"Treasure your curiosity and nurture your imagination."
-Shirley Ann Jackson, first Black woman to receive a doctorate from MIT
Think about SAFETY first:
The teacher’s job is to ensure that all student experiments are safe and appropriate for their grade level under supervised conditions.
- Be careful of experiments that: Produce gases or use gases (CO2, dry ice), use chemicals like cleaners, bleaches, alcohol, use of bacteria or mold. These are a few of examples of the experiments that would require approval by the Scientific Review Committee (SRC).
- Students must be aware of what projects are restricted and which need pre-approval.
- Students should review the SJCOE STEAM Fair Handbook
- Call us if you are in doubt!
The Rules Wizard has been designed as a first step to help you determine what forms and approvals are necessary before beginning a science fair project.
SJCOE suggests that all students, before they begin a STEAM Fair project, answer each of the questions, and a result page will provide a list of forms and information based on your answers; these forms and the accompanying rules should be reviewed closely with a teacher or mentor BEFORE experimentation begins.
SJCOE does not require forms to be completed or submitted for our fair. The California State Science and Engineering Fair does require the safety forms to be completed and submitted.
This wizard is intended to be a helpful tool, but it cannot account for all specifics and situations of your individual project. Please be sure to review the International Rules.
The Regeneron ISEF SRC (Scientific Review Committee) is available via e-mail ([email protected]) to answer any specific questions you may have.
SJCOE suggests that all students, before they begin a STEAM Fair project, answer each of the questions, and a result page will provide a list of forms and information based on your answers; these forms and the accompanying rules should be reviewed closely with a teacher or mentor BEFORE experimentation begins.
SJCOE does not require forms to be completed or submitted for our fair. The California State Science and Engineering Fair does require the safety forms to be completed and submitted.
This wizard is intended to be a helpful tool, but it cannot account for all specifics and situations of your individual project. Please be sure to review the International Rules.
The Regeneron ISEF SRC (Scientific Review Committee) is available via e-mail ([email protected]) to answer any specific questions you may have.
SJCOE STEAM Fair Handbook Information
2025-2026 Handbook
SJCOE STEAM Fair Handbook
Updated as of 11/25/2025
Student Permission / Hold Harmless Form
English version link
Spanish version link
Judging Rubrics
Investigative Projects p. 13-16
Showcase Projects p. 17-18
Possible Interview Questions
K-3 Interview Questions
4-8 Interview Questions
9-12 Interview Questions
Ethics Statement
Scientific fraud and misconduct are not condoned at any level of research or competition. This includes plagiarism, forgery, the presentation of other researchers' work as one's own, and the fabrication of data. Fraudulent projects will not be tolerated and will be disqualified.
The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) reserves the right to remove any project that it determines presents offensive language or pictures as part of its display, journal, or abstract. The SJCOE maintains reasonable security but is not responsible for lost or damaged displays. Displays that represent a danger to viewers will be removed. All research, experiments, models, and displays presented at the SJCOE STEAM Fair must comply with the California Dept of Education Student Safety Manual (https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/sciencesafety.asp). This includes storage of chemicals, safety gear to be worn by students, and compliance with the Ca. Ed.Code. SJCOE reserves the right to disqualify any projects that exhibit unsafe practices or behaviors or do not use proper personal protective equipment.
The San Joaquin County Office of STEM Programs reserves the right to disqualify any projects which exhibit unsafe practices.
The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) reserves the right to remove any project that it determines presents offensive language or pictures as part of its display, journal, or abstract. The SJCOE maintains reasonable security but is not responsible for lost or damaged displays. Displays that represent a danger to viewers will be removed. All research, experiments, models, and displays presented at the SJCOE STEAM Fair must comply with the California Dept of Education Student Safety Manual (https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/sciencesafety.asp). This includes storage of chemicals, safety gear to be worn by students, and compliance with the Ca. Ed.Code. SJCOE reserves the right to disqualify any projects that exhibit unsafe practices or behaviors or do not use proper personal protective equipment.
The San Joaquin County Office of STEM Programs reserves the right to disqualify any projects which exhibit unsafe practices.
Teachers and Parents Supporting Students
The San Joaquin County STEAM Fair is open to all K-12 students who attend school in San Joaquin County and have a teacher or qualified adult sponsor.
The SJCOE STEAM Fair is a secondary fair, and therefore, all projects submitted must first be evaluated/judged at a preliminary school site competition. The SJCOE STEAM Fair is a qualifying fair for the California State Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF).
What support might you provide your student?
The SJCOE STEAM Fair is a secondary fair, and therefore, all projects submitted must first be evaluated/judged at a preliminary school site competition. The SJCOE STEAM Fair is a qualifying fair for the California State Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF).
What support might you provide your student?
- What skills do your students need?
- Journaling – EVERYTHING goes in the notebook.
- Understanding of key vocabulary words.
- Do they know how to do at least three trials, do they know how to graph, and do they know how to do more than one test on their prototype?
- Do they understand SAFETY? Should they be using goggles, protective gloves, and clothing? Do they know what safety precautions to use?
- Do you really understand their project? You should.
- BUT, you should NOT be editing, telling them what to do next, etc. It is the student’s project.
- Teachers must be aware of which projects are restricted and which need pre-approval.
- All teachers need to review the SJCOE STEAM Fair Handbook
- Call or email us if you are in doubt!
Triboard Display Options
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Sample STEAM Notebook
This is a sample of a 5th-grade student from Jefferson School,
Jefferson School District.
This sample is NOT meant to show an exemplar notebook. It is meant to show what type of general items would be in a notebook, as well as the scaffolding used by the school to help mentor students through the process.
Notebooks can be handwritten or computer-generated. If you use a computer, you still must bring in a printed copy of your notebook.
As a special note, this project involves vertebrate animals and requires safety forms from the https://ruleswizard.societyforscience.org/
Student Resources
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Project Resources
Science Buddies is a great website that not only helps students generate ideas but also guides them in completing the project.
Science Buddies is a great website that not only helps students generate ideas but also guides them in completing the project.
Exploratorium Science Snacks are low-cost, teacher-tested activities for the classroom and the curious.
See how Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards are important to science and engineering projects:
Page Updated 01/05/2026