Why an Science Fair?

  • Provide an opportunity for homeschooling students in the Allamakee County area to research and present science to the community.
  • Participating in an science fair can help students develop a variety of skills, including:
    • Creativity: Encourages innovative thinking and the exploration of new ideas.
    • Confidence: Presents opportunities to showcase their work and receive feedback.
    • Communication: Allows students to articulate their artistic vision and discuss their work with others.
    • Organization: Involves planning and preparing their artwork for display.
    • Critical Thinking: Encourages reflection on their own work and that of others.
    • Social Skills: Provides chances to interact with peers and visitors.
    • Resilience: Helps students learn from setbacks and improve their skills over time.
  • A science fair promotes hands-on scientific inquiry and problem-solving, fostering skills like critical thinking, research, and communication.

When and what?

  • Thursday, April 16, 2026 from 4-5:30pm the Science Fair will be open to the public for viewing.
  • Complete and submit registration by March 9th.
  • Students may set up on the day of April 16th from 3-4pm.
  • Robey Memorial Library will provide:
    • A table covered in a white tablecloth for displaying science.
    • Cookies & lemonade for community visitors.
  • Robey Memorial Library asks that participants register in advance to allow for appropriate setup.
  • Participants are encouraged to remain with their science projects to interact with the public. Possible questions asked may be: What have you research? Why have you asked this question? What was the result?
  • Submissions:
    • May be any science project.
    • Must be appropriate for all ages.
    • Must be able to be moved into & out of our Community Room by participant.

 

Age Recommendations:

1-3rd grade: What I Did and What I Learned

Younger elementary students explore a science topic that reflects their current interests then share what they did and what they learned in the process.

4-6th grade: Simplified Scientific Method

Older elementary students explore a topic more in-depth by creating a simple hypothesis and going through a simplified version of the scientific method.

7-8th grade: Scientific Method

Middle school students follow the scientific method; however, background research and future studies would be brief.

9-12th grade: All Portions, Including Research, Conclusions and Future Studies

High school students complete all portions of the process including in-depth research, conclusions, and future studies.

Scientific Method:

  1. Ask a question: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where?
  2. Research: Find the best plan to answer question without repeating past mistakes.
  3. Construct a hypothesis: Create an educated guess about how things work with a prediction of what you will test— “If __[I do this]__, then __[this]__ will happen.”
  4. Test your hypothesis: Do an experiment that tests whether your hypothesis is correct.
  5. Analyze your Data & Draw a Conclusion: If prediction incorrect, construct a new hypothesis based on experiment results or report how experiment supported your prediction.
  6. Communicate Results: Create a display board and/or report of your results.

Source: sciencebuddies.org