The document summarizes information about science fairs. It discusses how science fairs were started in the 1940s and provides examples of common science fair projects. The document outlines the purposes and organization of science fairs, including judging criteria. Both the advantages and disadvantages of science fairs are described, such as how they can improve students' research, scientific method, and communication skills but also require a significant time commitment. The conclusion emphasizes how science fair projects can build students' confidence and challenge their potential through independent discovery.

1. SCIENCE FAIR
Submittedto:
Mrs.Sushama Prabha.L
Lecturer in Natural Science
Submittedby :
Sreekutty.S.B
Natural Science
Submittedon:29-08-2015

2. INDEX
Sl
No:
Content Page No
1. Introduction 3
2. Content 4-9
3. Advantages 10-12
4. Disadvantages 12-13
5. Conclusion 14
6. Reference 15

3. INTRODUCTION
Science fairs were started by William Emerson
Ritter and Edward W. Scripps in 1942 as "The Science Talent
Search" for high school students. The first ever American
National Science Fair was won by Alan J. Fletcher when he was
18, who demonstrated the laws of motion. 1950, Pennsylvania
Science fairs projects are normally intended to
demonstrate scientific concepts on a small scale and often relate to
green energy or student health for example frequent science fair
projects are how much water it takes to leave the water on while
brushing your teeth, or what happens when you leave soda in a
cup of soda. Science fair projects normally have to have a
purpose, hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable,
experiment results, and a conclusion, and are normally intended to
teach students about the scientific method.

4. A science fair experiment is generally a
competition where contestants present their science
project results in the form of a report, display board, and models
that they have created. Science fairs allow students in elementary,
middle and high schools to compete
in science and/or technology activities.
Although writing assignments that take a long time to
complete and require multiple drafts are fairly common in US
schools, large projects in the sciences (other than science fairs)
are rare. Science fairs also provide a mechanism for students with
intense interest in the sciences to be paired with mentors from
nearby colleges and universities, so that they can get access to
instruction and equipment that the local schools could not
provide.
In the United States, science fairs first became popular in the
early 1950s, with the ISEF, then known as the National Science
Fair. Interest in the sciences was at a new high after the world
witnessed the use of the first two atomic weapons and the dawn
of television. As the decade progressed, science stories in the
news, such as Jonas Salk’s vaccine for polio and the launch

5. of Sputnik, brought science fiction to reality and attracted
increasing numbers of students to fairs.
Every school in India should make science fair as an
obligatory annual event. Unfortunately, in India, almost all the
science related events at the school levels are in the category of
science exhibition. They are limited to building models, or
exhibiting organisms under microscopes or showing some scientific
facts that are derived from science cook books. On the other hand,
science fair projects are totally different. They are based on day
today's observations that lead to inquiry and scientific research by
utilizing scientific method. At the end, these students present a nice
scientific research paper containing good data, graphs, result,
and conclusion. If we have to prosper and succeed in this world,
then we have to show our progress in science.
A science fair project is the ultimate answer to the
often asked student question: "Why do I need to learn this stuff,
anyway?" It integrates, into one functional activity, virtually all of
the skills and arts that are usually taught separately (sometimes not
at all or without obvious "purpose") in many schools. When
brought to completion, the project is an amalgamation of reading,
writing, spelling, grammar, math, statistics, ethics, logic, critical
thinking, computer science, graphic arts, scientific methodology,
self-learning of one or more technical or specialty fields, and (if the

6. project qualifies for formal competition) public speaking and
defense in front of expert judges. It is, perhaps, the only educational
activity that allows students to teach themselves, to take from the
established information what they need to discover something
exciting and new, and to identify and choose the tools that they
need to conduct and conclude their project. When a student
completes a science fair project, year after year, through junior and
senior high school, the science fair process yields mature, self-
confident, skilled, and competitive young leaders who have career
goals and the preparation, discipline, and drive to attain them.
The Benefits of Participating in a Science Fair:
 creativity and innovation
 critical thinking and problem solving
 communication and collaboration
 initiative and self-direction
 productivity and accountability
 information literacy
 Information, communications, and technology literacy.
Science Fair in purely an educative activity carried out in
a systematic manner entirely for the advancement of science. It is
an excellent device for acquainting the parents as well as other

7. people in the community, with the science related work being done
in schools. Science Fair provides an opportunity for the display of
valuable work done in the science club by the students and
sponsors. The fair helps the students benefit from the achievement
of others, and promotes a spirit of competition. Students can learn
many things which can not be learnt through classroom teaching.
Instinctive urges of pupils, such as desire for acquisition, satisfying
curiosity, participating in constructive works, etc. also get
satisfaction. Their talents are recognized and encouraged which in
turn would provide strong reinforcement. Science fairs provide
opportunity for detecting and cultivating scientific talents.
Every school should organize science exhibition once in a
year. This may include exhibits of students as well as
demonstrations,talks,etc. made by experts, film shows on scientific
topics, debates, science plays, etc. The science fair will provide an
opportunity for the close co-operation of students, their parents and
teachers.
a.Purposes and Values of Science Fair
1. To stimulate and encourage interest in science.
2. To focus attention on science experiences in schools.
3. To provide situations for scientific hobbies.

