The Teach/Learn Blogging Carnival hosted by Science@home is for anyone, because we are all teachers and learners all the time. This month our theme is “Science”, because this is National Science Week. Science includes all sorts of practical activities and exploration and we have lots of different ideas in this carnival. Check out the links at the bottom to find some other great posts on science.
***
My family and I were never very scientifically minded. One year, though, we participated in a homeschool co-op science fair. Two months later, we moved and didn’t have the opportunity to participate in a science fair again. But that experience was a great learning opportunity – and, yes, it actually was fun!
Christina’s Science Fair Project
Christina (4) and her volcano experiment, 1994.
It was April of 1994, and Christina had recently turned 4. We had a Montessori activity matching rocks to identifying cards, so we decided to study volcanoes and igneous rocks.
Christina had a great time creating a volcano for the project. Then, with my help, she designed her science fair exhibit.
I helped Christina with the spelling, and she printed the words. Using typing software, Christina had learned basic typing, but it was a slow process. Still, she typed up a short explanation and created an attractive and educational display board. She had her volcano to display in front of the board as well.
Will’s Science Fair Project
Will (9) and his traction experiment, 1994.
Will had recently turned 9 and was ready to use the scientific method to create a science fair project. Will had loved vehicles from infancy, so he decided to study vehicles and traction.
Will went through the steps of asking a question, doing background research, constructing a hypothesis, testing his hypothesis by doing an experiment, analyzing his data and drawing a conclusion, and communicating his results.
Will’s project was called “How Soon Does a Car Stop on Different Surfaces?”. Will enjoyed the experimental process and spent a lot of time planning his display board. Will knew how to type fairly well, but it still took about 8 hours for him to complete his exhibit and report for the science fair. The project was a good way to consolidate his learning and create a substantial piece of work.
The Science Fair
Christina at the homeschool co-op science fair, 1994.
Our homeschool co-op was a nice, comfortable size. At our co-op science fair, there were no judges or placements. In Montessori education, there aren’t grades and awards, so this science fair was perfect for us. It was just about learning and enjoying the process. Each child had a display area and stood by his or her display ready to explain the project to anyone with questions.
There was also a time for each child to stand up front and tell briefly about his or her project. Christina performed her volcano experiment, and Will explained his project. Again, no pressure – the homeschool audience helped each child feel successful and proud of his or her work.
Will at the homeschool co-op science fair, 1994.
So, that was our science fair experience. It was a great way to explore a scientific topic in depth and gain the satisfaction of completing a big project. It also gave my children a chance to talk in front of an audience in a non-threatening environment. For a family who was never very scientifically minded, it was a great success – and it was fun!
Have you and your family had experience with science fairs?
***
Visit Science@home to find out more about the Teach/Learn Blogging Carnival. 
Please take the time to visit the other participants and check out their posts on “Science.”
- CatWay at Adventures With Kids is by playing with magnifying glasses and microscopes to help your child explore the world of the very small.
- Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now was never very scientifically minded. One year, though, we participated in a homeschool co-op science fair. Two months later we moved and didn’t have the opportunity to participate in a science fair again. But that experience was a great learning opportunity – and, yes, it actually was fun!
- Monique from Your Cheeky Monkey is commencing on the road of learning about the Human Body (both inside and out). Find out a few of the things we are doing to learn about our amazing bodies!
- SMMART Ideas shows how you can enjoy making these sticky spiderwebs with your child, learn how spiders actually make their webs and other arachna-facts!
- Amanda B at HomeAge says that science is not her forte, but for young children the world is one big science lesson. How do we answer all their questions so that these answers are meanings rather than facts?
- Narelle from A Bunch of Keys has some simple kid friendly activities to do to help attract birds into the garden.
- Deb from Science@home’s daughter has decided to be an alienpologist, and she’s reflecting on all the different ways kids are exposed to ideas and fun activities.
- Staci at Teaching Money to Kids has a simple sorting activity that kids can do anywhere to get them to observe and compare.
- Ash from Mm is for Me have been running their own family Science Week with lots of fun activities.
Thanks for visiting our carnival, we hope you find some interesting new blogs.
Microsoft Azure is an operating system that allows you to create web applications and store data in the cloud.Azure admin training in hyderabad visit our link to get more information:-https://azuretrainings.in/
Hi,,
Great article thank you for sharing & keep posting
I love the science fair project ideas! I’m impressed that your four-year-old did so much of the work to get ready for the fair. Makes me think I’m underestimating my younger one . . .
~Jennifer
Thanks, Jennifer! Christina really did love working on the science fair project. I think it helped that she found the topic interesting and got to be like her big brother in preparing a project!
My kids adore science experiments and exploration at home, but have not yet done a formal science fair project. I keep thinking that it would be a good experience, but then keep wondering if it really is a necessary part of the educational process. My friend Kayla shared her tips and experience with science fairs in the public school system and I’m still trying to determine if it is worth the extra effort and time. It’s interesting to ready your presepctive and experience here. Thanks!
Thanks for your comment, Shannon! I wouldn’t have wanted to do a science fair project every year, but I really liked that my children had that experience – even though it was only once!
