Student Guide to Science Days
STUDENT GUIDE TO SCIENCE DAYS 2025-2026
Science Days is a program designed for students to explore STEM topics of interest through Hypothesis-Based Research, Meta-Analysis, or Engineering Design Projects. Participants can showcase their projects at local, regional, and state competitions, where they can earn sponsored awards and academic recognition. By participating in Science Days, students not only gain a deeper understanding of STEM subjects, but also experience the processes that lead to new discoveries, drive innovation, and improve our way of life!
Contents
- Who Can Participate?
- How Do I Get Started?
- Project Choices
- Workspace Options
- Teams
- Competition Types
- Submitting Projects to Competitions
- Required Project Components for Competition
- Where Can I Find All Project Resources?
- Resources Checklist
Who Can Participate?
Students in grades 5-12 are eligible to
participate in Science Days!
How Do I Get Started?
1. Locate a teacher or other
professional who will supervise the work.
If no one is available to help you and
oversee your project, please contact The Ohio Academy of Science at info@ohiosci.org
to request a class code to join our online classroom.
2. Create a ProjectBoard
Account
ProjectBoard
is an online social learning platform used by the Ohio Academy of Science for
building, submitting, and
judging projects. Students must create a
ProjectBoard
account to participate in Science Days.
● Select “Student
Portal”
● Select the red
“Start Here” button.
● Complete the
ProjectBoard account creation questions.
● Write down your
username and password in a safe place for future reference.
3. View the
Science Day Standards document for complete rules, regulations, and judging
information (found in ProjectBoard Science Day Resources).
4. View the
Science Day Judging Card (found in ProjectBoard Science Day Resources).
Project Choices
Students can choose to complete one of the
following projects:
Hypothesis
Based Research Project
Students use the Scientific Method to
conduct an experiment and report their results.
Meta
Analysis Project
Students use the Scientific Method to
combine and analyze data from various sources.
Instead of conducting their own experiment, students explore new relationships or
evaluate data in a broader context.
Engineering
Design
Students use the Engineering Design process
where they build and test a prototype, then report their results.
Workspace Options
Students can choose to complete their
projects through ProjectBoard by starting a Student Workspace Template or by
downloading a Student Workbook.
Student
Workspace Template in ProjectBoard:
● Create a
ProjectBoard account.
● Select “My
Projects” tab.
● Select a project
type to start.
● Change the title
and description.
● Press “Save”.
● Access your
project from the “My Projects” tab.
Student
Workbook for download:
● Select the
“Science Day” tab.
● Select
“Resources”.
● Select
“Workbooks”.
● Select the
Workbook for the type of project you wish to complete.
● Download and
print.
Teams
Teams can have up to three students. Students cannot be separated by more than one
grade level in grades 5-8. In grades
9-12, any combination is allowed. If working in a team, each member will need to create their own
ProjectBoard account. Then, one member
will create the Workspace and/or Submission Project template and add the other
team members to the project. All
team members must be present for all competitions.
Research Plan
All participants
must complete a Research Plan before
beginning their experimentation or prototype testing.
The International Science and Engineering Fair
Forms (ISEF)
ISEF forms are available at
https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/forms/ Procedures of the current year must be used by all
students participating in District and State Science Days. Students may use the OAS Combined ISEF Approval Forms Document instead of the ISEF
Forms 1, 1A, & 1B. Use the ISEF Rules
Wizard to determine whether you need additional forms for your project https://ruleswizard.societyforscience.org/.
Additional ISEF Forms Required
Projects that include:
· human subjects
- non-human vertebrate animals, including observation
projects
· potentially hazardous biological agents, including microorganisms, recombinant DNA technologies, human or animal fresh tissues, blood, or body fluids· controlled substances, alcohol, and tobacco· hazardous substances or devices, including certain chemicals, equipment, firearms, radioactive substances, and radiation
Competition Types
All
students can choose to participate in local (if your school
hosts one) and Regional Science Day competitions. View the Regional
Science Day Map (located in ProjectBoard) to determine which in person Science
Day you will attend. Students may also
choose to attend the Virtual Regional Science Fair. Those who receive a
Superior rating at Regional Science Day will be invited to participate in the In-Person
State Science Day competition. Students in grades 9-12 may participate in the
in-person Buckeye Science and Engineering Fair (BSEF). BSEF is the qualifying competition for the
International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Winning projects from
Regional, State, and BSEF competitions will receive awards!
