Science Fair Training

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Science Fair Training

• Presented by
• Mrs. Lent
• Mrs. McConnell
• and Ms. Schiller

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Science Fair Project Dates
Oct. 9th - Return of project selection/application
form. Nov. 2nd - Teacher will confirm project
selections with students. Dec. 7th - First
notebook check. Jan. 11th - Second notebook
check. Feb. 1st - Science Fair Projects due for
all grades. Feb. 2nd Science Fair Projects
set-up Feb. 3rd Science Fair Projects judged,
Awards ceremony 5 p.m. Feb. 4th Science Fair
Projects returned to students, except for winners
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How To Do A Science Project

• Get an idea for your project.
• Start a daily log
• a. Daily Work
• b. Data
• Do a search for background information
• State the problem in a question form
• State your hypothesis
• Design the experiment
• a. Control variables (independent dependent,
  control)
• Conduct the experiment
• Repeat the procedure
• Analyze the data (results)
• Make a conclusion
• Communicate your results in a summary or abstract

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What is a Testable Question?

• The key to a good and manageable investigation is
  to choose a topic of interest, then ask what is
  called a testable question. Testable questions
  are those that can be answered through hands-on
  investigation by the student. The key difference
  between a general interest science question and a
  testable question is that testable questions are
  always about changing one thing to see what the
  effect is on another thing.

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Examples

• Broad Questions (lead to science reports) How
  do plants grow?
• Testable Questions (lead to investigations)
• What amount of water is best to grow tomatoes? or
  What type of soil is best to grow petunias? or
  What amount of sunlight is best to grow daffodils?

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Categories

• Biological Projects that deal with the vital
  processes of LIVING organisms, plants,
  microorganisms, and animals (including humans),
  and how these processes are affected as a result
  of controlling a variable. Processes may include
  but are not limited to such functions as growth,
  maintenance, breathing rate, pulse, learning,
  memory, vision, etc. Animals/insects being
  treated must be treated humanely.

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Categories

• Physical Projects related to the natural
  sciences such as physics, chemistry, as well as
  earth and space sciences, which deal primarily
  with NON-LIVING materials. Topics may include but
  are not limited to properties of matter,
  physical and chemical changes, various forms of
  energy, forces, motions, processes that shape the
  earth, weather, etc.

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Categories

• Environmental Projects that deal with HUMAN
  RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR NATURAL SURROUNDINGS.
  Projects may include the relationships of energy,
  population, pollution, resource allocation and
  depletion, conservation, transportation, and
  technology to the total human environment. Topics
  may include but are not limited to ways that
  humans protect or improve the quality of life by
  wisely using, reusing, recycling, or reducing use
  of our natural resources ways that technology
  impacts or resources ways that humans negatively
  impact the quality of life by pollution, etc.

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Experiment

• Is it a Physical or Chemical Change?

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• Problem Is it a Physical or Chemical Change?
• Hypothesis (What you are going to do?, What do
  you think will happen?, Why/How do you think it
  will happen?) When I combine baking soda and
  vinegar, a (physical, chemical) change will occur
  because .(a solution is formed or a new product
  is formed.)

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• Materials 1 cup vinegar, 1T baking soda, 1
  balloon, 1-1L bottle, 1 funnel, 1 measuring cup,
  1 tablespoon, paper towels, 1 tray, journal,
  pencil
• Procedures
• Using the funnel, measure 1 cup of vinegar into
  the 1-1L bottle.
• Using the funnel, measure 1T of baking soda into
  the bottle.
• Quickly, place the balloon opening over the
  bottle opening.
• Repeat steps 1-3, multiple times.
• Record observations.

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• What did you observe (see) happen?
• Observations The solution fizzed and bubbled.
  The balloon blew up (expanded).
• Why/How do you think it happened?
• What is in the balloon?
• How did it get there?
• Is it a physical or chemical reaction?
• How do you know?
• What is happening with the baking soda and
  vinegar molecules?

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Control Variables

• It is important that you complete your experiment
  with only one variable (same seeds, water, and
  soil just changed the type of light/dark) and
  with repeated trials (grow 3 cotton seeds in the
  light and 3 in the dark) to make sure your
  results are valid and accurate and for back up in
  case one try doesnt work.
• Independent Variable The variable you are
  messing with.
• Dependent Variable The variable that you will
  record and measure. The changes depend on the
  independent variable.
• Control Variable All aspects of this variable
  must remain constant.

