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Last modified on
January 27, 2008...
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Created by G.G. Moss;
© 1998.
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(2) What is the SCIENTIFIC Method?
| While Scientific Method (sometimes called "the scientific process") is PART of most Science Fairs, you can use the Scientific Method to investigate a question you have, without ever entering any Science Fair.
The main purpose of a Science Fair is to give students firsthand experience
USING the Scientific Method, to test their own hypothesis. The basic model for the scientific process has been around for centuries!!!
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There are 5 (FIVE) PARTS/steps
in the Scientific Method; these STEPS are...
| STEP #1:Clearly Identify/DEFINE A Problem
You must WRITE your PROBLEM as a QUESTION ! ! !
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| The purpose of any scientific investigation is a central/MAIN problem or QUESTION.
For example, "WHAT factors cause a bubble to pop?"
or "HOW can humans fight against harmful bacteria?"
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STEP #2:Develop Your Own Hypothesis
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| A hypothesis is an educated guess. It should be specific, and testable.
For example, "Moist air makes bubbles last longer,"
or "Penicillin will kill this harmful bacteria."
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This the most involved PART of the scientific process. The PROCEDURE developed must be designed to answer the specific hypothesis that has been stated. A scientist cannot determine IF moist air is required for long-lasting bubbles by conducting an experiment that investigates water polution. DESIGNING a good experiment is VERY important; EVERY step in your procedure should be written down, in the order you will use (just like a recipe: first, second, next, and then, lastly).
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STEP #4:CONDUCT your procedure,
collecting DATA (measuring changes) as you carefully
follow the steps you wrote down in your procedure (STEP 3, above).
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| In this part of the Scientific Process, you carefully follow ALL of the directions you wrote down in your procedure, EXACTLY in the order you wrote down.
You may have to conduct your experiment two or three times (collecting data measurements for each "TRIAL", or different time you repeat the procedure for your experiment) to TEST to see if your hypothesis was correct, or not.
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| STEP #5:Evaluate The Data You Collected from your experiment,
study your RESULTS,
and then...REFLECT on your THOUGHTS about what you have learned.
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Once you have conducted your experiment, YOU--the scientist--must determine if the data you collected answers your hypothesis. Quite often, the data is inconclusive or the hypothesis is proved to be incorrect. While this can be frustrating, both of these outcomes are useful. Inconclusive data might point to a need for more trials, a change in your procedure, OR revising your hypothesis for another experiment.
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RECOMMENDED EXTENTION: Can you identify a New Problem
(based on the "evaluation" you made of your data/from your most current experiment)?
Strong scientific inquiry often generates more questions than it answers.
Many major discoveries have been the result of questions raised in unrelated experiments.
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(3) What are the RULES for the Science Fair?
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Even though your Science Fair project should be FUN...
THERE ARE RULES you must obey ! ! !
The following is a list of rules set out by SARSEF, that all participants must follow in order to participate.
I.A Student may enter projects under ONE of the following categories:
Individual...1 student does the project
Team...2-3 students maximum
Group...4 or more students
II.Each student may enter only one project, including "original" research conducted May 2006 through February 2007. Any CONTINUING project must show substantial expansion of experimentation. You must RETURN a completed ENTRY FORM (available in the packets from the Donaldson School Office) TO the Donaldson School Office no later than 3 PM on February 7th, 2007. One entry form is required per project.
III.All projects involving Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, Animal Tissues, Recombinant DNA, Pathogenic Organisms or Controlled Substances MUST obtain approval PRIOR to project start-up
(no later than February 1st.) You MUST submit the required
Scientific Review Committee . . .
SRC Form
CLICK HERE for SRC FORM
for approval from SARSEF. After completely filling out the form, bring it to the office (no later than 3:00 pm, on February 1st). NO exceptions are allowed.
IV.SAESEF is requiring all 5th Grade Students do an ABSTRACT with their project. Although they are not requiring K-4 to do one, they highly recommend them. An Abstract is a good learning tool and should be encouraged at all grade levels. Its presence could be a tiebreaker used by the judges. The Abstract cannot exceed a 250-word (or less) overview, and it must be brought in at project set-up time.
V.Team Projects must reflect the coordinated efforts of all team members and will be evaluated using the same rules and judging criteria as individual projects.
**A Team Project may consist of students working together from different grade levels however, the project will be judged at the grade level of the highest-grade team member on the project. For example: A 2nd grade student and a 3rd grade student may submit, but it will be judged as a 3rd grade project. Group projects - if four 4th grade students and only one 5th grade student work together and submit an entry, the project will be judged as a 5th grade project. Please keep this in mind when selecting your project teammates.
