The 2010 GES Science Fair Facilitators Mrs. Jen Smith Ms. Mary Claypool

Why a Science Fair? Science fairs can instill a passion and fervor for science that will last a lifetime.

Why an Elementary Science Fair? The HASD Mission statement exemplifies why we offer elementary science fairs. THE HASD, in partnership with our community, will provide ALL students with challenging and diverse opportunities to become enthusiastic life-long learners who will build the future.

Who Should Participate? Do you wonder about why and how things work? Are you curious about the world around you? Are you creative and imaginative? Do you like science? Are you a 3 rd or 4 th grader? You should participate in the GES Science Fair on May 20 th, 2010

When is the Science Fair? Science Fair: Thursday, May 20 th, 2010 Tuesday, February 9 th : Permission Slips Due Thursday, February 11 th : Safety Rules Due Thursday, February 25 th : Hypothesis Due

What is a Science Fair Project? 1 st Component A Visual Display Board: A display board provides a background for your experiment. (We have some available to use or you can purchase your own.) A display board is where you will “present” your experiment. It should include your procedures, hypothesis, and conclusion. You may want to display photos, tables or charts here, too. A detailed example will be included in your science packet of resources.

Second Component A Written Report: It is important that you keep a written record of your investigation AS YOU CONDUCT YOUR EXPERIMENT. This record is a summary of all the steps you took in your experiment, your data, and what you learned.

Third Component An Oral Summary: Judges will visit your display and ask you questions about your experiment. Be prepared to share the steps you took, the materials you used, the data you found, and what you learned.

Resources Provided  My Personal and Scientific Checklist  Useful Websites  Science Journal  Display Board (if needed)  Safety Rules  An Outline of the Scientific Method  Science Fair Rules

Science Fair Rules Anything that could be hazardous to others is prohibited from display. This includes: Any flames, open or concealed Highly flammable materials Syringes or similar devices Class III or LV lasers Firearms or projectile launchers of any kind No live animals Human or animal parts Poisons, drugs or controlled substances No running water will be available.

Any exhibit producing hot temperatures must be adequately insulated Any moving belts or pulleys must be covered Batteries with open-top cells are not permitted All electrical wiring must be properly insulated Nails, tacks, or un-insulated staples may not be used to fasten electrical wires

The project presented must be the work of a single student. Group projects will not be allowed. Parental help is encouraged and recommended. Wall space for posters, tape, etc.. is not available. Students will need to use the space on their display boards.

A science fair will take time, planning, research, and lots of hard work. Think of diligently Einstein had to work! But please don’t let that scare you off! Taking on this challenge will not only help you learn about science, it will also help you learn about how to conduct experiments, how to research, and how to work independently. Think of this as an exciting journey into the unknown.

How Do We Get Started? Your first step is to find a topic. This step can almost be mind-boggling because there are so many interesting experiments to consider. Science fair projects for younger children should be informative, interesting, and of course fun. Remember that the project is your child’s…. let them have fun with it and learn from it

Google: Science Fairs Public Libraries Science Textbooks Community Members or Specialists Teachers

Next Steps Think of an Idea: What is your favorite thing to study in science? What area of science would you like to know more about? Is there any question you have always wanted answered? Research Your Topic: Read books, magazines, pamphlets, brochures, visit libraries and museums, or talk to experts.

Ask a Question : Your question should be very specific about the topic you selected. The question should be “open-ended,” and one that can be answered with a statement. A question like…..”Why do apples go bad? can be answered by finding the answer in a book. A more interesting question might be: Does one bad apple spoil the whole bunch? Discovering the answer to this question would require you to design an experiment and test hypotheses about how hormones affect ripening apples. Next Steps

Develop a Hypothesis: The hypothesis is an educated guess that tries to answer a question or solve a problem that you are trying to find out more about. The hypothesis is done after you do your research on a specific topic and before you do any experimenting. Example of a Hypothesis: My hypothesis is that grass will do a better job at preventing soil erosion on the hillside than shrubs. I base my hypothesis on the idea that there are more roots in the grass than the shrubs. One very important thing to remember: Do NOT change your hypothesis even if your experiment does not support it. That happens often and is a challenge to scientists. Next Steps

Plan and Conduct Your Experiments: All of your project experimenting will be performed to test the hypothesis. When doing the experiment, it must be what we call a “controlled experiment.” Here is an example: Next Steps

If you were testing whether or not paper towels hold the same amount of water, you would need to make sure that you used the exact same amount of water with each brand of paper towels. Or If you were testing to see what kind of juice cleans pennies the best, you would have to make sure that you used the exact same types and amounts of dirt (or whatever material you use). Next Steps

Keep records of what you do, how you do it, and what happens. Use your Scientific Journal to log your question, your hypothesis, your step-by- step procedures, your data, and your conclusion. Adding visuals such as photographs, graphs, and diagrams can support your findings. Next Steps

Examine the results. Once you have conducted your experiment, you must then organize and analyze your data. Next Steps

Form a conclusion. Your conclusion should answer your original question. Basically it is a summary of your experiment’s results. The conclusion should also relate back to your hypothesis. It should answer your original question. Next Steps

Time For Questions and Answers