Do you have America's Top Young Scientist living in your house? I do. I have two of them. There's always an ingenious invention in progress or some sort of experiment in the making. And this year, my eldest child is finally old enough to enter the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. It's open to kids in 5th through 8th grade - a CRITICAL time in which many children (especially girls!) abandon their interest in science.
We're pretty excited because the Queen of Invention is always excited to share her ideas with anyone who will listen. :) Right now, she's having to sort through her ideas and do research to pick just one. Fortunately, the challenge website has a page with tips to help her narrow down her idea. I've printed the Project Template which takes my daughter through the Scientific Method step by step. She feels like a professional scientist going through the paper.
(The Young Scientists Challenge website even has lesson plans and special videos to help you bring your science studies to life.)
Anyway, in the next few days we'll be working on her video submission. To enter the contest, kids have to submit a 1- to 2-minute video that:
- explains the problem and how it impacts the entrant, their family, their community or the global population;
- describes a new innovation or solution that could solve or impact the problem;
- explains the science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics behind their innovation; and
- illustrates how their innovation could both address the everyday problem they’ve identified and have a broader impact locally or globally.
If your child is eager to enter, definitely check out these Entry Video Tips so that their video rocks! Check out some of last year's finalists and winner...
And guess what? You can even enter in Spanish!
But you'll have to hurry because the deadline to enter is next Tuesday, April 21st!! So hurry and print your Project Template, give it to your kids and have them prepare to tape their video this weekend!
And guess what? You can even enter in Spanish!
But you'll have to hurry because the deadline to enter is next Tuesday, April 21st!! So hurry and print your Project Template, give it to your kids and have them prepare to tape their video this weekend!
In June/July, 10 finalists will be announced and have an exclusive opportunity to work directly with a 3M scientist during a summer mentorship program, during which they will be challenged to create an innovation which solves a problem in society. State Merit Winners are also announced at this time.
And then in October, finalists will demonstrate their scientific innovation and creativity in a series of challenges at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, MN.
The most exciting part for my daughter is that the ten challenge finalists will each be paired with a 3M scientist mentor. The mentors will help guide finalists to create an innovation that will be presented to a panel of judges at the final competition at the 3M Innovation Center in October.
And here's the best news: The winner will receive $25,000 and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
The most exciting part for my daughter is that the ten challenge finalists will each be paired with a 3M scientist mentor. The mentors will help guide finalists to create an innovation that will be presented to a panel of judges at the final competition at the 3M Innovation Center in October.
And here's the best news: The winner will receive $25,000 and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
I would just really love to see a Latino student win this year's challenge! To learn more, go and visit their website! And follow the Young Scientist Challenge on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with HunterPr and Discovery Education. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.