Sunset Park Elementary
Science Fair 2008

INTRODUCTION

Dear Students,

The Sunset Park Elementary School Science Fair projects will be due in your classroom on Monday, May 12, 2008. Our evening annual Science Fair will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

Our Science Fair will be a wonderful learning experience for all students and an opportunity to display our developing Science skills.

It is required for all students in grades 3-5 to participate. Students will enter an individual project. NO group projects are allowed! Display boards will be available for students to purchase at the school store.

The following information will assist you in choosing and completing a project.

We hope the Science Fair is a positive experience for everyone.

 

Sincerely,

Sara Martin, Principal
Maricarmen Abreu, Assistant Principal

Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s),

Your child has expressed an interest in doing a Science Fair project. The teachers will assist him/her by providing curriculum activities which will suggest project ideas and proper project procedures. Your are encouraged to lend your support to the process also.

Your child should select a project appropriate to his/her level. Assist your child by providing encouragement, praise, necessary materials and appropriate guidance. Limit your own active involvement in the experimental process, and encourage your child to predict, experiment and draw conclusions on his/her own. Emphasis should be placed on scientific thought and problem solving.

More information about the Science Fair will be sent home to you as we get closer to to the annual Sunset Park Science Fair date. We are emphasizing scientific research at school, and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing which of the world's problems our children will attempt to solve.

 

Sincerely,

The Sunset Park Science Fair Committee

But What Do I Do ???

Step #1
Make a list of the things you like to do. (Anything can make a great project idea.)

Step #2
Place a star next to the five things you like the most.

Step #3
From the five things, choose three things you like the very best. Place a star next to three activities.

Step #4
Write three questions about each of the three activities listed with double stars.

Step #5
Choose the question you like the most and write it as a problem statement.

IMPORTANT DATES

As you work on your project we will have several due dates to assist you during this time. If you keep up with the due dates, it will be extremely easy to put everything together at the end. DON'T LET YOURSELF RUN OUT OF TIME. FOLLOW THE TIME LINE ! ! !

April 11: Problem Statement

April 14: Hypothesis

April 16: Title

April 18: List of Materials

April 22: Procedures

April 25: Variables

April 28: Results and Data

May 05: Abstract (150 words)

May 09: Conclusion

May 12: Complete Science Fair Project due in your classroom.

Please make sure you write your name and title on each assignment !

You may use information from last year's project, but you must submit it on a new board and build on what you learned from your project. INVESTIGATE MORE !

Scientific Method

Problem Statement: This statement is always written in the form of a question & directs the student's investigation.

Hypothesis: After getting information about the topic, the student should make an educated guess about what he/she thinks the answer to the question may be. Example: The hypothesis is that paper towel X will absorb the most water.

Title: The project title should give information regarding the topic being studied. It may consist of the actual problem statement. However, the investigation will appear more interesting if the title creates curiosity and interest.

Materials: All the materials that are used should be listed, preferably in column form. Materials should always be indicated in metric units.

Procedures: The procedures should be listed step by step. Amounts involved should be included. There should be a number of trials/tests (at least three).

Abstract: (150 words) This is a short summary of the entire project. It must include purpose, procedures, and results. It should be limited to 150 words. It is usually the first thing the judges look at after the title.

Variables: These are all factors that affect the investigation. A manipulated variable is the item that is intentionally changed in order to test it. A responding variable is what is changed in response to the manipulated variable. Constant variables are all other factors in the investigation that must remain the same. (Must repeat at least three [3] times).

Pictures: Student may include photos of experiment; investigator should not be photographed !

Data: All the information that is collected should be kept in a log or an organized table. Graphs and charts should be used to show the reader what the student observed during the experiment.

Results: The investigator should state the findings of the experiment based upon the data that has been collected and observations that have been made and carefully analyzed. (According to the data . . .)

Report: The report includes Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, Problem Statement, Background Information, Hypothesis, Materials, Variables, Procedures, Data, Results, and Conclusion.

Conclusion:

A statement should be made on whether or not the results supported the hypothesis. Example: My data rejects my hypothesis.

If your original hypothesis is rejected, write a revised hypothesis. Example: My revised hypothesis is that Brand Z will absorb more water.

The investigator should discuss how specific data from the experiment supported the hypothesis and describe problems that might have affected the results.

