Science and Engineering Fair Orientation Sep 8 and 21, 2015 Lissa Gilmore Coordinator II

Safety for Today Restrooms Use 911 Evacuation – Exit – Meet across street under solar parking spots Intruder – Shelter in place – Live in opposite direction – Combative

Introductions & Your objectives Name School site Grade level 1-5 on where you are at with Science Fair Experience. Using the chart paper, each group will create a list of what they want to know.

Goals for Today Website Who can participate Must have requirements Safety Originality The Notebooks The Boards The Projects The Rubrics Support for your student Question and Answer

Website – Dates – All resources Handbook Form for restricted projects Rubrics

Who Can Participate? K-12 students who attend a San Joaquin county school and have a teacher or qualified about sponsor. K-2 whole class submissions are accepted. Groups up to three are allowed at all levels.

Must Have Requirements You must have these to turn in when the projects are delivered or they are disqualified. – Trifold board/Poster – no student or teacher names on front. – Abstract – Grades 3-12 only – Handwritten Notebook – one per student For teams of three there must be three journals. For whole class, all student must have a journal. – NO unsafe behaviors or breaking of safety violations to be displayed on board or conducted during experiment. – Scientific Review Committee / Institutional Review Board approval for all restricted projects.

Safety Requirements The teacher’s job is to ensure that all student experiments are safe and appropriate for their grade level under supervised conditions. Be careful of experiments that: – Produce gases or use gases (CO2, dry ice) – Use chemicals like cleaners, bleaches, alcohol – Use of bacteria or mold Research plan due/evaluated by SRC/IRB before experimentation has begun. This is a liability issue for the teacher. Call us if you are in doubt!

Which of these are restricted plan? BacteriaMoldBlood Students involved with testing sports ElectricityUse of vertebrates Gases (CO 2, N 2 ) Students tasting somethingUse of invertebrates FireExplosionsMedicines

Which of these are restricted plan? BacteriaMoldBlood Students involved with testing sports ElectricityUse of vertebrates Gases (CO 2, N 2 ) Students tasting somethingUse of invertebrates FireExplosionsMedicines All of these! Some of these are not allowed anymore or are only recommended for high school If approved, all of these would need to be done in a supervised environment. The student should be able to fully understand ALL the safety risks and how to protect themselves. Projects need to be at their level, not yours! All of these! Some of these are not allowed anymore or are only recommended for high school If approved, all of these would need to be done in a supervised environment. The student should be able to fully understand ALL the safety risks and how to protect themselves. Projects need to be at their level, not yours!

Sample of incomplete research plan What do you think is wrong with this submission? Must have done research!! Do not just list sources. Mold not recommended for anyone under 6 th grade Must give more detailed information.

Sample of Unseen Dangers OwWOYHhMI OwWOYHhMI – This project is actually quite dangerous, because it produces explosive gases. – Not everything you find on YouTube (or other science fair related sites) is safe!

Originality What questions are new that you can explore. – For example – DNA extraction is not original. It should not be something where the answer could be found on-line. It should not follow directions exactly. Projects that are original in grades 6-12 are the only ones considered for CA State Science Fair (CSSF)

Help with Ideas d/en/ d/en/

The Notebooks Daily entries recording information as it happens. You are allowed to show “teaching” in the journal. It should include everything! – How they got their idea and how it is original. – Daily entries – Data tables, data calculations – Pictures – they are not allowed to bring relia so they need to include pictures. – Graphs If they worked in a group the journals should NOT be identical. – We should see each students own thoughts.

The Board See samples on our website. Posters are highly encouraged for high school. Needs to look professional, however scientific merit will be the emphasis of our evaluation.

The Project 3-12 ScienceEngineeringMath/Computer Abstract Problem / Question Background research Hypothesis Materials Procedure Variables Data Results/Data Analysis Conclusion Display Notebook Overall Quality Abstract Problem / Need Background research Design Criteria Prepare preliminary designs Build, test and retest prototype Analysis and evaluation of the design Display Notebook Overall Quality Abstract Problem / Need Experimental Design Preliminary Design Test Redesign and Retest Conclusion Display Notebook Overall Quality

The Rubrics GradeCategoryEligible for State K-2ScienceNo EngineeringNo 3-5ScienceNo EngineeringNo Computer Science / Mathematics No 6-12ScienceYesIf original EngineeringYesIf original Computer Science / Mathematics YesIf original

What support you might provide your student What skills do your students need? – Journaling – EVERYTHING goes in the notebook – Independent vs. Dependent variables, Qualitative vs. Quantitative data – Do they know how to do three trials, do they know how to graph – Do they understand SAFETY!!!! Goggles, Protective gloves, clothing. How to not get hurt. Do you really understand their projects, you have to! – Ask us if you are in doubt. BUT, you should NOT be editing, telling them what to do next, etc. It is the students project.

Office of STEM Innovate – Raising the expectations of scientific and engineering research. Inspire – This is how students get to experience “real” science and engineering. Support – I am your contact for all things Science and Engineering Fair. Call me or for any question.