One of my professors commented the other day that some schools have stopped having science fairs due to the large amount of work and time that they require. After this I thought about when I participated in science fairs as a child. It was an opportunity for the "athletically challenged" students, like me, to attempt to earn praise from the teachers, trophies for the family collection, and our pictures in the local newspaper. I enjoyed actually doing something with the scientific information that I learned about in class daily. Also it allowed me to express my creativity through science. I could design an experiment and the things I needed for it to work. I think I learned more about the scientific method through science fairs than I did from any textbook. I think science fairs are a great example of Constructivism in action. Educators can talk about it all they want, but it is worthless unless they practice it. Science fairs allow students to practice science.
If schools can invest the effort into activities such as sports, plays, dances, and other activities, why do some schools want to exclude or reduce science fairs? Science fairs do require effort, but so does any other school activity. Since schools have the effort, time, and resources for other subjects' large activities, they should not stop having science fairs. It would withhold a valuable experience for all students.
