Handbook for ParticipantsSpringwoods Elementary

STEM Fair2018-19 School Year

Ms. Giovinazzo: giovinmm@pwcs.eduMs. Hunter: hunterma@pwcs.edu

Ms. Lim: limjj@pwcs.eduMs. Mardeusz/Ms. Crawford: mardeumk@pwcs.edu/crawfocw@pwcs.edu

Ms. Ransom: ransommx@pwcs.edu

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Dear Participant:

This handbook will provide you with important resources and information to make your participation in the Springwoods Elementary STEM Fair a meaningful and successful experience.

We are available to provide you and your parents with additional support as you prepare for the event. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or require further information.

The event will be held on December 17. The deadline to submit your project to your homeroom teacher is December 14.

Best wishes as you join other students in presenting their work and we sincerely hope this experience is productive and rewarding for you!

Sincerely,The Fifth Grade Team

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SECTION I

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS

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Scientific Research Project Process Overview

1. Choose a problem that can be investigated through experimentation. An experiment tests an idea, makes a comparison between two or more conditions, and produces a conclusion based on the data which were collected during experimentation. Express your problem as a question.

2. Start a project logbook and record a day-by-day account of anything that is related to your project: research, hypothesis, observations, experimental data, results, and conclusions. Be sure to date each entry in your log. Remember that a real scientist documents everything.

3. Form a hypothesis about what you think is going to happen based on your research. The hypothesis is formed before the experiment is performed.

4. Plan your experiment or procedure, including a list of materials and step-by-step directions. If your experimental design uses chemicals, calls for human participants or studies vertebrate animals or microorganisms, specific forms must be completed before any testing can begin. (forms are provided at the end of this handbook).

5. Perform your experiment and record your results in your logbook.6. Draw conclusions about what happened and why. Tell whether the data

did or did not support your hypothesis. If not, how were the results different? Were there any problems? Would you do something differently next time?

7. Write your simple report – a short description that includes purpose, procedure, and conclusion of your project.

8. Design and make your display to be shown the day of the event. Write your name, grade, and teacher’s name in a small area on the back of the board. Make sure that you do not include photos of yourself or any other identifiable information.

9.

What is the Scientific Method?

(ScienceBuddies.org)The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore and answer questions about the world around us. When direct experimentation is not possible, scientists modify the scientific method. Even though we show the scientific method as a series of steps, keep in mind that new information might prompt a scientist to go back and repeat steps at any point during the process. Whether you are doing a science fair project or independent research, understanding the scientific method will help you focus your scientific question and work through collected data to answer the question as well as possible.

The Four Strategy(blank practice form is provided at the end of this handbook)

The “Four Question” strategy is a technique that you could use to generate original experiments and narrow down research topics. Example of the sequence of four questions for generating experimental ideas for a general topic, “plants”.1. What materials are readily available for conducting experiments on plants?

Response: Soils, Plants, Fertilizers, Water, Light/Heat, Containers.

2. How do plants act?

Response: Plants grow.

3. How/what can I change to affect the action?

Response: Water, Containers, Number/Kind/Location of holes, Scheduling, Spacing, Method of application, Age, Shape, Source, Size, Material Composition,

4. How can I measure or describe the response of plants to the change?

Response: Count the number of leaves, Count the number of flowers, Measure the length of the longest stem, Measure the diameter of the stems, Measure mass of the fruit produced, Determine the rate of growth

You could write a hypothesis by relating a response to Question #3 with a response to Question #4 by using the following format: If I change (Independent Variable from Question #3), then the (Dependent Variable from Question #4) will change. Select one Independent variable and one dependent variable. All other potential Independent Variables become constants for the experiment.

Experimental Design Sample(blank practice form is provided at the end of this handbook)

Question: What is the effect of fertilizer on plant growth?Hypothesis: If the amount of fertilizer is increased, then the average plant height will increase.

