2013-2014 Science Fair Packet - Noblesville Schools...Noble’CrossingElementary’ ScienceFairInformation’ ’ AScience&Fair&for&students&inKindergartenthrough&5th&gradewill&be&held&on

SCIENCE  FAIR  PARTICIPATION  CONFIRMATION  SHEET    Name  of  Student      ______________________________________  

Grade    ____________         Teacher  ________________________  

Project  Title    __________________________________________  

Please  check  the  following:  

I  have  enclosed  $4.00  for  a  display  board  (optional).      _____  

I  am  working  alone.    _____  

I  am  working  with  a  partner.    _____  

My  partner’s  name  is:    ___________________________________  

Do  you  need  electricity?      Yes    _____              No    _____  

Do  you  need  any  special  school  equipment?  Yes    _____          No    _____  

List  any  other  specific  requests  that  need  the  attention  of  the  Science  Fair  Committee.  

List  any  siblings  who  are  participating  in  the  Science  Fair.  

**Please  return  to  your  teacher  by  Friday,  February    14th.  

**Teachers,  return  forms  to  Kathy  Crosley.  

Noble  Crossing  Elementary  Science  Fair  Information  

 A  Science  Fair  for  students  in  Kindergarten  through  5th  grade  will  be  held  on  Thursday,  February  20th  at  Noble  Crossing  Elementary  School.  

Students  participating  in  the  Science  Fair  will  be  able  to  set  up  their  projects  at  the  school  on  Wednesday,  February  19th,  from  6-­‐7  pm.      Set  up  time  will  not  be  for  public  viewing.    Judging  of  the  projects  will  take  place  during  the  school  day  on  Thursday,  February  20th.      Students  eligible  for  participation  in  the  Regional  Competition  will  be  named  on  the  morning  announcements  and  in  the  Noble  Newsletter  from  Mr.  Haney.  All  projects  should  be  picked  up  at  the  open  house  on  Thursday,  February  20th,  from  6-­‐7  pm  

Guidelines:      

1. Science  Fair  projects  will  be  entered  in  a  category  according  to  grade  level.  

2. Students  may  work  individually  or  in  pairs.    If  working  with  another  person,  both  students  must  be  in  the  same  grade  level.  

3. A  Participation  Confirmation  Sheet  (page  1)  should  be  returned  to  school  by  February  15th.  

4. Each  project  will  include  a  “credit  sheet”  listing  the  persons  who  helped  and  what  they  did.    The  “credit  sheet”  should  also  include  a  list  of  books  and  other  resources  used.      

5. All  students  grades1-­‐5  MUST  complete  a  report.    The  following  pages  would  be  adequate  for  a  report:    A.    Science  Project  Format                                                                        

 B.    My  Science  Project  Record  Sheet    

 C.    My  Science  Observations                                                                    

Students  should  use  this  information  to  develop  an  Exhibit  Board  (see                    sample  that  is  included  in  this  packet).  

6. The  display  should  not  be  more  than  36  inches  tall  and  48  inches  wide.    All  displays  are  limited  to  the  surface  on  the  display  board  and  the  allotted  space  on  the  table.    No  easels  or  floor  space.  .    Boards  can  be  purchased  from  Mrs.  Owens  for  $4.00  each.  

7. Students  must  be  present  at  the  time  of  judging  and  be  prepared  to  orally  explain  their  project  to  the  judges  and  answer  questions.    All  students  will  be  scheduled  a  time  to  meet  with  the  judges  during  the  school  day  on  February  20th.  

Hints  for  a  better  Science  Project  

1. Choose  a  topic  early.  Do  not  wait  until  a  couple  of  weeks  before  the  Science  Fair  to  start.  

2. Try  to  use  one  or  more  of  these:  diagrams,  charts,  pictures,  drawings,  equipment,  collections,  tape  recordings,  slides,  filmstrips,  graphs  or  tables.  

3. Keep  accurate  records.  4. Label  display  with  a  good  descriptive  title  in  large,  bold  print.    Use  

short,  clear  statements.    The  average  person  will  spend  only  a  few  minutes  looking  at  each  display.  

5. Think  “neatness.”    Use  a  ruler  to  make  lettering  straight.    A  thin  line  can  be  erased.  Use  eye-­‐pleasing  colors  on  the  display  boards.  

6. Each  packet  contains  labels  for  the  display  board.    You  may  use  them  or  create  your  own.  

7. Use  the  information  from  your  “Science  Project  Record  Sheet”  and  “My  Science  Observation  Sheet”  for  your  exhibit  board.  

8. Websites  that  may  be  helpful:    

http://www.ipl.org/youth/projectguide/  

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-­‐fair-­‐projects/project_ideas.shtml  

http://www.all-­‐science-­‐fair-­‐projects.com/  

Awards  

1. A  ribbon  will  be  presented  to  each  student  who  completes  a  project.    Regional  qualifiers  will  also  receive  a  certificate.  

2. The  Regional  Science  Fair  is  Saturday,  March  8th,  at  the  Marian  University  campus.    Noble  Crossing  is  allowed  to  send  up  to  three  projects  per  grade  level.    Parents  will  be  responsible  to  get  their  child  to  the  event.    More  information  will  be  sent  home  with  the  qualifiers.      

Science  Experiment  vs.  Science  Research    

  Before  beginning  your  project,  make  sure  you  have  started  with  a  question  you  can  answer  with  an  experiment.    Below  are  a  few  examples  of  research  and  experiments.        

Research  Dinosaurs-­‐  They  are  fascinating  to  learn  about  but  you  cannot  experiment  on  them.    Extinction  just  gets  in  the  way.      

Volcanoes-­‐  Everyone  loves  paper  mache,  but  this  is  part  of  a  report.    If  you  want  to  study  what  mixture  of  chemicals  would  give  you  the  greatest  reaction  this  would  be  an  experiment.  

All  about  the  Planets-­‐  A  fact  report  and  making  models  of  the  planets  is  great,  but  again  it  is  research.    

And  now  a  few  experiments...  

1.Temperature and the amount of time it takes mealworms to change to beetles.

2. The effect of different concentrations of soapy water on seed germination.

3. Crystal size and the amount of sugar in the solution.

Each of these topics measures one thing, such as the amount of sugar, the concentration of soapy water, or the temperature.

When in doubt contact a science fair committee member with any questions you have!

SCIENCE  PROJECT  FORMAT  

Checklist  

_____   1.   Choose  a  science  project  TOPIC.  

_____   2.   Write  a  QUESTION  you  would  like  to  answer  about  your  science  topic.  

_____   3.   Develop  a  HYPOTHESIS  -­‐  guess  what  the  answer  to  your  question  will  be.  

_____   4.   Plan  an  EXPERIMENT.  Decide  on  the  METHODS  you'll  use  to  find  the           answer(s)  to  your  scientific  question.  

_____   5.   Make  a  list  of  MATERIALS  you'll  need  -­‐  gather  your  materials.  

_____   6.   Make  your  OBSERVATIONS  as  you  do  your  experiment.  INVESTIGATE  and         record  your  DATA  or  information.  

_____   7.   Draw  or  make  your  experiment  CONCLUSIONS.  Why  do  you  think  your         experiment  results  turned  out  the  way  they  did?  

_____   8.   Decide  how  to  share  your  experiment  CONCLUSIONS  with  others.  Do  you         want  to  make  a  chart,  a  table,  or  graph  to  show  what  happened?  

_____   9.   Design  your  science  project  EXHIBIT.  

_____   10.   CONSTRUCT  or  make  your  science  project  exhibit.  

WHAT  AN  ACCOMPLISHMENT  FOR  YOU!!!  

NOTES:  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  

MY  SCIENCE  EXHIBIT  DIMENSIONS:  _________________________________________________________  

  (must  fit  within  24"  deep  x  36"  wide  x  108"  tall  -­‐  floor  to  top)  

MY  SCIENCE  PROJECT  RECORD  SHEET  

 NAME    _____________________________________________________________________    DATE  BEGUN     _____________________________________________________    DATE  COMPLETED   _____________________________________________________    My  Science  Project  Topic  (What  it  is  about):    __________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    My  Science  Project  Question:  ___________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    My  Science  Project  Hypothesis  (A  guess  at  the  answer  to  my      question):    ________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________  

 My  Science  Project  Experiment:       I  used  these  materials:    ____________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    These  were  the  steps  of  my  experiment:       1.   _________________________________________________________________         _________________________________________________________________       2.   _________________________________________________________________         _________________________________________________________________       3.   _________________________________________________________________         _________________________________________________________________       4.   _________________________________________________________________         _________________________________________________________________       5.   _________________________________________________________________         _________________________________________________________________         _________________________________________________________________  

This  is  what  happened:  (See  your  observation  sheet)    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    I  Decided,  or  concluded:    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________       My  experiment  results  answered  my  question:         yes    __________     no    __________  

