Project Guidelines

1.   Projects must be entered by an individual, small group (up to four), or by entire classes as class projects.

2.     Entry forms are due by January 11, 2017.  Register online at http://bit.ly/1EvtB7F or there are printed forms in the office you may turn in to the science fair box there.

3.     ALL WORK MUST BE DONE BY THE STUDENT. Select projects that are within the student’s ability.

4.     Projects for 3rd and 4th grade students may be an experiment (scientific method), invention, or model.

5.     Individual projects for 5^th grade students should be an experiment using the scientific method and, in accordance with MDUSD’s Career Integrated Academics, should have a connection to real life.  

6.     Display:

●   Student’s name, grade and teacher must be displayed in the upper right hand corner on the back of the display board. The project must have a title that can be viewed from a distance. This information must also appear on any other separate parts of your project.

●   Displays must be free-standing and have a backboard. Students may use the boards available to purchase or another board of their choice. Space is limited to 15 inches deep and 30 inches across.

●    If project requires an electrical outlet, student must supply a UL-approved extension cord with their name on it. Students must indicate their need for an outlet on the entry form.

●    Dangerous chemicals, open flames and explosives are not permitted.

●    Expensive or fragile items are displayed AT YOUR OWN RISK.

●    Projects using live vertebrate animals must have prior approval from the student’s teacher. Live vertebrate animals may not be exhibited at the fair. Models, stuffed animals and pictures/photos must be used instead. Human body parts must not be displayed except for teeth, hair and nails.

Judges’ Standards 

Grades K-2

1.  Students can clearly explain their project and what they have learned.

2.  Exhibit is clearly titled.

3.  Exhibit is understandable.

Grades 3-5

1) Process/Content (choose one)

    ◊ for Experiments: (Scientific Method – required for 5^th grade)

1.     Identify the problem or the question - state specifically what they are hoping to discover.

2.     Hypothesis - consider what they know about problem and propose a solution or answer to the problem.

3.     Procedure - record the series of steps in the experiment that are done to answer the question/prove that the hypothesis is correct.  Include materials used.

4.     Results - present data to allow one to easily see relative effects of one or more variables.

5.     Conclusion - state what they discovered, evaluate hypothesis (was it correct or not).

     ◊ for Inventions:

1.     Identify the invention’s purpose.

2.     Identify the materials used and how it was built.

3.     Explain how the invention works and the scientific principles involved.

4.     Explain the real world application of invention.

     ◊ for Models and Demonstrations:

1.     Identify materials and methods.

2.     Explain conclusions and scientific concept.

2)  Creativity – the topic and methods are original and have a connection to real life.

3)  Display –  the display is neat, organized, well written.  It uses pictures, graphs, tables or display items well.

4)  Oral Presentation – project is clearly and enthusiastically explained to judges.