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About the KSC

 

Year 4 of the Kids' Science Challenge is now closed for submissions.

What is the Kids’ Science Challenge?

The Kids’ Science Challenge (KSC), the premiere elementary school science competition in the US, is a free, nationwide science competition for students in grades 3 through 6. The KSC is funded primarily by the National Science Foundation but also receives support from other foundations and corporations. The KSC engages kids to use their creativity to make connections and innovate on our current conceptions of how things work. By participating in the competition, engaging in KSC activities and following the experiences of the winners, all students learn more about the process of innovation and about how those curious "what if" questions are the foundation of scientific thinking.

What were the topics?

2012
ZERO WASTE
The Challenge: Can you invent a package that never ends up in a landfill?
ANIMAL SMARTS
The Challenge: Can you design a toy, game or experiment that enhances the life of a pet or zoo animal and demonstrates its particular intelligence?
MEALS ON MARS
The Challenge: Can you come up with a new way to preserve, cook, deliver or sustainably produce food in flight or on Mars?

2011
SENSATIONAL SOUNDS
The Challenge: Can you invent a new musical instrument?
SUPER STUFF FOR SPORTS
The Challenge: Can you create super stuff for sports?
MAGICAL MICROBES
The Challenge: Can you find magic in microbes?

2010
SPORTS ON MARS
The Challenge: What game could you play on the low-gravity red planet?
DETECTIVE SCIENCE
The Challenge: Can you solve a mystery with the tools of science?
BIO-INSPIRED DESIGN
The Challenge: Can nature help you invent something new?

2009
FLAVOR SCIENCE
The Challenge: Invent a flavor or how to use flavor in a new way.
WATER QUALITY
The Challenge: Think of a way that could protect, test, or improve the quality of our water.
SKATEBOARD ENGINEERING
The Challenge: Come up with an idea for a new kind of skateboard.

S.E.T.I. (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)
The Challenge: Dream up a new way to receive or send messages to an intelligent life form in outer space!

What were the prizes?

One grand prize was awarded to a winning student (or team) in each of the 13 science topics. The grand prize winner for each topic won a trip to visit and work with a scientist or engineer to test their winning idea in a lab, workshop or research setting. There were also many cool runner-up prizes, such as science kits, science equipment and cool science toys.

Additionally, a "Drawings Gallery" contest allowed web site visitors to vote on their favorite Challenge drawings, and winners were awarded science kits, science equipment, and cool science toys.

The first 1,000 entrants received a free Science Activity Kit with hands-on projects related to the three science topics.

What else can I find on the Kids’ Science Challenge website?

 

National Sceince Foundation
Kids’ Science Challenge is made possible by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation.