Science Fair Made Easy (and Free!)

No school project strikes fear in hearts of kids, parents and teachers quite like the science fair project! It just sounds daunting! All those steps, the board, notebook, pictures! I remember quite clearly fretting over my own science fair projects in school, although to be fair, my first one wasn't until sixth grade.

Now, kids from Kindergarten on up are exposed to the process of a science fair project, at least at our school. I have to say, this would have been very helpful for me instead of trying to figure it all out on my own in sixth grade! And this was B.G. (before Google!).

At our school we have very specific expectations for each grade level regarding the science fair. Every teacher is expected to complete one class project along with some other student activity. In second grade, our job is to complete the class project and then have each student create a mini-show board of that project. I believe third grade does the same, but they add the notebook, so that by fourth/fifth grade the students have been exposed to and taken part in the science project process and it's not quite the fear-inducing assignment that it sometimes becomes.

I have a science project display board that I keep from year to year. It's a lot of work to re-create this thing every year and I really don't see the need to do so. We do the ol' flowers in food coloring experiment every year and the kids really dig it! I actually don't show them the finished board as we're completing parts of the project. We talk through the whole thing and I take notes on the whiteboard as we go along and take pictures of the flowers each day.



Then finally, I share the completed board with them - lots of oooh's and ahhh's usually! Then I give them the copies of their mini-project and we glue it all in place following the example on the big board. I try to convince them to keep it in a safe place until third grade to use a model when they have the option of doing their own project.


If you don't have access to a color printer, you can definitely print these in black and white and have the kids color over them. If this looks like something you'd like to do, feel free to download the mini student version {HERE} from GoogleDocs and you can find the full size version {HERE} to make your own class display board.


Hope that helps make the dreaded science project a little less dreadful!


Photobucket




17 comments

  1. Thanks for sharing this may come in handy next year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Try out my science website, I am going to upload my first video to it tomorrow. I hope you check it out and like what I have created: http://WeWantScience.com

      Delete
  2. I think this is a great introduction to a science fair project. It turned out really nice.
    Thanks for sharing the freebie!
    Connie:)
    www.welcometofirstgraderoom5.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Total and absolute brilliance Denise!!! Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great project! Simple and doable with the younger students, but great experience with the scientific process. Congratulations, Denise!

    Sally from ElementaryMatters

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think this is a great display! Thanks for sharing it with us!

    Lisa
    Learning Is Something to Treasure

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for sharing this! Next year I think I'll give it a go and do a class project now that I can use this to help them feel more confident with the process.

    Lorena
    Little Treasures

    ReplyDelete
  7. The file folder board kind of reminds me of the lapbooks I sometimes do with kids! I <3 lapbooks! You've given me a great idea to keep in mind, to use lapbooks as part of a science fair!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great idea! Now if you could just design one for my 7th graders! I have a post entitled AGHH! Science Fair for a reason!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is a GREAT idea!! I think it is so important that they complete one in 2nd so it is not a totally new concept in 3rd!!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!! :) THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you, thank you! We are having a Science Fair next year for the first time in a LOOOOOONg time and this is perfect to show my class the proper procedures!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you so much!!! This will come in handy :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love this idea! I've just awarded you the "One Lovely Blog" award! Stop by my blog to accept it! Thanks for sharing your great ideas! :)

    Jessica
    Mrs. Heeren's Happenings

    ReplyDelete
  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just wanted to let you know that his is a science fair winning project! Thank you for the idea!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you so much. This is so helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Found this via Pinterest!! Thank you!! I teach 5th and this is helpful for them, too!

    ReplyDelete

Back to Top