Everyone has seen the tired old science fair project, such as the volcano or the styrofoam solar system, which have been favorites of many parents for what feels like generations. These projects are relatively simple and easy from the parent’s point of view, but they are incredibly bad choices for the children involved. Why?
These are the kind of projects that are so well-known that even the students know what is going to happen. And when that happens, the students are not learning anything, and their performance suffers during the presentation portion of science fairs because of it. Science fair judges have gotten bored with these types of projects, and that’s a big problem for students who endeavor to win prizes in their science fair. In the end, this kind of project is only really good for the parents, and surprisingly, these kinds of projects are not even particularly cheap!
What you need to find is a unique science fair project, or at least something that beats those tired old projects. Not only will this help your child learn more, it can give them a much better chance of winning the science fair. Often, these competitions can include a scholarship or a nice cash prize, and even those that do not can often lead to a science scholarship later on down the line. That’s a nice benefit, and aside from the grades, the knowledge, and the experience your child is getting with their participation, it gives you a great reason to try and do something unique.
So what kind of unique science fair projects are there? The internet seems like a decent first option, but given the prevalence of use, you can guarantee that large science fairs include a duplicate project, especially if you took your idea from a popular science fair blog or website. Even in a small science fair, or an in-class science fair, you have to guess that there are more than a few people who are visiting the same websites that you are, including the judges and the teachers who are grading your students. Duplicate projects mean trouble for the judges and the teachers, as it negates the true benefit of science fairs: having an exploratory experience. They want you to come up with something unique, on your own. In addition, you have to think about what kind of experience your child is having. A science fair is a chance for them to express their own creativity and interests, and plucking an easy or cheap project off of a website isn’t helping them out any.
You can try visiting the library for books, or looking at news sites as well, but these sources often provide out-of-date, boring, or incredibly difficult projects.
Have the child come up with something of their own, or if that doesn’t work, then have them add their own input into some aspect of an interesting and more unique science fair project. You can take some help from the internet, especially from the “members only” sites on the internet that have really solid projects, and books or suggestions with more unique ideas, but make sure to add something to them!
If your child needs help with their science fair project and you lack computer skills or scientific knowledge, don’t be afraid to look for help. Many of those members only sites will offer helpful downloads like ready-made charts and spreadsheets for your child’s use. You can also get help from online tutors, who are usually science majors in college who can help you out with some simple advice.
By: Robert Watson
Posts Tagged ‘Generations’
The Benefits Of Unique Science Fair Projects
January 29th, 2010Cool Science Projects for Kids
January 12th, 2010Have you ever wondered why students and parents alike dislike 4th grade science projects so strongly? Once again, we look forward to the mandatory and yearly stunning displays of the 4th grade science project. Why are these assigned, are they actually a requirement, and what is the point in doing an 4th grade science project? These questions and many more are often the fuel used to light fires by parents all over, because they seem to lack an understanding of the need for an 4th grade science project.
If you stop for a moment and take a look at what the main excuse is for not having a 4th grade science project turned in on time, you may be surprised to find that most parents are in fact guilty of taking over their child’s(rens) 4th grade science project in an attempt to turn it in on time. Most of this dislike of 4th grade science projects is due in part from a lack of adhering to the schedule set by their instructors, which allows them to end up late for everything and rushing at the last minute to create an 4th grade science project that was spanned over several months, into one night before it is due. By allowing this reaction to an 4th grade science project to become normal behavior, we are, in essence, setting ourselves up for future disasters by creating mindless generations that have no understanding of how to organize, plan, exert effort, and use their brains.
We are teaching our children, by allowing them to procrastinate, when it comes to their 4th grade science project that it is all right to let things slide, to plan for another day because we do not feel like doing something today. Not only are the children who are supposed to be doing the 4th grade science project, being given a bad example, but also they are being shown that no matter what mistakes they make, their mom and dad will do the work for them — regardless of the consequences.
A bit dramatic to make as a statement from why children have been lazy in the past when it comes to completing a 4th grade science project? I think not. It is our duty as parents to encourage our children to do their best in all their endeavors, even the 4th grade science project, and everything else in life. We never know when that one action we encouraged could lead to their main future direction. Ultimately, the way we allow our children to develop, even from completing an 4th grade science project, is the kind of adults we are encouraging them to be. Do we have secret desires for our children to end up as bums on the street? Perhaps we would prefer them to have no jobs for the duration of their adult life. These statements are not only ridiculous, but they hold no weight as being valid either.
We all want the best for our children, and if it means suffering through complaints and sighs of frustration until we have taught them the importance of the 4th grade science project, and how it will affect their outlook on life, then so be it.
By: diane
Unique Science Projects
October 16th, 2009Everyone who has ever been to a science fair has seen the boring old science display like the baking sodaeruption or the paper universe, which have existed as favorites of some adults for what feels like generations. These styles of experiments are very simple and easy for the parents, however they are incredibly poor choices for the kids who must participate. What do they have to learn from them?
These basic experiments are the style of experiments that are so well-known that even the children understand what is going to occur before it does. When that occurs, then the children are not going to be learning much at all. Science fair judges have gotten bored with these types of presentations, and that is a tremendous problem for students and parents who endeavor to win prizes in their science fair competition. When it’s all said and done, this style of presentation is only really good for the parents who are helping out their kid, and it may come as a surprise to learn that these varieties of projects are not particularly cheap!
What you need to establish is a unique science fair experiment, or at least a project that beats those repetitive projects. In addition to helping your child achieve more, a better science fair project can give the child an increased chance of becoming the winner of the the competition. More often now than in previous years, these exhibitions provide a scholarship{{{, and even those competitions that do not provide one can certainly point to a science scholarship when your child is the appropriate age to enroll in a college. Those science fairs which do not typically from time to time lead to a science scholarship later on down the line. This can be a nice opportunity, and in addition to the high marks, the understanding, and the experience your child is receiving with their entry, it gives you, the parent, a great reason to try and do something special.
I’m sure that you’re asking yourself what type of original science experiments are recommended? The net seems like a excellent first alternative, but given the prevalence of use, one can be certain that state-wide science fairs will include a similar exhibit, especially if you found your idea from a well-known science fair blog. Even in a smaller science fair, or an in-class science fair, you would have to presume that there are one or two parents and students who are using the same sources which you have. Don’t forget to include the judges and teachers, either. They can spot a duplicate project a mile away. These duplicate projects are trouble from the teachers and judges, as this approach negates the whole purpose of science fairs: creating a scientific plan. The people who run these conventions are hoping for the participants to create something unique, on your own. In addition, you have to think about what kind of experience your child is going to have. A competition is their opportunity to show their own creativity, and plucking an easy or inexpensiveproject borrowed of an internet site isn’t helping them learn.
One can visit the library for books, or looking at downloadable ebooks as well. These sources are in general the best places for pre-made examples since there is more variety of choices, along with a smaller amount of people will have access to each one, minimizing the chances of seeing a duplicate project.
Have your child invent their own experiment, or if this plan does not work for them, have the child add their own unique twist to some small aspect of an interesting and more unique science project you have found in your research. You can borrow a little bit of ideas from the internet, especially from the “members only” websites that have very high quality experiments, and books or suggestions with more original ideas, but ensure to supplement them with an idea of your own!
If your child is in need of help with their science experiment ideas and you lack computer and spreadsheet knowledge or scientific knowledge, don’t be afraid to look an expert for help. A majority of those members only internet sites offer very helpful bonuses like ready-to-go charts, graphs and spreadsheets for your and your child’s use. You should get help from online tutors, who are usually going to be chemistry majors in college who can help you out with a little simple recommendations.
By: Jordan Matthews
