Chairville Elementary Science Fair Guide Everything yu need t succeed At the Chairville Science Fair Save the date: APRIL 24, 2015 1
Table f Cntents Intrductin p. 5 Gal p. 5 Hme Nte p. 5 Rules and Guidelines p. 6 Science Fair Steps p. 7 Step 1: Chse a Tpic p. 8 Step 2: Ask a Questin p. 9 Step 3: Cnduct Backgrund Research p. 10 Step 4: Cmpse Hypthesis p. 11 Step 5: Design and Cnduct an Experiment p. 12 Step 6: Cllect Data p. 13 Step 7: Analyze Data & Draw Cnclusin p. 14 Step 8: Prepare the Display Bard and Presentatin p. 15-16 Ds and Dn ts p. 17 Rubric p. 18 Resurces p. 19 Scientific Jurnal p. 21-29 2
Intrductin Cngratulatins! Yu are abut t start an exciting scientific jurney in which yu will design and perfrm yur wn science experiment. Everything yu need t knw is cntained in this guide. Wrk yur way thrugh step by step using the accmpanying science jurnal t recrd yur wrk. At the end, yu ll be ready fr the Chairville Science Fair. As yu knw, science, technlgy and engineering are basic skills expected by emplyers. As Twenty First Century citizens, these students will als have t make sme f the tughest decisins f any generatin, based n their understanding f emerging science and technlgy. Science fairs invlve students in the practices f science and engineering, requiring them t apply thse skills t a tpic f interest t them. Ding science is key t understanding science. Gal The gal f the Chairville Science Fair is fr students t practice hands-n scientific investigatin and inventin. Students will design, test, analyze, and present a prject that uses scientific methds t slve a prblem. Fr this reasn, all are expected t cnduct an experiment, which tests smething and cllects data, rather than create a mdel r display, which shws hw smething wrks but desn t test anything. Hme Nte Please nte that MOST f the wrk will be dne at hme. There will be schl time devted t discussin, literature review, and answering questins. Students will be utilizing the prject guidelines that are part f this packet, and teachers will check in with them peridically. Hwever, much f the wrk will be self-directed. Parents are encuraged t ffer emtinal supprt, safety guidelines, reminders, and assistance as needed, but t allw children t d the prjects themselves. Additinal infrmatin and dwnladable packets are available n the Chairville website. See the resurce page fr mre infrmatin. Dn t hesitate t call r email with any questins. Thank yu very much in advance fr yur supprt! Sincerely, A. Mnti 3
1. Individual prjects r pair prjects nly. Rules and Guidelines 2. Table-tp display space will be prvided fr yu. The prject must fit within a space apprximately 60 inches by 30 inches and may nt g beynd the edges f the table (student desk size). Space fr psters will be prvided. Use the tri-fld pster kind, s it will stand up n its wn. 3. Yu will nt have access t electrical wall utlets. 4. If yur prject features water and it leaks it will be emptied. 5. Althugh parental guidance and supprt are encuraged, the Science Fair is a kids event with the assistance f parents nly when age-apprpriate and necessary. The yung scientists shuld be ding the prject wrk. 6. If yur experiment invlves fd, fd samples can NOT be distributed. 7. Prjects must be brught t the schl n the day f the fair. (directins n hw t d this will fllw later). 8. N live animals. 9. Mlds must be cmpletely enclsed at all times. 10. All exhibits with batteries shuld have enugh n hand t ensure peratin thrughut the fair. 11. Students must nt bring any explsive, flammable, r pisnus materials t the Fair. Acids, caustics, crrsives, ther chemicals r any ther substance nt nrmally allwed in schl cannt be displayed. Instead, use mdels, demnstratin facsimiles r phtgraphs. 12. Because f fire and injury hazards, there can be n burners r pen flame in the display area. 13. After a prject is inspected fr cmpliance with these rules, n changes beynd repair are permitted. Prjects nt in cmpliance due t safety cncerns will nt be allwed entry int the Fair. 14. Any prject that breaks district plicy and/r lcal, state, federal laws is nt permitted. 4
Science Fair Steps The scientific methd is a way t ask and answer scientific questins by making bservatins and ding experiments. Chse a Tpic p. 7 Ask a Questin p. 8 Cnduct Backgrund Research p. 9 Cmpse Hypthesis p. 10 Design and Cnduct an Experiment p. 11 Cllect Data p. 12 Analyze Data & Draw Cnclusin p. 13 Prepare the Display Bard and Presentatin p. 14 5
Step 1: Chse a Tpic Befre yu begin using the scientific methd, yu need t pick a tpic that interests yu. This is a key step in the Science Fair prcess. There are many different areas f science t draw yur questins frm, but the main three are: Life Sciences, which deal with animals, plants, the human bdy, and behavirs. A sample questin culd be: What amunt f water is best t grw tmates? Physical Sciences, which deal with things like matter, structure, electricity, magnetism, sund, light, r anything abut hw things wrk. A sample questin culd be: D different liquids freeze at the same rate? Earth and Space Sciences, which deal with weather, gelgy, and space. With this area it is easy t d a mdel, but be careful because yu must cnduct an experiment. A sample questin culd be: What is the best material fr filtering water? 6
