The purpose for encouraging students to
complete long term projects such as the
science fair project is to give students
the opportunity to research problems or
explore a topic in a systematic scientific
way. Another benefit of such a project
is that they also require students to
integrate and apply the skills they have
learned in language arts, math, and science.
Furthermore, such projects allow students
the opportunity to express their curiosity,
creativity, and ingenuity. The fact that
competition is involved in the school
fairs should not overshadow the basic
reason for the project. The primary goal
is student learning.
Science
Fair PowerPoint Presentation
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Creating
Science Fair Projects
Start
with a Problem that you
can solve through experimentation. The
Problem should be written in simple question
format form: What is the effect of _____
on _____? How does _____ affect _____?
Which _____ (verb) ______?
Next
begin your research to gain background
information on the topic. Review relevant
literature to answer questions you might
have about the topic. Always record the
answers and sources. Write your Review
of Literature. At this time,
go ahead and do your Bibliography. See
guidelines.
After
you have reviewed the literature, formulate
one Hypothesis based on your findings.
It should be written simply. My hypothesis
states that _____ because _____.
Next,
design your Procedure
for testing your hypothesis. This should
be clear, concise, and logically sequenced.
Be sure to list the Materials. Be sure
to have a Data Collection Form devised
to record results from your experiment.
Make sure that you test your experiment
at least THREE times. (The number of trials
should allow for a substantial amount
of data to accept or reject your hypothesis.
Ex. Surveys may require 30 participants,
not 3 trials)
Analysis of Data is a
narrative statement in paragraph form
telling what your actual research and
results indicated. It should include a
summary of all data found. Ex. I found
out that _____.
Conclusion:
What did you find out? Did you accept
or reject your hypothesis? Ex. I found
out that _____ because _____. Therefore,
I (accept, reject) my hypothesis which
states that _____ .
Application:
How will your research findings help people
solve problems or make the world a better
place to live? Ex. I can apply this to
the real world by _____.
Once
all of the above steps have been completed
and you have finished your experiment,
it is time to write your Abstract to summarize
the results and process. After this, you
will need to work on your Backboard, a
visual representation to convey the results
of your experiment.
Questions
to ask when working through the Scientific
Method:
1. What do I want to find out? Stating
the Problem
2. What should happen? Formulating the
Hypothesis
3. What materials do I need? Listing the
Materials
4. What do I do with the materials? Outlining
the procedure
5. What did happen? Recording Observations
and analyzing data
6. Did I find out what I wanted to know?
Drawing Conclusion
Examples
of ways to state the Problem Statement:
1. What is the effect of ______ on ______?
Detergent on germination of seeds, Eye
color on pupil dilation
Light on growth of plants, Temperature
on the volume of air
2. How/to what extent do/does the _____
affect _____?
Color of light to growth of plants, Humidity
to growth of fungus,
Color of material to its absorption of
heat, Viscosity of a liquid to its boiling
point
3. Which/ what ______ verb _____?
Paper towel is most absorbent, Peanut
butter tastes the best,
Detergent makes the most bubbles, Foods
do mealworms prefer
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Guidelines
for Parental Involvement |
Long term projects such as the social
studies fair project requires parental
involvement. To help parents and students
understand how much and what type of parental
help is permitted, the following guidelines
have been adopted:
1.
Parents may type project backboard information
and report from the child's handwritten
final draft.
2.
Parents can proofread a student's work,
but corrections should be made by the
child.
3.
Computer generated graphs are not required
and do not necessarily improve a student's
chance of winning. They are permitted.
However, the student must be involved
in the process. Parents may guide students
through the use of difficult computer
programs. Students should make the final
decisions about the graph type.
4.
Artwork should be the work of the child.
5.
The parent may assist the child in creating
a visually appealing backboard. For example:
help with measuring, cutting, pasting,
hot gluing, and placement.
6.
Topic selection should reflect the interests
of the child.
7.
Research, design, and implementation of
experimental procedure should be completed
by the student. The parent's role is to
provide the resources and direction necessary.
8.
The parent's role is to reinforce project
guidelines established by the teacher.
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Need
Help Finding a Good Problem/Topic?
Helpful
Links
National
Student Research Center
- Created by St. Tammany Parish's own
Dr. John Swang, the NSRC site provides
the student with valuable information
pertaining to doing scientific research.
Make sure you check out the E-Journal
of Student Research: Science! It contains
scientific investigations done by students
across the country for the last ten years!
