FUN SCIENCE FAIR MUSIC (PUT IT TO THE TEST BY THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS)

SCIENCE FAIR HAMPTON COVE MIDDLE SCHOOL

WHAT IS SCIENCE FAIR? Real Science or Engineering! All yours! A chance to show off! Lots of fun! A looong term project. (But shorter this year!)

WHAT IS SCIENCE FAIR? Ribbons, trophies and scholarships (oh, my!) 500+ students at HCMS 350 Regional Fairs including : North Alabama Regional Science & Engineering Fair at UAH (20 HCMS students) High School: International Science and Engineering Fair On your own: Google Science Fair

WHO DOES SCIENCE FAIR? Everyone, Grades 6-8: Question Research Paper Logbook Experiment Plan Data & Conclusion Honors Required: (Regular gets Extra Credit): Display for entry into Science Fair Presentation in Class

WHEN IS SCIENCE FAIR? HOW DO I GET IT DONE? HCMS Fair January 14, /25/15 Topic (Basic Question) 9/22/15 Research Paper due 9/29/15 Topic, Title, Purpose/Question, Hypothesis, Variables 10/6/15 Complete Experiment Plan (add materials, procedure). (Institutional Review Board will meet to approve your projects; No changes after this date unless your project is rejected by the IRB) 10/27/15 Scaled sketch of display and logbook check* 11/3/15 Experiment Complete and Abstract (summary) 12/10/15: Completed Board (bring to school!) *Logbook should have all your brainstorming ideas plus the entire above due components. Write down everything you do, think, and observe about your topic and experiment. Date each entry. Pen only and do not write on the back of the paper.

HOW IS SCIENCE FAIR ORGANIZED? o ***Animal Science (AS) o ***Behavioral and Social (BE) O*** Chemistry (CH) o Earth and Space Science (EA) o Engineering (EE) o Environmental Science (EV) o Math and Computers (MA&CS) o ***Medicine and Health (ME) o Physical Science (PHS) o Plant Science (PS) *** Projects in these categories (and some others) almost always need special approval. Your teacher will need to approve your idea, and have your basic plan approved by a committee before you collect data. It’s not hard, but it’s important!

HOW IS SCIENCE FAIR GRADED AND JUDGED? Grading: Topic is a homework grade. Each major component has a draft our outline (homework grade) and a final (one or more test grades). Judging: Independent panel of science professionals. Projects should catch the eye (neatness counts!) and show good use of the scientific method or engineering process.

WAIT- WHAT!? I NEED APPROVAL? HCMS follows International Science and Engineering Fair Rules To meet standards of Safety and Ethics in science, these projects need approval: Anything that might include germs or microorganisms (MUST be done at school lab) Anything involving people (surveys, taste tests, exercise, etc) Anything that could be dangerous (rockets, flammable tests, catapults) Anything involving animals Your teacher can pre-approve. An Institutional Review Board gets final say. We need parent volunteers! One meeting or conference, mid-September Doctors Counselors/psychologists Veterinarians Research Scientists Propulsion Engineers

WHY RESEARCH? Research is the first step in the Scientific Method! It helps to know a little something so you can form a good question. HCMS research paper before experiment; requires 5 sources (at least one printed)

EXPERIMENT Plan first! Use safety equipment and be supervised! Follow your procedure! Take pictures and record lots of observations in your logbook!

DISPLAY Tri-Fold Project Board – shop early! Get the BIG size, not the mini (approximately Pictures (no faces – the judges may know you!) Graphs Big Titles Fun and easy to read

PRESENTATION – SHOUT ABOUT IT! In class – short speech Topic, Method and what you learned Use the board to show important parts (Regionals – present to judges)

RESOURCES; START NOW! Sciencebuddies.org (project ideas and tips for each step) (links to rules, etc) Research, don’t copy!