THE
YOUNG SKEPTICS PROGRAM
THE SKEPTIC-SCIENCE FAIR
Today
more than ever, students need to understand science and
how it can be applied to the world around them. Science
fairs provide an exciting opportunity for students to
showcase their own work and discoveries. Through the science
fair, students are able to employ creativity and independent
thinking to explore the mysteries and marvels of the world
we live in and develop an appreciation for the process
of science and the revolutionary work of scientists. They
are able to see how science works outside of the classroom
and how a scientific investigation leads to results that
can impact our world and help minimize the confusion of
living in a technologically advanced civilization - where
both science and nonsense compete for our attention. Through
investigation and adventurous study, students are able
to learn how to properly assess claims and discoveries
and provide original research to our growing body of knowledge.
The science fair also offers an outlet to question and
experiment the many ideas and claims that are distributed
as scientifically sound, thereby allowing us to distinguish
between the phenomena that doesn't hold up to scientific
scrutiny and the real science that is based upon our understanding
of reality.
We
will be including ideas here for science fair projects
that have been culled from the pages of Skeptical
Inquirer magazine and the Skeptical
Briefs newsletter. Other ideas will also be included
that have been created specifically for the Young Skeptics
Program or have been contributed to the Program by volunteers.
Alongside each subject idea we will be including questions,
experiments and assignment suggestions, and other activities
and materials that can be incorporated into a research
project or investigation.
Classroom
instruction, science fairs and weekend activities provide
ideal outlets for the projects we will be including here.
Other areas on the Young Skeptics web site will also provide
additional material to use with assignments and activities.
In
a few years time, giving the "Skeptic Fair"
a chance to catch on, we will be providing an online exhibition
area for any projects tackled by students and young skeptics.
This will help generate further resources for students
and educators and will also help spread skepticism to
a wider audience. Exceptional projects will also be considered
for publication and circulated among students, parents
and teachers interested in the subject matter explored.
