?
We encourage you to use household items. Plenty of experiments can be completed with items/specimens found in your home and yard.
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How will projects be exhibited?
We will provide tables for each exhibitor. Exhibits will be divided by age.
What types of questions will the evaluators ask?
Most questions will depend on the student, the topic, and the exhibit. In general, you can anticipate questions that relate to the format provided above. Additionally, our volunteers will be instructed to ask "why" as often as possible since this often results in a rich dialogue that is helpful for the student.