8. 4. To recognize and encourage scientific talents.
5. To provide opportunity for display of talents through
exhibits.
6. To stimulate greater interest in scientific investigation
over the routine classwork.
7. To make the public science minded.
Science Fairs have intellectual, psychological, social and
educational values.
b. Organisation of a Science Fair
The organization of a science fair should be a teacher-
pupil activity and everything should be thought of well in advance.
The following factors are to be considered while organizing the
science fair.
1. Planning: It is essential that planning is thoroughly done.
During planning the following aspects should be considered.
i. Objectives of the fair.
ii. Scope of the fair-who could participate in the fair?
Participation to be limited to the school or kept open to
other schools, what types of programmes, are to be
included etc.
iii. Procedure
iv. Financing
v. Location, time and duration

9. vi. Other factors and facilities-necessary arrangements,
control, etc.
2. Distribution of work: Duties should be assigned to individuals
and groups.Various committees are to be constituted, which are
responsible for different programmes. There may be an advisory
committee, a reception committee, a publicity committee and
various sub-committees. While distributing the work, talents
and interests should be taken into consideration.
3. Execution: Programmes decided upon while planning are now
to be organised systematically and put to action. All exhibits
must be properly mounted and labelled. Volunteers should be
arranged for explaining the exhibits to the visitors.
4. Judging: The fair should be judged by an expert team.Separate
criteria are to be developed for judging each item say,-still
model, working model, projects,etc.
The NCERT has listed the following criteria for judging a fair:
Scientific approach, Originality, Technical skill and
workmanship, thoroughness, Dramatic value and personal
interview.
5. Evaluation: When the fair is over, teachers and students should
evaluate it and find out whether the objectives of the fair have
been archieved or not. If not, try to improve it next time.

10. ADVANTAGES
 MOTIVATION
Most of the projects presented at science fairs are related either to
the students’ daily lives or to subjects they’re passionate about.
Sports, music and the environment are hot topics. This innate
interest is a good motivator for students to keep working on their
project for several months, and will ultimately help them
understand their chosen topic better than they would from a
textbook. For example, students might not be interested in reading
an assigned homework chapter on conservation of angular
momentum, but would gladly find out, on their own time, that this
is the principle behind figure-skating turns.
 RESEARCH SKILLS
Since students work on their own projects, the background
information they need might not be presented in their textbooks.
They will have to search for their own information. Finding reliable
sources of information is a recurrent issue throughout a student’s
education, and any practice in literature research is useful not only
for science but also for other subjects. Some students get help from
local universities in carrying out their science-fair projects.
Regulations differ between institutions, but most universities have
outreach projects or communication centres that offer advice.

11.  SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Most students are familiar with the basic concept of the order of
hypothesis, experiment and conclusion. Textbook examples and
classroom experiments often successfully prove a hypothesis and
find a known solution to a common problem. However, the harsh
reality of scientific research is that many hypotheses prove to be
false. This is a lesson not easily taught, but a concept that becomes
immediately apparent to students who fail to prove their hypotheses
in science-fair projects. Of the science-fair projects I’ve judged,
I’ve always been most impressed by the students who encountered
such setbacks and not only sought an explanation for the
discrepancies, but also tested and proved their new explanations.
That is the real scientific method!
 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Even though undertaking a science-fair project may take several
weeks, the science fair only lasts one day, and the whole project
needs to be summarized on one poster. Students are forced to think
about the details of their work when they prepare to explain it to the
judges. For the larger regional and (inter)national fairs, they might
even need to talk to the media. At a science fair in Florida, twelve-
year-old Jasmine Roberts made news with her science project on
fast food restaurants (Mixon, 2006). After her project was picked

12. up by the media, Jasmine had to answer questions not only from
teachers and science fair judges, but also from reporters!
DISADVANTAGES
 TIME
The major drawback for students is the time commitment.
Since the projects are unique, students will have to carry out the
experiments on their own time. This can conflict with other school
assignments if not planned well.
A science fair is also a huge commitment on the part of
teachers. For every student, they need to assess if the project is
acceptable, help with finding reliable information sources, and give
feedback when a student encounters a problem. On top of that,
there are numerous other responsibilities involved with getting all
the projects displayed and judged.
 COMPETITION
In judged science fairs, there will inevitably be competition
between students. Depending on the situation, the competitive
element can be either an advantage or a disadvantage (Human,
2006). For some students, it’s a source of motivation, encouraging
them to work hard on their projects. For others, however, it has the

13. opposite effect, and the thought of being compared with their peers
can be disheartening. At the recent Toronto Science and
Technology Fair, I casually talked to some students after I finished
judging. When one student heard that I was not going to mark her
project, she confided in me: “I didn’t really want to be here. My
project isn’t that good, and I’m sure others have done the same
thing.” For insecure students, a non-judged, display-only fair may
be a better environment. These fairs still have the merit of giving
students a chance to show their work without the pressure to
compete.
These considerations can hopefully serve as a starting point
for teachers who are considering setting up a science fair, or
thinking of having their students participate in an existing fair. As a
further resource, the ISEF has an online checklist for teachers
interested in setting up a science fair.

14. CONCLUSION
A science fair project can be self-validating and exciting because it
is not just practice. It involves real discovery of little known or
even unknown information. It develops personal power of
importance in students, where perhaps none or little existed before.
The project usually is based on scientific questions or interests that
the students already have, and allows them to develop the questions
independently into formal, testable, solvable problems. When such
studies are undertaken in earnest, the students often become driven
by their projects. Learning the outcome and finding the answer can
be an electrifyingly powerful moment of discovery. It proves to
students, and to others, that they were successful and that they did it
on their own! The result? An ordinary student is motivated to
become an excellent student, and an excellent student to become a
scholar. Of all the programs that a school might offer a student to
improve self esteem, it seems that participation in a science fair is
one sure-fire way to build student confidence, challenge potential,
and instill the incredible feeling of independent achievement that
the successful science fair project provides.

15. REFERENCE
 WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
 SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODOLOGY OF
TEACHING AND PEDAGOGIC ANALYSIS (TEXT
BOOK) BY DR.K.SIVARAJAN[Principal,University
Teaching Education Centre,Calicut]