Science Website

2009 U.S.D.480 SCIENCE FAIR

General Information

U.S.D. 480 will host its Annual Science & Engineering Fair Wednesday & Thursday, Feb. 18 –19th, 2009 at the Seward County Activity Center. Each school has particular rules that apply to the competition at that site so contact your child’s school to get specific information for science and engineering fair rules at the school your child attends.

PRIMARY Kdg. – 1^st graders

These young scientists can participate as a member of their class. All the entries will be class entries. Each school will select the best class project at their school in this age group to represent their school at the district science fair. The winning class will receive special recognition and the Science Magic Show for their class.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2^nd – 3^rd graders

First, each elementary school can send up to 5 individual projects, team or class projects done by 2^nd or 3^rd grade students. This project can be an experimental or a demonstration project. Student observations are encouraged. We strongly recommend that each school have its own science fair so no student is left without the opportunity to participate.

At the District Science Fair, all elementary projects will be judged against each other in one category. All qualifiers will receive participation ribbons and medals for the top 3 places. The first overall elementary project winners will receive a trophy and the Science Magic Show for their class.

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL 4th – 6^th graders

Each intermediate school can send up to 30 individual or team projects. Teams should not consist of more than 3 members. All projects must be experimental. Intermediate projects will be judged in categories. Medals will be awarded for the top 3 places in each category. Honorable mention and participation ribbons will also be awarded. The top three overall winners will be determined by interview judging Thursday morning and will receive plaques. The top overall elementary project winner (s) will receive year long family passes to Exploration Place, Wichita’s hands-on science museum, which is reciprocal at 200 other science museums around the country. The names of winners will be added to the traveling trophy.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 7th-8^th graders

Middle school students may work individually or in teams of 2 persons to research the topic of their choice. Each middle school will be allowed to send 20 traditional projects to the District Science Fair. These will be judged in specific categories. Medals will be awarded for the top three places. The top three overall winners will be determined by interview judging Thursday morning and will receive plaques. The top overall middle school project winner will receive a $500 scholarship to attend Young Astronaut training at the Hutchinson Cosmo sphere in the summer of 2009 or another approved science camp experience. Team winners must divide the scholarship between them or one winner goes to camp and the other takes the plaque. The names of winners will be added to the traveling trophy.

HIGH SCHOOL

High students can choose to participate in a traditional science fair project and/or an engineering project. All entries for these projects are due by Feb.8th,2009._. Students may participate in Option A and/or Option B.

Option A: Students may select from a traditional science fair project. Students may work individually or in teams of 2 persons. These will be judged in specific categories. Medals will be awarded for the top three places. The top three overall winners will be determined by interview judging Thursday morning and will receive plaques. The top overall high school project winner will receive a $500 scholarship to attend an institute of higher learning upon graduation. The names of winners will be added to the traveling trophy.

Option B: Teams of students will work on one of two engineering projects where a team will build a machine to accomplish a specific task. The guidelines for these projects will be outlined specifically in the Engineering Project section of this packet. Preliminary trials will be held at several different evenings during Later at LHS but the official testing competition will be on Wednesday, Feb. 18th at the Seward County Activity Center. The awards of the engineering project will be medals for the top three teams in each category.