Are science fairs fair?

YES

While some may feel that a School science fair is a dog-and-pony show, a public relations circus or an opportunity or parents to demonstrate their proficiency in building models, I look upon it as a learning experience for my students.

Through the science fair, my students learn to ask questions of the world around them and to use a structured process to examine those questions.

They use math skills to prepare and present data, critical thinking skills to interpret the data, and communication skills to report on what they've done and what they've learned.

Science fairs offer an ideal way for non-traditional learners to demonstrate their mastery of key concepts and skills.

Some of my own low-achieving science students have prepared and exhibited outstanding projects, proving their scientific ability to all and raising their self-confidence. It's wonderful to see how this changes their whole concept of self-from "failure" to "star."

The secret to a successful fair lies in setting ground rules, preparing students well in advance, then guiding them through the process.

Our school science fair is held in the spring. Students in K-3 classes may present displays and class projects on a voluntary basis. Students in grades four through six are required to complete an investigation or experiment for the fair.

As my sixth graders prepare their projects, I monitor their progress according to a strict time line.

First, I ensure that the chosen project meets the criteria of being an experiment with controlled, manipulated, and responding variables--and that it's one that the student can carry through with a minimum of outside assistance.

During the preparation period, I meet two more times with each student to assess the project and progress made. I want to be assured that the student understands the purpose and method used to conduct the experiment.

At the same time, I get a clear picture of how well the student grasps the concepts of the scientific process--establishing variables, collecting data, and drawing reasonable conclusions.

Then I show students how to make a display board, complete with title, graphs, labels, and any other necessary explanations.

Because so much class time is spent preparing for the science fair, it counts for a substantial portion of my students' quarterly grade. But the grade is not dependent solely on the public exhibit.

Students know in advance that they will be graded on the use of the scientific process and their ability to define and discuss their projects.

In addition, students who don't want to exhibit their projects at the fair may choose to submit them to me alone for a grade. This eliminates the element of competition, which leads to one of the most common complaints about science fairs--"It' s not the student's work. It's the parent's."

Since I hold students accountable for explaining every aspect of their projects, parents can't earn children's grades for them. But parents can get involved--and that's not all bad.

When mom or dad gets involved, it tells the student that education in general and science in particular are important. And the parental attention certainly boosts the child's self-esteem.

For students who are really motivated, participation in state and regional science fairs offers a great enrichment experience. At these fairs, my students are always amazed and intrigued by the variety of investigations presented. They can learn a lot just by looking around.

As the projects are being judged, usually by persons with expertise in the various science and technological disciplines, students are able to interact with the judges on a one-to-one basis. They get to talk with science professionals and see science as a viable career choice.

Finally, students--and their parents--feel a sense of pride in the child's participation, whether he or she wins a ribbon or not.

If my school had no science fair, I'd work to get one started. The fair gives students a chance to apply what they've learned and tells me more about a student's understanding of scientific concepts than any paper-and-pencil test.

Mary Stiverson, a 16-year classroom veteran, is a sixth grade teacher at Rosehill Elementary School in Omaha, Nebraska. An activist in the Omaha Education Association (OEA), Stiverson has served as chair of OEA's PAC board and elementary rep on the OEA board.

NO

Awhile back my colleagues and I led a group of students to see the exhibits on display at the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

The purpose was to see what other middle school students were doing for science projects in the hope that ours would gain inspiration and ideas for the future.

But my initial excitement at seeing the hundreds of exhibits soon turned to dismay when I noticed the sheer range of the projects.

Some were displayed on simple cardboard panels with hand-drawn lettering describing experiments to determine which brand of chewing gum holds its flavor the longest or which catsup really pours the slowest.

At the other end of the spectrum--and the hall--stood what I can only describe as the Excalibur of student projects: an oak-veneered monolith, standing nine feet high, upon which was described in laser-printed glory an experiment involving nothing less than enormously complex DNA research.