1. Science Project Ideas and References AESA Science Olympiad Committee December 6, 2008

2. Today, we will talk about ^ Objective ^ Where to find project ideas? ^ How to choose a winner topic? ^ Science fair topics to avoid ^ Test your selected topic ^ Overall Success Recipe

3. ^ Internet ^ Nature ^ News ^ Media ^ Networking ^ Books Use your creativity Where to find project Ideas?

4. ^ Internet ^ AESA Useful Websites ^ Science Demo Video’s; i.e. http://www.youtube.com/user/makemagazine http://www.youtube.com/user/makemagazine (Weekend project) ^ Nature ^ Ecology Projects, conservations ^ Field Trips ^ News ^ Alternative Energy ^ Global Warming Use your creativity Where to find project Ideas? (Continue)

5. ^ Media ^ T.V., DVD’s, Games ^ Networking ^ Brainstorm with a mentor ^ ^ Relatives, neighbors ^ Ask an Expert: Answers to Your Science Questions ^ Science Centers, Workshops, Symposiums ^ Books, Magazines, Literature, Reports Use your creativity Where to find project Ideas? (Continue)

6. 1. 1.Choose a Topic that will interest and challenge you ^ ^Complicated-looking projects will not guarantee a win ^ ^Simple topics can turn into great projects ^ ^Easy topics like "pH Level in Soda" are not impressive 2.Be original and innovative ^ ^Try something new—you will learn about it along the way ^ ^Research something new ^ ^Develop a new method or technique ^ ^Take an old method and redesign it if you can not find something new 3.Choose a topic that contribute to society or to the scientific community 4.Avoid open-ended Topics ^ ^Do not pick a broad topic like “Global warming"; pick one possible cause of global warming How to choose a winner topic?

7. ^Avoid survey type of projects that involve “Taste”, “Feel” ^Avoid consumer product testing of the "Which is best?" ^Avoid topics ^That require dangerous, hard to find, expensive, or illegal materials ^That require drugging, pain, or injury to a live vertebrate animal ^That require measurements that will be extremely difficult to make ^That several people do at almost every science fair. ^That are highly subjective and difficult to measure. i.e. effect of music on blood pressure or color on memory ^That are questionable or no scientific validity, i.e Astrology Science fair topics to avoid

8. Test your selected topic (Continue) Just Google ! keywords: Science fair, project, display boards, ideas, research Experiments, etc……. ^Your selected idea may still need to be molded many times before it becomes a practical research plan ^To test, Write down your scientific question that usually starts with: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where and answer to the following questions ^Is the question interesting enough to read about, then work on for the next couple months ^Are there enough sources of written information on the subject ^Does the experiment measure changes to variables

9. Test your selected topic If your answers to the questions above are yes, then your idea/topic most probably is a practical one ^ Can you do a fair test? Change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions the same. ^Is your experiment safe to perform? ^Do you have all the materials and equipment available on timely basis at a low cost? ^Do you have enough time to do your experiment before the science fair? ^Does your science fair project meet all the rules and requirements for your science fair? ^Have you avoided the bad science fair projects listed in the table below?

10. Be passionate Be Creative Be Curious Strive to build Get Involved Get a Mentor Get Organized Start Early Work hard Be dedicated Be persistence Overall Success Recipe Have a lot of Fun