SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS MURRAY MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATED OCT 18, 22 SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Choose the Topic Library Research Purpose and Hypothesis Procedure and Materials Data and Conclusion Guideline/Timeline Parts of the Project: Minimum Requirements: Schedule: Appendix Sample Middle schoolLevel Project Topics Scientific Experimental Question Analyzer Speed Reading .8 Library Research Taking Notes 10 It’s In the Cards 11 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS Many parents have asked for a guideline as to what they should and should not be doing to help their sons or daughters in their projects It is our goal to have each Magnet Science student complete a science fair project It is our firm conviction that the science fair project, with its write up and oral presentation, is the best test of the principles of the scientific method Two of the most desirable characteristics of a science fair are:   It is an experiment in which some variable is tested It is not a demonstration It produces useful information and can be repeated We will be spending time in the classroom with your son or daughter to help organize their project and check their plans for procedure and safety How to Choose the Topic This is the most difficult portion of the entire project The project should meet three basic criteria The student should: Be genuinely interested in it Have a support group to help with the technical aspects (i.e., parent, brother, sister, college student, neighbor, etc.) The project should be affordable and completed within the time frame allowed In order to help with the selection of topics, many different techniques may be used It may be that the student already knows what he or she wishes to However, usually when students are asked, “What are you interested in?” they respond, “Nothing.” Therefore, discussing their ideas with their support group is necessary Basic research in science magazines, textbooks and newspaper articles will also aid in developing an idea The students should: Make a list of all the topics they are interested in Review the list and rang the projects from the most desirable to the least desirable Rank them according to the ability of the support group to help Rank topics in order of expense and time needed to the project Now add all three rankings and choose the top three projects These three become the topics for library research At the library, the student should look for reference materials from the card catalog and the Readers Guide to periodical Literature [Caution: Look for recent copyrights and avoid the extensive use of encyclopedias.] Survey the information about the topics to determine which topic will work out best When the library research for the topic is finished, the student should have at least three resources for the topic and be able to state a research problem that can be tested See checklist next page Checklist:  Research periodicals, textbooks, newspaper for topics  “Brainstorm” a list of topics  Rank the ideas by a) interest, b) support and c) money and time  Total rankings and select the top three  Research the libraries for available resources  Select the topic and present it to the instructor for approval Library / Internet Once the student has finally selected a topic, he or she should spend time doing research on the topic The research should provide adequate background to understand what can be tested, how to test it, and what observations to look for or ignore Students may use the internet and are encouraged to contact Librarians as resources The information from the research will be summarized in the literature review section of the project paper The reviews of literature should describe the science concepts involved in the project If possible, it should include the results of experiments that have been done by other scientists During this phase of work, the most difficult aspect for students is that they not know what information is important They also have difficulty taking notes and keeping a bibliography See the Appendix for “Speed Reading” and “Taking Notes.” If notes are placed on note cards (one item per card), the organization of the review of the literature becomes much easier When the research has been completed, the review of literature portion of the paper should be written [Caution: If notes are exactly copied from a source, the author MUST be cited.] Purpose and Hypothesis From the research the student should now be able to state a problem in the form of a question This may also become the title for the project This problem must be able to be tested by an experiment A statement of purpose should incorporate the “WHY” and “HOW” of the experiment The hypothesis is a statement predicting the results of the experiment It is often stated as an “If , then “ sentence Example: “If the elastic in socks is stretched out too much, it loses its stretchiness.” Procedure and Materials Now it is time to carefully plan the steps of the procedure No details should be taken for granted The materials, quantities and procedures should be written in enough detail that someone else could repeat the experiment It is also easy to locate errors when the procedures are carefully written A procedure step may look like this: “Take 50 ml of distilled water and add it to test tube #1.” The materials list and procedure should be submitted to the instructor so they can be checked for thoroughness and safety When the instructor gives approval, the actual experiment should begin Data and Conclusion The experiment should have as large a sample size as possible and use as many repetitions are possible This allows one to average the data and to discard data that are out of line During the experiment, a journal should be kept noting all qualitative and quantitative observations Once data have been collected, it is time to analyze the data and draw conclusions All numerical data should be charted and graphed, if possible It is important to base your conclusions on the results, as well as any abnormalities Use the science concepts that you discussed in your literature review If the conclusions not agree with your original hypothesis, then say so This will be a good point to accept or reject the original hypothesis and propose a new hypothesis for a new set of experiments for further study The final step is to complete the information into a research paper format, proofread it, and then rewrite the final version Guideline/Timeline The Science Fair Project has two main parts: a project and a paper   The