The Academy of Science - St.Louis Science Fair

Science-Technology-Engineering-Math

Inquiry-Based Learning at it's Best!

2021

Welcome to the Fair

Here are the first steps to take as you brainstorm your topics and build the road map for your project.

Your school needs to be registered for a student to participate in the Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair.  Find out from your teacher when the date is for completed projects at your school.  Your school will determine which projects are submitted to the Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair.  Each school will determine how to select their projects.

E-mail teacher with your research and safety plan BEFORE beginning experiment and research.  You need to receive e-mail approval from your teacher to begin. 

Write out a research plan, or outline, that includes:

• what you are intending to do -- your problem, and hypothesis
• Describe in detail the method and procedures including all safety precautions.  Include the steps involved -- your procedures and list of materials.
  Include all procedures to be used for data collection and/or building your prototype, if engineering project.
  
• Identify any potential risks and safety precautions to complete the project safely.
  
• Teacher or parent oversight - who will be supervising your project, your parent or your teacher.
  

ALL projects need this form - worth 10 points.  CLICK HERE FOR SAFETY FORM TO DOWNLOAD.  You will download the form, complete, have your parent/guardian sign and upload to your logbook.

NEW FOR 2021 - Projects will not be allowed to participate in the Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair that handle or test bacteria, virus, mold, fire or hazardous materials .  There will be no handling, sampling or testing of bacteria, virus, mold, fire or hazardous materials allowed.  If a student is interested in bacteria, virus, mold, fire or hazardous materials they may submit a research paper in the new "Research Paper Division" where students can study data from university labs, the CDC or other scientific entities.

NEW FOR 2021:  Students may not work in groups.  Each project submitted to the Academy of Science -St. Louis Science Fair will be an individual project with one student on each project. 
Teachers may submit a class project for students in grades K, 1, 2, 3 & 4.  For class projects,  the teacher will facilitate the project either in class if students are attending "in person classes" or via zoom or their on-line platform.

COLLECTION - a group of objects or results that form some type of pattern

EXPERIMENT - a problem that is investigated by performing a series of tests in which one thing is changed each time and all other things remain the same from test to test.

OBSERVATION - a series of events that you watch and try to explain and find common connections or occurrences

MAKER DIVISION:
INVENTION - An invention is a new way of making something or performing an action. 

ENGINEERING - An Engineering project involves finding a solution for a problem through a design process (like a machine or computer code), or finding a structural solution to for an engineering problem (like the materials and/or design of a bridge).

MODEL – a scaled down replication of a device or product.

NEW FOR 2021 RESEARCH PAPER DIVISION:
Students may submit a 5-page (double spaced) research paper instead of the traditional science fair project.  For the Research Paper Division, students may study the data for subjects that will not be allowed in 2021.  For 2021, projects that handle or test bacteria, virus, mold, fire or hazardous materials will not be allowed; however, students may submit in the Research Paper Division and study the data regarding bacteria, virus, mold, fire or hazardous materials.  Again, NO TESTING, SAMPLING OR HANDLING OF BACTERIA, VIRUS, MOLD, FIRE OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS  will be allowed for 2021.  See score sheets (rubric) for the new Research Paper Division.

Begin gathering information about the idea, information that will give you a good understanding so that you become an “expert” about your topic. In other words, you become a detective and your idea becomes your case.  Start your log book (can be hand-written or typed into a word document)

Click here to view links to helpful resources - lots of websites and videos for you to view.

Review the scoring rubrics (or score guides).  These are the guidelines that the judges will use to judges your projects.  Make sure that you have all the components for a blue ribbon project!

If you have questions, contact your school science teacher. 
If you need further assistance, contact
Peggy James Nacke, Fair Director, Academy of Science - St. Louis Science Fair 314-533-8291
peggyn (at ) academyofsciencestl.org