1. Science Fair Project
Kick-Off

2. Agreement of Understanding
You MUST complete a science fair project in order to pass Science in the third quarter.
The research paper will be graded and part of your written communication grade.
You must stick to the timeline set out by your teacher so you can finish on time.
No late projects will be accepted into the fair!

3. Timeline This year’s Science Fair will be on April 8,
Timeline for Science Fair Project
Date Due January Brainstorming
Date Due January 15 _ Question
Date Due January Prediction
Date Du January st Draft of Research Paper
Date Due __February 5___ Variables
Date Due __February 10___ Materials
Date Due __February __12_ Procedures
Date Due __March 16_ Data Collection Tool
Date Due __March 20____ Results
Date Due _March _23 Conclusion
Date Due April 6 ______ STEM Fair Display Checklist
Date Due April STEM Fair board is due in school
Date Due April 7 ______ Putting up of STEM Fair Board
This year’s Science Fair will be on April 8,

4. Getting Started Choosing a Topic
Interesting to you !
Something you have a question about that is related to science
Can answer question only through an experiment

5. Guidelines for choosing a topic
Only THIRD graders can do consumer projects
No Projects involving VERTEBRATES
No Models
No Bacteria Projects
No Molds Project

6. CONSUMER SCIENCE IS FOR THIRD GRADE ONLY
What paper towel soaks up the most water?
What diaper absorbs the most liquid?
Which ketchup is thicker?
Consumer science is testing a product or comparing it to another brand of the same product.

7. Vertebrates are FISH
Don’t experiment on me!

8. Vertebrates are REPTILES
Like……
Snakes
Lizards
Turtles
Don’t Experiment on us!

9. Vertebrates are AMPHIBIANS
Don’t Experiment on us!
Like FROGS and SALAMANDERS

10. Vertebrates are BIRDS
Don’t Experiment on us!

11. Vertebrates are MAMMALS
SUCH AS-
Rabbits
Dogs
Cats
Hamsters
Gerbils
AND …………..
NO EXPERIMENTS ON US!

12. PEOPLE ARE MAMMALS TOO!
Do not do experiments on people like making them taste something, exercise and check heart rate or breathing or even asking survey questions
Don’t experiment on us!

13. Models do not allow you to collect data
Such as
Volcanoes Or
The Solar System

14. I can do all kinds of things for my topic in
Biology
Physical Science
Earth/Space Science
Chemistry

15. Topics I can do- Invertebrates
INSECTS
Topics I can do- Invertebrates
WORMS
MOLLUSKS

16. Where do I get ideas for my topic?
School library
Public library
Internet
Observing the world around me

17. You may check the following websites

18. Experiment Night
Conduct an experiment from start to finish with your parents
Get ideas for your own project

19. Things you must include in your project
Display board with all parts of scientific method
Journal
Research Paper (4-6 grade)

20. Display of the Science Fair Project
Procedures
Title
Question
Written Explanation*
Hypothesis
Variables
Conclusion
Materials
Data Chart*
Graph*
* All parts of the Results.

21. Research Paper Title Page Acknowledgements Question
Background research
Write down questions that you want to know about your topic that you can be answered by looking in a book.
Sources/Bibliography
Two examples of research papers written by students are included in the journal.

22. Science Fair Projects are due in school by April 6,2010
No LATE projects will be entered into the fair !

23. Student Journal
Take a look at the Table of Contents to see all of the information included in the student journal.
You must maintain this journal during the entire science fair project and turn it in with the display. There will be no available replacement should you loose your journal.

24. Science Fair is on April 08,2009
Each student will be interviewed and scored by a judge
Students at each grade level will be awarded first, second and third place
Kids for Science county competition for grades 4-6 winners

25. County Stem Fair will be on May 14-15,2010

26. Any Questions
? ? ? ? ? ? ?

27. Scientific Experiments Follow Rules.
An experimenter changes one factor and observes or measures what happens. 27 27

28. Scientific Method - Controls and Variables28 28

29. The Control Variable
The experimenter makes a special effort to keep other factors constant so that they will not effect the outcome.
Those factors are called control variables. 29 29

31. What is the Purpose of a Control?
Controls are NOT being tested
Controls are used for COMPARISON 31 31

32. Other Variables
The factor that is changed is known as the independent variable.
The factor that is measured or observed is called the dependent variable. 32 32

