Surviving the Science Fair
Surviving a science project is something just about every parent with school aged children must experience. Take earth science, physical science, life science, or even chemistry. Then narrow one of those down to an interesting experiment with a visual component. Coming up with a great idea from such a vast amount of information can be daunting! How can students, parents, and teachers survive the science fair project? Planning, preparation, and perseverance! We can help with that!
Planning
A student who needs inspiration for the project could find a great idea in one of our science activity workbooks or one of our themed charts. With everything from magnetsto weather to motion, there is sure to be a topic that will catch his interest. Unless the student has been assigned a specific project topic, be sure to allow him to choose something that he will be excited to learn more about and will be able to demonstrate to his peers and teachers. Above all, know the project due dates and help your student manage his time and work in steps to achieve the goals. Assembling a project the night before it’s due will only cause stress that could have been avoided.
Preparation
Make a List
What supplies will your student need for the project? Did you know Teaching & Learning Stuff carries science kits, tools, and equipment in stores and online? You can order and pick up in the store closest to you!
- Goggles, beakers, test tubes, circuits, petri dishes, droppers, thermometers, magnifying glasses, magnets, iron filings; you name it, we probably have it.
- We even have modeling clay and paint if a 3-D model is involved, as well as other craft supplies! Be creative and find something engaging that your audience can appreciate!
Finishing Touches
When you’re ready to put it all together, add paper and a border to a plain project board, or go with a solid color. You can always use the home printer and comic sans font, but if you want to bring it up a notch, use stickers, letters, and accents to go with the theme. We have decor to make even the simplest project creative and appealing!
Perseverance
Be the audience for your student. Let him practice ahead of time to work out any bugs in the project. If at first he doesn’t succeed, try again! Let him handle the creativity aspects of the project. It’s a parent’s instinct to want to step in and “help,” so gentle guidance is key here. Allow the student to do the bulk of the work so he can take pride in completing the project from start to finish. Pretty soon he’ll be able to handle any project given to him!
Last Minute?
A few parents may be surprised with a list of extra supplies a student needs the day before a project is due! Rest assured, if you pop into one of our stores, we may have some of the supplies your student will need to produce a successful science fair project!
Don’t forget the awards to reward hard work!
