Annual Science Fair

Date – Time

April 15, 2024 – 6:00 PM

Additional Information

Registration for The Annual WCHE Science Fair has started!

To be fully registered you will need to submit the completed registration form and payment. The fair is FREE for current WCHE members, and $15/participant for non-members.

Payment is to be sent by PayPal to GMBrotz@gmail.com. Please remember to put the term “Science Fair” in the notes, as well as the names of the participants you are paying for. You will receive a receipt for your payment through e-mail. Payments/registration forms are due on or before 04/07/2024. Registering after this date will cost $25/participant, regardless of co-op membership.

The Science Fair will take place on Monday, April 15th, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. This is the start time of the event- for the presentations to begin and the public to enter. Participants must arrive at 5:30 p.m. to set up.

Students decide whether they would like their presentations entered for judging, and that needs to be marked on the registration form. The projects will be evaluated by age group. Level One is for ages 5 to 8. Level Two is for ages 9 to 13. Level Three is for ages 14 to 18. If the entries are much heavier in one age group than the other we will adjust the age division slightly to accommodate. Please note that group projects ARE allowed, but can not be entered for judging.
 

The projects can be in one of two categories- Experiments, and Rube Goldberg Machines.

EXPERIMENTS have to answer a specific question, and then are attempted again with one variable changed. “Does this floor cleaner work better when it's cold or when it's hot? Does the outcome change if the cleaner is used on tile as opposed to hardwood?” “In a blind taste test do people prefer almond milk or soy milk? Does it change if it's flavored almond milk and soy milk?” “Is the wind strong enough to push a paper boat across our swimming pool? Does that outcome change if I add a sail?” Note that these experiments need to be tested a minimum of three times in order to be complete. That would be three times with the original set up, and then three more times with a variable changed.

RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINES are fascinating inventions. They are purposely overly complicated machines that accomplish simple tasks. You may use all sorts of materials- dominoes, carrots, chopsticks, paper, marbles, wheels, hand tools.... Design your Rube Goldberg machine to accomplish a single task. That's all we're looking for. Get it to feed your goldfish, to dial a phone, to turn a light on, or anything your imagination can come up with!

With both categories we judges need to be able to see the process the student took to get the final product. We want to see or hear about the mistakes that were made, and the lessons that were learned by “trial & error”.

Parents, please understand that the students need to be able to stand on their own on this one. They need to be able to set up their own displays, and to answer the judges' questions on their own. This is the main element (besides completion) that the judges are looking for.

NOTE: Each student only needs to let us know which TYPE of project they are making (Experiment or Rube Goldberg machine), but no specifics. I can, of course, answer simple questions like, “Does this count as a Rube Goldberg Machine?,” and, “Is this what you mean by 'a variable?'”

NOTE: Store bought kits are NOT permitted. We want these ideas to come straight from your own melon!

NOTE: Do not prepare a speech. The judges will be having a live conversation with each participant. We want to see that you can answer questions as they come. You're going to do great!

NOTE: Each project must be under 36-inches wide and 36-inches deep. The height is up to you! A round table is provded to each participant, and we need to make sure the display fits on that table. On a similar note, yes, table cloths are permitted and do give a nice touch to a presentation.

This is going to be a rewarding and interesting event. Please invite your friends and family to come take a walk around. Much like the Geography Expo from last month there will not be a seated audience. The audience will mill around from display to display.

LET'S GET SCIENTIFIC!

Miss Gali,
Director, Willow Creek Home Educators
GMBrotz@gmail.com

REGISTRATION FORM