nt idelines · 2019. 11. 10. · i have a catchy title. all categories are listed on the display...
TRANSCRIPT
The Howard County Homeschooling Science Fair provides homeschoolers with an opportunity to showcase research and organizational skills in the areas of math and physical science.
GRADES 2 - 8 HCHC Leadership Academy
6800 Oakland Mills Road Columbia, MD 20745
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RESOURCES Science Fair Projects www.sciencefair-projects.org A large collection of hundreds of free, illustrated science fair project ideas and science project experiments for elementary school, middle school and high school. Science Bob
https://sciencebob.com/science-fair-ideas A science teacher, author, maker and presenter that knows how to share the world of science.
Science Buddies www.sciencebuddies.org Science Buddies offers guidance for students.
• Science Project Ideas
• Printable Worksheets • Teacher Resources
Community Resources for Science https://www.crscience.org/educators/ScienceFair CRS has compiled a comprehensive list from their database of Science Fair Resources on the web. Science Fair Central
https://www.sciencefaircentral.com
Search through hundreds of idea starters to develop your own science fair project, investigation and/or engineering design challenge. National Energy Education Department https://www.need.org/need-students/science-fair-projects
NEED provides helpful energy science fair projects for kids. They suggest using their Energy Fair science fair guide to plan your science fair project before jumping into their suggested experiments.
SCIENCE FAIR TIPS
1. Do NOT do the work for your child.
Parents tend to jump in and make the work “more presentable,” but that’s not what the science fair is
about. It’s about your child learning how to do scientific research and present their findings in their own
way. Be there to guide, supervise and assist and refrain from doing the work for them.
2. Choose something age appropriate.
Make certain your child can complete the steps themselves. Encourage your children to explore ideas
based on interests they already have. Have your child select 3 project ideas and then review the choices
with them. Make sure they understand the steps involved and feel comfortable executing those steps on
their own with your guidance.
3. STEAM it up!
You can spice up the science fair by choosing a project that crosses over into art, math and/or
engineering! Stretch your imagination and get creative by including elements like art and robotics.
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A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT:
1. Includes the Scientific Method | Problem - Solution
o Shows that you understand the science you’ve chosen.
o Shows your work through accurate and valid observations.
2. Is organized and pleasant to look at
o Includes photos, charts and graphs that explain your work.
o Has a simple, well-stated title with neat lettering.
3. Represents your hard work; not that of your parents
o The bulk of the work should be done by you.
o Show careful planning that would eliminate a “Rush” project.
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STEPS TO GET STARTED:
1. Choose a Topic
o Choose a problem that you’re interested in researching.
o Keep your thoughts, ideas, records and findings in a notebook.
2. Work Daily on your Project
o Don’t wait until the last minute and turn in a “Rush” project.
o Collect the materials you need and do a bit of work each day.
3. Build your Tri-Fold Display Board
o Mount pictures, graphs and charts to display your work.
o Present your tri-fold, display board at the science fair.
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GETTING STARTED Scientific research tries to solve a problem or answer a question.
Pick your
Topic
Choose something that interests you. Ideas could come from hobbies or problems you see that need solutions.
Research
your Topic
Go to the library and search the internet. Gather information from talking with people.
Organize
and Theorize
Organize everything you’ve learned about your topic. Determine your hypothesis by focusing on a specific problem.
Make a
Timeline
Using a calendar, jot down and schedule enough time to experiment, collect data, write a report and build a tri-fold display board.
Plan your
Experiment
Once you have a project idea, jot down a research plan in your notebook describing how you will carry out your experiment.
Conduct
your
Experiment
Make notes in your notebook. Do not rely on your memory. Remember to change (1) one variable at a time and include control experiments in which none of the variables change.
Examine
your Results
Examine and organize your findings. Did you get the results you expected? Why or why not? Analyze your data.
Draw a
Conclusion:
Did you collect enough data? Do you need to conduct more experiments? Even if your results don’t support your hypothesis, you’ve accomplished successful scientific research.
Further Questions: What further questions do you have about your
experiment? What else would you like to know about this topic?