MY  SCIENCE  OBSERVATIONS    DATE    ________________    OBSERVATIONS:  What  I  saw,  heard,  smelled,                     or  tasted      _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________    _____________________________________________________________________________  

 What  the  judges  are  looking  for  in  a  project/participant  

1.      The  problem  or  question  was  clearly  stated.  

2.      The  hypothesis  was  derived  from  the  question.  

3.      The  scientific  method  was  followed.  

4.      Observations  were  clearly  summarized.  

5.      Conclusions  and  summary  were  justified  based  on  the  presented  data.  

6.      Oral  presentation  discussed  all  phases  of  the  project.  

7.      The  researcher  answered  questions  effectively  and  accurately.  

8.      Report,  tables,  graphs,  or  illustrations  were  used  effectively  in  interpreting  data.  

9.      The  display  board  effectively  and  neatly  presented  the  project.  

10.      Creativity  was  used  in  the  demonstration  of  the  scientific  process.  

Title  of  Project  

Materials  

Data  

Model  

Purpose  or  Topic  

Variables   Results  

Graphs  

General  layout  of  the  display  board.  

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SCIENCE FAIR SUCCESS How to make the experience fun and worthwhile (for you and your kids) Your child has just announced that she'd like to participate in her school's next science fair. Great, you say. Gulp, you think. When's the last time you were involved in a science fair? Fifteen years ago? Never? How on earth will you know how to provide the kind of help she needs?

Not to worry. Although science fairs come in all shapes and sizes, they can be tackled in much the same way. You can assist your child by learning what's expected, knowing how to assess potential projects, being aware of the likely roadblocks (and solutions to them) and being on hand to provide basic logistical support. If you're prepared, a science fair can be a rewarding experience that will teach both you and your child a few things about the process of doing science.

GETTING STARTED When you first learn that your child has a science fair project due, get a copy of the teacher's guidelines. "Parents should get these rules and read them, because every science fair is different," notes Adina M. Sobo, high school outreach coordinator for the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Science Enrichment Program at the University of California at San Diego. Sit down with your child and make a list of the criteria by which the work will be judged. Figure out what kind of project is required: Is it to be a demonstration of a known scientific principle, for example, or should the student develop a question and devise experiments to answer it? Many variations exist. If you're still unsure about what's expected after reading the guidelines, Sobo adds, consult the teacher. PICKING A PROJECT Picking a topic can often be stressful for a student. "Ask your child lots of questions and try to make them think critically of a good project topic," advises Joe Bosco, director of category judges for the Pittsburgh Science and Engineering Fair and a longtime volunteer demonstrator at the Carnegie Science Center. "Ask yourself, 'Is there anything they already wonder about that could be investigated scientifically?'" he says.

Bosco recalls a student who lived on a farm and was raising a calf. The student wanted to know what his calf liked best to eat, so he designed a science project to test which of two feeds the young cow ate fastest. Once you narrow in on a topic, ask your child such questions as, "How could we test that to find an answer?" "Is there anything we could measure?" and "How long would it take to get some answers?" If your child can come up with good answers, Bosco says, then the project is probably off to a good start. Before you go too far, help your child determine whether the project is at the right level of complexity. "If you can go to the library and look up the answer to your question, it's too easy," notes Christopher M. Gould, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Southern California and former chair of the California State Science Fair. "If there are too many smaller questions you need to answer in order to tackle the main question, it's probably too broad." Another thing to consider is time. "If you cannot answer your question within the given time period you should come up with something more manageable," says Yu Linda Song, a former teacher and now an education specialist with www.eSCORE.com. "Picking topics that take more time than students have is a classic mistake." For example, many students want to work on projects that involve plants, but what if the plants require too long to grow? AVOIDING ROADBLOCKS No matter what format of science fair your child participates in, she will most likely encounter a few common roadblocks. By anticipating them, a parent can smooth the way and sometimes avert trouble altogether. When choosing a topic, make sure it's legal, Sobo counsels: "There are state laws governing animal projects, and anything with cigarettes is illegal." Consult the teacher or competition administrators in advance to be certain that a topic is acceptable. Once your child starts working on the project, encourage her to explore new questions that might pop up in the process. "Some kids latch onto a question and topic too quickly," remarks Fred Olness, co-director of the

