Helping Your Young Scientists

Your child has decided to enter a science fair — an opportunity to explore the mysteries of the world around us. As a parent, your involvement and support could mean the difference between a stressful experience and an exciting learning adventure. Remember that the most important outcome of your child's science project is the joy and learning that comes from scientific discovery — not winning a competition!

A good place to begin is the Student Handbook, which provides a wealth of tips and rules for science fairs. Below we've suggested specific sections within the Handbook that may be most helpful to parents.

• How do we come up with a project idea?
  
• How much time will we need?
  
• How do we start the project?
  
• Where do we get information?
• What should the final project look like?
• What else can I do to help?

How do we come up with a project idea?
If your child has decided to enter a science fair, the first question is likely: "What will my project be?" A good starting point is Three Steps to a Project. This section encourages students to start with a topic that interests them, then narrow down their topic to a specific question.

They should also visit Great Project Ideas, where they'll find a wealth of questions that can be turned into a science fair projects.

How much time will we need?
A science fair project may seem like a overwhelming undertaking. The Six-Week Schedule will help your child think through the various stages of the process and set reasonable deadlines.

How do we start the project?
Begin by reviewing the section on the Scientific Method. Every science fair project should follow the Scientific Method, which includes: Research, Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment, and Conclusion.

To see how the Scientific Method can be applied to different projects, see Project Types: Three Basic Choices. This section reviews the three different types of science fair projects: Investigations, Constructions of a Kit or Model, and Demonstrations of a Scientific Principle. They'll find examples of each type, along with a sample project.

Where do we get information?
Once your child has decided on a topic, see the section on Project Research. This section will explain how to collect information for their project, from primary resources like businesses and organizations, to secondary resources like books and periodicals.

For specific resource suggestions, see Science Sites and Books. Here they'll find a wealth of publications and Web sites on topics from space to physics.

What should the final project look like?
The final project is the culmination of all your child's work-and they'll want to create something they're proud to show. The Project Report section provides a clear outline and suggestions for the science fair written report. You can also find helpful hints, do's and don'ts and safety tips for The Display.

What else can I do to help?
Your support and encouragement will be your most important contribution to your child's science fair effort. Of course, your supervision with regard to safety will be vital, especially with projects involving electricity, poisons, dangerous chemicals, or fire. Your child will also need your help with transporting the project to the fair, although it's best if students can set up and take down their exhibits with minimal assistance.

Your child may also welcome your assistance with the following:

• Suggesting project ideas (these may be related to your work).
• Transportation to libraries, museums, nature centers, universities or other sources of project information.
• Technical work, such as construction or photography.
• Help with project expenses.

Guide your child whenever and wherever you can, but let the final project reflect your child's individual effort and design. Do not worry about the project's performance at the science fair, since the real measure of success is how much an individual student accomplishes and learns. And remember, above all: have fun!