Science Fair – Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Is the Science Fair a competition?

No, this is not a competition and participation in the Hastings Science Fair is optional. Each participating student scientist will receive an official Hastings Science Fair medal.

  1. What type of board should I use and where can I purchase one?

Boards should not be larger than 36″ high by 48″ wide. Tri Fold poster boards can be purchased at any office supply store (Staples, Office Depot) or ordered from Amazon (links below). Don’t forget to use Amazon Smile.

Smaller Board

Larger Board

  1. How much time should my child spend presenting the project display and answering the 4 Big Questions during the live Science Fair?

During the Science Fair, student scientists will have a chance to talk with a Visiting Scientist for ~5 minutes about their project, going over each section of their project display and focusing on answering the 4 Big Questions below.

      4 Big Questions

  • What is the question and hypothesis of your project?
  • How did you conduct the experiment?
  • What were the main results of your experiment?
  • What sparked your interest/curiosity in this project?
  1. Are there any items that are not acceptable to incorporate in science fair projects?

No dangerous chemicals or materials should be used in the projects. All experiments should be conducted at home using non-hazardous materials and under parental supervision.

If you have additional questions, please send a message to sciencefair@hastings-pto.org.

Go back to the Science Fair Page