Stem A – Fair details

• Research projects: In these the students may have surveys and trials done early on. On the day of the event, they can show the sample test and share the data. They can even allow the visitors to experience a part of the test that they conducted on the population. These projects are research intense. The students will understand how to keep their data valid, ethics and consent that has to be taken and also that a minimum sample group of 30 is needed for data analysis. They will need to be systematic in their gathering of data and can present their data in insightful ways.
• Long duration projects: Some projects may require the experiment to be conducted earlier, as it may be a long one. Students can bring in the ‘before’ and ‘after’ versions of the experiment and data and show photos or videos of their research along with their data and findings on the day of the event. 
• Working models: Some projects may allow for a part of the project to be shown to the visitors and the rest can again be shown with the documentation. Some projects may have working models along with the theory and applications as part of the explanations.
• Failed projects: Even failed science projects are acceptable as they are still indicators of a lot of learning! What did you do, what went wrong, how did you figure it out, how did you try to fix it, what do you think you would have done differently? If you are still interested in making it work you have the grit and a good scientific attitude.

Students are encouraged to actively engage in the learning process and create projects that showcase their understanding of scientific concepts.

• Thorough understanding: Students must have understood the concept / principle which they choose to explain. For e.g. – Evaporation: What it is, how it is used, its applications (salt pans, clouds forming, clothes drying, hot liquids cooling down etc.) Basically, the group will be talking about evaporation and how it works – all in the theme of the STEM a-fair!
• Age – appropriate projects: They must select a project which is age – appropriate. ‘Age – appropriate’ means the project should not be too complex or too simple. A very complex project will not allow the students to explore any concept thoroughly. A very simple project will not allow the students to reach their potential.
• Focused approach: If the subject is too vast (vast does not mean complex), the group can choose to focus on one aspect for the detailed explanation.
• Science – focused projects: The idea is to focus on science, rather than on craft. So, a big NO to volcanoes or similar projects. Volcano projects do not even show how a volcano really works! It’s a totally different chemical reaction from what actually happens in a real volcano. Similarly, just showing a craft model of a farm or the digestive system is not okay either.
• Teacher guidance: After the group submits the abstract of the project, the teachers will scan the information. They may ask students to increase or decrease the difficulty level – or modify the project. All this is to make sure that there is some value addition and learning for each participant.
• Critical thinking and understanding: We want the students to think, understand, analyse and explain. This opportunity should be used to engage in research and improve presentation skills. Rather than rote memorization, students should totally understand what they are talking about – and experience a hands-on activity!
• Research and presentation skills: This is a great opportunity for students to engage in research and improve their presentation skills. We encourage them to start early, practice, ask questions, and have discussions with their parents and team members.

STEM A-fair is not just a platform for showcasing projects but a journey of learning, exploration, and enjoyment.

Our Std. 3, 4 and 5 students, are free to explore concepts from any of these fields or beyond, if they wish!

• Students are expected to stick to shortlisting projects based on the fields which have been assigned to their standards.
• Each field is pretty vast in itself. So even with these restrictions of fields, there is plenty of scope for the students to read up and zero in on what they could do. The possibilities are endless.
• The internet is a great source of project ideas. But students need to be sure that they understand thoroughly what project is being selected.

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