Dallas Science Fair and associate professor and director of undergraduate studies for physics at Southern Methodist University. "Science is a process," he says. "If, through experimentation, their original project question leads to different questions, kids should take time to explore them." Running out of time, many experts warn, can be a huge roadblock. "Use and adhere to a timetable," says Barbara Batterson-Rossi, adjunct associate professor of geography, oceanography, geology and ecology at Cuyamaca College. "No matter how wonderful the subject," she notes, "if not worked on throughout the season on a regular basis, [the project] will be poorly completed." Parents can help students stick to a schedule by encouraging them to create and meet intermediate due dates. As the project nears completion, some students think they need to confirm their hypothesis in order to be successful, Olness comments: "But in real science, experiments that have no answer or disprove a hypothesis are just as valuable." As a parent, be careful not to fall into the confirmation trap and only praise a confirming experiment. Encourage your child to see the value in the results of the project either way. HELPING DURING THE PROJECT As the parent, your primary role is to encourage, supervise, and provide materials for your child--not to do the project for her. You should be encouraging progress and new discoveries, but the child should be doing the work. If she doesn't, Bosco says, she will not experience the process or the rewards in the end. Help your child to gather the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to complete the assignment. Then be there to oversee the use of these materials. "Safety is of upmost importance," points out Cathy Banks, director of the Science and Mathematics Center for Women at Texas Woman's University. "A parent should always be present when using new things." As your child gets deeper into the project, become an encourager. You can also be supportive by helping your child to identify and find resources. Sobo suggests posing questions such as "Where could we find that out?"

FINE-TUNING THE PRESENTATION When your child's display is nearly ready, refer to the teacher's criteria to make sure the project includes all the required elements. "If the teacher says 'abstract,'" Sobo says, "you'd better have one or you'll get a zero on that bit." "Always proofread your child's display," Bosco and many others recommend. "Ask to see the title and graphs before they are placed on the board." This will help your child avoid embarrassing grammatical and spelling mistakes. If there is an oral element to the project, Bosco advises parents to team up with another parent and child in the class. Everyone should listen to formal talks together and then practice asking questions. Encourage the other parent to ask questions of your child and quiz the other student yourself. Among the questions you might pose are, "What did you learn?" "What would you do differently next time?" and "What were the sources of uncertainty in your experiment?" If the child stumbles, try to reword the question in a way he or she can more easily comprehend. WHAT TO EXPECT IN GRADES K-2 According to the 2000 National Science Education Standards (NSES), a document from the National Research Council, students at this level are just learning to "observe, measure, cut, connect, switch, turn on and off, pour, hold, tie and hook." Projects that use these skills may include student demonstrations (for example, exploding volcanoes), categorizations (grouping kinds of trees), collections (identifying different types of leaves), and reports with displays (measuring rainfall over a period of time). Yu Linda Song, a former teacher and education specialist with www.eSCORE.com, cautions that parents with children in this age range find it hard to remain hands-off. "Parents should let kids do their own projects so that the students learn the skills," she says. WHAT TO EXPECT IN GRADES 3-5 Students in these grades use more complex tools, such as thermometers, watches, balances magnifiers, microscopes and calculators, according to

the NSES. By grade 5 students should be doing partial or full inquiries and will "begin to recognize the relationship between explanation and evidence," the NSES states. Projects at this level may require students to come up with a very basic question that can be answered through investigation. The NSES says that up until grade 4 children can "have difficulty with experimentation as a process of testing ideas and the logic of using evidence to formulate explanations." Ask questions to make sure your child understand why and how an experiment can provide an answer to his or her scientific question. WHAT TO EXPECT IN GRADES 6-7 At this level students "can understand that background knowledge and theories guide the design of investigations, the types of observations made, and the interpretations of data," the NSES says. Students in these grades are usually asked to come up with a question, develop a way to test it, and draw conclusions. Often they are interviewed by judges during the event. Science fairs in these grades may be competitive and even required. Typical difficulties include choosing questions that are too narrow or too broad, not budgeting enough time and concentrating too much on winning. EXPLORE SOME MORE www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/ National Science Education Standards online.

www.physics1.usc.edu/~gould/ScienceFairs/ An extensive directory to science fair resources, including national, regional, state and local fair home pages and online "virtual science fairs."

www.scifair.org/ Ideas, resources and links.

The Parent's Guide to Science Fairs, by John Barron (Lowell House). A step-by-step guide to the experiment-based science fair.

Getting Started in Science Fairs, by Phyllis J. Perry (TAB Books). Topic ideas and advice for parents and teachers. Also includes tips on how to judge a science fair.

~~~~~~~~

By Krista West

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Science Fair Success. By: West, Krista. Scientfic American Explorations, Winter2001, Vol. 4 Issue 1, p38, 3p; Reading Level (Lexile): 1070