Step 2: Ask a Questin Make sure t ask a questin that interests yu and is smething yu really want t find ut abut. This will ensure that yur science fair prject is bth fun and interesting. T cme up with a gd questin, yu want t ask ne f the fllwing types f questins. The Effect Questin What is the effect f n? Example: sunlight the grwth f plants il a ramp temperature the size f a balln The Which/What Questin Which/What (verb)? Example: paper twel is mst absrbent Fds d meal wrms eat Type f chclate melts the fastest 7
Step 3: Cnduct Backgrund Research Once yu have a testable questin, it is imprtant t d sme backgrund research s yu can becme an expert n yur tpic. Sme things yu culd learn are: What d scientists think they already knw abut the tpic? What are the prcesses invlved and hw d they wrk? Backgrund research can be gathered first hand frm primary surces such as interviews with a teacher, scientist at a lcal university, r ther persn with specialized knwledge. Or yu can use secndary surces such as bks, magazines, jurnals, newspapers, nline dcuments, r literature frm nn-prfit rganizatins. Dn t frget t make a recrd f any resurce used s that credit can be given in a bibligraphy. Fr example: If yur test questin was Which paper twel is mst absrbent? Yu culd cnduct backgrund research by: Reading articles in science bks abut what affects the absrbency f different materials like paper. D an internet search n absrbency and paper twels. Interview yur parents and ther trusted adults abut which brand f paper twel they use and why? Lk at all the different paper twels at a grcery stre and read their claims abut absrbency. HINT: Take phts thrughut yur prcess including the research phase. Yu ll need these fr yur display bard. 8
Step 4: Cmpse a Hypthesis After gathering backgrund research yu will be better prepared t predict what yu think will happen when yu test yur questin. This type f predictin is mre than a randm guess, a hypthesis is a testable statement based n backgrund knwledge, research, r scientific reasn. A hypthesis states the anticipated cause and effect that may be bserved during the investigatin. T create yur hypthesis yu need t answer ne simple questin: What d I think will happen during my experiment? Example questin: Which paper twel is mst absrbent? Example hypthesis: I think Brand X will be mre absrbent because it is a mre ppular brand, it is thicker, and the peple I interviewed said that mre expensive brands wrk better. Example questin: Which type f cntainer will keep ice lnger? Example hypthesis: If ice is placed in a Styrfam cntainer, it will take lnger t melt than if placed in a plastic r glass cntainer. I think this is true because my research shws that a lt f peple purchase Styrfam clers t keep drinks cl. The time it takes fr ice t melt (dependent variable) depends n the type f cntainer used (independent variable). A hypthesis shws the relatinship amng variables in the investigatin and ften (but nt always) uses the wrds if and then. The imprtant thing abut a hypthesis is nt its initial accuracy. Fr instance, lking at the last example, students are likely t determine that the materials used r the shape f thse materials will als impact the ice s ability t melt. D nt wrry that yur hypthesis des nt match yur experimental results. All hyptheses are valuable regardless f their truth if they lead t fruitful investigatins. What is imprtant is that yu predict what yu think will happen and yu shw that yu used yur research t back up yur predictin. 9
Step 5: Design The Experiment Once yu frmulate a hypthesis fr yur investigatin, yu get t start the fun part. Yu must design a prcedure t test yur hypthesis. This experiment will prve r disprve yur hypthesis. A well-designed investigatin cntains prcedures that take int accunt all f the factrs that culd impact the results f the investigatin. 1. Gather Materials a. What will yu need t perfrm yur experiment? Yu might need t ask an adult fr help. 2. Write a Prcedure a. A prcedure is the steps yu will use t perfrm yur experiment. Write the steps dwn clearly, s that ther peple can use yur experiment in the future t see if they get the same results as yu. Think f it as the recipe fr yur experiment. 3. Identify Yur Variables a. Variables are any factr that can change in an experiment. The independent variable is the ne variable the investigatr chses t change. (What is changed?) (ex-paper twel brand) Cntrlled variables are variables that are kept the same each time. (What stays the same?) (ex-the amunt f liquid) The dependent variable is the variable that changes as a result f /r in respnse t the independent variable. (What is measured?) (ex-hw much liquid is absrbed) The challenge is fr yu t create what is called a fair test. In a fair test, nly ne factr r variable is changed at ne time s that the investigatr can determine if the changed factr has an impact n the end results. Sample - a NOT fair test. Fr instance, suppse the prblem is t determine which stain remver is best at remving stains. It wuld nt be fair t test ne stain remver n a well set grass stain while testing the ther stain remver n fabric nly lightly siled with dirt a much easier stain t remve. A well designed prcedure avids such unfair cmparisns. HINT: Take phts thrughut yur prcess including the experiment phase. Yu ll need these fr yur display bard. 10
