Science
Fair 2005-06
Dear Parents:
We are having a Science
Fair at
The purpose of a science
fair is to exercise thinking skills and expand knowledge of a topic of science.
It calls for constructive thought, research, and planning on the part of the
student. Every child who participates is
a winner because they find out more about a topic of science that interests
them.
Students in the third
and fifth grades will be required
to do a science project. Science Fair projects are optional for fourth
grade. Students may enter as an
individual or a group of two or
three students. Basic information on
the process of a science project is being given to the students in science lab
and with their grade level science teacher.
Please look at the calendar for
the due dates of project topic, research proposals and final project. Projects are due Jan. 17th and
projects that meet the requirements will be entered in Horn’s Science Fair.
Please read the attached
information carefully. It contains needed information and helpful suggestions
for every student and his/her parent.
I hope the children have a good experience
doing their science projects. There are many topic ideas in books available in
the lab, in the library and on the internet. If you have any questions about
the Fair I will be happy to meet with you by appointment.
Sincerely,
Ms. Santamaria
2006 Student
Calendar and Notes
November 1 Science Fair project information
goes home
November 17 Science
Fair Topic sheet (p. 14) due to grade level science teacher- must have verbal
permission to proceed
December 6 Research
proposals (p. 15, 16 and others if needed) due in classroom; must have all
signatures, bibliography, etc. filled out
January 17 Projects due at school
January 18, 19 Science Fair judging
January 20 Projects
taken down and go home
May West
Central Science Fair (date, place and time to be announced)
Rules and
Requirements
Science Fair topics can
include sciences in the following categories:
Botany/Environmental Science/Zoology
Behavioral Science/Biochemistry/Medicine and Health/Chemistry
Engineering/Computers/Mathematics
Physics
No poster projects (reports on a topic available
in books, etc.), demonstrations, models (like volcanoes) or collections are
eligible. Students must
undertake an experimental project where the student tries to reach conclusions
through data obtained in laboratory or field investigations, or investigative
projects where students conduct a survey or research a problem. Fifth
grade students: no surveys allowed. Your project must be an investigation
with variables. Check with Ms. Santamaria or your grade level science teacher if
you are not sure about your child’s project.
ONLY IF invertebrate
animals, vertebrate animals, human surveys, chemicals or potentially dangerous
equipment, soil, liquids or solvents are used, and cell cultures, bacteria, or mold
studies are conducted, an Application for Research and Designated
Adult Supervisor Certification (found on pg. 15) must be submitted to Ms.
Santamaria before the project is started. If necessary, this will be
forwarded to HISD for permission to begin.
This means if you study dogs, gerbils, bread mold, etc. you need
permission beforehand. HISD will not give permission for an experiment where
the intent is to kill a living organism (even if we don’t like fire ants!). In working with vertebrates no deficiency can
be studied.
If you do a survey, each participant must complete
an Informed Consent Form (p 18) and it must accompany your Application for
Research.
Chemicals are defined as
substances that a student could not purchase by themselves, including
consumable alcohol and tobacco products.
If you use soil/mud in
your project (except potting soil) you need prior approval.
Water usage is limited to
tap, distilled, or bottled water. Approval is needed for all other water.
Student Step-by-Step Check List
□ Think about a QUESTION or topic that you can investigate yourself. See the helpful sheets in the packet. Once you select a question give your teacher
the topic sheet for permission to begin planning. (p. 14)
□ Begin a JOURNAL to write down everything you do, observe, and think during
your research and during your investigation.
This should be handwritten and
begin the date you get the science fair packet. See the sample page.
□ Start
reading (research) about the TOPIC
or question. Keep a list of the references for your BIBLIOGRAPHY.
□ Form
a HYPOTHESIS about what you think
might be the answer to your question.
□ Plan a PROCEDURE to test your hypothesis. Decide what MATERIALS you will need and WRITE
STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS for what you will do and how you will do it. Please be sure you follow science safety
rules. Make sure you identify the VARIABLES
in your procedure.
□ Construct a CHART to help you COLLECT
and ORGANIZE YOUR DATA.