Love the idea of a co-op science fair. We just started a small co-op on post…so hopefully by next ‘semester’ we’ll include Science to the co-op. We already have a wonderful volunteer inline! 🙂 Thank you for sharing, love their displays.
Thanks for your kind comment, Jessica! It’s great that you already have the volunteer you need. Good luck with adding science to your co-op!
Great job! We were going to try to organize a science fair at our homeschool co-op and it just never got off the ground. I think we should try again though; as much to see the kids take off and study their own interests as anything else. Thanks for sharing this post!
Thanks, Melanie! I think it worked well at our co-op science fair when the kids didn’t have to worry about winning an award. They all seemed more willing to participate and follow their own interests that way.
I think it’s so great to be sure to use “hypothesis” and other vocabulary with your child from pre-school age. Children learn vocabulary quickly and can incorporate it into their normal speech. Sometimes we think certain words are too “hard” for them to pick up on and use…as we all know when we think about it..nothing is to hard for these bright little children.
Great point! In Montessori education, preschoolers learn difficult vocabulary as a matter of course (for example one of the geometric shapes introduced is the quatrefoil). It’s amazing how easily preschoolers can learn difficult words.
Thanks so much, Deb! Good points! There obviously can be real benefits from science fairs (like we experienced), but there are a lot of potential pitfalls. Science fairs really do have to be done carefully.
There was a lot of love in that comment 😀
I’ve heard of science fairs, but not anywhere I’ve taught. The types I’ve been involved in are extra-curricular, so you get the kids who love what they are doing. I love the idea of having them for everyone. I have a quiet objection to school sports days, while I can see ways they can be beneficial theoretically I haven’t seen it in practice. And part of my objection is that I’m expected to give up my class time for them, yet no-one will give up their class time for science and maths!
Like sports days, I can see they could have a lot of downsides if they weren’t done carefully. This sounds like it was a great experience, I’d love to be involved with something similar. I love the emphasis on experimentation with what your son did.
I am in charge of the science fair for our school, and we do ribbons, but the projects are judged by points. That way each project has the potential to get first place.
We really emphasize families working together on the projects, to get teamwork for the younger grades, and then parents are supposed to phase themselves out by the time they get to the 8th grade.
I know that it is a real learning curve for many of the parents, but I think that the learning that happens for the kids, is also a great time for the parents to learn.
We also do a bridge busting competition, so the adults can compete, if they want.
Thanks for your comment, Staci! I think it’s great to emphasize families working together on projects – that makes it so much more fun and meaningful when children are young.
Thanks for your comment, Catherine! I agree that the competitive aspect of science fairs is a real problem for many students. My children wouldn’t have enjoyed a competitive science fair. It’s too bad there aren’t more science fairs like the one we were lucky enough to participate in.
To chime in in reply to commentors, as a science educator in Australian schools, I don’t think science fairs are common in Australia. I’m not a big fan of science fairs (from my limited experience, the competitive aspect of it being my biggest objection), but I do think it would be good to encourage some more long term science projects especially for older children
Thanks for your comment, Amanda! Our experience was great, but I do think it could be terrifying if judges and criticism are a major part of the science fair experience. It’s interesting that you don’t have science fairs in Australia. If you help start them, at least you could develop non-threatening science fairs!
NArelle, it’s something I’ve regularly seen on American school tv shows, but I don’t think I’ve ever been aware of them over here in Oz. Sometimes there will be displays at a school Open day, but never something dedicated in science. Maybe we need to get into it. Perhaps it would encourage. Alternatively it might terrify.
Deb, this sounds like a wonderful setting for the kids to explore science in a way that they may not have before, and their projects look like they came out really well from the pictures 🙂
Thanks for your comment, Monique! Thinking of how many people are afraid to try things because of fear of failure, I’m so thankful that my children had lots of learning experiences that were free of judgement.
Lovely, I love the idea of each child being able to share their projects without fear of judgment.
I think this sounds like an excellent way to motivate kids to learn! It sounds like your kids made it their choice to join in on this and what they learnt really demonstrated a deep understanding of their project. Do we even have science fairs in Australia?
Thanks, Narelle! In addition to there not being judges and awards, I think it helped a lot that my children found projects they were interested in. Science fairs are popular in the U.S. It would seem odd if you don’t have them in Australia – but who knows?!
Good point, Laura! Normal science fairs just don’t work for people who aren’t naturally passionate about science. I know that our science fair experience would have been so much different if there had been judges and prizes. I think it was the lack of awards that made the science fair such a great experience for my family. Otherwise, any science fair experience would have been clouded by frustration at not being that scientifically minded! We approached it from a different angle because of that – I think we focused more on the process of completing a big project and making it a thing of beauty (to us, anyway).
Obviously Georgia is a little young to do science fairs, but growing up they were my least favorite part of school science. Every year, from 1st through 8th grade, participation in the fair was mandatory. I hated science, and could never seem to come up with anything I was really passionate about. There were always 3 or 4 kids who always did one of the following projects:
1. the volcano project
2. which liquid helps the plant grow the fastest? (coke, water, gatorade, miracle-gro)
3. Blind food taste-test
4. the caterpillar-to-butterfly project
My sister was much craftier than me – she just used the same project every year for the fair. She would use the same information and make a new poster board.