Welcome! Science Fair – why do it? Many of you who are reading this have already participated in our fair year after year. And for that, thank you. For those of you haven’t yet participated, we are here to help.
Why Should My Students Participate?
Students should participate in science and engineering fairs because it encourages creativity and ingenuity and promotes an inquiry-based approach to learning. Students develop a question, conduct research, analyze data, and share findings. It is an effective way to engage students in applying their knowledge of the scientific method, while further developing skills in areas of literacy, mathematics, and communications. It also promotes positive attitudes towards science and demonstrates to students the relevance of science and research. And if you are still not convinced… it’s also a lot of fun!
Eligibility
All high school students attending private, public, charter, parochial, or home schools in King or Snohomish County are eligible to participate in the fair. A maximum of 50 projects will be accepted from each school. Students must first compete in CSRSEF in order to be eligible for the Washington State Science & Engineering Fair.
If you are interested in bringing more than 5 projects to CSRSEF, it is in your best interest to contact Dr. Jenn Pang, Fair Director (jenn.pang@bellevuecollege.edu). She will put you on a distribution list that will have useful training and announcements for educators who are supporting multiple students.
Rules and Guidelines
The CSRSEF rules and guidelines are the same as the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair’s (ISEF) standards. Check out the ISEF Rules & Guidelines to learn more.
Science projects should be hypothesis-based and follow the scientific method. Engineering projects should have engineering goals and produce a product. For more information on how to differentiate between Science Research and Non-Inquiry based Research, check out the Official 2013 CSRSEF Project Guide.
Many class assignments, senior projects, summer research projects, and displays created for other science competitions can be entered into the fair with minimal changes.
Registration Deadlines
Projects involving human participants, vertebrate animals, potentially hazardous biological agents (ANY microorganisms or viruses), or hazardous chemicals, activities or devices need to be registered online and have submitted paperwork by January 30, 2019.
All other projects need to be submitted by February 20, 2019.
STEM Wizard Registration Process
Our new web-based software STEM Wizard allows teachers better access to student work and students will be able to look at the progress of their paperwork in almost real time. Students interested in participating at the state level will have their paperwork automatically sent to the state fair AFTER fair day. Since this is a new system, please feel free to reach out and let us know what is working and what you are having trouble with.
Here is a screenshot of what you’ll see when you click the STEM Wizard Registration link. The red circle will show you a drop down menu and yours, of course, is Teacher. Please note: teachers must registers first before letting students register (students will select their school and teacher based on the teacher’s profile).
One of the super cool things about this new system is that when students register, students can add their cell phone number and get text alerts for when there’s something updated on their project. Note: students also will need to know if they are doing their project as a team and the intended category they want to enter (though the category can be changed later with an email to us); you will also need to keep track of your login and password. The registration wizard will prompt students if they need additional forms.
To register as a teacher, please visit STEM Wizard homepage and click Register in the upper right hand corner.
Resources and Event Information
The complete fair schedule and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the Student What to Expect page. We encourage you to read through this material.
Forms Clinic
2019 ISEF Forms can be found on the Student Forms page. If you would like to augment your familiarity with ISEF forms and would like to schedule a class forms clinic, please email Jenn at jenn.pang@bellevuecollege.edu