Science Project Ideas

Primary Grades

1. Which dish soap makes the most bubbles?

2. How long will it take a drop of food dye to color a glass of still water?

3. Can plants grow without soil?

4. What holds two boards together better... a nail or a screw?

5. Will bananas brown faster on the counter or in the refrigerator?

6. Which brand of paper towel absorbs the most liquid?

7. With which brand of battery do toys last longest?

8. What brand of raisin cereal has the most raisins?

9. Does the color of food coloring affect how long it will take to color a glass of still water?

10. Can plants grow without soil?

11. Do different types of apples have the same number of seeds?

12. Does a ball roll farther on grass or dirt?

Intermediate Grades

1. Do different types of soil hold different amounts of water?

2. Will adding bleach to the water of a plant reduce fungus growth?

3. How far can a water balloon be tossed to someone before it breaks?

4. Does sugar prolong the life of cut flowers?

5. Do plants grow bigger in soil or water?

6. Does the color of water affect its evaporation?

7. Which brand of diaper holds the most water?

8. Which kind of cleaner removes ink stains best?

9. Which kind of cleaner removes ink stains best after it has been dried in a dryer?

10. Which brand of soap makes the most suds?

11. What gets warmer-sand or dirt?

12. Which kind/brand of glue holds two boards together better.

13. Can potatoes be grown without soil?

14. Which additive is the best for preserving cut flowers (salt, aspirin, etc.)? "Must be done with an adult!"

15. Which soaps are the best stain removers for spaghetti sauce?

16. Which handy liquid will remove food stains the best? (club soda, water, ice)

17. Which brand of paint holds their color the best when exposed to different climate (rain, sun, heat, etc.) ?

Project Format

A project consists of the report, a display board, and a sample of the experiment (optional). The following areas should be addressed in each of the sections:

Report

Display Board

Writing Correct Problem Statements

Once you have chosen a particular question regarding one of the activities from the "But What Do I Do?" exercise, the next step is to make sure that the question is written properly as a "problem statement". The following should be kept in mind:

 

Look at the following examples:

Questions:

Answers:
The manipulated variable a "fertilizer" -
"what type and how many different ones?"

The responding variable is "grow best"
"what is best?" How will you determine which plants are the best?

 

A properly written problem statement:

"Which plant fertilizer, Miracle Grow or Peters Professional will help Big Boy tomato plants grow the tallest over a four week period?

Notice that the kinds of fertilizer to be tested are listed and that the "best" has been defined as "tallest". The duration of the test is also stated.

Avoid writing problem statements that begin with: "Will...," "Can...," "How...," "or "Is..." as these lend themselves to a demonstration and not an experiment.

 

Operational Definitions
Make sure that your problem statements are always stated clearly so no one can misunderstand.

"Which plant grew best?"

What is BEST?

"Which plant grew the most leaves?"

"Which plant grew the tallest?"

"Which plant grew the most flowers?"

"Which plant grew with the darkest green color?

Research, Background Information, & Bibliography

1. Begin to think about Resources for Research and background information about your topic.

2. Some places to look are: Background Information

Encyclopedias (be sure to look in more than one)

Science magazines such as Ranger Rick, My Big Backyard, National Geographic, and Nature Scope.

School textbooks

Library books on your topic and Mrs. Prieto in the Media Center.

People- talk or interview people who are involved with your topic (doctors, vets, engineers, professors, etc.)

Internet

3. Decide what types of information you need on your topic and take notes. Use index cards, keep a journal, or log of the information you find.

4. Be sure to record all the information about the resource:

Title, Author, Page Numbers, Publisher, and Copyright Date

You will need this information for the Bibliography. Next you will see how to write each reference properly. You will need to list at least 3 references.

Science Fair Resources

The Internet

Helpful Websites:

 

http://ipl.org/youth/projectguide
Science Fair Project Resource Guide
Provides several links to other sites

http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~dennislCMS/special/sf_details.html
Brief
Hints for Science Projects

http://members.aol.com/scienzfair/ideas.html
Massive listing of Science Fair Ideas
Even mentions plagiarism
Those attending the "projects" session will receive more information on this site

http://gene.com/ae/index.html
Many ideas with background information
Complete protocols (May have to use the "Search" - "science fair projects")

http://halcyon.com/sciclub/cgi-pvt/scifair/guestbook.html
Science Fair Idea Exchange
Many Ideas
Good Links

http://youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.index.html
Database of Science Index
Good site for ideas, but could also be a site for plagiarism

http://www.chem4kids.com
Not science fair projects directly
Links to other sites

http://isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/steps.html
Elementary (Steps to prepare a Science Project)

http://www.isd77.k12mn.us/resources/cf/welcome.html
Elementary (Experimental Science Projects)

Additional Websites to Check: (You may find that some of these links are no longer active. I apologize for that now. These are resources that were passed on to us.)

http://www.sciam.com (Then go to Ask the Experts)

http://www.halcyon.com/sciclub/cgi-pvt/scifair/guestbook.html

www.sciserv.org/iisef.html

http://forum.swarthmore.edu/teachers/mathproject.html

http://istf.ucf.edu

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional_Materials/Curriculum_Support/index.html

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

http://www.tyler.net/ruskslib/sci-fair.html

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~jbarron/scufair.html

http://physics.usc.edu/~gould/Science_Fairs

http://www.madsci.org/libs/areas/reagents.html

From Start to Finish: Taking you through all of the steps

http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/

SCIENCE PROJECT GUIDELINES
http://atlas.ksc.nasa.gov/education/general/scifair.html

SUCCESSFUL SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/fair.html

IDEA GENERATION
http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/ideas.html

http://askeric.org/Projects/Newton

PROJECT IDEAS
http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/ideas.html

SCIENCE FAIRS
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/sciencefairs

THE DISPLAY
http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/scufairstudio/handbook/display.html

PRESENTATION AND EVALUATION
http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/handbook/presandeval.html

SCIENCE FAIR JUDGING SHEET
http://sciencefairproject.virtualave.net/judging_sheet.html

http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/index.html

Additional resources and information will be posted soon. We hope that what you have seen so far will help get you started.