Science Fair Participation Slips
Posted on February 6th, 2011 by ASEE
Participation among high school students in science fairs appears to be declining. Ironically, many science teachers fault the Obama administration. Even as the White House promotes science fairs, the administration’s policies hold schools accountable for math and reading scores at the expense of creative science, they say.
Filed under: K-12 Education News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Education Policy, Public Policy, Science and Engineering Fair, Science Fair, Science Fair Projects
A science fair is generally a competition where contestants present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created. Science fairs allow students in grade schools and high schools to compete in science and/or technology activities.
Science Fair history began when journalist E.W. Scripps created Science Services as a nonprofit organization in 1921. Through Science Service’s efforts, junior academies of science, museums, and local science clubs throughout the United States were enrolled in Science Clubs of America. As a result over 600,000 young scientists were organized into 25,000 science clubs.
Thousands throng to Maker Faire, an annual Bay Area celebration of hackers, inventors, and do-it-yourself creators. And now, middle and high school students are joining in. One result: Saphira, an 8 1/2-foot-tall, fire-breathing dragon.
Google has partnered with NASA, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), National Geographic, Scientific American, and LEGO to create a science fair that is intended to be open, inclusive, and global.
The USA Science and Engineering Festival culminated in a gigantic Expo on the National Mall. A half-million visitors were kept entertained by the Giant kaleidoscope, robot competitions, explosions, and DIY rockets. Check out our photos of the event.
Organized by the Mexican American Engineers and Scientists organization, the Austin, Texas Science and Engineering Festival and its multiple events will showcase the science and technology of Texas. It will culminate in a two-day Expo Expo at the Austin Convention Center with over 200 exhibits of hands-on, fun science and engineering activities to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
The USA Science & Engineering Festival will be the United States’ first national science and engineering festival. The series of events will culminate in a two-day Expo on the National Mall that will give over 500 science & engineering organizations from all over the country the opportunity to present themselves with a hands-on, fun science activity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