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SCIENCE FAIR RULES
Recruit the help and supervision of an adult.
Keep your work area clean, decluttered and free of debris. Do not touch, taste or inhale chemicals or chemical solutions.
Wear protective goggles with experiments that could lead to eye injury. Do not experiment on living or deceased vertebrate animals.
Do not include or bring in live bacteria and/or cultures.
Projects that involve vertebrate animals, drugs, firearms or explosives.
Pressurized tanks, canisters, or gas cylinders.
Devices producing temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Celsius. Food (ex. fruit, vegetables, etc.) which can decompose or decay.
The Prohibited List means you can't bring these items to the science fair, but under adult
supervision, they can be used in your project. Only non-vertebrate experimentation is allowed.
SCIENCE FAIR WRITTEN REPORT The written report is a summary of everything you did to investigate your topic.
Show at least (1) one page of observational and/or research notes.
Report can be typed by parents and/or recorded in the child’s voice.
Show a notebook containing handwritten notes and observations. Present a 3 to 5-page report (incl. Title Page); typed and double spaced.
Include a Bibliography referencing where you researched information. Show a notebook containing handwritten notes and observations.
A 5 to 10-page report (incl. Table of Content); typed and double spaced. Include a Title Page, Table of Content, Purpose Statement, Hypothesis,
Materials, Procedure, Observations, Conclusion and Bibliography.
Written reports should be bound and/or placed in a binder. Revise and double check your
calculations, spelling and grammar before submitting. Double spacing is for editing purposes.
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Title Page Includes project title and the name and grade of the student. Table of
Content
Provides the page number for where each section and different parts of the project can be found.
Purpose
Statement
State the purpose (for doing the experiment) in the form of a question.
Hypothesis Establish a hypothesis before you complete the project. A hypothesis is an educated guess about what you think will occur as a result of completing your experiment.
Materials List the materials and supplies you used in your project. Quantities and amounts should be indicated.
Procedure Using sequential order, list and describe the steps you took to complete the experiment.
Observations
and Results
Tell what you learned from completing your experiments. Include graphs and charts that help show your results.
Conclusion Explain why the events you observed occurred. Using the word “because” is a good way to turn an observation into a conclusion. The conclusion should tell whether the hypothesis was proven or not proven.
Bibliography List resources (i.e. books) used to carry out the project. Items should be listed in alphabetical order in a standard format.
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SCIENCE FAIR ORAL PRESENTATION Speaking to a science fair judge can be scary and a bit intimidating. Here are
some helpful tips to use during your oral presentation.
o Relax. Smile. Remember the fun you had.
o Look sharp, feel sharp, and you’ll be sharp.
Show your confidence.
o Dress nice, be polite and speak clearly.
Look the judge in the eyes.
o Explain what your data means. Make sure you
can read and explain your graphs and tables.
o Introduce yourself. Point to the title of your
project and explain why you chose your topic.
o State the problem (your question). Explain your
hypothesis (what you thought might happen).
o Talk about what you learned while researching.
o Talk about the sources (books, websites, etc.)
that helped you understand your topic.
o Explain the steps you took to conduct your
experiment. Be sure to mention the materials
you used. Share your notebook entries.
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STUDENT NAME: _____________________ DUE DATE: 11/20/19
TITLE OF PROJECT: ___________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Write a question.
HYPOTHESIS This is based on the child's current understanding of Science; not a wild guess.
MATERIALS What do I need?
PROCEDURE A summary of the steps in the procedure is expected.
OBSERVATION What happens?
CONCLUSION Why did it happen?
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TYPE OF RESOURCE Book Website Other
Website address: http://www.__________________________________________
Author: ____________________________________________________________
Book Title: _________________________________________________________
Publisher: __________________________________________________________
Date of Publication: ____________________
TYPE OF RESOURCE Book Website Other
Website address: http://www.__________________________________________
Author: ____________________________________________________________
Book Title: _________________________________________________________
Publisher: __________________________________________________________
Date of Publication: ____________________
TYPE OF RESOURCE Book Website Other
Website address: http://www.__________________________________________
Author: ____________________________________________________________
Book Title: _________________________________________________________
Publisher: __________________________________________________________
Date of Publication: ____________________
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GETTING STARTED
I chose a topic… that interests me.