Submitting Projects to Competitions
· Start a Submission
Project under “My Projects” tab in ProjectBoard.
· Upload the required components under each labeled
section (see below).
· Select your project category, Regional Science Day you
wish to attend, and fill in remaining questions.
Competition Fees
· Regional Science Day = $30 registration fee per
student.
· Buckeye Science and Engineering Fair = $50 registration
fee per student.
· State Science Day = $65 registration fee per student.
Required Project Components for Competition
Part 1: Online Submission Components To participate in your
Regional Science Day competition, you will need to start a SUBMISSION
PROJECT in PROJECTBOARD have the following uploaded to your
Submission Project:
1. OAS Consent and Release Agreement Form
2. OAS Combined ISEF Approval Forms Document OR ISEF Forms 1,
1A, & 1B (and additional ISEF forms depending on the nature of the project)
3. Abstract
4. Final Report
5. Video of Oral Presentation (required for the Virtual Regional
Science Fair; In-Person State Science Day; BSEF)
6. Digital Poster or Digital Slide Deck (required for the Virtual
Regional Science Fair; In-Person State Science Day; BSEF)
7. Research Plan
Part 2: In-Person Project Components
You will bring the
following with you on the day of the competition:
1. Final Report (printed
copy)
2. Project Display - Printed
Poster or Tri-Fold Board
3. Project Data Book
–OPTIONAL (Print those pages from your Student Workbook or print from your
online Student Workspace Template if you recorded data in one of these
locations)
4. Oral Presentation notecards--OPTIONAL
OAS Consent and Release
Agreement Form
All students and parents must read and agree to the
OAS Consent and Release Agreement Form to participate in Science Days.
COPPA (Children's Online
Privacy Protection Act)
Parent or classroom teachers of students under 13 must
read and agree to the COPPA requirements to participate in Science Days.
Abstract
An Abstract of 250 or fewer words is required.
Final Report
A final research report
is required including in-text citations and a reference list using MLA or
APA-style formatting.
Project Data Book
Document
the results of your experiment or prototype testing. Record dates for each
entry. The Student Workbook or the online Student Workspace Template can serve
as your Project Data Book.
Project Display
Display options for In-Person Regional
Science Days include a Printed Poster, Tri-Fold Board, Digital Poster, or
Digital Slide Show. Check the Regional Science Day Map for your specific fair
requirements (available in ProjectBoard). In-Person State Science Day and the
Buckeye Science and Engineering Fair require a Digital Poster or Digital
Slide Show.
Oral Presentation
Students will give a brief
presentation summarizing their project and may use notecards to assist with
their presentation.
Where
Can I Find Science Day Project Resources?
● Select
the “Science Day” tab.
● Select
“Resources”.
.
Resource
Checklist for Science Day Projects:
❏ Science
Day Standards document
❏ Research Plan template for either
Hypothesis Based Research/Meta Analysis projects OR Engineering Design
projects
❏ Final Report Template for either Hypothesis Based Research/Meta Analysis projects OR Engineering Design projects
❏ Abstract Template
❏ Visual Presentation (Digital
Poster Template, Digital Slide Show Template, and/or Tri-Fold Board
Instructions
❏ Photo/Graphics Source ID Form
❏Regional Science Day Map
❏Judging Card
Where can I Find OAS Program Resources?
●Select from blue text entries under “OAS” tab.
Resource Checklist: Science Day Deadlines
and Competition
❏2025-2026 OAS Timeline
❏OAS Consent and Release Agreement Form
*** NOTE: All resources
can be accessed in ProjectBoard https://partner.projectboard.world/oas/ under the “Help” tab
(found on the menu bar), then click FAQ and Resource Center. ***
Scientific Fraud & Misconduct
Scientific fraud and misconduct are not condoned at any level of
research or competition. This includes plagiarism, forgery, use or presentation
of other researchers’ work as one’s own, data fabrication, and inappropriate
usage of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). The project should reflect
independent research done by the student(s) and presented in their own words
with proper citation, particularly if artificial intelligence is used. The
project must not include fraudulent data, plagiarism, or inappropriate use of
GenAI in presenting work that is not theirs. Examples of improper use of GenAI
include but are not limited to authorship of a research paper by GenAI, fabrication
of data with the intention of giving a false impression, manipulating images
(except when used to improve readability), concealing outliers, and changing,
adding, or omitting data points. Any use of GenAI must be adequately explained
and cited (https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt). Fraudulent
projects will fail to qualify for competition in affiliated fairs or the
ISEF.
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