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• Results When I combined the baking soda and
  vinegar, the substances combined to form a
  chemical reaction which resulted in the
  production of carbon dioxide, which expanded the
  balloon.
• Conclusion When I combined the baking soda and
  vinegar, my hypothesis was (valid, invalid,
  inconclusive) because the baking soda and vinegar
  resulted in a chemical reaction producing a gas
  which is one property that a chemical change has
  occurred.

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Data Collection

• Collected data should be in metric units and
  measurable.

• Quantitative Data
• Uses numbers to describe the amount of something.
  
• Involves tools such as rulers, timers, graduated
  cylinders, etc.
• Uses standard metric units (For instance, meters
  and centimeters for length, grams for mass, and
  degrees Celsius for volume.
• May involve the use of a scale such as in the
  example below.
• Qualitative Data
• Uses words to describe the data
• Describes physical properties such as how
  something looks, feels, smells, tastes, or
  sounds.

As data is collected it can be organized into
lists and tables. Organizing data will be helpful
for identifying relationships later when making
an analysis. Students can make use of technology
such as spreadsheets to organize their data.
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Graph

• Information now must be put into a form which
  others can easily understand it. A line, circle,
  or bar graphs and/or tables need to be created.
  It must be labeled, clear, neat and placed in the
  journal.

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• Extension If you were to do this experiment
  again what variables would you change and why?

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ONE PAGE SUMMARY

• The summary needs to be typed and put in your
  three-ring binder with your daily log. The
  summary is a wrap-up of the entire project. It
  should be very comprehensive and complete. It
  can be written in 5 paragraphs.
• Paragraph 1 Tell what the question was
  and why you chose this topic.
• My problem is _______? I decided on this
  project because_______. I started asking
  questions and found out that_____________
• Paragraph 2 Tell the hypothesis and
  explain why you thought this would happen. My
  hypothesis was ____________. I thought this
  would be true because_________.
• Paragraph 3 Tell how you tested the
  hypothesis. Do not tell the step-by-step
  procedures, just explain the experiment. Tell
  how many times you repeated the tests. Mention
  the variables you controlled to make sure the
  testing was fair. Describe the difference
  between the control group and experimental group.
• I tested my hypothesis by ________________. To
  make sure the experiment was fair, I _________.
  
• Paragraph 4 Tell about your
  results. Include some of the most important data
  such as totals and averages of measurements. You
  should also mention one or two of your most
  important or unusual observations.
• While doing my science project, I observed that
  _______. Also _______. Another interesting
  thing that happened was _______.
• Paragraph 5 Tell about your
  conclusions. Say whether or not the data
  supported the evidence. Tell about the most
  important thing you learned. Tell how people in
  general (or scientists) might apply this
  information to everyday life. If you could do
  this project over again, what would you do
  different?.
• My data (did or did not) support my hypothesis.
  The most important thing I learned was ____. My
  results show _____. This information can be used
  by _____. If I were to do this project over
  again, I would _____.
• 
  

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Bibliography Format

• BOOK
• One Author Wheeler, Richard. Shermans March.
  New York Harper and Row, 1978.
• ENCYCLOPEDIA
• Wolf. Encyclopedia Britannica. 1990.
• INTERNET
• Marley, Samuel. A Five-Step Approach to
  Understanding Faulkner. Netscape.
  2February1998. http//www.ark.ship./info.

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Daily Log Entries

• DAILY LOG OBSERVATIONS
• Your Daily Log will be recorded as though it were
  a science fair diary.
• Your daily log should begin from the very 1st day
  of your project. It will include all of the
  information (question, title, materials,
  procedures, data tables, graphs, results,
  conclusion, and any pictures you want to include)
  from the beginning to the end of your project.
  Remember to date each entry. This part of the
  project should be several pages and include many
  details. It will be displayed in your journal
  with the final project, so be neat!