Purpose Statement: What do I want to find out?
My hypothesis is…
I’ve collected my materials.
I wrote notes about the procedure… and described the steps I took.
I researched my project using at least 3 different sources.
WRITTEN REPORT
The title of my project is… I have a bound notebook full of written notes.
I have audio and/or video recordings of my observations.
Table of Contents Bibliography
I re-read and revised to avoid spelling and grammar errors. DISPLAY BOARD
I have a catchy title.
All categories are listed on the display board (i.e. Purpose, Hypothesis, etc.) I have graphs, charts, tables, photos and/or other visual aids.
I re-read and revised to avoid spelling and grammar errors. My tri-fold display board is organized and neat.
My display does NOT contain any hazardous items (i.e. cultures, weapons) ORAL PRESENTATION
Practice my presentation in the mirror.
Introduce myself and give the title of my project. Explain the different sections (i.e. Procedure, Observation, Results, etc.)
Good posture and eye contact. Speak clearly and audibly.
Be prepared for the homeschool Science Fair by carefully reading
and following the simple steps laid out in these guidelines.
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HOWARD COUNTY HOMESCHOOLING COOPERATIVE
Science Research Project Evaluation Form
This rubric is a guideline for a complete science research project. Projects should include
the following weighted items.
YES NO Comments
Points Possible
Points Scored
Question What is the question you are trying to answer with this experiment?
10
Hypothesis Based on what you already know, what do you predict will happen, and why?
5
Procedures Describe your procedure and explain how this is a fair test of the question.
10
Observation Log Is the data written down in a notebook? Is it numerical and clear?
10
Charts, Graphs and Tables Do the charts, graphs and/or tables display the data accurately?
20
Data Analysis Does the analysis clearly explain what the data means?
20
Conclusion Is the conclusion based on the data? Does the conclusion include evidence from the Observation Log? Does the data support the hypothesis?
15
Interview Is the student able to discuss the project in a knowledgeable way?
10
TOTAL 100
Additional Comments/Strengths:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Project Number:
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HOWARD COUNTY HOMESCHOOLING COOPERATIVE
Engineering Project Evaluation Form
This rubric is a guideline for a complete science research project. Projects should include
the following weighted items.
YES NO Comments
Points Possible
Points Scored
Problem What is the practical need or problem you are trying to solve?
10
Design Plan Describe your plan and what solutions you explored to solve this need or problem.
15
Construction Describe how your design demonstrates the solution to the need or problem.
20
Testing Describe how you tested the project, how many times it was tested and the conditions of the test.
20
Creativity Describe how your project creatively meets the need or problem you recognized.
20
Presentation Does your presentation include an understanding of the engineering skill? Can you describe how this model solves the problem or how it can be adjusted to meet the need?
15
TOTAL 100
Additional Comments/Strengths:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Project Number:
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ASK: Identify the
need & constraints
Research the
Problem
IMAGINE: Develop Possible
Solutions
PLAN: Select a
Promising Solution
CREATE: Build a
Prototype
Test and Evaluate
Prototype
IMPROVE: Redesign as
Needed
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Q: Do I have to be a member to sign-up?
A: No, we welcome ALL homeschoolers from all counties in Maryland.
Q: Do I have to pay the $30.00 fee to sign-up for the science fair?
A: No, but your child(ren) will not be eligible to place or receive awards and prizes.
Q: What if my child decides to select an engineering project?
A: They’ll need to use the engineering and design process instead of the scientific method.
Q: What does “Art” mean in terms of the science fair?
A: It's a very subjective category in a medium that is entirely objective.
Q: Does the prohibition of bacteria-based experiments prohibit organic studies?
A: The National Guidelines specify that it cannot be dangerous pathogens.
Q: Are children judged based on how neat and artistic the tri-fold display board is?
A: Even if the display is perfect and beautiful, if the Science is not there, it will not place.
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