How you display your elementary science fair projects is very important as it shows just how much work you've put into the project. For the display, you will need anything that you have that represents your elementary science fair projects, including the backboard, the project report, models that you may have constructed, items studied, reports, pictures, surveys etc.
You must make sure that the display is attractive and interesting. There should be enough details, but you also should make sure the judges are not overloaded with or distracted by information. You want to make sure that the display shows the judges all that they need to know. A poor display could ruin all the hard work that you've done.
The Title
Select the title of your elementary science fair projects carefully. Keep it short and simple. This will enable the title to catch the attention of the viewer. The title should be displayed in a font that is large enough to be read at a distance of about 3 feet. You may want to purchase self-sticking letters to create the title. This can be obtained at DIY or office supplies stores. If you want to keep costs to a minimum, you can also make the letters out of construction paper. You can also print your titles with a computer and a printer. Be creative!
The display board
Check that you comply with the stipulated size and shape of the display board.
Check what the maximum measurements are - your display can be smaller than this. A three-sided board is usually the best way to put up your display. There are various materials that you can use to construct your display board such as sturdy cardboard or wooden panels. Some DIY or office supplies stores may also sell pre-made display boards. Alternatively, you can also check out science supply companies. Pre-made display boards will usually come only in white and black. You can change the colors by using paper or cloth to cover the board. When putting up items on the board, choose you colors carefully to make sure that what stands out are the materials rather than the background colors itself. If you are unsure as to what colors to use, stick to neutral pastel colors.
The Content
Check to see if there are rules about the position of the information on your display board. For instance, the rules may require that the science project title has to be centralized or has to be of a certain font size. You may also be required to have certain headings.
Other General Display Tips
1. Make sure that all lines and edges are straight. Crooked displays tell the judges that you are a sloppy person. And a good scientist is never sloppy!
2. Lay your letters on the display board first to see how it looks before sticking them on. Make sure that your letters are displayed in a straight line. You should use a ruler and draw a straight line first as a guide before you stick the letters on. Make sure that the bottom of each letter lines up properly against the rest.
3. Use large fonts for the project title and smaller fonts for each of the headings. For the headings, you can also use a different color from the rest of your text. However, you should not use too many colors otherwise the judges will be distracted. Most of the ordinary text should be black in color.
4. Make sure that your wiring and electrical plugs comply with all safety standards. Get help from an adult for this.
5. Pack a kit of stationery comprising of coloured pencils, markers, erasers, felt pens, glue, tape, paint etc - basically anything that you may need to do last minute touch ups to your project display.
Elementary Science Fair Projects
