MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIRS

Worcester Regional Middle School Science and Engineering Fair

About the Fairs

The Massachusetts Middle School Science Fairs (Regional and State) are annual one-day fairs for students in grades 6, 7, and 8 attending a public, private, parochial or home school in the Commonwealth. Entrants exhibit their projects to their peers, a team of judges, and the public. This experience provides students with an opportunity to pursue some aspect of science in which he or she is interested, and to become proficient in the scientific process. Each school in central Massachusetts may send up to 10 projects to the Worcester Regional Middle School Science and Engineering Fair. They may be individual or team projects. Team projects may include up to, but not more than, three members. The top 40 winners from the Regional Fair may enter the State Fair. In addition, one team project and one individual project may be sent to the State Fair directly from an individual school. All the required safety forms and registration forms must be submitted by deadlines indicated in the Deadlines section.

To The Teacher

CHOOSING A PROJECT

The project should be of an experimental nature. Although the aesthetics of the exhibit will be taken into consideration, the main concerns are the scientific approach and thought processes used in completing the project. It is not the choice of topic that is of prime importance, but the manner in which the student handles the project. Often a simple project can offer a great experimental challenge to the imaginative student. The role of the teacher, mentor or parent should be one of guidance, encouragement and, as needed, constructive criticism. In some cases, supervising a safety-related component of the project will be required.

RESEARCH PLAN

Prior to a student beginning his/her independent research project for a regional or state fair, he/she is required to complete the Research Plan Form for teacher approval. The form is then sent to the Regional Safety Review Committee (RSRC) for approval. The RSRC must approve this research plan before the student begins the project. The RSRC approved forms will be returned to the student to be submitted with the Registration Form. If during project completion the research plan changes significantly, a new research plan must be resubmitted. Any project that has not received approval by the RSRC will not be eligible to compete at the State or Regional Level. Research Plan Form 1 A and B are found in the Research and Registration Forms section.

RESEARCH REGULATIONS

1. The Science Fair projects may not involve at any stage of the project the following:

• Blood products, fresh tissue, teeth or body fluids
• Nonhuman vertebrate animals or animal parts

• Pathogenic agents

• Recombinant DNA  

• Carcinogenic or mutagenic chemicals

• Compresses gas (including, but not limited to CO2)

• Controlled substances

• Explosive chemicals

• Hazardous substances or devices (including, but not limited to BB guns, paint ball guns, potato cannons, air cannons)

• High voltage equipment

• Highly toxic chemicals

• Lasers (any strength)

• Ionizing radiation X-rays or nuclear energy

• Radioactive materials

Further Explanations

Controlled Substances

Controlled substances, including DEA-classed substances, prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco are not allowed.

Pathogenic Agents

• Pathogenic agents are disease causing, or potential disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, viroids, prions, rickettsia, fungi, mold and others.

• Organisms collected, isolated and/or cultured from any environment (e.g., air, soil) are considered potentially pathogenic and experiments using these procedures will not be allowed.

• Raw or partially processed human/animal waste is considered to contain potentially pathogenic agents.

Please refer any safety questions to the Regional Safety Review Committee for clarification. Contact Lisa Greenwald at 508 869-0194, or Sandy Mayrand, 508 856-5097,

2. All human research projects must have an Informed Consent Form (Form C) attached. 

All human research projects (including surveys, professional tests, questionnaires, and studies in which the researcher is the subject of his/her own research, but not limited to) need a Regional Safety Review Committee (RSRC)approval.  The RSRC must see and approve the following:

• The Informed Consent Form (C) to be given to participants needs to be filled out by the student researcher (Questions 1, 2, 3)

• Copies of standardized and student prepared tests, surveys, etc. must be attached to the Research Plan.

Informed Consent Form (C) must be obtained from all participants involved in human research projects. If a participant is under 18 years old, the parent/guardian signature is required. Copies of all signed and approved consent forms must be submitted with the Registration Form and Research plan at time of registration.

Projects in which subjects are required to ingest or inhale substances are NOT allowed.

3. Experiments with non-pathogenic microorganisms* must have a Designated Supervisor Form (Form D) completed and submitted for RSRC approval. 

Experiments with any non-pathogenic organisms may only be conducted in a laboratory (not in the home) setting with the following capabilities:

• The laboratory work is to be supervised by an individual with general training in  microbiology. 

• Standard practices for sterile technique must be observed. 

• Work is to be done on an open bench or fume hood.

• Purchased microorganisms must be identified and certified as non-pathogenic from the supply house with full name of microorganism, source of purchase and catalog number. 

• Lab coats must be worn. 

• Culture plates/tubes of bacteria must be sealed and not opened in the laboratory after culturing and growth.

• Sub-culturing is not allowed. 

• Decontamination must be achieved by either chemical disinfectants or steam autoclaving.

* Baker’s and Brewer’s yeast are two exceptions and do not need a Form D. 

4. Special Safety Concerns

Other situations, such as the use of power tools, chemicals, etc. which require adult supervision of the middle school student’ s project, need to be documented on Form D, Designated Supervisor.

5. General Requirements

• Only new research done in the current school year will be eligible for participation. 

•  Individual projects must be entirely the work of the individual student and team projects must be entirely the work of the team. 

• Students are expected to keep a bound logbook with original, hand-written, and dated entries that record each step taken in the development of the project.

• During judging and exhibition times, students must remain with their projects. Parents, advisors, mentors, teachers and guests must wait outside the project area until public display begins.

• Cell phone use during judging is not allowed. 

PROJECT DISPLAY GUIDELINES

If the Safety Committee considers the presence or operation of any equipment or material to be dangerous or unsafe, it shall have the right to prohibit the presence or operation of such equipment or material. Exhibitors may demonstrate the safe use of materials through photographs, videotapes, charts, diagrams and other simulations.

All Science Fair participants must attend to the safety aspects of their projects as follows:

• Projects must fit into a 40” x 26” table space.

• Wall space for posters is not available. Please plan the exhibit so that all posters, charts and displays are free standing.

• Glass bottles and lab ware, either empty or containing any substance, are prohibited from display and must be replaced by break-resistant containers or placed in secondary containers. Mercury thermometers are prohibited.

• Knives or other sharp objects may not be displayed.

• Microorganisms are not allowed to be displayed.

• Drugs, over-the-counter medications, antibiotics, and vitamins may not be displayed, however empty containers maybe displayed.

• All power driven parts must be suitably guarded to prevent unauthorized or accidental access.

• Access to electrical outlets is limited, so please bring a heavy-duty/three-pronged extension cord. Please check the appropriate space on the registration card if electricity is needed.

• All exhibits that require an external source of electricity for operation must be designed for a standard 110-125 volt AC supply.

• All wiring, switches, power cords and metal parts carrying current in an AC circuit must be properly selected for load requirements and soldered or fixed under approved connectors with insulated connecting wires. No exposed wires, switches, joints, or un-insulated fasteners will be permitted.

• The power supply cord for the electrical apparatus and must terminate in a three-prong grounded outlet. All power supplies and electrical equipment must be grounded.

• Bare wire and exposed knife-type switches are permitted on 12-volt DC circuits or less. Approved standard enclosed switches are required for all other electrical installations.

• Wet-cell batteries with open tops are not permitted. Closed-cell or dry-cell batteries are permissible.

• The operation of high-pressure vessels and pressurized systems is not permitted.

• There must be no open flame, torch or burner in the display area.

• All microwave and radio frequency sources must be designed and operated in compliance with state and federal regulations as well as applicable standards of the American National Standards Institute. 

• Robotics projects should have interlocks or other controls.