Science fairs have always been a part of our lives here in the Moreau family homeschool.  My children have participated in science fairs for years — online, district and homeschool-only science fairs.  I love watching them learn about the world through science, and they have been successful in putting some terrific projects together completely on their own (I rarely help at all).   I get such a thrill out of seeing their projects on display and hearing my students interviewed about their efforts during the fair.  It’s always a moment of pride for me and — win or lose – they’re always happy with their efforts, too.  The truth is, I’m proud of everything my kids do.  But, there’s just something about science fairs that get their minds working and hands busy in exciting and ingenious ways.

Have you ever witnessed a a child with an interest in something just waiting to be tapped — there’s no stopping them, right?  What a shame it would be to never discover a talent or passion in something (science-related or anything) just because a child was never given the opportunity to develop it, or to show it off!

I still meet families who don’t realize that homeschoolers can compete in science fairs.  These are such amazing opportunities for homeschooled youth — I don’t want anyone to miss out!  And while not all kids are comfortable with competition, just learning how to complete these projects is valuable — whether they’re ever put on display or not.

That’s how my new book came about.   The Homeschooler’s Guide to Science Fairs was just released this month on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats.

I think you’ll like it!

One section of the book offers concrete, practical advice and tips for groups and leaders who have never organized science fairs before.  In it, you’ll find real suggestions that have worked for me and for the many other organizers I interviewed over the years.  I share what I have gleaned from my research and my contacts with science teachers and other experts — tips that are guaranteed to make the process easier for anyone planning a fair.  Why re-invent the wheel?  PLUS — since homeschool science fairs can be a little bit different than other fairs (not theoretically, just practically) I include suggestions to specifically address the nuances of working with homeschool families and groups, too.   You can benefit from my years of experience organizing, judging and participating in science fairs over the last couple of decades.  Find out what works, and what doesn’t, in just a few easy-to-read pages.

The other section is devoted to students.  Have you met kids who have no idea how to do a science fair project?  I have – lots of ’em! And parents, too!  Despite instruction bookets and information sessions, in reality, not everybody is always 100% confident about the process — that is, until they’ve done it at least half a dozen times!  Even then, rules change, groups change, the focus may change, thus it becomes a new learning curve every year.  EVERYONE always seems to have questions about science fairs, often turning these experiences into fact-finding missions and frantic last-minute searches for help (and sometimes major headaches!) and less about science and learning than than they should be.

Science fairs are fun!  Science is fun!  Let’s make it fun again.

That’s what I’ve done in The Homeschooler’s Guide to Science Fairs.  With contributions from everyone’s favorite science teacher, Janice VanCleave, and the phenomenal Happy Scientist, Robert Krampf, you simply can’t go wrong with the Guide.  It’s the easiest little guide you’ve ever read.  It’s all in there — in an easy-to-follow Q&A format so you can skip the parts you don’t need, and hop right to the parts you do.  Short enough to flip through in an evening, but long enough to cover everything you’ll ever need to know, and more.

Check it out and let me hear your thoughts — you can write to me any time!  Review it for others — let them know if it’s worth the investment.  I predict this Guide will change your opinion about science fairs forever — you’ll never turn down another opportunity for your child to compete again.

 

Buy it in paperback

Buy it for Kindle