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Example

• 10/20/07
• Today I thought of my Science Fair question. It
  is. My title is.
• 10/21/07
• I went to the library and found some books on my
  topic. Ive been thinking about my project and I
  learned a couple of interesting things..
• 10/26/07
• I came up with my hypothesis for my experiment.
  It is
• 10/28/07
• My materials I need to begin my project include
  three Marigolds plants, 1000mL of soil, and
  1000mL of tap water,
• 11/2/07
• My procedures are as follows
• Step 1 Gather materials 3
  Marigold plants, 1000mL soil, .
• Step 2 Measure each plant in
  mm and record in log.
• 11/5/07
• Today I measured both the 3 plants growing on the
  window sill and the 3 plants growing in my
  closet. I noticed some interesting things.

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How To Do A Science Project

• Get an idea for your project.
• Start a daily log
• a. Daily Work
• b. Data
• Do a search for background information
• State the problem in a question form
• State your hypothesis
• Design the experiment
• a. Control variables (independent dependent,
  control)
• Conduct the experiment
• Repeat the procedure
• Analyze the data (results)
• Make a conclusion
• Communicate your results in a summary or abstract

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Science Fair Experiment Video

• Seven Steps
• to Preparing a Science Fair Project
• Source United Streaming

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How To Do A Science Project

• Get an idea for your project.
• Start a daily log
• a. Daily Work
• b. Data
• Do a search for background information
• State the problem in a question form
• State your hypothesis
• Design the experiment
• a. Control variables (independent dependent,
  control)
• Conduct the experiment
• Repeat the procedure
• Analyze the data (results)
• Make a conclusion
• Communicate your results in a summary or abstract

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Science Project Example

• Sand Castles
• Observation My little brother and I were
  building a sand castle at the beach. The waves
  washed away the outer walls of the castle. We
  wondered what would be the best way to protect
  our castle.
• Research I talked with Mom and Dad about waves
  and high tides. They told me about erosion, so I
  Googled erosion, its causes and how to control
  it. I also read about how castles were protected
  in the Middle Ages. I also found some cool
  websites about building sand castles.
• Question/Problem Will the depth of the moat
  affect the amount of time it takes for the waves
  to reach the sand castle walls?

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Continuation

• Hypothesis If we build a 30 cm deep moat, then
  it will take longer for the waves to reach the
  castle walls.
• Procedures At low tide, build three sand
  castles by packing wet sand in a beach bucket and
  turning it upside down on the beach. Make sure
  that all three sand castles are the same distance
  from the water and at least 1 meter apart.
  Around the first castle (Castle A), dig a moat
  that is 20 cm from the castle walls, 20 cm wide
  and 10 cm deep. Around the second castle (Castle
  B), dig a moat that is 20 cm from the walls, 20
  cm wide, and 20 cm deep. Around the third castle
  (Castle C), dig a moat that is 20 cm from the
  castle walls, 20 cm wide, and 30 cm deep. As
  soon as the water reaches the outer edges of the
  moats, begin timing (use separate stopwatches for
  each castle). Stop Castle As timer as soon as
  the water touches Castle As wall. Stop Castle
  Bs timer as soon as the water touches Castle Bs
  walls. Stop Castle Cs timer as soon as the water
  touches Castle Cs wall. Repeat this every time
  to go to the beach.

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Continuation

• Results Data Table
• Conclusions The depth of the moat did affect
  the amount of time it took for the waves to reach
  the castle walls. Castle Cs 30 cm moat
  protected the castle for 89 seconds, over 4 times
  the amount of time the 10 cm moat protected
  Castle A. My data does support my hypothesis
• Presentation I told all my friends at the beach
  that a moat doesnt work for very long. My mom
  helped me email a message to the Building Better
  Sandcastles webpage about the moat not working.

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Presenting the Science Project

• Display
• a. Meets size requirements
• b. Use ink or marker
• c. Computer lettering
• d. Neat and words spelled correctly
• Presenting information
• (Question, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure,
  Data, Results, Conclusion)
• Equipment or models
• a. Meet safety requirements
• b. Sturdy
• c. Prefer photos instead of actual equipment

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How To Do A Science Project

• Get an idea for your project.
• Start a daily log
• a. Daily Work
• b. Data
• Do a search for background information
• State the problem in a question form
• State your hypothesis
• Design the experiment
• a. Control variables (independent dependent,
  control)
• Conduct the experiment
• Repeat the procedure
• Analyze the data (results)
• Make a conclusion
• Communicate your results in a summary or abstract

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Science Fair Project Questions
Thank you for coming and happy experimenting!