UNACCEPTABLE for Display at Donaldson's Science Fair AND at SARSEF:
--Photographs showing the students performing their experiment procedures are acceptable; HOWEVER, any pictures that allow the viewer to identify students (FROM THEIR PHOTOGRAPH) must be removed or covered.
--Photographs or other visual presentations depicting vertebrate animals in other than normal conditions (surgical techniques, dissection, necropsies or other lab techniques ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Also UNACCEPTABLE are:
--Prior awards, medals, business card, flags, etc.
--Personal photographs, accomplishments, acknowledgments,
addresses phone or fax numbers, etc.
--Living organisms (Plants, animals, microbes, etc.)
--Dried plant materials
--Taxidermy specimens or parts
--Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals (includes embryos)
--Human or animal food
--Human/animal parts
--Soil or waste samples
--Chemical reagents including water
--Poisons, drugs, controlled substances, hazardous substance
or devices (firearms, weapons, ammunition. Dry ice or
other sublimating solids (solids which vaporize to a gas without
passing through a liquid phase)
--Sharp items (syringes, needles, pipettes, etc.)
--Flames or flammable materials
--Empty tanks previously containing combustible liquids or gases
--Batteries with open top cells
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| Science Fair Pointers:
--Each project must be ORI GINAL. Science Fair judges always look for originality and will not be interested in a project that does not include a student's creative input.
--Use research experiments, rather than models or collections.
--A display is NOT a project. While it is important to make a clear presentation, your project should not be a display alone. A volcano demonstration may be interesting, but it does not indicate that any scientific investigation has taken place.
--In your display, more is not necessarily better. Your display should be straightforward and concise. Do not include extra information, just to fill a display board.
--The main purpose of a science fair project is to help a student use and strengthen the skills he or she has already begun learning as well as encourage the development of higher-level thinking (and problem solving) skills. Getting a ribbon or a prize should NOT be the main goal of entering any science fair.
Judging . . .
--All judging and awards will be done by grade level. Individual projects, team projects, and group projects compete against other projects in the same category within each grade level.
--Only 12 projects (the maximum allowed by SARSEF, for elementary schools) will be chosen to participate in the Science Fair at the Tucson Convention Center/TCC in March.
K-5 Judging criteria:
- - - CURIOSITY - - -
PLUS...Background Study, Problem Statement (Hypothesis,) Organization, Conclusion(s), Learning Experience, INCLUDED notebook, and ABSTRACT ( for 5th graders)
--Judges will give more weight to CURIOSITY
--Did a student simply read a book and follow its detailed instructions, or was he/she genuinely curious about something and interested in performing an experiment to satisfy that curiosity?
--Was it necessary to collect data and use some analytical skills to
satisfy that curiosity?
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(4) What are the Important DATES I need to REMEMBER,
FOR the DONALDSON Elementary School Science Fair?
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2007 Science Fair "Schedule"
January 23rd -- "Official" Donaldson Science Fair ANNOUNCEMENT I
January 25th -- Donaldson Science Fair ANNOUNCEMENT II
January 29th -- Science Fair INFOrmation PACKET Available
(pick up at Donaldson Office)
February 1st -- Deadline to TURN IN Science Fair SRC Form
CLICK HERE for SRC FORM
(turn in BY 3:00 pm at Donaldson Office)
February 7th -- Pick up Display Boards @ 7:30 am AND 1:00 pm,
AND . . . DEADLINE to turn in Science Fair Project Entry FORM
February 27th (Tuesday) -- Project Set up (1:00 pm, through 2:30 pm)
February 28th (Wednesday) -- Judging
MARCH 1st (Thursday) -- Classroom Tours + Awards Ceremony (1:30 pm)
MARCH 2nd (Friday) -- Pick up Projects (take home)
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(5) How can I up my Science Fair Project PRESENTATION/Board?
(6) WHERE can I go to get some helpful IDEAS
(internet links???)
. . . related to LEARNING about SCIENCE & how to BUILD a Science FAIR Project ?
Please contact Mary Fetzner-Ferber IF you have any QUESTIONS
about Donaldson's 2006/2007 (School Year) Science Fair.
Mary's email address is:
mfferber@comcast.net
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This page is hosted by THE AMPHITHEATER SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Created by G.G. Moss; © 2007.
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