It Takes... Competitions

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• It Takes... Competitions

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Overall Goal for Science Fair

• Make the name of
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools,
• Synonymous With Science
• and Good Research

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• All Competitions Feed Into The
• Science Fair

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18 of 85 Middle Grade SchoolsParticipated in
Science Fair last year.
Only 21 of possible schools participated.
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15 of 62 High Schools Participated in Science
Fair last year.
That is 24 of possible High Schools .
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Average Mean Scale Scores (AMSS) 07 Middle
School Science FCAT Participating vs
Non-Participating Schools
An increase of 23.49 points
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Average Mean Scale Scores (AMSS) 07 High School
Science FCAT Participating vs Non-Participating
Schools
An increase of 37.52 points
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• 2007-2008 Objectives

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Get More People Involved !!
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How?Have each school identify and register a
School Site Science Fair Coordinator (SSSFC)

• Our goal is to
• have one SSSFC in each school in the District
• encourage administrators to assign a club
  supplement to them because of their added
  responsibilities.

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School Site Science Fair Coordinators (SSSFC)

• It is anticipated that their responsibilities
  would be to
• attend training meetings
• be the liaison between the Science Fair staff and
  the school
• be the ready source of information for the
  schools staff
• conduct a science fair in their school and submit
  projects to the Regional fair.
• ensure the on-line registration of their projects
• facilitate the participation of their students in
  the Regional fair, i.e. fieldtrip forms,
  transportation, etc.

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School Site Science Fair Coordinators (SSSFC)

• This person will also be encouraged to
  participate in one or
• more of the committees of the
• Regional Science and Engineering Fair, based
  upon their time and interest, and available
  substitute funding.

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School Site Science Fair Coordinators (SSSFC)

• To register as a School Site Science Fair
  Coordinator
• (SSSFC)
• Go to the Districts Competition Web Site
• http//science.dadeschools.net/scifair/default.htm
  
• Click where it says
• click here to register...
• Provide the information requested.

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IMPORTANT DATESRegional (Secondary) Science and
Engineering Fair

• Secondary Science Fair will be held the week of
  January 7th, 2008, Southland Mall
• Registration of projects will be on line the week
  of December 10th.
• No registrations will be accepted after
• Midnight December 16th.
• Projects will need to be checked-in on Monday,
  January 7th, 2008 at the Southland Mall from
  Noon till 800 p.m.
• Judging will be on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
  beginning at 900 a.m.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATIONRegional (Secondary)
Science and Engineering Fair

• A Science Fair Fieldtrip Form will be available
  on line in November.
• School site participation forms were filled out
  at the department head meeting 10/08/2007.
  Schools not represented can complete the form on
  line and e-mail to the address shown, or,
  download the form and fax it to 305-995-4188
• You can accept projects that were completed last
  year but not entered into the regional fair, or,
  your students can tweak the projects, make them
  a two year research project and submit them again
  with the needed improvements.

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There Are Three Parts to the Regional
(Secondary) Science and Engineering Fair

• Projects
• Bridges
• Papers

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Projects
Projects constitute the bulk of the participants
in the Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
For the most part they consist of a research plan
using the scientific method to determine the
effect that changing one part (variable) has on
the whole.
Projects can also be engineering based where a
product is created.

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Bridges

Bridges are the next largest group. This
category attracts those with a more linear mind
who like to create things. There are rules
that need to be followed. All bridge building
competitions within the District will follow the
International Bridge Building Rules which can be
found on the Districts competition web page.
http//science.dadeschools.net/scifai
r/default.htm
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Papers

• Papers are the smallest part of the Regional
  Fair, yet they can provide the greatest reward.
  Papers chosen on the Regional level can go on
  into State and National competitions where the
  top individuals receive large monetary awards as
  well as scholarships, internships, etc.
• Emphasizing this part of the fair supports the
  efforts of our language arts teachers and
  strengthens the students ability to write and
  express themselves well.

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Papers

• The best papers within a school should be
  submitted to the Regional Fair for consideration
  in the Paper Competition.
• I would like to recommend to each teacher to have
  every student submitting to their school site
  fair be required to submit a complete write-up of
  their project in correct paragraph form,
  including all parts of their research/activity.
  In a sense, the writing of a research report or
  paper.

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Papers

• When a child can explain well what they did on
  paper, then they are better prepared to explain
  it in person to a judge.
• We have found that being able to talk science
  is an important part of our science instruction
  that in the past has been lacking.
• Many of our top students last year did not
  perform as well as they should have because they
  lacked this skill.