Step 6: Cllect and Analyze Data Carrying ut the investigatin invlves data cllectin. A gd experiment can be repeated with cnsistent results, which means the utcmes shuld be the same each time yu fllw the prcedure. This means yu need t d yur experiment mre than nce t test it prperly. I recmmended at least three times. There are tw types f data that may be cllected quantitative data and qualitative data. Quantitative Data 1. Uses numbers t describe the amunt f smething. 2. Invlves tls such as rulers, timers, graduated cylinders, etc. 3. Uses standard metric units (Fr instance, meters and centimeters fr length, grams fr mass, and degrees Celsius fr vlume. 4. May invlve the use f a scale. Qualitative Data 1. Uses wrds t describe the data 2. Describes physical prperties such as hw smething lks, feels, smells, tastes, r sunds. As data is cllected it can be rganized int lists and tables. Organizing data will be helpful fr identifying relatinships later when making an analysis. Yu can use technlgy such as spreadsheets t rganize yur data. After yu have cllected yur data the next step is t analyze it. The gal f data analysis is t determine if there is a relatinship between the independent and dependent variables. In ther terms, this is called lking fr patterns in the data. Did the change I made have an effect that can be measured? Recrding data n a table r chart makes it much easier t bserve relatinships and trends. Examples f different data cllectin: 11
Step 7: Draw Cnclusins Nw that yu have yur data, yu are ready t draw cnclusins. Sme questins t explre and answer are: 1. What can be learned frm lking at the data? 2. Hw des the data relate t yur riginal hypthesis? (right r wrng) 3. Did what yu changed (independent variable) cause changes in the results (dependent variable)? 4. Was yur experiment successful? 5. Wuld yu change anything abut yur experiment? 6. Are yu curius t learn smething else nw that yu ve cnducted yur experiment? After analyzing the data, yu will be able t answer these questins as yu draw sme cnclusins. D nt change yur hypthesis if it des nt match yur findings. The accuracy f a hypthesis is NOT what cnstitutes a successful science fair investigatin. Rather, I want t see that the cnclusins stated match the data that was cllected. Applicatin f the Results: Yu may want t include an applicatin as part f yur cnclusin. Fr example, after investigating the effectiveness f different stain remvers, a student might cnclude that vinegar is just as effective at remving stains as are sme cmmercial stain remvers. As a result, the student might recmmend that peple use vinegar as a stain remver since it may be the mre ec-friendly prduct. In shrt, cnclusins are written t answer the riginal testable questin prpsed at the beginning f the investigatin. They als explain hw yu used the science prcess t develp an accurate answer. 12
Step 8: Create and Present Yur Display Bard Nw it is the time t make yur display bard, which yu will use t tell everyne abut yur experiment. The Basics Present yur prject n a single bard. Use pster bard that is the tri-flding kind, s it can stand up n its wn. N wd, plastic, etc. Organize yur pster using the sectins that are listed belw. Yu can draw r write right n the pster bard r yu can print each sectin and attach it t the pster bard. Put a title fr each sectin at its tp, in letters large enugh t be seen frm several feet away (very large fnt size). The fcal pint f yur display shuld be yur purpse and hypthesis. It's great t include phts. Feel free t use clr t make yur presentatin stand ut. (SAMPLE SET UP) 1. Title Use a catchy, clever title that accurately describes the prject. 2. Pictures Include clr phtgraphs f yur prject, samples frm the prject, tables, and graphs. Phts and bjects are visually appealing and interesting. 3. Intrductin and Purpse This sectin intrduces the tpic f the prject, ntes any infrmatin already available, explains why yu are interested in the prject, and states the purpse f the prject. 13
4. The Hypthesis r Questin Explicitly state yur hypthesis r questin. 5. Materials and Methds List the materials yu used in yur prject and describe the prcedure that yu used t perfrm the prject. If yu have a pht r diagram f yur prject, this is a gd place t include it. 6. Data and Results Data and Results are nt the same thing. Data refers t the actual numbers r ther infrmatin yu btained in yur prject. Present the data in a table r graph. The Results sectin is where the data is manipulated r the hypthesis is tested. Smetimes this analysis will yield tables, graphs, r charts, t. Mre cmmnly, the Results sectin will explain the significance f the data. 7. Cnclusin The Cnclusin fcuses n the Hypthesis r Questin as it cmpares t the Data and Results. What was the answer t the questin? Was the hypthesis supprted (keep in mind a hypthesis cannt be prved, nly disprved)? What did yu find ut frm the experiment? Answer these questins first. Then, depending n yur answers, yu may wish t explain ways in which the prject might be imprved r intrduce new questins that have cme up as a result f the prject. 8. References Yu need t cite references r prvide a bibligraphy fr yur prject. Finally, n the day f the science fair, yu will present yur bard t all the peple attending. I knw this can be a little scary, but remember yu are an expert n what yu did during this prject. (SAMPLE FINISHED PROJECT) 14
DO: Ds and Dn ts Smething f interest t yu Fllw a schedule and stay n time Be safe Ask fr help when necessary Yur whle experiment has t fit n ne student desk Design a pster Be neat and rganized Use nly nn-txic materials Use mild cleaners r detergents D use batteries Get yur experiment apprved Use the flding kind f pster bard, s it can stand n its wn Check the availability f materials DON T Use anything txic Use anything explsive Use Strng cleaners, acids and bases Have any pen flames r fires Use electricity Other Final apprval n a tpic is the teacher s. 15