Independent Variable: The amount of fertilizer usedDependent Variable: Average height of plant in centimetersConstants:

Plant type – 5 cm tall bean plantsPlanting containers/Soil amount – 400 cm3 per pot for each plantSoil type – Brand X potting soil used for all plantsWater source – tap waterWater amount – 100 ml per plant every 3 daysFertilizer type – Brand Y plant food used for all plantsFertilizer application – dissolved in tap water used to water plantsLight – all plants are placed on a plant cart, 50 cm below 100-watt incandescent light bulbsTemperature – 30 °C

Suggested Categories

Category Project Focus

Animal SciencesProjects that study animals; typically, animals that live alongside humans.This category includes studies that might involve vertebrates (non-humans) and/or invertebrates.

Behavioral and Social Sciences

Projects that study interactions among living things.This category might include studies on learning, perception, public opinion survey, and educational testing.

Biochemistry

Projects on substances and chemical processes of living things.This category might include a study on photosynthesis or chemical digestion.

ChemistryProjects that study physical matter and how it changes.This category might include product testing—shampoos, dyes, detergents, diapers, markers, nail polish, etc.

Computer Science and Mathematics

Projects that deal with computer software and mathematical reasoning.This category might include a study on programming or computational thinking.

Earth and Planetary Sciences

Projects that study Earth systems and anything beyond our planet.This category might include a study on fossils formation or earthquakes.

Environmental Sciences

Projects that study the environment and its relationships with living things. This category might include a study onrecycling and waste management

Medicine and Health Sciences

Projects that study health or diseases and their prevention and treatment.This category includes studies on teeth, skin, nutrition, allergies, hearing, etc.

Microbiology

Projects that study living things that could be seen under a microscope.This category includes studies with bacteria or mold.

Physics

Projects that study how matter and energy interact.This category might include a study on motion, electricity, magnetism, light, or sound.

Plant SciencesProjects that study plants.This category might include a study on plants’ growth or reproduction.

SECTION II

STEM PROJECTS

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An Overview of STEM Projects(Bringing STEM to the Elementary Classroom, NSTA Press, 2016)

Engineering is the creative application of science, math, and technologies for the various uses of humankind. While the goal of science is to develop theories that explain how the world works, the goal of engineering is to find solutions to real-world, poorly structured problems. These problems are “messy” because there is not one correct/perfect path to arrive to a solution (a better product or an improved process.) While scientific researchers and engineers use similar practices (such as using mathematics and computational thinking, collaborating and communicating information, etc.), they do so for different purposes:

Practice Scientists Engineers

Defining Project

By developing a question

By identifying a problem

Investigating To make sense of natural phenomena

To specify design criteria and to test solution prototypes

Modeling To examine natural phenomena or to demonstrate ideas

To design a prototype of a solution to the problem

Analyzing Data

To generate evidence for scientific theories

To understand design flaws

Debating To test and strengthen theories

To compare and improve designs

Project Outcome

By constructing an answer to the research question

By designing a solution (a product or a process) to the problem

What is the Engineering Design Process?

Just like the Scientific Method, the Engineering Design Process includes common procedural steps. Even though we show the Engineering Design Process as a series of steps, keep in mind that new information might prompt you to go back and repeat steps at any point during the process.

(ScienceBuddies.org)

Hint: Look for everyday problems that 1) could be solved in various ways by designing a product (or creating a process) for improvement that would not require expensive or call for recycled resources, 2) relate to science topics that are appropriate to your age group and have your interest or frustrate you, and 3) might be important to either your local or global communities.

SECTION III

GENERAL INFORMATION

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STEM Fair Timeline

Date What’s Due?Friday, October 12

Project IdeaApproval Form signed by student and his/her parent

Friday, October 19

Final Topic Write Up Approval Form signed by student and his/her parent

Friday, November 9

Research, Resources, Experimental Design/ Engineering Plan, Materials, and Procedures

Wednesday, November 28

Observations, Data Tables and Graphs, Results, and Conclusion

Monday, December 10

Simple Report

Thursday, December 13

Display Board (along with any other notes/log book)

Monday, December 17

Springwoods STEM Fair

Adult Involvement

A project of this size may require adult assistance and/or supervision. Teachers ask that parents assist in monitoring students’ progress on this project. For example, students may need assistance in setting up the experiment at home, or they may need to be reminded to record observations daily. We appreciate all that you do at home to support your child. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher or science/STEM coordinator.

