1. Science Fair
Information

2. The purpose of the
Science Fair is to offer students the opportunity to think deeply about science as it applies to everyday life.

3. Dates Lake Norman Elementary Science Fair - Kindergarten-5th grade
- Wednesday, November 1, 2017
- Lake Norman Elementary
Iredell-Statesville Schools District Science Fair
- 3rd-5th grade only
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Unity Center
Regional Science Fair
December 19, 2017
State Science Fair
March 23-24, 2018

4. This website will provide you all of the necessary information for completing a Science Fair Project in North Carolina.
Reference this site for…
How to do a Science Fair Project.
Downloading the Forms Needed.
Following the Rules for doing a Project.

6. Steps in Developing a Science Fair Project
Decide on a topic
Plan steps in project
Conduct some research about your topic
Investigate and collect data
Create a display with write-ups and graphics
Practice talking about your project

8. Scientific Method The Question
Your science fair project starts with a question. This might be based on an observation you have made or a particular topic that interests you. Think what you hope to discover during your investigation, what question would you like to answer? Your question needs to be about something you can measure and will typically start with words such as what, when, where, how or why.
Background Research
Talk to your science teacher and use resources such as books and the Internet to perform background research on your question. Gathering information now will help prepare you for the next step in the Scientific Method.
Hypothesis
Using your background research and current knowledge, make an educated guess that answers your question. Your hypothesis should be a simple statement that expresses what you think will happen.
Experiment
Create a step by step procedure and conduct an experiment that tests your hypothesis. The experiment should be a fair test that changes only one variable at a time while keeping everything else the same. Repeat the experiment a number of times to ensure your original results weren’t an accident.
Data
Collect data and record the progress of your experiment. Document your results with detailed measurements, descriptions and observations in the form of notes, journal entries, photos, charts and graphs.
Observations
Describe the observations you made during your experiment. Include information that could have affected your results such as errors, environmental factors and unexpected surprises.
Conclusions
Analyze the data you collected and summarize your results in written form. Use your analysis to answer your original question, do the results of your experiment support or oppose your hypothesis?
Communication
Present your findings in an appropriate form, whether it’s a final report for a scientific journal, a poster for school or a display board for a science fair competition.

10. Suggested Timeline 6 Weeks Prior to the Fair Register online.
Choose a topic to investigate or explore/form a hypothesis.
Make a list of resources (school library, people to interview, community library)
Select necessary reading material
Begin preliminary investigations
Begin to log in your journal and plan for data collection
Continue to research
Finalize research question. Ask your teacher to provide feedback to your research question.
Set up an experimental design.
5 Weeks Prior to Fair
Continue to research and collect data
Continue to log in your journal
Develop your formal hypothesis
Read materials an other necessary resources
Begin setting up your experiment or demonstration
Continue adding information to project notebook
Work on photographs or illustrations for the display
Continue recording observations in your journal/log book
4 Weeks Prior to Fair
Decide how to set-up your display unit/materials needed. Take photographs.
Set-up outline for written final report.
Work on first draft of written report
3 Weeks Prior to Fair
Start assembling your display unit. Take photographs.
Continue recording observations and notes in your journal/log book.
Check books, pamphlets, magazines for additional ideas.
Verify information with experts (teachers, parents, professors, scientists).
Collect materials for display board.
2 Weeks Prior to Fair
Begin designing charts, graphs, and/or photographs for the display unit
Complete experiment or collection.
Complete journal/log book
Take final photographs and have them developed.
Write second draft of the final report
Record final o0bservations on any experiment.
Prepare signs, titles, letters and labels for display unit
Consult with any experts
1 Week Prior to Fair
Complete graphs, charts, and photos.
Finish construction your display board.
Type or print final draft of written report.
Mount graphs, charts, drawings, photographs, and lettering.
Assemble components of the display
Proofread your written report
Set up the display at home and check for any problems.
Check, double-check, and triple-check everything!
Decide how you are going to get your project home.

11. Project Guidelines (These guidelines are set by the Regional and State Science Fairs)
Projects should be the student’s own work. Parents should be a guide to encourage and offer ideas or materials.
Find help for your project in the library or on the internet. Please practice school internet safety guidelines while researching at school or home.
Be sure your topic is not too broad, such as “motors” or “plants”.
The project should be specific and something you can observe, compare, and experiment.
These are not considered projects, rather models and will NOT be judged:
Experiments on live animals
Models of Volcanoes
Dinosaurs
Electromagnets
Light Blub Circuits
The Solar System
Tornado Bottles
Your display should include the following steps of the Scientific Method.
Purpose/Question
Research- documented in bibliographic form
Hypothesis
Procedure
Observation
Conclusions
Research Paper
Students will be required to complete a short interview with the judges that will cover questions about their experiment. These questions are not predetermined and will be a result of any questions the judge may have after reviewing the project display board. Interviews will not be judged separately, but will be taken into consideration as judges score all areas of the project.
Projects MUST be displayed on a “Project Display Board”.
The boards MUST NOT have participants name or picture on FRONT of board.
Projects will be judged based on a rubric. All projects will be given a total score. Awards will be given in order or points earned, greatest to least.
Top three places will move on to the Regional Science Fair.
NO Elementary Projects involving the culturing of Microorganisms are allowed.

12. These forms can be found at

13. Questions: Contact Bethany Orr bethanyorr@iss.k12.nc.us