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Frequently Asked Questions (Q) and Answers (A)
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q Is participation in Science Fair required? A
Yes. It has always been so understood that all
secondary students participating in a science
class will conduct research and submit a project
to the schools fair.
A It is stated in the Districts K-12 Science
Plan that science fair participation plays an
important part in a students acquisition of
scientific skills and knowledge.
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q Does every school have to have a School Site
Science Fair Coordinator (SSSFC)? A Yes. It is
anticipated that every school will have a SSSFC.
This individual becomes an important link in the
communication chain between the District and the
school site. These individuals will also receive
additional training and support in conducting a
school site science fair.
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q Is it true that a SSSFC can receive a
supplement for what they do? A Yes. This year
it has been approved by School Ops that Science
Fair coordinators can receive a club supplement
for their responsibilities. This supplement is
under the control of the school site
administrator. High schools should have no
problem submitting for the supplement. Middle
schools are only assigned 5 positions and may
have already used them up.
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q This is our first year participating in
Science Fair. Is there a way that we can receive
help in learning the process of conducting a
school site science fair? A Yes. The
Districts Competition web site
http//science.dadeschools.net/scifair/default.htm
has many links that are useful to those who are
new to this process. Additional supports are
added regularly. There are PDA files and
PowerPoints that you can review and even use with
your classes.
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q When and where is the Fair and what do we need
  to do to participate?
• A January 8th, 2008 at the Southland Mall
• A Go to the Districts Competition web site
  http//science.dadeschools.net/scifair/default.h
  tm
• and complete and submit the Participation Form
  to let the District know of your intent to
  participate and how many projects you anticipate
  entering.
• A Schedule and conduct your fair in time to
  register your projects.

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q How do we register our students to participate
  in the Fair?
• A During the week of December 10th through the
  16th have each of your chosen project
  participants go to the Districts Competition web
  site
• http//science.dadeschools.net/scifair/de
  fault.htm
• click on Project Registration for the South
  Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
• Have them provide the information requested.
• Have them print up a hard copy for their records.

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q What do we do with our projects for the Fair?
• A Check-in of projects is on Monday, January
  7th, 2008 at Southland Mall.
• Bring your project(s) to the Mall between 1200
  Noon and 800 p.m. to be checked-in.
• Set up your project in the location assigned and
  make sure that your paperwork is signed off by a
  Display and Safety Individual. (You can
  recognize them by the long stick that they will
  be carrying)

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q What should my students do while at the Fair?
• A Dress appropriately. Boys in shirts and
  ties, if not in a suit, and girls in dresses or
  nice pant suits.
• Conduct themselves in a manner that represents
  their home, school and the Districts
  expectations.
• Stand whenever a judge approaches their project
• Respond to the judge with professionalism and
  respect. Yes Maam, Yes Sir, No Maam, No Sir,
  etc.
• Answer all questions to the best of their
  ability. (DO NOT try to impress the judges with
  information they did not collect or do not know
  to be right. I dont know! Is an acceptable
  response.)

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q What should my students bring to the Fair?
• A A hard copy of all of their paperwork
• Their research journal or lab book
• A safety pin to hold their green Participation
  ribbon on their clothes.
• (Science Fair pins can be purchased from
  Friends of the Science Fair
• to hold on their ribbon.)
• A chair to sit down in when not being judged.
• (No chairs will be provided)
• A book to read, homework to do, a camera to take
  pictures with.
• Lunch or money to buy one.

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q What should my students NOT bring to the
  Fair?
• A
• No i-pods, radios, game machines, tvs, etc.
  should be brought to the Fair to pass the
  students time.
• It has been found that these devices can distract
  the student and has caused lower scores when the
  student has been more involved with their games,
  etc. than greeting their judges and making their
  best presentation.

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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• Q When do we take our project home from the
  Fair?
• A Students whose projects do not receive a
  Superior Category Award at the Fair will be able
  to take their project board home with them at the
  end of the day on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008.
• Projects receiving a Superior award will be left
  at the Fair to participate in round two judging.
  Students can pick up their Superior project(s) on
  Thursday evening, January 10th, 2008 between
  1200 Noon and 800 p.m.
• NOTE All projects NOT picked up by Thursday
  evening at 800 p.m. will be dumped.

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• It Takes... Competitions to put the rigor and
  relevance into our pedagogy.

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• If you have any questions you can e-mail our
  Director of Competitions

Richard W. Lawrence rlawrence1_at_dadeschools.net
or his phone number is 305-995-1976