□ Fill
out your SCIENCE PROJECT PROPOSAL
( p. 15, 16, possibly p. 17). You and your parents sign it. Return it to your
teacher on or before the date in your calendar.
□ After you receive permission, FOLLOW THE STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS of
your procedure. You may change these directions if you need to, but make note
of it in your journal.
□ RECORD
all of your data onto your chart and in your journal.
□ Make a GRAPH of your results so others can see at a glance what you’ve
learned.
□ Write a CONCLUSION statement that summarizes your results and either
restates your hypothesis (if it is correct) or revises it (if it is not
supported).
Tell
why you think you got the results you did.
□ Write a SCIENCE PROJECT REPORT THAT SUMMARIZES YOUR INVESTIGATION. The report should include background information you
learned when reading about your topic or project, your hypothesis, any problems
you had during the experiment, your results, and your conclusions. Include any
insights or ideas for further investigations you might have. This report is in addition to your journal. It can be a copy of what you put on
the boards.
□ Construct your PROJECT DISPLAY neatly and bring it to
school on time.
Steps in Selecting a Science Fair Topic
- On a piece
of paper, list ten things or topics that interest you.
- Pick three
topics from these that could be used to conduct an experiment. (For
example, compare one thing to another or doing something one way and
comparing it to another.)
- Think of a
question you would like to answer by conducting the experiment. Do this
for all three topics. (For example: Do gerbils
like to sleep in dark tubes or tubes that allow light inside?)
- Do you have
materials or are you able to get the materials to conduct your experiment?
(For example: Do you have gerbils? If not, are your parents
willing to buy them?)
- Are you able
to conduct the experiment with little help from parents? This should be a
project you should be able to conduct with little help or guidance from
adults. Do not choose a difficult experiment.
- From the
three experiments you have thought about, which is your favorite? Which is
your second favorite? Which is third?
- Write your
final topic on the topic sheet and give it to your teacher by Nov. 17.
TIPS for Parents
The name of the class,
student or school must not appear on the project.
Selecting a topic
is the hardest part of the project. There are lots of books available at the
public library, Horn library or Horn science lab. Good ideas can be found in
Janice VanCleave’s books, AIM S publications (see Horn library or Ms.
Santamaria) and the internet. Also check the bulletin board outside the science
lab for ideas. Help your child pick a question to answer that is specific but
not too difficult to answer. Keep it simple.
Your role is to
guide and assist. Be prepared to offer help but do not
do the project. Know the rules and guidelines and check your child’s progress
regularly. Help them keep track of deadlines. Thinking ahead to avoid problems
in design, available time and resources is a valuable skill to learn.
If you need special equipment, please check with Ms. Santamaria.
The American Chemical
Society has a downloadable parents guide to Science Fairs with good information
and ideas.
http://www.chemistry.org/portal/resources/ACS/ACSContent/wondernet/grownups/scifair.pdf)
Ideas for Science Fair Topics
What type of
string or line carries sound waves the best?
Can you use the
sun’s energy to clean water?
Which metal
conducts heat the best?
How do different
soft drinks affect teeth?
How does exercise
affect the heart?
What percentage
of seeds in a packet will germinate?
Do children’s
heart rates increase as they get older?
What foods do
crickets like best?
Does the heart
rate increase with increasing sound volume?
How much of an
apple is water?
How can we make
an electromagnet stronger?
Does the slope of
a ramp affect how far a car travels?
Does the weight
of a car affect how far is travels down a ramp?
Does the weight of an object affect how
quickly it falls?
Do suction cups
stick equally well to all surfaces?
Which paper
airplane will fly the farthest?
Which brand of
tape holds things together the best?
Which materials
hold heat the best?
What materials
are the best insulators?
Does temperature
affect how much salt or sugar can be dissolved in water?
What affect does
temperature have on water evaporation?
Do girls or boys
have better reflexes?
Which kind of
ball bounces highest?
Do sow bugs
prefer light or dark?
Does the shape of
an aluminum boat affect how much weight it can carry?
Do plants help
stop erosion?
Does the rate of
water flow affect how quickly a canyon is formed?
What liquids can
be added to baking soda to make a chemical reaction?
Which brand of
diaper holds the most water?
