“Incorporating National Science Standards into Science Fair Projects” Michael Lopatka This presentation may be downloaded from:

What are the National Science Education Standards? The National Research Council released the National Science Education Standards in December of The Standards define the science content that all students should know and be able to do and provide guidelines for assessing the degree to which students have learned that content.

What are the National Science Education Standards? The Standards detail the teaching strategies, professional development, and support necessary to deliver high quality science education to all students. The Standards also describe policies needed to bring coordination, consistency, and coherence to science education programs.

Why do we need the Standards? Understanding science offers personal fulfillment and excitement. Citizens need scientific information and scientific ways of thinking in order to make informed decisions.

Why do we need the Standards? Business and industry need entry-level workers with the ability to learn, reason, think creatively, make decisions, and solve problems. Strong science and mathematics education can help our nation and individual citizens improve and maintain their economic productivity.

Unifying concepts and processes in science. Science as inquiry. Physical science. Life science. Earth and space science. Science and technology. Science in personal and social perspective. History and nature of science. Science Content Standards Overview……

Who developed the Standards? Committees and working groups of scientists, teachers, and other educators appointed by the National Research Council developed the Standards. They engaged in a four-year process that involved review and critique by 22 science education and scientific organizations and broad state and local participation of over 18,000 individuals, including scientists, science educators, teachers, school administrators, and parents.

Why Use the Standards? The national consensus that resulted from this process gives the Standards a special credibility. Educators throughout the country who use them to form changes in science education programs can be assured that the Standards represent the highest quality thinking this country can provide its citizens.

Why National Science Education Standards? The term "standard" has multiple meanings. Science education standards are criteria to judge quality: the quality of what students know and are able to do.

Why National Science Education Standards? A hallmark of American education is local control, where boards of education and teachers make decisions about what students will learn. National standards present criteria by which judgements can be made by state and local school personnel and communities, helping them to decide which curriculum, staff development activity, or assessment program is appropriate.

Some Problems Facing Science Fair Future Competitions? Budget Cuts Time Constraints Standardized Test Preparation Paperwork

E Convincing District Administration

DESIGN AND CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS ! Designing and conducting a scientific investigation requires introduction to the major concepts in the area being investigated, proper equipment, safety precautions, assistance with methodological problems, recommendations for use of technologies, clarification of ideas that guide the inquiry, and scientific knowledge obtained from sources other than the actual investigation. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Clearing Display and Safety

DESIGN AND CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS ! The investigation may also require student clarification of the question, method, controls, and variables; student organization and display of data; student revision of methods and explanations; and a public presentation of the results with a critical response from peers. Regardless of the scientific investigation performed, students must use evidence, apply logic, and construct an argument for their proposed explanations. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Testing Our Hypothesis

You Get Back What You Put Into A Project

USE TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS! Variety of technologies, such as hand tools, measuring instruments, and calculators, are an integral component of scientific investigations. The use of computers for the collection, analysis, and display of data is also a part of this standard. Mathematics plays an essential role in all aspects of an inquiry. For example, measurement is used for posing questions, formulas are used for developing explanations, and charts and graphs are used for communicating results. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Is this you?

FORMULATE AND REVISE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS AND MODELS USING LOGIC AND EVIDENCE! Student inquiries should culminate in formulating an explanation or model. Models should be physical, conceptual, and mathematical. In the process of answering the questions, the students should engage in discussions and arguments that result in the revision of their explanations. These discussions should be based on scientific knowledge, the use of logic, and evidence from their investigation. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

RECOGNIZE AND ANALYZE ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS AND MODELS! This aspect of the standard emphasizes the critical abilities of analyzing an argument by reviewing current scientific understanding, weighing the evidence, and examining the logic so as to decide which explanations and models are best. In other words, although there may be several plausible explanations, they do not all have equal weight. Students should be able to use scientific criteria to find the preferred explanations. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Problem solving

COMMUNICATE AND DEFEND A SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT! Students in school science programs should develop the abilities associated with accurate and effective communication. These include writing and following procedures, expressing concepts, reviewing information, summarizing data, using language appropriately, developing diagrams and charts, explaining statistical analysis, speaking clearly and logically, constructing a reasoned argument, and responding appropriately to critical comments. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

“Say… What’s a mountain goat doing way up here in a Cloud Bank?”

Physical Science NS Structure of atoms Structure and properties of matter Chemical reactions Motions and forces Conservation of energy and increase in disorder Interactions of energy and matter #csa912 Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Life Science NS The cell Molecular basis of heredity Biological evolution Interdependence of organisms Matter, energy, and organization in living systems Behavior of organisms #csa912 Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Earth and Space Science NS Energy in the earth system Geochemical cycles Origin and evolution of the earth system Origin and evolution of the universe #csa912 Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives NS Personal and community health Population growth Natural resources Environmental quality Natural and human-induced hazards Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges #csa912 Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

IDENTIFY QUESTIONS AND CONCEPTS THAT GUIDE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS! Students should formulate a testable hypothesis and demonstrate the logical connections between the scientific concepts guiding a hypothesis and the design of an experiment. They should demonstrate appropriate procedures, a knowledge base, and conceptual understanding of scientific investigations. Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

History and Nature of Science NS Science as a human endeavor Nature of scientific knowledge Historical perspectives Occasionally, there are advances in science and technology that have important and long-lasting effects on science and society. Examples include: Copernican revolution, Newtonian mechanics, Relativity, Geologic time scale, Plate tectonics Atomic theory Nuclear physics, Biological evolution, Germ theory, Industrial revolution, Molecular biology, Information and communication, Quantum theory, Galactic universe, Medical and health technology. Newtonian mechanics Relativity Geologic time scale Plate tectonics Atomic theory Nuclear physics Biological evolution Germ theory Industrial revolution Molecular biology Information and communication Quantum theory Galactic universe Medical and health technology Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

Multidisciplinary Narrative Writing Comparing and Contrasting Main Idea Recognizing Cause and Effect Oral Presentation History Synthesizing Information and Drawing Conclusions Science Fair and National Science Standards Correlations

“Standards are not a curriculum. They are not a set of lesson plans. They are goals for achievement that are appropriate for all members of the science education community”. NSTA

The Ultimate Guide to Science Fair Projects “One of the best science fair primers we've yet seen.” This "Ultimate" Guide was written specifically for the science student embarking on their first science fair project or for those students who have tried and "stumbled" in the past. ……easy to follow guide covers getting started, gathering information, documenting work, designing the experiment, datalogging and processing, and presenting the project with insight into what science fair judges are looking for.

Exercise #19 – Appropriate Subjects and Projects Check List Answer all of the questions below honestly. (Use N/A if the question does not apply to your research) ____ Do I have enough subjects to make my project scientifically and statistically valid? ____ Am I using a representative cross- section of the population?  6 Correlation to National Standard Found in Index

Analyzing Data After the painstaking task of collecting your data, it’s very important to determine what it all means. In other words, how will you interpret your results? After either proving or rejecting your hypothesis, you will need to apply a statistical significance to your outcome. That is, do your results really prove or disprove your hypothesis, or could these results have been arrived at by chance alone?  12 “The Ultimate Guide to Science Fair Projects”

Why Science Fair?

 Science Fair brings National Standards to life (Reading, Writing, Math and Science) as well as integrates State Science Standards!  Student research promotes skills that are essential in the job force: *Teamwork* Honesty* Time Management *Responsibility * Discipline *Ethics * Organization Skills * Organization Skills