Lesson 157: Science fair mini-poster

Objective

I can plan and make a simple science fair mini-poster that shows my question, what I did, what I observed, and one thing I learned.

Materials

• A4 or larger sheet of paper or card for the mini-poster
• Pencil, crayons, markers, or coloured pencils
• Ruler (optional) to draw neat boxes
• Notebook or science journal for planning notes
• Any simple science project you have done, such as a plant, shadow, or materials investigation

Mini-lesson — What is a science fair mini-poster?

Guided Practice — Plan your science fair mini-poster

You will plan the parts of your mini-poster before you draw it neatly.

1. Choose a project: Pick a science project you have already done, such as a weather chart, materials sorting, or simple ramp test.
2. Write the title: In your notebook, write a short, clear title, such as "Rolling toy cars" or "Sunny and cloudy days".
3. Write your question: On the next line, write your science question in simple words, starting with "Which" or "What happens if".
4. Plan "What I did": Write one or two short sentences, or draw a quick sketch, to show what you did in your project.
5. Plan "What I observed": Note or draw what you noticed. For example, which toy was fastest, or which weather was most common.
6. Plan "What I learned": Write one sentence that begins with "I learned that…".
7. Use the tracing pad: Trace words like question, poster, observe, results, or learned to get used to the science words you will put on the mini-poster.

Tracing Pad

Lines Primary lines Baseline only Grid Blank Trace (none) science poster title question observe results learned project fair label data chart investigate experiment neat clear share

Pen Clear

Tip: As you trace each word, imagine how it will look on your mini-poster, with neat letters and clear labels.

Practice 1 — Build the mini-poster sections

Turn your plan into a neat mini-poster with clear sections.

1. On your large paper, draw light pencil boxes for Title, Question, What I did, What I observed, and What I learned.
2. At the top, write your title in big letters and trace over it in colour.
3. In the "Question" box, write your science question in one clear sentence.
4. In the "What I did" box, draw a picture of your setup and add a short label, such as "I rolled two cars down a ramp."
5. In the "What I observed" box, draw what you saw and use labels or arrows to show important parts.
6. In the "What I learned" box, write one sentence that begins with "I learned that…".
7. Check that each box is neat, easy to read, and not too crowded.

Practice 2 — Add labels, colour, and details

Make your mini-poster clear and attractive without making it messy.

1. Go back to each drawing and add labels with arrows, such as "car A", "car B" or "rainy days".
2. Use colour to help people see the most important parts, but keep white space so it is not too busy.
3. Around the edge, you may add small pictures that match your topic, such as clouds, plants, or cars.
4. Check spelling of key science words with an adult: question, observe, results, learned.
5. At the bottom corner, write your name and the date to show when you made the mini-poster.

Practice 3 — Practise presenting your mini-poster

Get ready to talk about your mini-poster like a young scientist.

1. Stand next to your mini-poster and practise pointing to each section in order: title, question, what I did, what I observed, what I learned.
2. For each section, say one short sentence, such as "My question was…" or "I observed that…".
3. Practise with an adult or a friend. Ask them if your voice is clear and if they can follow your ideas.
4. Ask them one friendly question back, such as "What do you think about my results?".
5. Take a picture of your mini-poster for your science journal, if possible, and write one sentence about how you felt sharing it.

Quick Check — Science fair mini-poster

Answer each question about science fair posters, questions, and observations.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)