Join us for the

14th Annual Horace Mann Virtual Science and Engineering Night!

Enjoy a night of VIRTUAL science fun on Thursday, February 17, 2022.

To participate, please submit a short video of your work by Monday, February 7th.

Science and Engineering Night is an interactive, kid-propelled, non-competitive evening of science fun, driven by the notion that every child who has ever asked “why?” is an innate scientist.

Kids (working alone or with siblings or friends) can do an experiment (e.g. how does temperature affect how well popcorn pops?) or build a gadget (e.g. a periscope or balloon rocket).  Usually, we restrict displays to half a tabletop and there is some kind of written explanation of the science behind it – a poster, a drawing, but since we’re filming this year, ANYTHING goes. Do not get hung up on complexity or sophistication! We want kid-quality work!

Please keep this EASY ON PARENTS! NEED IDEAS FOR A PROJECT? Look for project ideas on these websites:

DEADLINE for SUBMISSION is FEBRUARY 7th.

How to submit:

Upload your video, (up to three minutes long) to  

this link.

Please include your student’s name and topic in the file name. We reserve the right to edit for length.

General tips and guidelines for making video.

Don’t shoot Vertical Video – Record with your phone or device turned horizontal to resemble a TV screen.

Good Lighting – Select a location with bright and even lighting that does not cast shadows. If recording indoors, turn the ceiling light on. Avoid recording directly in front of the window. If recording outdoors, positions the sun behind the camera or shoot in shade.

Stay Steady – Use a stand, support, tripod, if possible, to keep your shots steady and well framed.

Better Audio – Keep the Phone/Camera within 2-4 ft of the voice so that built-in camera does not pickup other sounds like Heating/AC.

Don’t use digital zoom – Instead stay closer to the subject, for better image and audio quality.

Exposure and focus – Simply tap on your subject using your smartphone’s default app to manually lock exposure and focus in your footage.

Questions? Contact Beth Cronin at crobar1000@hotmail.com