Coming in 2027
The 2026 Barjo Science Fair was a great success — thank you to all the students, families, judges, and volunteers who made it happen!
We will be back in 2027. Registration and event details will be posted here in September 2026. In the meantime, feel free to start brainstorming project ideas using the resources below.
Questions? Reach us anytime at barjo@barjosciencefair.com.
Why Participate?
The Barjo Science Fair is a fun, community-focused event where students from Barrington Elementary and Jones Middle School can explore their curiosity, conduct experiments, and share their findings.
Our next fair will be held in early 2027 at Barrington Elementary. Students will present their projects in a supportive, engaging environment. Additionally, students in grades 5–8 may advance to the District 7 Science Fair held at Columbus State Community College.
Project Guidelines & Rules
Most projects are welcome — pick a question, test it, analyze results, and present. And if you only want to present at the Barjo Fair, and are not presenting at the district fair, then we can accept essentially any project. However, projects involving humans, vertebrate animals, hazardous materials, or risky procedures require prior approval from our IRB (Institutional Review Board).
If you aim to submit to the regional fair, additional rules and forms will apply (see next section).
Example Past Projects
- Bristlebots: Mobility Factors
- Iron Content in Cereal
- Crystal Growth Experiments
- Do Plants Grow Better to Music?
- Natural Insect Repellents
- Guitar Acoustics & Vibration
- Microplastics in Soil vs. Plant Growth
- Volcano Modeling
- Newton’s Cradle Demonstrations
- Avocado Ripening Effects
- Water Cycle Models
- Speed Testing of Toy Cars
Every great project starts with a question. What are you curious about? Let’s make it your project.
How to Get Started
Not sure where to begin? This year, we're supporting participants with regular office hours, guided webinars, and a resource hub to walk you step-by-step.
- Project Types Guide
- Overview of different allowable project types (experimental, engineering, observational, etc.).
- UA Public Library – Science Resources
- Access digital tools like National Geographic Kids, World Book Kids, and Science Reference Source (requires UAPL membership).
- Topic Brainstorming Worksheet
- A guided worksheet to help you choose an engaging, testable question for your project.
- ISEF Categories Reference
- List of categories recognized by the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF).
- Understanding Plagiarism
- Ethics and citation guidelines every project should follow.
- Trifold Board Layout Tips
- Design advice and examples for your display board.
- Helpful Videos & Tutorials
- Video walkthroughs on planning, executing experiments, and preparing presentations.
District & Regional Participation
Students in grades 5–8 may compete in the District 7 Science Fair. Projects advancing to district or state levels need to follow stricter guidelines. Reach out with questions at barjo@barjosciencefair.com.
- ProjectBoard FAQ
- Comprehensive answers about judging, rules, and requirements for project submissions.
- Engineering Research Plan Template
- Template for the research write-up if your project is design-based.
- Hypothesis Research Plan Template
- Template for hypothesis-based science projects.
- Ohio Science Day
- Official site of the Ohio Science Day competition.
- Science Day Standards 2025–2026
- Rules and criteria for final judging.
- District 7 Science Fair (CSCC)
- Information for the host college and regional program.
- Student Guide: Entry Steps
- Step-by-step guide to entering and formatting your project for competition.
- Hypothesis & Meta-Analysis Workbook
- Workbook for hypothesis-driven or meta-analysis projects.
- Engineering Design Workbook
- Workbook to guide you through an engineering-style project.
- Previous Project Examples
- Browse past projects submitted to state-level competition.
Timeline & Key Dates
Dates for the 2027 fair will be posted here in September 2026. The typical schedule looks like:
September 2026
Registration opens and details announced.
Fall 2026
Kickoff webinar and optional information meetings.
Winter 2026–2027
IRB submission deadline (for projects involving humans, vertebrate animals, or hazardous materials).
Early 2027
Barjo Science Fair at Barrington Elementary.
Judging & Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in volunteering or judging for the 2027 fair? We’d love your help! Registration will open in September 2026 — email us at barjo@barjosciencefair.com to be notified.
- Judging Rules (Ohio Science Days)
- Learn how judges evaluate projects and how scoring works.
- Sample Scorecard (5th–8th Grade)
- Example judging rubric used at Ohio Science Days.