Science Fairs Under the 'Scope
Science fairs have been around for over 60 years. In the U.S., schools in over 47 states have offered science fairs reaching students as young as 9 and 10 years old, and there are many regional science fairs. We know science fairs have their critics, but they also have devoted fans. The trouble is, there is no real evidence to show what kids learn from science fairs and whether they are worth the cost. Maybe they really can boost kids’ interest in science and their ability to investigate interesting questions, but maybe not. And we should know the answer, especially now, because the need to strengthen our kids’ science and engineering skills has never been greater.
We’re calling a science fair any occasion when a teacher (a) has students answer a question or solve an engineering challenge of their own choosing, (b) has students present their work to others, and (c) has projects judged or assessed. Science fairs can happen within one classroom, across a grade, or a whole school; judging could be done by teachers or volunteers; and there do not need to be winners or prizes.
If you run a science fair at a 6-8 middle school and would like to fill out the survey, let us know! sciencefairstudy@edc.org
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