2009 Intel ISEF Educ. Academy 1

Intel ISEF Middle School Science Fair

A Guide for Teachers

Presented by

Chris SteinerHillsboro School District

Hillsboro, Oregon

The development of this guide was supported by a grant from

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What questions could you answer by gathering data with these Lifesavers® ?

Agenda

• Why this Teacher’s Guide works with Middle School students

• Practice asking questions and testing a hypothesis

• Structure and contents of the Curriculum

• How to acquire the curriculum

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Using Science Fairs to Teach Science Inquiry Skills• Motivation: Students work more intensely when they

know they will present to an “authentic audience.”

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But how do students and teachers prepare?

Learning science inquiry skillsPlanning and conducting an investigationPreparing and presenting at a science fair

So, we developed…

• Written for teachers.• Written by teachers (and a

parent volunteer)• Specific to needs of early

adolescents and their adults.

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• Fits the characteristics of middle school students

• Fits with the curriculum objectives

• Prepares for high school

• Teaches critical thinking skills

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This program appeals to middle school kids.

• Action oriented

•Want to do things

• Growing independence

•They make decisions about their own investigations

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Need structure for that independence

•Like to “show off”

•Guidance through the whole process

•Displays and presentations

This program appeals to middle school kids.

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• The Guide was field tested by over 100 teachers in Oregon and Arizona.

Urban Rural

Native American Hispanic

African-American Suburban

• And has now been used successfully for five years by teachers and students in many locations.

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Can your students generate their own questions based on experiences like these?

Mentos and Coke, Cars and Ramps

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Structured Lessons:Group lessons teach skills

Week 5 lesson

Introduction to Science Inquiry: Cars & Ramps

Week 10 lesson

Managing Data and Line Graphs

Week 6 lesson

Writing Procedures

Week 11 lesson

Investigative Questions

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Structured Lessons:Experimenting on their own

Week 12 lesson

Brainstorming Topics and Generating Questions

Week 14 lesson

Background Research

Week 13 lesson

Polishing Questions

Week 17 lesson

Investigation Design

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Analysis

Parts of an Analysis Transparency

Conclusion: Answers your research question and tells if your hypothesis was supported or notError analysis: Examines the sources of error in your work*Limitations: Discusses the limitations of your investigation*

Week 26 lesson

Analyzing Results

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Analysis

Transparency – Sentence Starters for Analysis

Sentence starters: My research question was __________My hypothesis was __________My data shows that this hypothesis is supported.=or=My data shows that this hypothesis is not supported.My conclusions __________________________One thing I was not able to control was ________Another thing I was not able to control was________Someone shouldn’t over-generalize my results because Results might change if someone used different __________Results might change if __________

Week 26 lesson

Analyzing Results

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Getting Ready for the Science Fair!

Developing Your Abstract Student Handout

The student in our example did a good job writing her abstract. In the first paragraph she has a very short description of the problem. Take a moment and write a sentence or two about your investigation. What did you study? What did you want to find out? Write your purpose statement here: ________________________________________________________________________

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Showing Off

Preparing displays and presentations

Week 24 lesson

Transforming Investigations into Displays

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Getting Ready for the Science Fair!

Sample Judging Questions Volunteer Handout

Below are listed some sample questions that a judge might ask during an interview with a student. (Please note that not all of these questions will be relevant to all projects.)

Framing the Question:• What prompted you to choose this topic?• What is the question that you wanted to answer?• What type of research did you have to do before

you began the experiment?

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Volunteers can help.

Tips for Volunteers Volunteer Handout

Helping Students with Presentations

Students will need the most help with the following:• Making short notes on index cards - Be brief;

notes should give just enough information to jog memory about what student wants to say

• Using and referring to their board as they talk - The students should … …

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Lots of Resources Are Included

SECTION I – Start-up Information

•Background Basics•Where Can I Find Help?•Clubs: Getting Started With Students

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SECTION II – Teacher Timeline: A Week-by-week

Journey to the Fair•Getting Ready

•Learning Through Group Investigations

•Students Prepare for their Own Investigations

•Conducting Investigations

•Getting Presentations Ready for the Fair

Lots of Resources Are Included

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SECTION III – Appendices

Appendix A: GlossaryAppendix B: Guide to FormsAppendix C: Comments on RulesAppendix D: Sample Calendars

and Integrated Unit Appendix E: Resource list Index

Lots of Resources Are Included

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It’s teacher friendly!•Appendix D: Sample Calendars and Integrated Unit

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• Appendix D: Sample Calendarsand Integrated Unit

It’s teacher friendly!

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– Club vs. Classroom• Pros and cons of both the science class model and

the integrated team model. Support for each model is in the book.

• Pros and cons of organizing a special club or using an existing group and guidance on some of the issues which arise.

(Discussion)

Club or Classroom?

Program DecisionsTeacher guidance

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If you want to use this program in your own classroom:

• Go through the book yourself

• Plan, plan, plan…

• Make a calendar of your own

• Teach the lessons

• Find a mentor

Mentors

• A middle school teacher experienced in science fairs

• A high school teacher experienced in science fairs

• A middle school teacher starting out in science fairs

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To get a free copy,

1. Go to Intel.com

2. Enter these words in the “search box”:

“Middle School Curriculum”

1. The search results will offer “Intel Education: ISEF Middle School Curriculum”

… go there.

1. Move down that page to the download area in a box at the lower right.

2. Download the PDF file of the Guide and the transparency set.

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Intel ISEF Middle School Science Fair

A Guide for Teachers

Guide

PDF File

Intel.com

Intel Education Website

Transparency File

TransparencySet

Ed Academy CD

Thank you!

and have fun experimenting with student-led inquiry and science fairs!

Chris SteinerHillsboro School DistrictHillsboro, OR, USA

steinerc@hsd.k12.or.us302009 Intel ISEF Educ. Academy