Each entry will be judged by qualified, independent judges and graded on a 36-point scale under the criteria listed in the Science in Action Awards Rubric. Science in Action Awards will be awarded to the highest scoring applications in each of our communities. Applications, which fall into the “exceeded” category of our rubric and receive the highest scores, will have the following characteristics:

Goals and learning objectives	Goals and learning objectives cite state standards related to age-appropriate scientific understanding and address challenges specific to school or student group.
Activities	Students formulate questions for investigation related to learning goals and objectives and conduct open-ended, hands-on investigations. They use reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to observe, record, and present information.
Student outcomes	Students present results, compare findings, and respond to each other; assessment measures both performance skills and broad scientific understanding related to state standards.
Student engagement	The project is fun and exciting with specific learning that builds on existing knowledge for deeper, richer understanding and makes science a positive experience for all learners.
Timeline	Feasible timeline is linked to project goals and objectives with age-appropriate achievement milestones.
Instructional strategies	Instructional strategies address different levels of development and learning styles with hands-on activities, open-ended exploration, and guided inquiry.
Tools and resources	Age appropriate tools and resources are integrated in an innovative way that promotes open-ended inquiry and hands-on skills development.
Budget	Budget items support hands-on activities directly related to goals. Budget items may include equipment, materials, and resources as well as professional development and field trips. Sample items might include: thermometers, balances, measurement tools, microscopes, cameras, scanners, probeware, computers, software, magnifying lenses, string, straws, tacks, weather balloons, notebooks, safety glasses, chemicals, kits, tradebooks, literature, multimedia resources and online subscriptions as long as the teacher has a specific plan for using them.