Science Fair Goals

1. Promote science education by hands-on exploration of scientific principles.
2. Promote an understanding of, and creativity in applying, the scientific method of investigation.
3. Stimulate and nourish an interest in science.
4. Promote the self-discipline necessary to accomplish a task within a given time frame.
5. Provide an opportunity for public speaking in an encouraging environment.
6. Increase public awareness of home-educated students and their capabilities.
7. Have a fun time sharing ideas and learning about science!

Steps for a Fun and Successful Project

1. Become familiar with the scientific method.
2. Select a topic that interests YOU. Your topic should be stated in the form of a question, which you'll answer through experimentation. For example, "What effect does the size of a hole in a parachute have on its rate of descent?"
3. Research your topic and form a hypothesis (guess the answer to your question).
4. Design an experiment to answer your question.
5. Fill out all the required forms BEFORE you start your experiment.
6. Conduct your experiment and record the results.
7. Interpret the data. Put the results in charts and graphs. Draw a conclusion about your hypothesis.
8. Make a display and write a short report.
9. Practice your presentation to the judges.
10. Come to the science fair and have fun!