Science beyond the classroom

Not every student is meant to be a scientist. Students come into a classroom with a variety of experiences, interests, and abilities. Therefore, the goal of any science program is not the production of chemists, physicists, or biologists but the development of scientifically literature individuals: students who can question, hypothesize, test, record, and conclude. The classroom environment cannot always provide the range of real-life experiences necessary for students to internalize the scientific method. The Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS), through its sponsorship of local, regional, and state science fair competitions, seeks to assist the schools by providing just such practical hands-on experiences. The IJAS-sponsored expositions allow students the opportunity to translate classroom knowledge into a form that is tangible and concrete, an event that goes beyond the walls of a classroom into the reality of the world in which they will live and work.