Yucaipa-Calimesa Science Fair Handbook Dates to Remember My project is due in class on _______________________________ The Mesa View Science Fair is on _______________________________ The Yucaipa-Calimesa District Science Fair is on _______________________________ Contact Information Sundie Jimenez, PTSA President: Kellie Pennino, Science Fair Advisor: Darlene Pitman, Honors Option Advisor: Helpful documents can be found on the Mesa View Website under the tab for Students – Clubs – Honors Option – Science Fair Honors Option Folder

1.Each entry must come from one individual student. 2.The work on the project should be done by the student. If any outside help or assistance was given, it must be described in the project notebook (journal). 3.Exhibits must be free standing and must be constructed of durable materials. A tri-fold board is required (see page 4). 4.No living or non-living animals, viruses, molds, or bacteria may be displayed. Use photographs or illustrations instead. 5.Dangerous chemicals, drugs, or open flames may not be displayed. All electrical equipment must conform to standard electrical safety laws. 6.Students and parents should be aware that, although care will be taken, damage could possibly occur to projects while on display. The school and district will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items. Do not include valuable items in displays. Rules Introduction It is now time for your students to dive into the wonderful world of Science Fair Projects. Participating in the Science Fair can seem a little overwhelming, but it is also rewarding, and not just because of the experience you gain. There are cash prizes, scholarships, and a lot of attention is paid to the authors of outstanding projects. Although the students will receive some help at school from teachers, parental support and assistance are necessary. The bulk of the project will be completed at home. Please use this informational booklet to help guide your student through the Scientific Method and the processes in which to create an exciting and innovative project. Exceptional projects will be chosen to participate in the District Science Fair, with the possibility of moving on to the State Science Fair and beyond. Good luck and enjoy this process! Checklist  DISPLAY BOARD  is neatly prepared and well-organized (see example in booklet)  is free of misspellings and corrections  is visually appealing  shows clearly labeled parts of the scientific method and materials used  includes photographs or illustrations of the process  PROJECT JOURNAL **start this immediately  records observations of the experiment over a period of time  each entry is dated  shows student consulted several sources in his/her research and lists what they were  is neat, organized, and reflects the steps the student used in creating the project  is written in the student’s own language and handwriting  PROJECT REPORT  Title: a professional, informative, and somewhat creative title for the project.  Purpose: What are you trying to discover? Why are you doing this project?  Hypothesis: State your educated guess at what the results will show? Guess at the answer to your project before you begin.  Experimental Procedures: Write or show how you will test your Hypothesis and Purpose. Select only one factor to change in the experiment. Make sure to change something that will help you answer your questions and keep the other factors controlled/unchanged.  Record Data: Write down your data and include in project or report.  Analyze Results: Use Graphs, Charts, Tables. What do your results mean? Include these in your project or report. There should be a written analysis of what your results mean.  Conclusion: Write a conclusion based on what you found in your experiment; How accurate was your hypothesis; what impact does your findings have; use background info that you found.  CREATIVE AND ATTRACIVE  is original or unique in its approach  uses materials and/or equipment in a new way  is neat, organized, thoughtful, and visually attractive

Data Tables A properly constructed data table follows these guidelines: 1.Has a descriptive title 2.Contains labels describing what information has been collected 3.Lists numbers with units telling how results were measured 4.Can be read and understood by someone not familiar with the project 5.Is neat, clear, and concise Date of Measurement Experimental Group Average Height (inches) Control Group Average Height (inches) Week 1: Jan. 15, ”3” Week 2: Jan. 22, ”3.75” Week 3: Jan. 29, ”5.50” Week 4: Feb. 5, ”6.25” Average Heights of Plants Line Graphs A properly constructed line graph follows these guidelines: 1.Has a descriptive title 2.Labels the x and y axes with units (cm, days, etc) and scales (2,4,6, etc) 3.Plots each point and line neatly and clearly How Time Effects the Temperature of an Object PROCEDURES IN THE FUTURE Left Panel  Top: PROBLEM - This section provides the basic information and introduces the purpose of the project.  Middle: HYPOTHESIS - This is the educated guess you made prior to the experiment being conducted.  Bottom: PROCEDURES - This section briefly explains the procedures that were followed. Center Panel  Top: TITLE – Must be centered at the top of your display board.  Middle: GRAPHS - Make sure that on your board every single graph has a title and caption! Trials and Averages!  Bottom: PICTURES - Be sure to prove to the observer that you did it! Right Panel  Top: RESULTS - your analysis of results are here, typed up with both quantitative and qualitative observations  Middle: CONCLUSION - Brief written or typed summary of the conclusion  Bottom: IN THE FUTURE – This section includes any recommendations or further research you might do to extend or continue your project in the future. In Front  You will place your REPORT, your ABSTRACT (one paragraph summary of your experiment, including your results), your JOURNAL, and any MATERIALS from your experiment that can be displayed. Display Board

1.Select a Topic or Ask a Question The first step in preparing a good science fair project is to select a topic for your project. You should pick a topic you are interested in - it doesn't have to be complicated. Students often select complicated projects and then end up not fully understanding the concepts or even giving up on the project. Enjoy and have a real interest in what you choose to research and investigate. 2.Research your Topic After selecting your topic, learn everything about it. Books on your topic can most likely be found in the library. Another source of information is the Internet, but make sure you are using credible sources – Wikipedia is not a credible source. 3.Form a Hypothesis Make a prediction of what will happen, or an educated guess based on what you have learned already through your research. Use the “if, then” format. 4.Test the Hypothesis & Conduct the Experiment The next step is to follow the plan/procedures that you have written. While conducting the experiment, make sure you keep detailed notes on everything that you observe. You may even want to take pictures, make measurements, or draw sketches of your observations. These notes are vital to your experiment because they are needed when you write your report and make your display. All of these notes should go in your Journal, which is another formal piece of a Science Fair project. 5.Make Observation and Collect Data Record what you see, hear, feel, taste, smell, or detect throughout the experiment. Your observations and measurements need to be recorded for your data record. 6.Analyze Your Results Once you are finished with the experiment, organize your notes, then analyze them. Ask yourself, “What happened? Did the results agree with my hypothesis? Why? Why not?” and so on. Make graphs and charts to represent the data and help you to analyze it. These charts should go on your display board as well as in your project report. 7.Write A Conclusion Write a detailed conclusion about your project. Tell exactly what you did, how you did it, and what you discovered. Be sure you write all about your plan and your experiment. Include your data, and perhaps some charts and graphs to help readers interpret the information. Be sure you also include some of the background information you learned. 8.In the Future – A Follow Up of What’s Next Describe what modifications you might make if you were to continue on with this project. Would you change anything? Include anything? What would your next steps be? This should go on your display board and in your report. The Scientific Method Example Display Boards You must also display your journal, report, and abstract! Display any materials you used for your experiment too! JOURNAL REPORT ABSTRACT