Think in Metrics and Multiples

Any measurements should be made in metrics (i.e. centimeters instead of inches) and include units. All experiments must have at least three trials (please check with your teacher for exceptions) using the same procedure for each one.

*****Hazardous Biological and Chemical Agents are prohibited. *****No culturing of microorganisms is allowed at the elementary

level.

Project Logbook Guidelines

1. Your project logbook should include the following:a. Title. Recommended title frame for science research projects is “The Effect of _________ on __________.”b. Introduction. Include background research/literature review (see #2 below).c. Experimental Design Diagram (experiment question, hypothesis, Independent and Dependent Variables) or Engineering Design Diagram (problem, ideas for possible solutions, and a drawing of your original design).d. Materials and Procedures.e. Data Table(s) and Graph(s).f. Results. Factual description of what happened. g. Conclusion. Suggested as R.E.R.U.N:

R=Recall: Describe what you didE=Explain: Explain the purpose of your projectR=Results: State the results. U=Uncertainty: Describe any errors of your experiment/flaws of design.N=New: Write 2 things you learned and 2 questions for further work.

2. Background Research/Literature Review should include at least [Insert number] sources (nonfiction books, encyclopedias, or online sources). For printed sources, write down the book title, author, and copyright date. For online sources write down the title of the website, the date you retrieved the information and the URL (only the portion leading up to the .com, .edu, or .org ending.)

3. Be sure to follow proper writing rules, including spelling and grammar.

4. You MUST write a simple report as an overview and reflection of your project. This should be no more than one page.

Guidelines for Tables

Make a table containing vertical columns for the Independent (I.V.) and Dependent (D.V.) variables and trials with the mean (average) at the end.

Independent Variable

(I.V) (units)

Dependent Variable (D.V) (units) Derived Quantity (units)

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Order the values of the I.V.; preferably from the smallest to the largest; include units of measure (ex: “sec” for seconds).

Record values of the D.V. Compute/record the derived quantity for your averages. Title your table to inform a viewer about presented information.

Guidelines for Graphs Draw the X and Y axes of the graph. Label X axis (I.V.) and Y axis (D.V.); include units of measure. Determine an appropriate scale for the X and Y axes. (example: every 3

squares = 5 centimeters) Subdivide the axes. Make sure to begin with zero and include equal

intervals. Plot the data pairs on the graph. Title your graph to tell a viewer about information presented in the

graph. Summarize the data trends on the graph.

Display Board

Your display board should do two things: Show and Tell. It should catch viewers’ attention so that they want to look more closely and learn about your work. It should also explain to the viewer what you did and what you have learned during the process. Remember that the display is not your project but an informational exhibit of your project. Standard tri-fold boards are available for purchase at local craft and retailer stores. An example of a final display board for a science research project is pictured below. For a STEM project, you might want to replace “hypothesis” with a design brief or a drawing of your original prototype.

Suggested On-line Sources

Scientific Research Projectshttps://www.sciencebuddies.org/http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scifair/https://www.sciencefaircentral.com/https://sciencebob.com/science-fair-ideas/ideas/

STEM Projectshttps://www.sciencebuddies.org/https://www.stem.org.ukhttps://www.symbaloo.com/mix/steam5https://www.destinationimagination.org/http://www.instructables.com/https://makezine.com/https://www.teachengineering.org/http://tryengineering.org/http://www.childrensengineering.com/

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SECTION IV

FORMS

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Project Approval Form(Please read, sign, and return this page to your science teacher)

I have read this handbook and understand what is expected of me in the completion of a science research/STEM project.

Student Signature: ____________________________ Date: __________

I have reviewed this handbook with my child and understand that he/she may need my support in completing the science research/STEM project.

Parent/GuardianLegal Guardian Signature: ___________________ Date: __________

_____________________________________

Title:

Describe :

Student Signature: _______________________Parent Signature:________________________

Due: October 12

Topic Proposal

Title:

Describe :

Student Signature: _______________________Parent Signature:________________________

Due: October 19

Final Topic Proposal

Due: November 9

Research Resources

Due: November 9

Research Resources

ResearchDUE: November 9

Title:

Background information about the topic: (Written in paragraph form)

Due: November 9

Experimental Design Diagram (if you are doing a Science Fair Project)

Independent Variable (I.V.):

Levels of IV (How will you change it?)Repeated TrialsControl Group

Dependent Variable: (How will the dependent variable be measured? Describe in detail including units.)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Constants: (The parts of the experiment that remain the same to keep it fair.)______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due: November 9

Engineering Design

Title:

Hypothesis:

If ______________, then ____________ because _____________.

Question:

How does ________________ affect _____________________?

(if you are doing a STEM or Engineering Project)

Materials are ALL the items you will use to perform your experiment. EVERYTHING you use must be listed in the materials section. Please be very specific when listing your materials. Be sure to include quantities, how many. All units must be in metric.

Due Date: November 9Materials and Procedures

Title (Problem):

Imagine:

Question/Ask:

Plan:

Create (Sketch…use back of paper if necessary):

Example: Egg Drop labMaterials: 4 sheets white computer paper 21 cm x 27.5 cm

60 cm of making tape 1 large Grade AA white egg

Materials:Quantity Description

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

o _____ __________________________________________

Writing Procedures The procedure is a list of numbered instructions or steps to perform your experiment. The purpose of recording the procedure is for someone else to be able to complete your experiment exactly the way you did and get the same results. In the procedures you want to be short and concise writing every step you do.

Procedure:

Due Date: November 9

1. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

4. __________________________________________

5. __________________________________________

6. __________________________________________

7. __________________________________________

8. __________________________________________

9. __________________________________________

Due Date: November 28

Conclusion

Your conclusions summarize how your results support or contradict your original hypothesis:

Summarize your science fair project results in a few sentences and use this summary to support your conclusion. Include key facts from your background research to help explain your results as needed.

State whether your results support or contradict your hypothesis. (Engineering & programming projects should state whether they met their design criteria.)

If appropriate, state the relationship between the independent and dependent variable.

Summarize and evaluate your experimental procedure, making comments about its success and effectiveness.

Suggest changes in the experimental procedure (or design) and/or possibilities for further study. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due Date: December 10

Simple ReportSteps for Setting Up a Simple Report

TITLE PAGE(put your title in the middle of the page in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and large font 24+)

TITLEName

Teacher(This page will be removed before

judging

Table of Contents

I. Introduction SectionBackground Research. . . 3Hypothesis. . . . . . . . . . . 4

II. Experiment SectionMaterials . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . .6Data Table. . . . . . . . . . . . 7

III. Conclusion Section

Background Research

A one (1) paragraph summary of the research you did

before you started your project that

relates to and explains the history/importance

of your topic.

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STEM FAIR PROJECT GRADING RUBRIC

Name of Scientist: ________________________Title of Project: _______________________________________________

SECTION DUE DATE SCORE COMMENTSTopic October 19

Purpose October 19Hypothesis November 9

Materials November 9Procedure November 9

Variables & Controls/Design & Plan

November 9

Data/Results November 28Conclusion November 28

Data and Observations

Include everything that happened and

what you saw, smelt, felt, noticed, etc.

during your experiment. MUST

include tables/graphs and/or pictures.

**Line graph = measured over time (i.e. plant growth)

** Your final draft should be TYPED. in size 12 font

Simple Report December 10

Display Board December 13

1 2 3 4

Complete Project

(Either board or packet)

Lacks detail and is messy.

Some attention to neatness.

Attention to detail and neatness

shown.

Attractively presented with

exceptional detail.

Effort Did not attempt to do the assignment.

Did assignment but sloppy. Project done well Worked hard, took

their time.

Skill and Thoroughness of

contentLittle or no content

Minimal content and description is present is various

parts.

Project’s content is thorough and

adequate.

Projects content exceeds

expectations of basic content.

Scientific Thought

Does not show an understanding of

the scientific process

Fails to include all the parts of the

scientific process

Uses scientific process correctly in investigating

problem

Goes above and beyond in using

the scientific process by taking

extra steps for completeness.

38-40 Points = A35-37 Points = B+30-34 = B27-29 = C+

25-26 = C

22-24 = D+20-23 = D0-20 = F

Score:__________________Final Grade:_____________

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