Coordinators

An investigation is a science fair project that uses scientific methodology (which includes experimenting) to carry out an investigation.

During an investigation, the student starts out with a question based on a scientific problem; develops a hypothesis (or educated guess) as to the answer; designs and conducts an experiment to test the hypothesis; measures and collects data; documents and analyzes the results; and draws a conclusion.

Parents play an important role in supporting their children throughout the duration of the science fair process. They can also be a huge help by volunteering to help before and during the fair itself. Start off on the right foot. Establish good communication with parents early on so they understand expectations and anticipate deadlines.

The Maker spirit is all about “learning-through-doing.” Infuse this spirit into your science fair or STEAM event with fun, hands-on activities designed to encourage exploration and spark curiosity in your students!

Judging worksheets and scoring systems vary from fair to fair, but most follow similar criteria. Students are judged on their understanding of how well they used scientific methods or the engineering design process to develop and conduct their project. Both inventions and investigations involve planning, careful investigation, collection of data, and making sense of the data at the end.

Here’s a sample worksheet scoring sheet to give a sense of the categories, criteria and level of detail involved in judging science fairs. You may wish to have a separate area for the oral presentation. But in most cases, the presentation is meant to clarify the project display and provide anecdotal information that would not fit or be appropriate.