Which laundry
detergent gets clothes the cleanest?
Do mealworms
prefer light or dark?
Does the type of
food a mealworm eats affect how quickly it becomes a pupa?
Useful Definitions
Hypothesis: educated
guess about the relationship between variables which can be tested. (If…, then…)
Independent Variable: the variable that is purposefully changed by the experimenter
Dependent variable: the variable that responds
Constants: all factors that remain the
same and have a fixed value
Control: the standard for
comparing experiment effects
Repeated Trials: the
number of experimental repetitions, objects or organisms tested at each level
of the independent variable
Making
it Clear
Worksheet/information to help student with the
science fair process.
Problem
Your problem or
topic must be written in the form of a question.
Your problem or
topic must be
*clear
*be
specific
*identify
the variables
Problem:
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
?
Variables
Variables are things that have an effect on an
experiment. In the sample journal on
page 9, a student is
determining if acid in water (acid rain) has an effect on plant growth. The hypothesis is that the more acid in the
water, the less the plant will grow or flourish. The growth will be measured in
centimeters and overall plant condition. The student uses the controlled variables of the same soil,
same size container, same amount of light, and the same amount of liquid fed
each plant on the same days. The independent variable is the different
amount of acid (vinegar) in the water given each plant. The dependent variable is the amount of
plant growth. See definitions on pg. 6 if necessary.
Write all of your controlled variables here_______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Write your independent variable
here___________________________________________
Write your dependent variable
here____________________________________________
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a scientific word for “an educated
guess”.
A hypothesis must:
*be
clear and brief
*be
testable
*change
the question to an “If/then” statement
*answer
the problem
*include
variables and how they affect one another
If
____________________________________________________________________
(Independent/manipulated
variable)
then
________________________________________________________________________ (dependent/responding
variable)
Experimentation
Materials List
Make a complete list of all the items you need to conduct your
experiment. Tell the size, quantity, kind and/or temperature of all items. Use metric measurements if possible.
Experimentation
Procedure Steps
The procedure should be a step-by-step list that anyone could follow to repeat your experiment. Descriptions of
steps should be clear and complete. It is like writing a recipe for your
science experiment and you don’t want to leave out any steps. Include safety
precautions. Do not write in the first person.
Keeping a Journal or
Logbook
As you do your project you will want to keep notes from day to day.
This can be done in a three ring binder or notebook. At the conclusion of your project
your journal will contain useful information for writing up your experiments. Below is a list of things to keep track of in
your journal.
DATES:
- when you started
- when you purchased your supplies
- when you did your research
- project deadlines
- when the experiments were performed
- when observations made
DATA
- descriptions of experiments
- actual results
- how experiments turned
- problem
- failed experiments
- modifications or changes to original design
- helpers
- equipment used
OBSERVATIONS AND PROCEDURES
- any information not used above
- expenditures and costs
- personal notes
JOURNAL SAMPLE
|
Date |
Entry |
|
|
Picked out problem using the packet. Decided to
investigate affect of acid rain on plants, using vinegar and water as the
acid rain. Turned in topic sheet to be approved |
|
|
Received approval to plan. Read about plants and
acid rain. Began planning experiment. Made chart to collect data. |
|
|
Purchased 16
healthy plants from the nursery. All were the about the same size in height,
in the same size pot, same type of plant. All were in potting soil. Will use four plants each
variable. Will keep in same location during the experiment. |
|
|
Make up acid rain by mixing 1 cup of water with
0, |
|
|
Watered plants as above .Took pictures. Measured
plants and recorded them in chart. Noticed that……. |
|
|
Watered plants as above. Measured plants and
recorded them in chart. Noticed that……. |
|
|
Watered plants as above. Measured plants and
recorded them in chart. Noticed that……. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Took final observations, took pictures and recorded
results. |
Data Collection
Chart
A data chart is a useful tool for recording data.
Be sure to include your independent and dependent variable. Also remember you
need to use at least three trials/ plants per value, etc.
so you can be sure your results are repeatable. (You would record
all plant growth, not just one.)
