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 ‘Popular Science’
The Benefits Of Unique Science Fair Projects
January 29th, 2010Original Science Projects
January 29th, 2010Everyone who has ever been to a science fair has seen the boring old science project such as the sanderupting volcano or the paper space project. These types of displays are very simple and easy from the parent’s point of view, but these displays are very unwise choices for the students who must participate. Why is that?
These basic experiments are the type of experiments that are so ubiquitous that even the children understand what is going to occur. When that happens, then the children are probably not learning much, if anything. Judges have gotten bored with these styles of experiments, and that’s a major problem for kids who endeavor to win awards in their science fair competition. When it’s all said and done, this type of project is only really good for the parents who are buying the materials, and surprisingly these kinds of projects are not even cheap.
It is your role to find is a creative and original science fair project, or at least a project that is more educational than those repetitive experiments. Not only will this aid your child achieve more, it can provide the child an increased opportunity of becoming the winner of the the exhibition. Often, these competitions will include a scholarship or a nice cash prize{{{, and even those that do not provide one can certainly lead to a science scholarship later on down the line. Those which do nothave a scholarship attached can occasionally lead to a science scholarship later on down the line. This can be a nice added opportunity, and in addition to the high grades, the knowledge, and the experience your student is receiving with their entry, it provides you a wonderful reason to do something special.
What type of unique science projects are available? The world wide web appears to be a very good primary alternative, but because of the ease of use, one can all but guarantee that large science exhibitions include a similar project, especially if you took your exhibit from a popular science project website. Even when only participating in a small science fair, or an in-class science fair, you have to presume that there are a few other parents who are using the same websites that you have, including the judges and the teachers who are grading your children. These duplicate projects mean problems for the teachers, as this approach to the science fair buries the true benefit to the science fair exhibitions: having an exploratory experience. The people who run these exhibitions are hoping for you to come up with something original, on your own. In addition, you have to think about the of experience the student is going through. A competition is their chance to display their own interests, and selecting an easy or inexpensiveproject off of an internet site is not helping them learn.
You can check out the library for books, or looking at downloadable ebooks as well. These sources are in general the better places for pre-made ideas because there is a greater variety of choices, and a smaller number of competitors will be able to find each source, giving you a better shot at uniqueness.
Have the student create their own experiment, or if this does not go over well, then have the child add their ideas into some aspect of some other science fair experiment they have discovered. You can borrow a little bit of ideas from the websites, especially from the “members only” websites that have really good experiments, and books or suggestions with more unique ideas, but make sure to supplement them with an idea of your own!
If your kid needs help with their science project ideas and you are lacking in computer and spreadsheet knowledge, do not be afraid to look an expert for help. A majority of those members-only internet sites will give helpful downloads such as ready-made charts and spreadsheets for your child’s use. You ought to obtain help from an online tutor, who are almost always biology students in university who are able to assist you out with a little easy advice.
By: Jordan Matthews
Physical Science Products: Learning about science in a hands-on environment!
January 10th, 2010Hands-on science products are both fun for children and highly educational. There are many science products and supplies available on the internet and finding these science products isn’t difficult. You can simply perform a search online for the topic you are interested in. Through this search, you can identify products that will teach children about different aspects of physical science and the world that we live in.
Most of the science products that you will find do come with specific directions on how to perform the experiment and will also come with explanations to account for the outcome. This explanation is what makes these science products so effective for teaching children. These science products allow your children to learn about the world around them and understand why things work the way they do, by taking advantage of other people’s discoveries. Of course you will be able to draw some your own conclusions from the experiments as well.
These projects often are connected to specific aspects of science and you will be able to select the category or topic that you wish to cover before choosing a project. Most websites will have the projects broken down so you can merely choose the topic you wish to cover and then will show you the list of possible science products that you can purchase to create a corresponding experiment. Some of the more common topics would include magnetism and electricity, electrostatics, simple circuits, density and thermal expansion. Of course the topic you choose should be age appropriate. There would be no sense in trying to teach a first grader the laws of quantum physics, when they don’t have the background to understand it.
An example of one of these science products would be a floating and spinning magnet. This is a very popular science product for children, and explains a great deal about magnetic fields. The reason it is so popular is it meets more desires than simply the desire to learn. The magnet seems to float on air, almost as if by magic. Children are excited to know exactly why the magnet will float and are eager to touch it and play with it. This of course will lead to better learning, because children who have a hands-on learning environment will ultimately learn more than children who are taught using a text book.
Most science products will require some degree of setup and pre-planning to use. Teachers and parents are rewarded for these efforts though, because the enjoyment that children experience in this type of learning environment will inevitably lead to a better understanding of the scientific principles involved. This allows children to see that learning doesn’t always have to be tedious. Indeed, it can be quite fun and exciting. Interactive science products will help open children’s eyes to the world around them and give them a better understanding of physical science.
By: Christopher Cameron
