Imagine Schools’ Science Fair 2015-2016

Imagine Schools’ Science Fair Guidelines Policies and rules used nationally by all Imagine Schools Guidelines create an age appropriate version of the scientific method so students of all levels and abilities (4-8th) can participate!

Please follow along in your packet and take down any notes needed.

Competition v. Class only All Preasto and Honors Academy students MUST do a competitive level project Class only participation information will come from your student’s teacher Teachers may offer incentives for creating competition level projects

Progression Plan pg.7 Due dates for each portion will come from your students teacher Class fairs will take place before Winter break School fair for eligible competition level projects Saturday, January 9th

Step One: Choosing a topic Pg. 3-6

Step two: Creating a Question see report guidelines (pg Step two: Creating a Question see report guidelines (pg. 10-13) for specifics in each portion Problem for the project must be in question form Cannot be a simple yes or no problem Cannot be creating a model; must be solving a problem Must be testable or able to be investigated Once selected choose the best category to enter (pgs.5-6) If using animals, they may not be your personal pets If testing on people, the student may not test on themselves ScienceBuddies.org Education.com/science-fair More on page 19

Step three: Define the Purpose What interested the student in this topic? Why does the student think this is an important topic to study? Can be a personal story

Step four: Research the topic bib. info pg. 14 All grades need to do some level of research in order to create a hypothesis Should know vocabulary and content well enough to discuss it with a judge MUST BE IN THE STUDENT’S OWN WORDS 4th: research must be shown in oral presentation, ex. “My hypothesis was ……because from my research I learned……” 5th: research summary and bibliography is required on the board in the correct place Middle school: formal research paper and bibliography is required in the correct place in the written report binder Will be in conjunction with language arts classes Teachers will give the required minimum pages

Step five: Hypothesis Must be based on research Is a guess based on their current knowledge about what will happen during the experiment Should be written as a cause and effect statement, if possible “If plants are exposed to different levels of light, then the plants given the most light will grow the quickest”

Step six: Define the Experiment pg. 12 Subject: (middle school written report only) What living or non-living this does the project focus on? Constants: the things that are kept the same in each portion of the experiment Variables: MUST LISTED SEPERATLY the independent (manipulated or testing) variable and the dependent (responding or measured) variable Materials: bulleted list of all supplies necessary to test the experiment Procedures: the detailed step by step process involved in the experiment Should use the metric system NO PRONOUNS (I, ME,MY, HE, SHE, YOUR, YOU)

Step seven: Experiment Data notebook: (pg. 8) a composition notebook is suggested Take notes on everything done during the testing Take down observations based on the 5 senses Take down and collect measurements during experiment Must have qualitative (descriptive) data and quantitative (measured or numbered) data

Step eight: Wrap it up! Pg. 13 Data: a minimum of one graph or table is required for all levels Results: the data from experiment put into paragraph form; JUST THE FACTS NO INTERPERTATION Conclusion: interpretation of the results that answers if the hypothesis was valid and supported by the results or not Application: describes how the projects results can be used in the real world Recommendations: explains changes that would improve the experiment or gives extensions and follow up idea for future testing/research Acknowledgments: gives credit to anyone that helped during the project

Written Report (middle school only) Guidelines and proper order of components begin on pg. 10 Order of components counts during judging Many components also appear on the board MUST BE TYPED AND PRINTED 12-14 SIZE FONT DOUBLE SPACED PROPER PARAGRAPH FORMAT will be given additional editing and writing help in language arts classes Teachers will give length requirements

The Board pg.15-16 All competitive students create a board MUST BE STANDARD SIZE TRI-FOLD 4th – not needed 5th- research summary Middle- abstract

Must be organized exactly like the template with each section given a title Must include pictures (NO PICTURES CONTAINING FACES) with captions Should have borders around each component Data must be in upper right hand side (only overflow can be under pictures) Any props or models must fit within the space of the tri-fold board

Presentation. 17 Should be well practiced Must include all components listed on judging sheet Students MUST know the information well and demonstrate a working knowledge of the experiment and necessary research to understand the topic at an age appropriate level Students will be asked a few questions about their topic and project

Judging Students must meet minimum point requirements to move on to regional and state competitions Copies of judging sheets for each level 4th: pg.23 5th: pg. 24 Middle: pg. 25 If interested in volunteering as a judge please see Ms. Chase or Mrs. Bolam or sign the sign-up sheet Thank you

Good Luck see you on the 8th for the school fair!