Science fair project boards represent the culmination of student research, testing, data collection and analysis efforts. Students use this board as an opportunity to visually present the results of their hard work in an engaging visual format.
Making an engaging presentation requires skill that marries scientific rigor with creative storytelling. To effectively share your findings, prioritize tables, charts and photos over blocks of text.
Organize your content
Most science fairs and teachers require their students to give both oral and written presentations of their experiment for judges’ evaluation, as well as to hone public speaking skills by practicing short presentations that deliver all necessary details in one sitting. Presentations should be short, focused and informative.
Your title for your science fair project board should be large and easily legible from three feet away. Arrange all sections logically: Background research should come first, followed by hypothesis development, experimental procedures and results (don’t forget charts or graphs!).
Include literature to your board which explains why and supports your hypothesis, and follow proper citation protocol when listing scientific sources online or at local libraries. Most science fairs require tri-fold display boards which measure 36″ wide by 48″ tall for submissions.
Design a PowerPoint template
Selecting a PowerPoint template for creating a science fair project board is one of the key aspects to its success. There are various templates available for download, with schools often opting for popular ones (PPT, Google Slides or Canva). Each of them is fully customizable allowing students to work in whatever program best suits them (PowerPoint, Google Slides or Canva).
An effective science fair display board must be clear and uncluttered, featuring your title of project, name and a brief explanation of research being performed. Also featured should be any significant data or graphs collected throughout your investigation process. Lastly, dark colors on your board ensure it can easily be read by judges.
Digital science projects are more efficient than their paper-based counterparts as they eliminate the need for printing and cutting, as well as allow students to easily make changes without incurring extra expenses and time wasted making changes on physical boards. Furthermore, using these projects helps the environment by saving trees!
Add visuals
Science fair projects involve much research, testing and data collection – one of the biggest challenges is organizing all these results into an eye-catching display board. While some students bring in their actual experiment for display purposes, other need to rely on backboards (often sold as “science fair boards”) with project reports and graphs or charts as ways of showing off their findings.
Photos and diagrams can quickly convey important information to viewers, while simultaneously differentiating your child’s display from its competitors. Make sure you add relevant captions or subheadings that describe photo or diagram contents for added effect.
Charts, graphs and tables are also helpful ways of organizing data and making it more readable. Be sure to trim any printed papers or photos neatly before adhering them to the board, and consider using colored paper for borders or text sections as needed.
Add interactive elements
An average science fair board can quickly become tedious if it only includes text. To make your project stand out, add visuals that showcase the results of your experiment such as graphs, tables or pictures that illustrate what your data looks like – these visuals will help the judges grasp your findings more readily and how they relate.
Enhance the presentation of your science fair display board by including interactive elements. For instance, placing an experiment inside of a box or using models to illustrate its steps can add depth to its display. Furthermore, handouts or information sheets will provide viewers with more details regarding your experiment.
Add these elements to your science fair project for added interest and ease of comprehension by judges. A digital tool such as Creately can assist in quickly designing an engaging science fair display board; students work collaboratively in real time on their projects while benefiting from features such as advanced text formatting and Google image search to customize easily.