Underwood Science Fair FAQs
When is it? Thursday, February 27th
Where will it be held? In the Underwood Gym
What time? Set up is between 3-5pm, the exhibits will be open to families from 5-7pm. A parent or guardian must be responsible for each child, providing supervision at all times. One adult may be accountable for multiple children.
Who can participate? All Underwood students
How do I register? Complete this registration form no later than Friday, January 24th: REGISTER HERE
If you are too young to type, you can ask an adult or older child to help you fill in the form, or fill out a paper copy and return it to your teacher.
Are submissions individual or team based? Students may work independently or with a team of up to three students. Students may work with students from other grades.
Are experiments conducted in advance or at the exhibition? Experiments should be conducted at home under adult supervision with pictures or video of the process and outcomes presented on poster board as part of the exhibition. Demonstrations with permitted materials may be part of the exhibition if it fits in the regulated space. (note: Do not leave valuables unattended, the PTO and Underwood are not responsible for lost or stolen property).
What should be included in the exhibition? How much space do I have for my exhibit?
- Each presentation needs to fit on a 2’ x 3’ table space
- These are good examples of how much space you will have: http://bowenpto.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Poster-Board-Examples.pdf
- We recommend the self standing tri-fold poster boards no larger than 27×39:
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/trifold-science-board/s?k=trifold+science+board
- Staples on Soldiers Field Rd or Needham St. https://www.staples.com/Royal-Brites-Tri-Fold-Grid-Presentation-Foam-Board-22-x-28/product_927698
- Dollar Tree (online: https://www.dollartree.com/trifold-presentation-boards/922837 ) or in person at the location near BU
What do I include with my exhibit?
- Project name and description
- Student name(s), grade(s), and teacher(s) should go on the back of your poster
- For experiments:
- Question: What do you want to find out?
- Hypothesis: What do you think will happen?
- Experiment: What steps do you use to answer your question? (list,describe, or show pictures of the steps)
- Conclusion: Tell what happened and what you learned
- For Demonstrations:
- Information and images about the concept you are demonstrating
- For Inventions:
- What problem or need are you addressing?
- How did you think about what would solve it?
- The steps you took in your design
- A prototype or images of the invention
- You can use drawings, photos, or videos on an electronic device (Note: do not leave your electronic devices unattended at the exhibit)
- Short and simple is best – it will help you explain your project to the other students!
- Get some examples, watch how-to videos, and browse tips to make your display awesome at Science Buddies.
Will I have access to an electrical outlet?
- Approval for access to electrical outlets will be on a case by case basis. Please email underwoodscienceday@gmail.com. Please note electrical outlets are limited and not guaranteed.
What materials are NOT permitted? Safety is the highest priority! Please make sure that your project is safe. We need to ensure the safety of students and families. Please email any material related questions to underwoodscienceday@gmail.com.
- The following materials and organisms are NOT permitted:
- Gas, propane, and open flame are NOT permitted
- Explosive materials are NOT permitted (including exploding volcanos)
- Any material/liquid that would cause spills on the floors is NOT (including exploding volcanos)
- Running during the exhibition is also NOT permitted, please remind your students.
- Live animals or insects are NOT permitted
- Toxic, staining, or corrosive materials are NOT permitted
- Any other device or material that could be a potential safety hazard is NOT permitted
What if my student would like to include those materials in their experiment? Experiments including prohibited materials can be conducted at home under adult supervision with pictures or video of the process and outcomes presented as part of the exhibition. You can bring non-prohibited components of the experiment as part of the exhibition as well.
What materials are permitted? Students are encouraged to be creative and use common non-toxic, non-staining, and non-corrosive household and upcycled materials. Food based experiments are also permitted.
How does my student come up with an idea? You can design your own project, get inspired by these kid-friendly science websites, or choose one from the list created by our friends at Bowen Elementary School, or check out YouTube.
What are some examples of projects? Entries can be inventions (a new gadget to solve a problem), displays (show off something science-y you think is cool) or question-hypothesis-experiment-conclusion investigations (guess how something works, try it out and see what happens). Not sure what to do? Check out the idea list or ideas provided by these online resources!
What makes a good science fair project?
- Inventions, like a new gadget to solve a problem
- Displays to show off something science-y you think is cool
- Investigations using the question-hypothesis-experiment-conclusion method
What are the steps for a science fair project? We recommend following the Scientific Method:
- Question: What do you want to find out?
- Hypothesis: What do you think will happen?
- Experiment: What steps do you use to answer your question?
- Conclusion: Tell what happened and what you learned
Can I help my student with their project? Of course, but please keep in mind the goal is for your student to learn and take pride in their work. There will be no judging so student quality projects are ideal. Projects do not have to work perfectly. Sometimes we learn more when things don’t work out! It’s the idea and process that counts, so please bring your project even if it didn’t work the way you thought it would.
Day of Logistics:
Can my student bring their project with them to school in the morning? This is not recommended, but if this is the only option for your student, please make arrangements with their classroom teacher for storage during the day.
When and where do we set up? Project set-up time will be between 3:00pm to 5:00pm in the Underwood Gymnasium. Teams can arrive for set up as early as 3pm* and as late as 4:30 pm. Please keep in mind that a parent or guardian must be responsible for each child, providing supervision at all times. One adult may be accountable for multiple children. If your student will be at UASP during this time, please coordinate with UASP.
What time is the exhibition? The exhibits will be open to the “public” (Underwood families and students) between 5:00-7:00 pm.
Does my student need to stay with their exhibit the entire time? No, we encourage students to walk around and explore the other exhibits. (Note: if you are using an iPad or other valuable materials, DO NOT leave them unattended. The PTO and Underwood School are not responsible for lost or stolen property).
What happens at 7:00pm when the exhibition ends? All participants are responsible for cleaning up their area and removing all materials from their exhibit.
Do you need any volunteers on the 27th? Yes! We will need parent volunteers from 2-3pm and 7-8pm to set up and break down the tables. Please see the registration form here: Underwood Science Fair Volunteer Sign-Up
*Exact time TBD