STEM Fair FAQs

Who can participate?

Any Riverside School student from Kindergarten to 5th grade is eligible to participate.

Do you need to participate?

Participation is voluntary and will not be a part of any student's grade, although it is a great experience that we encourage students to explore.

How does registration work?

Parents will register every child that is participating via My Page. Scroll down to the Membership, Tickets & Donations section.  A registration form will be listed for each child. After registering, parents will receive a confirmation email for each child.

Are group projects allowed?
Yes, group projects are allowed. Students may participate as individuals or in groups of up to four people. A group member may be any other Riverside School student. *Note- All students need to register individually (even if you are part of a group). If you know the names of the people in your group, you may list them on your registration. However, it’s ok to not know that information and simply write “TBD.”

Solo projects are also welcome/fine.

Is there a cost to participate?
There is a $10 fee for every participant, regardless of whether they are doing the project solo or in a group. This covers the project boards, participation certificates, medals, set up and decorations for the STEM Fair.

How can I help my child?
The goal is to get your child to choose a simple question about a topic he or she is interested in and then design a simple solution or exploration of possibilities. The emphasis should be on simple.  Try to guide your child to a project that is in his/her area of interest yet within his/her grasp to complete with a little of your assistance.  Display materials do not need to be fancy or elaborate.  It is helpful to remind yourself that this is your child’s project, not yours! 

How do we choose a project?
There are many ways to come up with project ideas. You may start by sitting down with your child and discussing what they have been doing in science or math class.  You may observe that the books your child brings home from the media center suggest a pattern of interest in a particular subject.  You may ask what your child found interesting at a museum, the zoo or an exhibit you’ve visited. Perhaps you recently went on a hike or trip or other outing.  You may even seek inspiration from some of history’s great inventors and engineers and the questions they explored. 

Help your child think back to some of the “why” and “how” questions they have asked. Brainstorm all the topics he/she is interested in.  Make a list.  Have your child think about each topic on the list in turn.  What questions or problems to be explored come to mind?  Narrow down the list to projects you think are realistic given what you have available and what you believe is possible to do.  From there, the child can make the final choice.

What are the project guidelines?

Please review the STEM FAIR handbook for all project guidelines.

*Please note- students may NOT pass out food as part of their project.

Do parents get to attend the STEM Fair?

YES!  This is a beloved program that the entire school, family, and friends rally behind. Parents are invited to attend the STEM Fair on the evening of April 9th, along with siblings, friends, and extended family.

When is the fair?

• Tuesday, 4/9 - Riverside School will host a STEM Fair Open House for Family and Friends
  • K - 2nd grade 6:00pm - 6:45pm.
  • 3rd grade - 5th grade 6:45pm - 7:30pm
  • If parents have children in both time slots they can attend both.
• Wednesday 4/5 - Students will visit the Fair with their class and teachers during school hours

Are there STEM Fair winners?

This is a non-competitive event where every student is a winner who receives a certificate of participation and a medal

How should we label the project boards?

When the project boards are dropped off, they must include a label on the back of the board with student name, grade and teacher for ALL participants.  
It would be helpful and appreciated if a parent completed the label for readability.

What if a STEM Fair project has props or physical visuals?

All props (except the project boards) need to be kept by students until the fair begins. The STEM Fair team is not responsible for anything other than project boards.
*If you have something additional for your display, please bring it to the event and plan to set it up next to your board. 

When do I take my project home?

After school on April 10^th.  Parents and students can come to the gym to retrieve their project.

*Projects need to stay in the gym on 4/5 so students can walk through the STEM Fair with their class/teacher during the school day.