Rules and Regulations
​•The committee reserves the right to reject any project.
•All projects must abide by the YSF’s policies and procedures. If a project is found to be in violation of the rules and regulations in the policies, the project may not be permitted to enter the regional or the national science fair.
•Prior approval for certain projects must be given before they are carried out. *** The rules cover projects which include the use of human subjects (including non-invasive methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, tests, examination of records, and exercise testing); projects involving vertebrate animals (including having an animal run through a maze); projects which use firearms or hazardous materials, or hazardous equipment, use of x-ray or radiation producing equipment, and projects using recombinant DNA, animal tissue or other biotech material such as enzymes.***(Use of Human Participants in Research, Use of Animals in Research, Use of Firearms, Hazardous Materials and Equipment) (forms are also available on the CISE web site and at your school. In order to participate in the Regional Fair in March, completed forms must be submitted for approval by Jan. 30 by faxing or emailing to
Anjula Corbin
Principal, Glenview Elementary
7310 Cluff Road, Prince George, V2K 2M3
Phone: (250) 962-9669 Fax: 250-962-9512
E-mail: acorbin@sd57.bc.ca
Remember DO NO HARM!!
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All projects entered at the CISE in Level 1 should include a project summary and must meet CWSF standards for size etc.
The Chief Judge's decision is final.
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In planning experiments on living organisms please note that plants, fungi, protozoa, insects and other invertebrate animals are the only organisms allowed.
- Observations of normal living patterns in wild or domestic animals or humans are acceptable providing they in no way be deleterious to the health, comfort or physical integrity of the animals. Pior approval must be given before they are carried out.
Use of Human Participants in Research, and/or Use of Animals in Research, (forms are also available on the CISE web site). In order to participate in the Regional Fair, completed forms must be submitted for approval by Jan. 30)
No unnecessary or indiscriminate experiments on live animals are to be performed. Animals are not to be displayed at the CISE. Records of observations may be displayed with photographs.
Observations of animals in their natural state may be permitted providing they in no way be deleterious to the health, comfort or physical integrity of the animals.
Eligibility and Grade Divisions
The Exhibition is open to all students in grades 4 through 12 in public and independent schools in School Districts No. 28 (Quesnel), No. 57 (Prince George), and No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) and home schooled students.
The exhibition is a bi-level event. There are two grade divisions:
Level I: Grades 7-12 Eligible for Canada WideScience Fair consideration
Level II: Grades 4-6 Not eligible for Canada Wide
Science Fair consideration
If a project involves students from Level I and II, it will not be eligible for the CWSF but will be judged as a Level I project (ex.: a project entered by a team of students, one in grade 6 and another in grade 7).
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Types of Projects
Experiment: an investigation undertaken to test a specific hypothesis.
Study: A collection and analysis of data to reveal evidence of a fact, situation or pattern of scientific interest. It could include a study of cause and effect relationships or theoretical investigations of scientific data. Variables, if identified, are by their nature not feasible to control, but an effort to make meaningful correlation is encouraged.
Innovation: The development and evaluation of innovative devices, models or techniques or approaches in fields such as technology, engineering or computers (both hardware and software).
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Exhibition Categories
Life Sciences
A life science project examines some aspect of the life or lifestyle of a non-human organism. Life science projects include botany and zoology, as well as psychology and kinesiology of non-human organisms. Examining plant growth or animal behaviors are examples of life science. Some phenomena, such as digestion, involve both life science and physical science. The selection of division will depend on whether the young scientist’s intent was to study the chemistry of the process, or the role of the process in the life of the animal (eating, production of enzymes, handling of wastes, etc.) More information
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Sciences
A Biotechnology project is the application of biological systems to solve a problem, create a product or provide a service. Biotechnology projects will fall into one of three subject fields: crop development, animal science and microbials.
Pharmaceutical sciences projects study the interaction of chemical substances with living systems. Substances with medicinal properties - the potential to cure or reduce symptoms of an illness or medical condition - are considered pharmaceuticals. Projects could include studies on drug composition and properties, interactions, toxicology, therapy, medicinal applications and antipathogenic capabilities.
Computing & Information Technology
Computing and information technology projects concentrate primarily on the development of computing hardware, software or applications, including programming languages and algorithms, software design and databases as well as the storage, transmission and manipulation of information.
Projects using computers to store and analyze data are normally entered in the division suggested by the focus of the experiment or study. However, if the project's focus is primarily on the application of computing to the problem and the data are of secondary significance, the project should be entered in this division.
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Earth and Environmental Sciences
Earth and environmental sciences projects focus on topics relating to planetary processes, the relationship of organisms to those processes, or the relationships between or among organisms.
Projects in this division can include issues in any of the following scientific disciplines: geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, limnology, climatology, seismology, geography, and ecology. Earth and environmental sciences includes the study of pollution, its sources and its control. It can also involve studies of biotic and/or abiotic factors in an environment, where such studies enhance our understanding of biological relationships and abiotic cycles.
Studies dealing with resource management or sustainable development usually fall into this category. Examples of such studies might include capture/recapture studies estimating population densities, determining bioproductivity in a specific ecosystem or niche, plate tectonics studies or examinations of mineral cycles (e.g., salt mills in the oceans)
Health Sciences
A health sciences project examines some biomedical and/or clinical aspect of human life or lifestyle and its translation into improved health for humans, or more effective health services and products. Projects related to the health of specific populations, societal and cultural dimensions of health, and environmental influences on health are also included in this division.
Health sciences projects include those related to human aging, genetics, cancer research, musculoskeletal health, arthritis, circulatory and respiratory health, nutrition, neurosciences, mental health, psychology, metabolism, human development, infection and immunology.
Projects involving animal research that have a direct application to humans are included in this division.
Physical & Mathematical Sciences
A Physical & Mathematical Sciences project studies an abiotic phenomenon in order to understand the relation of identified factors, perhaps including a cause and effect relationship, or the use of math to solve theoretical problems.
Physical science projects include fields such as physics, and chemistry and astronomy. Comparison testing of products is included in this division.
Mathematical science projects seek to demonstrate applications of mathematics (i.e. the search for a mathematical model) or to solve a theoretical problem. For example, in attempting to predict the shape of cacti, the use of mathematics would be central to the project. The problem provides a context for the exploration of pattern and the search for a mathematical model. Some areas of investigation in this category include algorithms, operational research (applications of mathematical and computing science to solve planning or operational problems), and statistics.
Engineering Sciences
Engineering projects deal with designing, or applications of physical science knowledge to solve a problem or achieve a purpose
An engineering project applies physical knowledge to solve a problem or achieve a purpose. A complete engineering project will include an outline of the need, the development of the innovation and some work on introducing the innovation to the community; however, many engineering projects focus on just the development phase.
Engineering projects normally focus on a new process, or a new product. A study of Bernoulli’s principle would be Physical Science, while the application of such a principle to improved aerodynamics and wing design would be engineering.
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A student could be doing an experiment, study, or an innovation / invention in any of the exhibition categories.