STEAM Fair Rules for 2024-2025
Kindergarten through 3rd grade projects are due October 22, 2024.
4th - 6th grade projects are due January 14, 2025.
The kindergarten - 3rd grade students will present their projects in-person to 6th grade students. This will increase our inter-grade level connections at Indian Hills and help our 6th graders better understand how to create a STEAM Fair project. 4th - 6th grade students will present their projects online to community members. This will increase our sense of the science community beyond Indian Hills and allow students more time to complete their projects.
4th - 6th grade projects are due January 14, 2025.
The kindergarten - 3rd grade students will present their projects in-person to 6th grade students. This will increase our inter-grade level connections at Indian Hills and help our 6th graders better understand how to create a STEAM Fair project. 4th - 6th grade students will present their projects online to community members. This will increase our sense of the science community beyond Indian Hills and allow students more time to complete their projects.
Important Notes for Teachers and Families for All STEAM Fair Projects:
Registration:
Open House:
Registration:
- Students in grades kindergarten - 3rd do not need to register for STEAM Fair. They can bring their projects to school on the due date.
- Students in grades 4th - 6th must register for STEAM Fair by 1/8/25 to participate in project judging. You can register HERE.
- Help us register 60 judges for our 4th - 6th grade student projects by 1/8/25. Judges register HERE.
- A link to log into judging for judges and 4th - 6th grade students will be emailed by 1/12/25.
- 4th - 6th grade students are responsible for being able to access and share their project PowerPoints during their judging session.
- Kindergarten - 3rd grade judging is in-person on 10/23/24, between 8:00 am - 2:30 pm. If pre-arranged, adults are welcome to join judging for Kindergarten - 3rd Grade.
- 4th - 6th grade judging is on Zoom on 1/15/25, between 8:00 am - 2:30 pm. Although, art projects and 4th grade projects may be judged in-person based on judge availability.
Open House:
- Kindergarten - 3rd grade Open House is 10/24/24 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.
- 4th - 6th grade Awards Open House is 1/16/25 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.
- 4th - 6th grade awards announced at Open House and by email by 10 pm on 1/16/25.
Important Science & Engineering Dates for Teachers & Families:
- Students in 5th & 6th grades must complete the Elementary & Junior Division USEF Form BEFORE they begin their projects. USEF Forms can be found HERE.
- Students in 5th & 6th grades must submit completed USEF Forms and additional permission slips (if required) to their teacher by Friday, 1/8/25. Their teacher will upload them into your school folder HERE.
- Top 3-12 scoring 5th or 6th grade science or engineering projects advance to the online SLCSD Science & Engineering Fair on 1/28/25. More information can be found HERE.
Science & Engineering Project Rules:
- Only 1-3 students per project.
- Students in 5th & 6th grades must submit a completed Elementary & Junior Division Science Fair Form (USEF Form) signed by their guardian and teacher before beginning the project. This Form should be submitted to their teacher. Their teacher will submit the Form to the school science & engineering fair coordinator HERE. This Form must be saved as a PDF using the following format: “last name_project title_grade.” If the project title is long please shorten it to the first five words.Information on how to edit a PDF can be found HERE. Information about Research Categories can be found HERE.
- If humans are part of the project then a nurse, psychologist, or doctor’s signature is required on the USEF form BEFORE students begin their projects.
- If humans are part of the project, under 18, and it is not their science fair project, then their guardians must give written and dated permission for them to participate in the project. These permission slips must be submitted with USEF forms (see Rule #2 for submission requirements).
- The only nonhuman animals allowed in the projects are personal pets. If the projects include pets, the projects MUST NOT inflict any harm to the pets. If pets are part of the projects then a veterinarian’s signature is required on the USEF form BEFORE students begin their projects.
- Students in grades kindergarten - 6th can NOT grow mold or other microbes. These projects will be automatically disqualified.
- Additional materials are strictly prohibited from judging interviews and tri-fold boards. This includes but is not limited to, samples of plants, molds and other microbes, and engineering prototypes
- Science & Engineering Fair projects must be completed using one of the following PowerPoint templates: Short Slide Deck for Science Project (8 slides) Long Slide Deck for Science Project (12 slides) Short Slide Deck for Engineering Project (8 slides) Long Slide Deck for Engineering Project (12 slides)
- PowerPoint project slide decks must be saved as a PDF using the following format: “last name_project title_grade.” If your project title is long please shorten it to the first five words.
- Students must be able to access and share their PowerPoints during judging. We suggested students create and store their PowerPoints in their SLCSD Outlook accounts.
- Please do not add extra slides beyond what is allowed in the PowerPoint templates.
- Photographs of students involved in the projects are allowed in the PowerPoints. Protect the identity of others by hiding their faces.
- Animations and videos are not allowed in the PowerPoint. Students can share a video during the judge interview.
- Company or University logos are not allowed in the PowerPoints.
- Kindergarten - 3rd grade students should complete their projects on a tri-fold board using the sections found in the appropriate PowerPoint template.
- 4th - 6th grade students should complete their projects in PowerPoint and print the PowerPoint Slides to create a tri-fold board. We will display the tri-fold boards in school and share what we have learned with our families during the Open House and students during the Student Open House.
- Tri-fold boards will be provided to 5th & 6th grade students at Indian Hills. Tri-fold boards are available to kindergarten - 4th grade students by request at Indian Hills. Please contact the Hands-On Science Teacher.
- Tri-fold boards are required to be no more than 36 inches by 48 inches in size.
- Project lab journals are required for students in grades 5th - 6th. They are not required, but strongly suggested, for students in grades kindergarten - 4th. Students are encouraged, but NOT required, to upload one photo to their PowerPoint showing a completed page/s of their lab journal. The photo may alternatively show the lab notebook open to a completed page in front of a stack of all notebooks and/or binders used. If no photo is uploaded to their PowerPoint, students may bring their lab journal to their judging interview.
Art Submission Rules:
Invention Convention Rules Grade 4:
All Invention Convention rules, rubrics, and lesson plans can be found HERE.
Also, information about Utah’s Invention Convention can be found HERE.
The top 2-5 Invention Convention projects from Indian Hills will progress to the SLCSD Invention Convention. The top projects from SLCSD Invention Convention will progress to State Invention Convention.
Please note, 2024-2025 is the first year that Indian Hills has offered Invention Convention. The Hands-On Science Teacher will try to answer questions, but please this will be a learning year for all of us! Thank you for understanding.
- All art forms are accepted, but you must be able to use a photograph or video in your PowerPoint for judging.
- All art projects must be linked to scientific phenomena. Students should be prepared to explain their project and its relationship to scientific ideas. There are details about this in the STEAM Fair Project Lessons on indianhillsscience.com under STEAM Fair Lessons and Resources.
- If you arrange to bring your art to school to share with your school:You must have a QR code for videos of performance projects (e.g. music composition, dance). 2D visual art must be able to be pinned on a bulletin board (please mat if you don’t want pinholes). 3D visual art must be able to stand on its own.
- 4th - 6th Grade art projects must have an accompanying PowerPoint using this template: Slide Deck for Art Project (8 slides).
- PowerPoint project slide decks must be saved as a PDF using the following format: “last name_project title_grade.” If your project title is long please shorten it to the first five words.
- Students must be able to access and share their PowerPoints during judging. We suggested students create and store their PowerPoints in their SLCSD Outlook accounts.
- Please do not add extra slides beyond what is allowed in the PowerPoint template.All students should have an accompanying tri-fold board. The sections on the board can be found in the Slide Deck for Art Projects above. We will display the tri-fold boards with art projects in school and share what we have learned with our families during the Open House and students during Students Open House.
- There are no additional registration requirements for art projects because they will only be awarded at the school level.
Invention Convention Rules Grade 4:
All Invention Convention rules, rubrics, and lesson plans can be found HERE.
Also, information about Utah’s Invention Convention can be found HERE.
The top 2-5 Invention Convention projects from Indian Hills will progress to the SLCSD Invention Convention. The top projects from SLCSD Invention Convention will progress to State Invention Convention.
Please note, 2024-2025 is the first year that Indian Hills has offered Invention Convention. The Hands-On Science Teacher will try to answer questions, but please this will be a learning year for all of us! Thank you for understanding.