STEM Science Fair

STEM Science FairSTEM Science Fair

James Ryder Randall James Ryder Randall Elementary Elementary

January 14, 2010January 14, 2010

What is a STEM Science Fair What is a STEM Science Fair Project?Project?

……Our students will be conducting Our students will be conducting an investigation relating to an investigation relating to

Science, Technology, Engineering Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics!or Mathematics!

Agreement of Agreement of UnderstandingUnderstanding

Everyone participates in the school.Everyone participates in the school. Grades Pre-K-3 complete class projects.Grades Pre-K-3 complete class projects. Grades 4-6 complete individual projects. Grades 4-6 complete individual projects.

– You should complete a science fair project in You should complete a science fair project in order to successfully pass Science in the third order to successfully pass Science in the third quarter.quarter.

– The research paper will be graded and part of The research paper will be graded and part of your written communication grade.your written communication grade.

You must stick to the You must stick to the timelinetimeline set out by set out by your teacher so you can finish on time.your teacher so you can finish on time.

No late projects will be accepted into the No late projects will be accepted into the fair!fair!

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS ARE DUE JANUARY SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS ARE DUE JANUARY 12!12!

What you must include in What you must include in your project?your project?

Display board with Display board with all parts of the all parts of the scientific method.scientific method.

Research paper (4 Research paper (4 – 6 grade)– 6 grade)

JournalJournal

I can do all kinds of things I can do all kinds of things for my topic infor my topic in

BiologyBiology

Physical SciencePhysical Science

Earth/Space ScienceEarth/Space Science

ChemistryChemistry

MathematicsMathematics

EngineeringEngineering

TechnologyTechnology

Guidelines for choosing a Guidelines for choosing a topictopic

Only primary grades can do Only primary grades can do consumer projectsconsumer projects

No Projects involving No Projects involving VERTEBRATESVERTEBRATES No No ModelsModels No Bacteria ProjectsNo Bacteria Projects No Mold ProjectsNo Mold Projects Your teacher will provide you a with a Your teacher will provide you a with a

list of possible topics to pick from.list of possible topics to pick from.

STEM Science Fair is on STEM Science Fair is on January 14, 2009January 14, 2009

Some students will Some students will be interviewed and be interviewed and scored by a judge.scored by a judge.

Students at each Students at each grade level will be grade level will be awarded first, awarded first, second and third second and third place.place.

Kids for Science Kids for Science county competition county competition for grades 4 – 6 for grades 4 – 6 winners.winners.

Vertebrates are FISHVertebrates are FISH

Don’t experiment on me!

Vertebrates are REPTILESVertebrates are REPTILES

Like……Like…… SnakesSnakes LizardsLizards TurtlesTurtles

Don’t Experiment on

us!

Vertebrates are Vertebrates are AMPHIBIANSAMPHIBIANS

Like FROGS and SALAMANDERS

Don’t Experiment

on us!

Vertebrates Vertebrates are BIRDSare BIRDS Don’t

Experiment on us!

Vertebrates are MAMMALSVertebrates are MAMMALSSUCH AS-SUCH AS- RabbitsRabbits DogsDogs CatsCats HamstersHamsters Gerbils Gerbils AND …………..AND …………..

NO EXPERIMENTS ON US!

PEOPLE ARE MAMMALS PEOPLE ARE MAMMALS TOO!TOO!

Do not do Do not do experiments on experiments on people like making people like making them taste them taste something, something, exercise and check exercise and check heart rate or heart rate or breathing or even breathing or even asking survey asking survey questions questions

Don’t experiment

on us!

Topics I can do- Topics I can do- InvertebratesInvertebrates

WORMS INSECTS

MOLLUSKS

Models do not allow you to Models do not allow you to collect datacollect data

Such asSuch as Volcanoes Volcanoes

Or Or The Solar SystemThe Solar System

CONSUMER SCIENCE IS FOR CONSUMER SCIENCE IS FOR PRIMARY GRADES (Pre-K – PRIMARY GRADES (Pre-K –

2) ONLY!2) ONLY!

