The Westridge Elementary STEM Fair will take place on Friday, January 31, 2025. If you wish to participate, please ensure your application is submitted to your teacher by Friday, January 10, 2025.

Key Dates:

Parent STEM Fair Information Meeting: January 9th at 6:00-6:30pm Application Deadline: Friday, January 10, 2025 STEM Fair: Friday, January 31, 2025 (Judging will occur on this day, and participants must be present) OPEN HOUSE at 12:30 – 1:25pm

Who Can Participate? ALL Westridge students are welcome! Students from Kindergarten through 6th grade are invited to join. The TOP 10 projects from 5th and 6th grades, as selected by the judges, will represent Westridge at the Provo City School District STEM Fair in February.

What Do You Need for Your Project?

A Lab Book or Journal (required for 5th and 6th graders). A Display Poster or Google Slideshow to showcase your work, *examples on website* Follow one of the following methods: Scientific Method: Ask a question, test an idea, and record your results. Engineering Design Method: Solve a problem, build a prototype, and test it.

Important Rules:

No Food or Living Materials: NO food, plants, or animals in your project display. Written Materials Only: Use written or printed materials on your poster or journal. Special Rules for Some Projects: Projects involving certain elements require additional forms and permissions:

People as Subjects: Testing people (e.g., surveys or experiments) requires permission and safety checks. Animals: Projects involving live animals (e.g., fish, birds, or reptiles) need special approval. Hazardous Items: If your project uses chemicals, sharp tools, or other dangerous items, follow safety rules and obtain permission. Biological Materials: Projects involving bacteria, viruses, or body samples (e.g., blood or tissues) must be conducted in a lab under strict rules. Projects without the necessary forms or permissions will not be allowed.

Questions? Check the Westridge Elementary School Website If you have any questions or need assistance, contact Mr. Hoehne at jonathanh@provo.edu.

STEM fair projects need not be complicated and expensive. Rather, they need to be relevant and meaningful to the student. The basic steps of a STEM fair project are:

NEED HELP STARTING?   Use the following link to help you brainstorm Ideas and ways to ensure you have an award winning project. 

Central Utah STEM Fair  Resource Page

RESOURCES FOR STEM FAIR PROJECTS

S.T.E.M. projects focus on REAL-WORLD problems that students face every day or questions that students have about the world around them. The chemistry of cookies – Stephanie Warren The Science Behind Baking Your Ideal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Mark Rober STEM Fair  Project Ideas

STEM Fair vs Science Fair Why are we doing a STEM Fair and not a Science Fair like we have always done? Well, STEM Fairs offer students more flexibility in the type of projects that are allowed. Students can enter projects in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. This means that more possibilities for new and creative projects. Also, it provides for 21st century problems to be addressed. With the changes also come changes in format. Students are REQUIRED to START Data notebooks and collect and record their data throughout the entire process.

GREAT VIDEOS FROM @NASA JET PROPULSION LABORATORY TO HELP YOU START DIY Space: How to Do a Science Fair Project – Overview DIY Space: How to Do a Science Fair Project – Step 1 DIY Space: How to Do a Science Fair Project – Step 2 DIY Space: How to Do a Science Fair Project – Step 3 DIY Space: How to Do a Science Fair Project – Step 4 DIY Space: How to Do a Science Fair Project – Step 5

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD The Scientific Method is more than just for Science class. It’s can be every day problems too. Here are some videos to help guide you through the different steps of the Scientific Method.

The Scientific Method

HOW TO DESIGN A BOARD (You can also do a digital presentation for your display) (This is the DIGITAL TEMPLATE)

Everything You Need to Know About Fonts for Display Boards

WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START

There are several things you will need before you start your project.

5th and 6th Grade need to complete the  Central Utah STEM Fair Forms.  We are sponsored by these organizations and must adhere to their guidelines.  Students  in Kindergarten  through  4th  grade  need  to  fill  out  the  WESTRIDGE FORM  5th/6th Central Utah Stem Fair Form

You MUST complete a DATA notebook while conducting your experiment. This means that every time you collect data, students must write it down in their data notebooks. If students do not complete this, your project will not be accepted.Science and Engineering Project Laboratory Notebooks