33. Example of Controls & Variables
For example, suppose you want to figure out the fastest route to walk home from school. You will try several different routes and time how long it takes you to get home by each one.
Since you are only interested in finding a route that is fastest for you, you will do the walking yourself. 33 33

34. What are the Variables in Your Experiment?
Varying the route is the independent variable
The time it takes is the dependent variable
Keeping the same walker throughout makes the walker a control variable. 34 34

35. One more thing… it is best to make several trials with each independent variable.35 35

36. Activity on Variables

37. Control - A part of the experiment that is not being tested and is used for comparison. Variable - Any part of an experiment that can vary. Independent Variable - The part of the experiment that is manipulated or changed by the scientists or person performing the experiment. Dependent Variable - The part of the experiment that is affected by the independent variable.

38. Krusty Krab Breath Mints 1. Which people are in the control group
Krusty Krab Breath Mints 1. Which people are in the control group? The people who received the mint without the secret ingredient (Group B) would be the control group. 2. What is the independent variable? Secret ingredient in the breath mint 3. What is the dependent variable? Amount of breath odor (or bad breath) 4. What should Mr. Krabs’ conclusion be? The breath mint with the secret ingredient appears to reduce the amount of breath odor more than half the time, but it is not 100% effective. 5. What is another name for the fake breath mint that the people in Group B received?Regular breath mint 6. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported fresher breath? This may be due to the placebo effect.

39. A placebo, as used in research, is an inactive substance or procedure used as a control in an experiment. The placebo effect is the measurable, observable, or felt improvement in health not attributable to an actual treatment.

40. Sponge Bob Clean Pants 6. What was the problem
Sponge Bob Clean Pants 6. What was the problem? SpongeBob’s pants were not clean. 7. What is the independent variable? Laundry soap 8. What is the dependent variable? Amount of dirt left on the pants (or how clean the pants were) 9. What should Sponge Bob’s conclusion be? Clean-O laundry soap does not appear to be effective in cleaning

41. Squidward’s Symphony 10. What is the independent variabl? Instrument 11. What is the dependent variable? Number of jellyfish 12. What should Squidward’s conclusion be? The clarinet did seem to attract a large number of jellyfish, but the average number for the three trials also matched the average for the guitar. The flute attracted the least number of jellyfish, but the average for this category is still larger than the control. Music seems to attract jellyfish in greater numbers than when no music is played. Squidward’s hypothesis that the clarinet attracts larger numbers of jellyfish than other instruments is not proven by this experiment alone. e

42. 13. Are the results reliable
13. Are the results reliable? Based on the limited amount of information provided, it is difficult to tell if Squidward’s results are reliable. The description did not tell how long each break was between trials. Did he leave enough time for the jellyfish to “clear out” of the area? (NOTE: Accept other potential flaws that students can support.)

43. Super Bubbles 14. What did the Super Bubble ads claim
Super Bubbles 14. What did the Super Bubble ads claim? The ads claimed that the Super Bubble solution would produce bubbles that were twice as large as those made with regular bubble soap. 15. What is the independent variable? Type of bubble solution 16. What is the dependent variable? Size (diameter) of the bubble

44. 17. a. Calculate the average diameter for each. Super Bubble = 15
17. a. Calculate the average diameter for each. Super Bubble = 15.1 cm Regular Soap = 11.5 cm b. What should their conclusion be? The Super Bubble solution did not seem to produce bubbles that were twice as large as those made with the regular soap. Although the average for the Super Bubble solution was larger than that for the regular soap, it was not “twice as large” as the ads claimed. In fact, only two of the ten trials had results that would fit the ads claims.

45. 18. Are the results reliable. Why or why not
18. Are the results reliable? Why or why not? The description does not say who blew the bubbles for each solution. There may be differences in bubble sizes due to the person blowing the bubble rather than the bubble solution. They might have considered having each person blow 5 bubbles with each solution. (NOTE: Accept other potential flaws that students can support.)

46. Reminders: Make sure that the students are answering the Science Problem of the Week,we need the result in the 2nd Quarter’s PMAPP Sample Answers are in Appendix of CFPG also the STEM Fair information.

47. This is the end of the show.
Thank you for watching!