Beyond the Science Fair: Creating a Kids' Inquiry Conference

It's time to rethink the traditional science fair, with its tired tri-fold posters and first-prize ribbons. It's time to create an event where children share the results of authentic, personally meaningful explorations with one another rather than compete for adults' praise and attention. It's time for a Kids' Inquiry Conference (KIC). Beyond the Science Fair is a how-to manual for organizing and hosting a KIC that's linked to your curricular planning and goals. Beginning with a snapshot of a KIC developed by the authors, Beyond the Science Fair guides you through the specifics of organizing and hosting the conference in your classroom, school, or district, with: a wealth of narrative descriptions of KIC classrooms examples of student projects personal reflections by students and teachers involved in KICs tips on encouraging student involvement an extensive resource list 26 helpful, reproducible forms like student registrations, promotional flyers, and letters to parents. Then Beyond the Science Fair details how KICs can contribute toward your curricular objectives, including information on how they help you: meet science and literacy standards develop students' critical-thinking, analytical, and presentation skills implement inquiry-based science instruction use cross-curricular learning to support scientific inquiry. Adopt a more meaningful and student-centered alternative to the science fair. Read Beyond the Science Fair and create opportunities for kids to investigate their world and share the products of their natural curiosity with a scientific community of their peers.