project portion will be a test of a hypothesis by the use of an experiment This is summarized on a Project Board The paper portion will explain the background information and the experimental procedure Sections of this are is placed on the Project Board Some may be on the table in front of the Project Board Parts of the Project: Write a summary of the literature about the topic (Literature Review) Perform the EXPERIMENT Write the procedure, results and the conclusions Prepare a public display for the science fair and present it All projects will be displayed and judged at the Science Fair in January Minimum Requirements: Both research papers and the written portion of the project must meet the following minimum requirements: Handwritten: 6-8 pages (full pages written on each line) Typed: 4-5 pages (full pages, double spaced, font size 12, inch margins) Both research papers and the written portion of the project must use at least three sources (books, magazines, periodicals, journals, Websites, etc.) and they must be listed in a bibliography Schedule: DATE 10/06/16 10/06/16 10/24/16 11/07/16 12/01/16 12/16/16 12/21/16 01/10/17 01/11/17 DUE Topic Selection Statement of Purpose Literature Review and Bibliography (typed or neatly written) Hypothesis, Procedure, and Certificate 1A and 1B First Draft of Project Paper Final Draft of Project Paper Last Day School in Session Science Fair Judging (Everyone is required to attend) Science Fair Open House The top projects in each category and papers will be entered in the Regional Science Fair (held in February), with possibility of presentation at the State Science Fair Science Fair Categories at Murray: Animal Sciences Computer Science/Math Microbiology Behavioral/Social Sciences Earth Science Physics/Astronomy Biochemistry Engineering Plant Sciences Cellular/Molecular Biology Environmental Science Product Comparison Chemistry Medicine/Health Transportation/Energy Appendix Sample Middle School Level Project Topics * - Denotes more difficult project Physical Science * Calculating liquid density using light refraction * Chlorine levels in our drinking water * Comparison of vitamin A content in frozen, canned and fresh peas * Density of various liquids * Do magnetic fields affect the sound quality on a recording tape? * How does the tail affect the flight of a kite? * How fire affects roofing materials * How heat affects recording tape * How strong is a spider web thread? * How temperature affects the amount of electricity given off by a solar cell * Measuring the calories in a peanut * Strength of different woods * Testing sugar in soft drinks * Testing various orange drinks for vitamin C * The amount of dissolved salt in drinking water * The efficiency of airspace as an insulator * The strength of a magnet vs distance * What shutter speed is needed to photograph a moving fan? * Which fabrics are most fire-resistant? * Which foods have starch (or sugar, fat, protein, etc.)? * Which toothpaste is most abrasive? * Who has greater body density, boys or girls? Can saltwater be desalted by freezing? Conductivity of various liquids Do black bottom pools keep the water warmer? How accurate is the temperature knob on my oven? How constant is the temperature in my refrigerator? How increasing the number of batteries affects the speed of a motor How temperature affects the height at which different balls bounce How well various fabrics absorb dye? Ink evaluation with paper chromatography Materials that absorb sound Popcorn: A graphical analysis of pops per second Splat – a study in droplet patterns String telephones: what materials work best in conducting sound? The effect of light on dyed materials The effects of swimming pool water (chlorine) on hair The effects of temperatures on the strength of dry cells The effects of washing on dyed materials The velocity of different liquids through the same size tube The velocity of water through different tubes (same material, different sizes) The velocity of water through different tubes (same size, different material) What is the voltage range of the GE-14 bulb? Which color container cools of the quickest? Which color of liquid absorbs the most heat? Which material makes the best heat insulator? Which metals conduct heat best? Engineering * A frictionless magnetic bearing * Battle of the bridges * Computer projects * Do oil additives reduce friction on engine parts? * How many rotor blades give maximum lift for a helicopter? * Power from rising air * Power from the waves * Robots * Storing the sun’s energy * Testing a car headlight as a satellite dish antenna * Testing different water turbine blades * Using electromagnets to power a car Paper airplane performance Earth Science * Charting the apparent motion of Polaris * The effects of water on different types of wood Composition of Hawaiian sand How acid is our rain? How clean is our air? How much dust falls on your lawn in a month? Speed of clouds using photography Terracing and how it affects erosion The effect of wave action on different rocks (using a rock tumbler) Using a computer for mineral identification Using feathers to clean up oil spills Water retention of different soils Wave barriers Consumer * Which light bulb is most efficient? * Which solar panel is most efficient? A comparative study of various packing materials Are TV commercials louder than regular programming? Can a roof overhang cut summer cooling costs? How much does it really cost to run a refrigerator? How much money can a pool cover save? The frequency and length of TV commercials during a one-hour program Which battery is the best buy? Which candle is the best buy? Which detergent cuts grease the best? Which detergent has the longest lasting suds? Which detergent removes grass stains best? Which firewood gives the most heat per dollar? Which stain remove works best? Insights Visual Productions P.O Box 644, Encinitas, CA 92024 (619) 949-0528 Scientific Experimental Question Analyzer Choose a question  Can you find the answer to the question by doing an experiment in the classroom?  Yes! Can you change a variable and see the effect of the change?    Rethink No!   Rethink Yes! No!   Rethink Is the experiment feasible? (cost, time, skills, safety)  No! Yes! Can you measure the effect of the change to the variable?  No!   Rethink Yes! No!   