What is a virtual science fair?
A virtual science fair is a fun way for a student to enter an exceptional science project in a statewide competition and vie for cash prizes and recognition. There is no cost and minimal hassle for the students, teachers, or parents—and you never have to travel any farther than your computer.
sciberpalooza! replicates a science fair that might be held in your classroom, at your school, or in a local competition. You simply answer questions about your project (the same questions a judge would ask you) and then record a basic video explaining your project.
sciberpalooza! judges will review your written submission and your video, and then pick the "Best of sciberpalooza!" winners.
Who can enter a project in sciberpalooza!?
Only 6th graders attending public or private non-profit 501 (c) (3) schools in California can participate in sciberpalooza!. We will accept a submission from a single student who has developed a science project. We also accept a submission of a group project (with up to 3 students in the group).
What is the Synopsys Outreach Foundation?
The Synopsys Outreach Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that was founded in 1999. The Foundation supports project-based learning at public schools, and private not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) schools in California. The Foundation receives the bulk of its funding from Synopsys, Inc. of Mountain View, CA, a global leader in electronic design automation.
What do I do to enter?
Be sure your parent has submitted a Parental Consent Form.
Click here
Enter some basic information about yourself, your school, etc.
Answer some questions about your project
Record a short video and explain the project in your own words (see below for more info)
Press "Submit"
Relax and let the judges review your submission
Do I need my parent’s permission to participate in sciberpalooza! ?
Yes! Each and every student participating in sciberpalooza! and each and every student appearing in the YouTube video must have his/her parent submit a Parental Consent Form prior to submitting an entry or posting a video on YouTube Parental Consent Form
How do I get my video on YouTube?
- Click the Upload link at the top of any YouTube page.
- Click the "Browse" button to browse for the video file you'd like to upload to our site. Select the file you want to upload.
- Click the “Upload Video” button to start the uploading process.
- Click the 'Save changes' button to save the updates you've made to the video file.
Please note: your video must meet our uploading requirements: no larger than 2GB and no more than 4 minutes in length. If your video does not meet these requirements you will need to re-edit the video file on your computer then upload the new file to our site.
Have more than one video file to upload?
Not a problem! You can upload up to 10 video files in a single uploading session.
What should I say in my video?
| Here are the key points:
|
How long should the video be?
No longer than 4 minutes. Be concise. Speak slowly and clearly, and give the judges the information they need to fully understand your project. THIS IS IMPORTANT: With your board in plain view, make concise statements about your project. Discuss your hypothesis, experiment, variables, data and conclusions. THE JUDGES WILL WANT TO SEE YOUR DATA, so be sure to zoom in on your charts or graphs.
What are the prizes?
Judges may select as many as 15 of the best projects as “Best of sciberpalooza!” winners. Each “Best of sciberpalooza!” project will receive $500 ($250 to the student or split between the students if a group project, and a $250 donation to the school)
What is the role of the teacher/parent?
First and foremost, a parent must submit a Parental Consent Form..
Each student should have an adult “guide” or mentor. That role may be filled by a teacher, parent, or mentor.
The “guide” may provide technical assistance in completing the entry form and production of the video. Substantive help with the articulation of the project is prohibited. Remember, students will be describing their own work on a video, so they need to be comfortable with the content, and not rely on direction from their “guide.”
Does a project need to be completed before it can be submitted?
Yes, the project should be completed so the student can answer questions fully and present conclusions on the entry form and in the video.
Who will judge the projects?
Submissions will be reviewed by judges chosen by the non-profit Synopsys Outreach Foundation.
How are the projects judged?
- Judges are most likely to look at the following elements of a project:
- Your question
- Your hypothesis
- Materials/procedures used
- Control variables used
- Your data analysis
- Your research
- Your conclusion and how you reached it
- Originality of your project topic
- Quality of your writing
Whom do I contact if I have questions?
Can anyone view my video on YouTube?
Yes








