Austin Energy
Regional Science Festival
February 18 – 21, 2015
Palmer Events Center
Teacher Orientation:
Elementary Division
www.sciencefest.austinenergy.com
AERSF 2014 Statistics
Elementary Division
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Projects:
1,835
Students:
2,095
Schools:
174
School Districts:
18+
Judges &Volunteers:
over 400
Judges & Volunteers
We ask that you send
1 Judge and 1 Volunteer
for every 10 projects you send
from your school.
Schedule Highlights
Deadline to finalize School Registration packet
Thursday, February 5, 2015, 5:00 p.m.
Check in and Set up at Palmer Events Center
Friday, February 20, 2015 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Judging and Awards at Palmer Events Center
Saturday, February 21, 2015
What's New For 2015?
Major Changes This Year:
• Numbers have been reduced in Elementary
• (not new but) No projects where the student has
grown mold or bacteria will be allowed to
participate
Not new, but worth repeating!
• Parking will be free of charge to all participants at the Palmer Events
Center Garage.
• Project Registration Fee is $15
• All elementary projects must complete and submit an “Elementary
Project Research Form” with their registration packets.
• Due to space limitations, late registration will not be allowed.
• Elementary division covers grades 3-6 only.
• No mold or moldy food projects!!
Restrictions – Grounds for
Disqualification
-Failure to follow the “Code of Conduct” during the fair
-Elementary Division students may NOT conduct a project that includes:
• growing mold or bacteria (i.e. moldy food experiments etc);
• discharging a firearm or air pressure canister device or potato gun;
• chemicals hazardous to student health, or radioactive materials;
• causing pain, suffering, or death of an animal
• any other activity or substances that present a danger to the student or
others.
Information for Participation
Elementary Division
All documentation is available online in English
and Spanish at
www.sciencefest.austinenergy.com
Project Display & Safety Rules
Items Not Allowed in the Exhibit Hall
• No organisms; living, dead or preserved plants or animals*
• No human or animal food
• No Bacteria or mold cultures
• No liquids
Allowed and Encouraged Items
• Photographs, drawings, or toy animals/artificial plants should be used to
depict the items not allowed.
• Be sure to properly credit/acknowledge all photographers.
Experiment or Exhibit?
Many students and parents have difficulty discerning
the difference between Experiment and Exhibit projects.
Experiments
• follow the steps of the scientific method
• clearly ask a question to which you do not already know the
answer before testing
Exhibits
• explain how or why something works
• reveal details about the topic
• are explanations, not questions
6th Grade Project Entry
• 6th Grade Elementary students may enter in the
Elementary or the Junior Division
Maximum Project Entries
Elementary Division – Based on School’s Student Enrollment
Grades 3–6
0 – 499 Students
500 – 699 Students
700 – 899 Students
900 + Students
10 Projects Maximum per School
12 Projects Maximum per School
14 Projects Maximum per School
16 Projects Maximum per School
Junior Division
Grade 6
70 Projects Maximum per School
Teacher Checklist
 Print a Media Release Form and Student Checklist for each student who
won at your school’s science fair
 By Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.
Finalize online registration and Submit a complete school packet to
Austin Energy
 On Friday, February 20, 2015 from 2:00-7:00 p.m.
Check in and set up projects at Palmer Events Center
 On Saturday, February 21, 2015
 Students should be at their project 15 minutes before judging begins
 Attend the Awards Ceremony
 Dismantle Projects, 4:30–5:30 p.m. Projects not picked up by 5:30
p.m. on February 21 will be discarded.
Registration Deadline & Fees
Deadline to Submit Registration Packets:
February 05, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.
Fees
Student Project Fee
$15
School Registration Fee $35
No late entries can be accepted!
What is in a School Packet?
Deadline: Thursday, February 05, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.
Submit to our office:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Copy of the school’s online registration confirmation
Copy of Elementary Project Research Form
Original signed Media Release for each student
Payment or documentation of payment
Sponsors 2015
Special Awards
Awards for 2015 to be listed on website later this year.
www.sciencefest.austinenergy.com
2014 Special Awards:
Austin Energy Best Use of Electricity
Austin Energy Best Use of Renewable Energy
Austin Energy Best in Climate Protection
Internet Resources
Austin Energy Regional Science Festival
www.sciencefest.austinenergy.com
Science Fair support – ideas and “how to” for projects
www.sciencebuddies.com
Austin Science Education Foundation– non profit
support organization for the regional fair
www.austinscience.org
Contacts
sciencefest@austinenergy.com
Regional Fair Director
Russell Cowen (512) 972 9532
russell.cowen@austinenergy.com
Austin Science Education Foundation
Ingrid Weigand ingrid.weigand@austinscience.org
Advisory Committee Members:
Barbara tenBrink, Chair
SueAnn Decuir
Michele Mann
Lisa Rogers
Ingrid Weigand
Selecting Winners