Rethink Teacher approval  Write Experimental Question Speed Reading You won’t have time to read everything when you are searching for useful information, so here are some tips for helping you to decide which books are best for your purposes Look at the title page Is the author an authority on this subject? Look at the copyright page Is the book new enough to give the latest information? Skim the introduction Does the author say anything that indicates that his/her book will be useful? Skim the table of contents Is any useful information listed? Examine the bibliography Are there any books or articles listed that you might use? Skim the appendix Is there any useful information? Search the index Is there material related to your topic? When you have found useful material, stop and read Use your index cards to take notes and record bibliographic information Library Research No matter what the topic or purpose of your project, the next step should be library research What we mean is this: find books, encyclopedias, magazines and any other source that contains information pertaining to your chosen topic At first you should look for general information If the project deals with plants, for instance, then you must know something about plants: their structure, nutrients needed for growth, scientific names, photosynthesis, and other general characteristics of plan life Your teacher may be able to suggest what you need to know about your topic Encyclopedias offer general information about many topics Try looking up your topic in an encyclopedia If there is an entry about your topic area, read through it to get an idea of how much there is to learn about the subject Look for cross-references and listings of related articles Some widely used encyclopedias that give good information in the sciences are: Encyclopedia Britannica Collier’s Encyclopedia Encyclopedia Americana World Book Encyclopedia This is a scholarly reference with long articles signed by specialists Collier’s is a general reference for the layman It is strong in contemporary science This encyclopedia is especially strong in science and technology World Book is a general reference with easy-to-read articles in the sciences Some science project ideas are included with some of the science articles The last volume of some encyclopedias also has an index which lists additional pages where information on your topic may be found After you have acquired some background information from encyclopedias, look for books with information pertaining to your topic A visit to your school or city library will introduce you to a very valuable resource: the librarian The librarian is usually a very skilled person who is willing to help anyone find resources If you not know exactly where to look for a book, ask for assistance Library books are listed on cards in a card catalogue Libraries use a number of different systems for classifying books One common classification system is the Dewey Decimal System which classifies library books into ten classes with numbers According to this plan, you will be most interested in books which fall into these categories: 500-599 600-699 Natural Sciences (mathematics, astronomy, biology, etc.) Useful Arts (agriculture, engineering, gardening, etc.) This number is combined with the initial of the author’s last name to give the call number This number is written in the upper left hand corner of the cards and it directs you to the shelves upon which the books are kept Some libraries have an Author Card, a Title Card, and a Subject Card This enables you to look for books by the author’s name, the title of the book or the topic As you develop your project more and learn the general information from encyclopedias and what books are available, then begin to look for descriptions of experimentation conducted by scientists that relate to your topic By this time you will probably need to use periodicals and scientific journals Your teacher or a librarian can give you help in locating articles The Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature will be the most valuable source of current information on most topics The Reader’s Guide lists articles that appear in many magazines listed by the author’s last name and the subject It will direct you to magazines that might be found in your school library If the magazines or journals cannot be located there, try college or university libraries Newspaper articles can be located by consulting The New York Times Index which list all articles published by the New York Times Science Fair Research ways to find and research a Science Fair topic: Search for a book using the library catalog at bit.ly/murraylibrary Use the online databases at bit.ly/researchmurray with a computer or your iPad (start with Britannica School Middle, it is the best!) Browse for a book in the 500 section of the non-fiction books Taking Notes Everyone is eager to start experimenting, but quite often the results of an experiment are not clear because accurate notes were not kept Obtain a small notebook before experimenting A spiral bound notebook or a three ring binder will serve the purpose Keep notes about everything List your materials and the quantities you used Record your observations and the day and time that you made them Discuss problems as they occur Remember that you must be objective during your data collection What you not expect to happen may be just as important as what you had expected There are no wrong results – only unexpected ones 10 It’s In the Cards A good way to record and keep the information that you find is to use index cards Use any size index cards that you like, but only write one idea at a time on each card Make sure to record information for your bibliography on each card Here are examples for various types of printed material: When you are ready to organize your first writing of your scientific research paper, you can sort through your index cards Find the cards that contain information that you want to use; discard the others for the time Arrange your cards on the table or on the floor until you have them in an order that makes sense to you The material that you will want to keep will be enough to provide the reader with a brief overview of your project’s direction, as well as previous experimentation by scientists You can easily eliminate unwanted and extraneous information by asking others to examine your set of index cards 11 12 ... Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS Many parents have asked for a guideline as to what they should and should not be doing to help their sons.. .SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Choose the Topic Library Research Purpose and Hypothesis Procedure and Materials... Perform the EXPERIMENT Write the procedure, results and the conclusions Prepare a public display for the science fair and present it All projects will be displayed and judged at the Science Fair