1. Why Do I Need to Do Science Fair? Real Research in the Real World!

2. Benefits Get practice in planning, organizing and implementing a project. Increase knowledge about surroundings. Learn the Scientific Method (Conduct an experiment, Collect Data, and Analyze the Data, and make a Conclusion based on Data Analysis)

3. Project Based Learning Increasing confidence through oral presentations. Creating a reason to learn and understand essential content. Requiring inquiry as part of the process of learning

4. 5-E Model Doing a Science fair Project incorporates the five phases of 5-E Model, a model of science instruction relevant to teaching science as inquiry.  Engagement  Exploration  Explanation  Elaboration  Evaluation

5. Interdisciplinary The Science Fair Integrates- -Analysis Base Reading and Writing -Critical Thinking and Math -Scientific Methodology -Computer Science -Statistics -Graphic Arts -Self-learning

6. Enhances Inquiry & Collaboration Students have the opportunity to get help, work with an advisor, and utilize the facilities and equipments provided by advisors. Parental support is often a critical component of a great science fair project.

7. Project-based Learning is a key science practice in the new Common Core Standards

8. Teacher’s Role To help students create a workable, scientifically sound experimental design To set a reasonable timeline for completion To encourage creativity and independent thinking To periodically check on and /or grade progress To assist in application to fairs To help coordinate between site and LA County Science Fair

9. Pre-Approval Certificates Completing the Certification Form for approval before starting experimentation: –Certification Of Human Treatment Of Live Vertebrate Animals –Certification Of Compliance Of Research Involving Humans –Certification Of Health Hazards Control –Certification of Tissue/Cell Lines Source

10. How to Start a Science Fair Project Define a Problem, conduct a research to determine both the dependent and independent variable. Receive approval to start the project. Conduct a Research Create a Hypothesis that is testable. Design an Experiment Name the control group that will be used for comparison. Record the results. Determine the number of trials Record all the activities and the Data in the Log Book

11. How to Choose a Topic Encourage students to choose a topic that matches their interest. Avoid topics that:  Are too general  Requires too much time  Don’t involve experiment (surveys)  Presents replicas or models  Involves experiments that merely find out “What happens if I do this?”  Involves experiments that presents results without analysis

12. Conduct Research Before generating a hypothesis:  Conduct background research to understand the scope of the study.  Use the research to determine both the dependent and independent variables of the study.

13. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Purpose Major Findings Was your hypothesis validated by the data? Why or why not? Comparisons with other Researches Improvements and Recommendation s

14. The Los Angeles County Science Fair is open to all students, grades 6-12, who have been selected as winners from a local school or district Science Fair. Each school may send a total of 13 entries, three of which may be Team Projects (2-3 students.)

15. School Judging Procedure Preliminary Judging Final Judging Judging Science Fair

16. Los Angeles County Science Fairwww.lascifair.orgwww.lascifair.org

17. JR Science Fair Categories Animal Biology Animal Physiology Behavioral /Social Sciences Behavioral Sciences-Non-Human Behavioral/Social Sciences-Human Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Chemistry Chemistry-Applied Chemistry–General Earth/Space Science Ecology Engineering Applications Engineering Research

18. JR Science Fair Categories Environmental Management Materials Science Mathematics & Computer Sciences Microbiology Pharmacology Physics Physics-Aerodynamics/Hydrodynamics Physics - Electricity & Magnetism Physics - General Plant Biology Plant Physiology Product Science

19. State Science Fair Top 1st, 2nd & 3rd in category per County Fair CA Science Center, Los Angeles, CA

20. Science Fair Calendar Los Angeles County Science Fair March17 – March 19, 2016 Californian State Science Fair May 18 – May 19, 2016 AESA Science Olympiad (TBA)

21. Grading Policy Students’ work will be graded periodically. Science Fair project assessments will be part of the second and third quarter grade.

22. Remember… No matter how fancy & eye- catching the display … It can’t take the place of solid, well-documented and analyzed research