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Structures for Sharing Science and Engineering Projects

Students can share projects through a variety of structured experiences from presentations within their classroom, to school-level showcases, to regional or state competitions.

  • Projects can be shared through display boards, posters, digitally-enhanced presentations, models, computer-based tools such as websites, portfolios, interactive conversations, and science and engineering notebooks.
  • Projects can be done individually or in groups up to 3.
Type of Structure Explanation Example

Science Fair -Traditional

Conduct an investigation using specific science practices and methods Effect of different colored lights on the growth of bean plants
Engineering Fair - Traditional Follow engineering design practices, such as defining the problem and optimizing the solution Design a way to efficiently fold shirts using robotic components
Science Project Demonstrations Learn about, show, and explain a demonstration at a fair or showcase Demonstrate and explain Newton's 3 Laws of Motion with everyday life experiences
Science Service Learning Learn about a local STEM-related issue in your community and develop and execute an action plan to help solve the problem.  In conjunction with World Water Monitoring Day, use a test kit to sample a local body of water and share the results locally and through national systems.
Citizen Science Project Connect to a local or national science organization that is collecting or analyzing data, or working to solve specific problems.  As part of the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program, survey frog and toad populations in your area by identifying their calls. 
STEM Career Investigation Job shadow (or research) someone in a STEM career. Learn authentic STEM onsite.  Shadow a local veterinarian, mechanic, engineer, etc. 
Tools of Technology Research and demonstrate how a particular technology works.  Some ideas could be 3D printers, autonomous vehicles, drones, or lines at Disney Land. 
Science Fair Interactive Create an experiment that you guide younger students to DO and understand at the fair. Teach density - have students predict and experiment to see which items float and which do not, helping them build up to reasons why. 
Family Science/STEM Night Students showcase projects, provide demonstrations, and/or conduct interactive science. Local science experts and organizations may also share activities and resources. Such an event could be combined with many of the above ideas.  Depening on goals, these events can take many forms. Some ideas can be found in this book from NSTA and this article from Vivify STEM

 

For questions about this information, contact Kevin Anderson (608) 266-3319