1. Why Do I Need to Do Science Fair?
Real Research in the Real World!
Why Do I Need to Do Science Fair?

2. Benefits
Get practice in planning, organizing and implementing a project.
Increase knowledge about surroundings.
Learn the Scientific Method (Conduct an experiment, Collect Data, and Analyze the Data, and make a Conclusion based on Data Analysis)

3. Project-based Learning is a key science practice in the new Common Core Standards

4. Project Based Learning
Increasing confidence through oral presentations.
Creating a reason to learn and understand essential content.
Requiring inquiry as part of the process of learning

5. 5-E Model
Doing a Science fair Project incorporates the all phases of 5-E Model, a model of science instruction relevant to teaching science as inquiry.
Engagement
Exploration
Explanation
Elaboration
Evaluation

6. Interdisciplinary The Science Fair Integrates-
-Analysis Base Reading and Writing
-Critical Thinking and Math
-Scientific Methodology
-Computer Science
-Statistics
-Graphic Arts
-Self-learning

7. Inquiry, Collaboration and Parental Support
Students have the opportunity to get help, work with an advisor, and utilize the facilities and equipments provided by advisors. Parental support is often a critical component of a great science fair project.

8. How to Choose a Topic
Encourage students to choose a topic that matches their interest.
Avoid topics that:
Are too general
Require too much time
Don’t involve experiment (surveys)
Present replicas or models
Involve experiments that merely find out “What happens if I do this?”
Involve experiments that presents results without analysis

9. JR Science Fair Categories
Environmental Management
Materials Science
Mathematics & Computer Sciences
Microbiology
Pharmacology
Physics
Physics-Aerodynamics/Hydrodynamics
Physics - Electricity & Magnetism
Physics - General
Plant Biology
Plant Physiology
Product Science

10. JR Science Fair Categories
Animal Biology
Animal Physiology
Behavioral /Social Sciences
Behavioral Sciences-Non-Human
Behavioral/Social Sciences-Human
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chemistry
Chemistry-Applied
Chemistry–General
Earth/Space Science
Ecology
Engineering Applications
Engineering Research

11. Helpful Websites
e.htm
experiments.html
fic_method.shtml

12. Helpful Websites Continued
project-ideas.html
recycling-can-keep-our-waters-clean/
school/

13. Projects Requiring Pre-Approval
Projects involving Human Subjects. This includes surveys or tests given to others.
Projects involving Vertebrate Animals. This includes family pets and any animal with a backbone.
Projects involving Tissue/Cell Lines. This includes projects done in University research facilities. Meat and eggs bought from the grocery store do not need pre-approval.
Projects involving Microbes. This includes projects involving culturing bacteria and other potential pathogens as well as those involving growing molds (fungus).
Projects involving Hazardous Materials & Activities. This includes projects using lasers and high-risk chemicals (as indicated in the California Science Safety Handbook)

14. The Steps for Submitting a Proposal for Pre-Approval
Student logs into online registration system  (app2.lascifair.org) and enters his/her information
Student receives password via
Student logs back into online registration system and enters proposal

15. Deadlines November 13, 2017 December 1, 2017
Deadline for ONLINE submission for proposed Student Research Plan involving tissues/cell lines, human subjects, vertebrate animals, hazardous materials and/or microbes.
December 1, 2017
Final Deadline for RE-SUBMISSION of Revised Student Experimentation/Research Plan. Note: this is for projects that were not approved on a prior submittal, no new submissions accepted.
For more detailed answers, read the Research Rules and Regulations and sub-pages on the Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair Website:

16. How to Start a Science Fair Project
Define a Problem, conduct a research to determine both the dependent and independent variable.
Receive approval to start the project.
Conduct a Research
Create a Hypothesis that is testable.
Design an Experiment
Name the control group that will be used for comparison.
Record the results.
Determine the number of trials
Record all the activities and the Data in the Log Book
science-fair-project/

17. Conduct Research Before generating a hypothesis:
Conduct background research to understand the scope of the study.
Use the research to determine both the dependent and independent variables of the study.

18. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION
Purpose
Major Findings
Was your hypothesis validated by the data?
Why or why not?
Comparisons with other Researches
Improvements and Recommendations

19. Teacher’s Role Guide students in choosing a topic
Help students create a workable, scientifically sound experimental design
Set a reasonable timeline for completion
Encourage creativity and independent thinking
Periodically check on and /or grade progress
Assist in County submission process

20. School Judging Procedure
Preliminary Judging
The projects are viewed by the judging panel. The students are selected for the interview. Students are not present in this process.
Final Judging
Students must be present for the interviews. Selected students will present Chamlian School at the Los Angeles
County Science Fair.

21. The Los Angeles County Science Fair is open to all students, grades 6-12, who have been selected as winners from a local school or district Science Fair.
Each school may send a total of 13 entries, three of which may be Team Projects (2-3 students.)

22. Los Angeles County Science Fair www.lascifair.org*

23. Top 1st, 2nd & 3rd in category per County Fair
State Science Fair
CA Science Center,
Los Angeles, CA
Top 1st, 2nd & 3rd in category per County Fair

24. Los Angeles County Science Fair Californian State Science Fair
Science Fair Calendar
Los Angeles County Science Fair
March 22– March 24, 2018 
AESA Science Olympiad
March 4, 2018
Californian State Science Fair
April 23-24, 2018

25. Grading Policy Students’ work will be graded periodically.
Science Fair project assessments will be part of the second and third quarter grade.

26. Remember… No matter how fancy & eye-catching the display …
It can’t take the place of solid, well-documented and analyzed research