Competition Process
Each team of students will receive a lunar or Martian soil simulant package complete with pots, masks, and a pH meter. The lunar and martian soil simulants are specially designed to mimic the soil of the Moon or Mars in chemistry, composition, grain size, and density. Teams will also receive a digital Project Guide from the Institute of Competition Sciences. Following the Project Guide, you will create your own experiment to examine important variables related to plant growth in the simulant. Results from your experiment will be shown to NASA scientists and our scientific evaluators to select best in show projects!Judging Criteria
See https://plantthemoon.com/best-in-show/ for examples of past winning experiments.Awards & Recognition
Best in Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
Best in Show - College and Professional Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
Florida Best In Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
North Carolina Best in Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
Puerto Rico Best in Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
South Carolina Best in Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
Virginia Best in Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
West Virginia Best in Show - High School Division
This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges.
The Experimental Design badge is awarded to students who earn recognition in competitions that demonstrate their ability to plan and execute high-quality scientific investigations. This badge demonstrates knowledge in identifying important scientific questions, developing experimental protocols, isolating variables, and implementing operational procedures. Associated skills: Formulate valid hypotheses and design repeatable experiments; plan and execute scientific investigations; maintain a control system to validate testing; account for environmental and human error factors.
Participate
Website: https://www.plantthemoon.com
Managing Organization: Institute of Competition Sciences
Elementary, Middle School, High School, University/Professional teams are all welcome to participate and will be judged & awarded according to their age division.