Sample Data
Collection Chart
|
Growth of plant in cm. |
Plant with 0 T
of ‘acid’ |
Plant with 1 T of ‘acid’ |
Plant with 2 T of ‘acid’ |
Plant with 4 T of ‘acid |
|
Day 0-plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 |
12 cm |
13 cm |
13 cm |
12 cm |
|
Day 3-plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 |
13 cm |
14 cm |
14cm |
12 cm |
|
Day 6-plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 |
15 cm |
15 cm |
14cm |
12cm |
|
Day 9-plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 |
16 cm |
15cm |
14 cm |
12 cm |
|
Day 12-plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 |
18 cm |
16 cm |
14 cm |
dead |
Conclusion
Now that you’ve collected your data, it is time to look at it and explain your results and draw any conclusions that you can make from your data. Your results described what happened. You might be able to say that “our results showed that acid rain affects the growth of a plant”. When you write your conclusions you write about what you have learned about your experiment. Did your data support your hypothesis? Were these the results you had expected? Did anything surprise you? Is there anything you would do change the design of your experiment?
Sample
Layout
There are many ways to display your material. You may use a threefold
backboard (school store will sell these) recycle one or make your own from
cardboard. Use correct spelling, keep your points simple, and keep your project
neat in appearance. Your bibliography
must appear the backdrop. Please don’t
include your face in pictures.
Note that you do not need an abstract or
a model as shown below.
Pictures or a graph are helpful. See the rules for what you may include in your
display
The size of the exhibit must not occupy a space in
excess of 76 cm (30 inches) deep- front to back; 60 cm (24 inches) wide –side
to side; and 274 cm (108 inches) high – floor to top. If the display requires electricity for
demonstration purposes, the entrant must furnish a good quality, 9 foot,
properly grounded electrical cord.
F.Y.I. All rules and regulations, duplicate forms, etc. can be found
either on Horn’s website (http://es.houstonisd.org/hornes/) or the West Region website http://www.houstonisd.org/Departments/channel_front/0,3107,117419538_124696274,00.html.
BIBLIOGRAPHY OR LITERATURE
CITED
The bibliography should have a minimum of three (3) major sources. These include books, journals (including electronic journals) and magazines. Internet sites, CD-ROMS and encyclopedias are not major sources. The correct form for a bibliography should be used.
A bibliography is a list of books, articles, pamphlets, and other communications or sources that you used for researching your topic and writing your paper. They are written or typewritten in this form:
A
Book with one Author
Author’s surname, first name. Title of Source (book) Place where published: Publisher, Date of Publication.
A
Magazine Article
Author’s surname, first name. “Title of article.” Name of magazine Publication date: volume; page number(s).
Government
Publications
Name of the government (country, state, etc.). Name of agency. Title of publication, Location of agency, Year published.
A
Reference Book on CD-ROM
Source.
Elements
of on-line Entry (No print version)
Author’s surname, first name. “Title.” Volume number. Issue number/or other identifying number (year or date of publication): Number of pages or paragraphs if given/or n.pag.On-line. Name of computer network. Date of access. Available: specify electronic address. (Note: If certain items do not apply or are not available, simply skip those and go on to the next.)
Note: n.pag. stands for no pagination.
Article
in an Electronic Journal (No print version)
Author’s surname, first name. “Title of article.” Title of the electronic journal volume and issue number (Date of publication): Number of pages or paragraphs. Publication medium. Name of computer network. Date of access. The work Available: Electronic address.
Note: Example of publication medium – On-line. Example of computer network – Internet
Electronic
File on the World Wide Web (No print version)
Author. “Name of article.” Date of publication: n.pag. Publication medium. Name of computer network. Date of access. The word Available WWW: Electronic address.
Note: When there is no volume or issue number, the date of publication is not placed in parentheses.
WEST REGION ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR
WEST REGION
SAMPLE SCORING SHEET FOR
INDIVIDUAL/TEAM PROJECTS
PROJECT TITLE PROJECT
NO.
JUDGE_______________________________________________________________________
ASSIGN A MAXIMUM
SCORE OF 10 POINTS IN EACH CATEGORY BELOW
|
PROJECT OBJECTIVES 1.
Creativity and originality |