You may find a good idea/problem for your
own project.
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Writing
Your Abstract
Abstract:
The purpose of an abstract is
to provide a condensed version that summarizes
the key elements of your project. It will
be placed in front of your backboard with
your packet.
The
Packet to be displayed in front of the
project board is a synopsis of your entire
work. It contains at least four pages
that should be typed. Do not attach this
to the backboard.
1. Title Page: State
title, date, and school. No student name
should be here at all!
2. Abstract: See attached
section – How to Write an Abstract
3. Review of Literature:
Fourth grade – at least one paragraph
and one source
Fifth grade – at least two paragraphs
and two sources
Sixth grade – at least three paragraphs
and three sources
4. Bibliography: APA
Style. Word “Bibliography”
centered at top of page. Entries
in ABC order by first word of entry.
Fourth grade – at least one reference
source
Fifth grade – at least two reference
sources
Sixth grade – at least three reference
sources
How
to Write an Abstract
Title:
Researcher:
I.
Problem Statement and Hypothesis:
(What do you want to find out and what
do you think will happen?)
I
wanted to find out _____. My hypothesis
stated that _____ because I think _____.
II.
Methodology: (How will
you test what will happen? List all materials
needed. Explain how your research will
be conducted.)
I
wrote my problem, reviewed my literature,
and wrote my hypothesis. I designed my
experiment and gathered my supplies. (List
materials & tell what you did for
your experiment - Procedure.) I conducted
my experiment and collected data. I analyzed
my facts. I wrote my conclusion.
III.
Analysis of Data: (What
did the data you collected indicate about
what happened in your research? Include
all data here.)
I
found out that _____.
IV.
Conclusion: (What did
you find out? Did you accept or reject
your hypothesis?)
I
found out that _____ because _____. Therefore,
I (reject, accept) my hypothesis which
stated that ____ (restate hypothesis).
V.
Application:
(How will your research findings help
people solve problems or make your world
a better place to live?)
I
can apply this to the real world by _____.
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Working
on the Backboard
Board:
The purpose of the Science Fair Board
is to offer a visual summary of your entire
project in a simple format for a judge
or observer to peruse. The wording on
the board will be slightly different from
the abstract. For example, the materials
and procedural steps should be numbered
or bulleted for easy viewing. The preparer
wants the observer to know exactly what
was done without having to search for
information or have difficulty reading
the information.
The
parts of the board are:
Title: Catchy and centered
across the top/center of your board.
Problem:
The statement should be written in question
form.
Hypothesis:
The statement about what you think will
occur.
Materials:
List in bulleted or numbered format.
Procedure:
List in bulleted or numbered format. (Compare
to Materials and Procedure Methodology
in Abstract)
Data:
Charts or graphs that give visual representation
of all the data collected. If a graph
or chart is not appropriate, then photographs
should be included, but only to show progression
over time. Pictures of students or equipment
would not be appropriate.
Analysis
of Data: Written in paragraph
form, just like in the abstract. However,
the board should also contain a graphic
depiction of the data, which is NOT included
in the abstract.
Conclusion:
Briefly tell what you found out
and talk about the original hypothesis
– just like in the abstract. One
nice paragraph is appropriate.
Application:
Should be included on the board
as well.
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APA
Model Reference/Bibliography Entries
You
can use this "NoodleTools"
or "Citation Machine" website
to quickly generate an MLA-style for
a single source. Check out these cool
tools!
Citation
Machine
Noodle
Tools Website
Examples
of Sources:
Journal
Article
Mellers,
B. A. (2000). Choice and relative consequences.
Psychology Bulletin, xxxxx126,
910-924.
Magazine
Article
Kandel,
E. R. & Squire, L. R. (2000, November
10). Breaking down scientific xxxxxxbarriers
to the study of the brain and mind.
Science, 290, 1113-1112.
Book
Mitchell,
T. (1987). People in organizations:
An introduction to organizational xxxxxxbehavior
(3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Encyclopedia
Article
Bergmann,
P. G. (1993). Relativity. In The encyclopedia
Britannica (Vol. 26, xxxxxxpp.
501-508). Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica.
Newspaper
Article
New
drug appears to sharply cut the risk
of death from heart failure. (1993,
xxxxxJuly
15). The Washington Post, p.
A12.
Videotape
Scorsese,
M. (Producer), & Lonergan, K. (Writer/Director).
(2000). You can xxxxxcount
on me [Videotape].
United States: Paramount Pictures.
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