Chandler Innovation Fair

HISEF stands for the Hamilton Invitational Science and Engineering Fair.  HISEF is the original CIF category.  This is a traditional science and engineering fair, allowing students to advance to AzSEF (Arizona Science and Engineering Fair) and eventually ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair).  HISEF has a Senior Division for grades 9 - 12 and a Junior Division for grades 5 - 8.  Student presentations include a research plan, data, and discussion on a digital slide deck that meets the requirements for participation in AzSEF.  In addition to creating a project, students in grades 9-12 have the option of participating in interviews, providing them the opportunity to present their findings.

Students actively engage in solving a real-world and meaningful problem.  Project topics can integrate with current course content.  Having a public product is required as a culminating piece of the project.  Critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication are all tenants of PBL.  Public products are meant to explain the project to an audience beyond the classroom. 

Students present a problem and program a solution in the Computer Science category.  Projects include internet and mobile applications, multimedia presentations, animations, and workplace applications.  Project displays can include background information on the program’s inspiration and aspirations of its future use along with a screencast of the program's execution.

Robotics includes a showcase division and a competitive division. Students create and display the functionality of their robot for the showcase division.  Creating includes sourcing materials, construction, and programming the robot.  Ozobots and Micro Bit projects are acceptable.  Competitions are held through the Vex Robotics Championships, and First Lego League.  Presentations for the showcase should include the robot executing its programmed task(s).

The is a broad category that highlights creativity and the engineering process.  Students can present their final invention, which should be physical construction.  Included in the presentation will be an inspiration for the invention and expectations for future applications and improvements.  The process may include blueprints, CAD work, or a sketch or technical drawing (appropriate for the grade level).  A prototype is not required but it is encouraged and should be documented with images.  A work log can be used to show trial and error and to document the engineering process.  Materials are limited only by what the student can access.  3-D printing is acceptable and encouraged when available.

This is the first year the Arts will be included in our event.  The purpose of creating a STEAM Event is to showcase opportunities to apply the fine arts in STEM fields.  Students and teachers can participate in this year’s event by creating a unique display or collaborating with their site’s Innovation Fair coordinators and contributing an Arts component.  
A STEAM-centered project can focus on a specific skill, product or demonstration and should highlight the elements that connect STEM and the Arts.  This is an opportunity to teach the skill to event participants or display the product and the processes students followed.

There are two ways to approach this:

1. Highlight the science/ technology/engineering/math components of a fine arts skill
2. Use fine arts to convey STEM content

When considering the first approach

• Focus: Select a specific fine arts skill. It’s important to have a clear focus and relation between STEM and the Arts content.
• Detail: Select the elements contributing to successfully executing the skill.  These elements are likely fundamental to your content area.
• Instruction: How do you teach this skill or process effectively?
• Application: Are you able to model the skill in the project?

For the second approach

• Focus: Select a specific STEM concept, process, or research finding.
• Detail: Use a fine art medium to convey the key details of the concept, process, or findings.
• Instruction: Have clear instructional goals for the artistic work or expression (what is being conveyed and what is the purpose of the work).
• Application: Integrate practical application of the concept, process, or research finding.

The projects will be submitted and displayed in zFairs.  Students can turn in images or videos.  Slides that introduce the project and document the process of its creation will be helpful.