Elementary schools often organize many events to give students a hands-on experience of various topics and subjects. Science fairs have been one of the most common and educative school events. Most importantly, it gets even an unenthusiastic student interested in science. Moreover, it’s the best way to exhibit hidden talents and achieve something from healthy competition. Such school activities also enhance the child’s applications for colleges or jobs in future.
Looking at how important science fairs can be in shaping a kid’s future, special attention must be given to make sure it’s organized correctly and successfully. Here are some tips to help students and teachers sail through the event.
1.A healthy discussion between teachers and students should be the start of any science fair. It could either be within classrooms or special committees could be set up to discuss topics and assign them to students. Weaker students will need guidance to choose the right topic. A good bit of research on the topic is necessary before students plunge into the work.
2.Students should draft a plan for more than one topic and submit it to their science teachers. There could be circumstances when a certain project or experiment may not be feasible. In such situations, it’s sensible to keep a buffer topic ready.
3.Most schools keep a cache of projects conducted previously. Children should make maximum use of this facility and dig into the collection to learn from them. Pick out the best project from previous fairs and pick out valuable tips from there.
4.Judges chosen for the competition should have a background in science. They could be in-house science teachers or outside faculty, or even a university student studying science. Inform the judges about the judging protocols much before the event, and make sure they receive appropriate tokens of appreciation for their participation.
5.Once the date of the event is fixed, start off with the publicity work. Use the word of mouth, telephonic conversations and posters abundantly, since other methods are expensive and time consuming. Use an online organization tool to coordinate the whole event and the volunteers, which will make it easy to carry out the science fair as planned.
6.Stalls should be erected at a suitable location, with maximum visibility and space for students to display their skills and experiments. The drama hall, the sports ground or an amphitheatre (if any) would be great venues.
Schools should finish the event off with quality rewards for worthy students. It’s important to motivate talented students so they can perform better and aspire for higher goals.