What paper towel What paper towel soaks up the most soaks up the most water?water?

What diaper What diaper absorbs the most absorbs the most liquid?liquid?

Which ketchup is Which ketchup is thicker?thicker?

Consumer science is testing a product or comparing it to another brand of the same product.

Student JournalStudent Journal Each student receives a science fair Each student receives a science fair

project journal that takes the student project journal that takes the student step-by-step through the process.step-by-step through the process.

It is the place to keep track of the It is the place to keep track of the project steps throughout the process.project steps throughout the process.

Gives examples and explanations of Gives examples and explanations of each step.each step.

Gives a place for teacher/parent Gives a place for teacher/parent communication.communication.

Getting StartedGetting StartedChoosing a TopicChoosing a Topic

Research some Research some topics using the topics using the library and/or library and/or internet internet

The topic should be The topic should be something you have something you have a question about a question about that is related to that is related to sciencescience

Can the question be Can the question be answered through answered through an experiment?an experiment?

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

It has a QUESTION What It has a QUESTION What exactly are you trying to exactly are you trying to find out?find out?

It has a HYPOTHESIS - It has a HYPOTHESIS - written as a PREDICTION written as a PREDICTION Based on your research, Based on your research, and/or your own and/or your own experiences, make an experiences, make an educated guess as to educated guess as to what you think will what you think will happen.happen.

Be sure to support your Be sure to support your prediction with a reason!prediction with a reason!

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

It has VARIABLES It has VARIABLES An An independent variableindependent variable is the thing you purposely change. is the thing you purposely change. A A dependent variabledependent variable is the thing that’s being observed. It’s is the thing that’s being observed. It’s

what you hope will change during the experiment.what you hope will change during the experiment. The variables that do not change are The variables that do not change are controlled variablescontrolled variables..

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

It has It has MATERIALSMATERIALS

Be specific! Be specific! Give amounts and sizesGive amounts and sizesFor example: 2 liters of waterFor example: 2 liters of water

You must use METRIC measurements!You must use METRIC measurements!

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

It has It has ProceduresProcedures

The procedures are a detailed step-by- The procedures are a detailed step-by- step set of directions of how to step set of directions of how to conduct the experiment.conduct the experiment.

Procedures are numbered. Procedures are numbered. There should be at least 3 repeated There should be at least 3 repeated

trials. trials.

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

It has an It has an EXPERIMENT. This EXPERIMENT. This is your chance to is your chance to test your prediction.test your prediction.

Data should be Data should be collected collected throughout your throughout your investigation. investigation. Decide what data Decide what data tool will most fit tool will most fit your needs. your needs.

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

It has RESULTS. This is It has RESULTS. This is what actually happened in what actually happened in the investigation. This the investigation. This should include data, at should include data, at least one graph, least one graph, and a and a written explanation.written explanation.

It also has a CONCLUSION. It also has a CONCLUSION. Was your prediction Was your prediction supported? What did you supported? What did you learn? What things would learn? What things would you do to change the you do to change the investigation? What will investigation? What will you do next? How does you do next? How does what you learned apply to what you learned apply to the real world. The the real world. The conclusion is written in conclusion is written in paragraph form.paragraph form.

0

50

100

1stQtr

3rdQtr

East

West

North

Research PaperResearch Paper

Title PageTitle Page AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements QuestionQuestion Background Background

researchresearch Sources/Sources/

BibliographyBibliography

What is a scientific What is a scientific investigation?investigation?

Finally, it has a Finally, it has a PRESENTATION. PRESENTATION. This includes the This includes the backboard and the backboard and the oral report.oral report.

Display of the Science Fair Display of the Science Fair ProjectProject

Question

Title

Procedures

Written Explanation*

Conclusion

Graph*Data Chart*

Hypothesis

Variables

Materials

*All parts of the results.

Thank you for all of your Thank you for all of your support!support!