2015 science fair handbook - scoe

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2015 SYNOPSYS-SONOMA COUNTY SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK Friday, February 27, 2015 A Guide for Students, Teachers, Parents, and Judges Important Dates and Deadlines Mandatory Meeting for All Participating Schools at SCOE Schools not attending this required meeting will not be eligible to participate in the 2015 Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair. Contact Jessica Progulske at [email protected] or 707.524.8418 if you have questions. Wednesday, 09/17/14 4:00 – 5:30 pm Final School Registration and Student Project Registration Opens Monday, 10/06/14 8:00 am Final School Registration Due e-form on the Science Fair webpage automatically sent to SCOE upon clicking “Submit” Friday, 12/12/14 5:00 pm Schools Notified of Allotted Projects Slots Monday, 01/05/15 8:00 am Student Project Application Due e-form on the Science Fair webpage automatically sent to SCOE upon clicking “Submit” Monday, 01/12/15 5:00 pm Set Up Display at Sonoma State University Students must bring Display Board, Notebook, & printed copies of the Project Summary Thursday, 02/26/15 3:00 – 5:00 pm Parent/Public Viewing of Projects 5:00 – 6:00 pm Judges Check-In at Sonoma State University Friday, 02/27/15 8:00 am Students Check-In at Sonoma State University Students MUST be present from 8:30 am - 11:45 am for orientation and interviews. 8:00 am Interviews and Project Scoring | Science Fair Breakout Sessions 9:15 – 11:45 am Lunch | Student Viewing of Peers’ Science Fair Projects | SSU Campus Tour 11:45 – 1:00 pm Awards Ceremony 1:00 – 2:00 pm Projects to Be Taken Home Blue Ribbon winners should save their projects in case they are recommended for the California State Science Fair By 3:00 pm San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair Mid-March, 2015 San Francisco California State Science Fair May 18 – 19, 2015 Los Angeles Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Date TBD TBD

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2015 SYNOPSYS-SONOMA COUNTY SCIENCE FAIR HANDBOOK Friday, February 27, 2015

A Guide for Students, Teachers, Parents, and Judges

Important Dates and Deadlines Mandatory Meeting for All Participating Schools at SCOE Schools not attending this required meeting will not be eligible to participate in the 2015 Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair. Contact Jessica Progulske at [email protected] or 707.524.8418 if you have questions.

Wednesday, 09/17/14 4:00 – 5:30 pm

Final School Registration and Student Project Registration Opens Monday, 10/06/14 8:00 am

Final School Registration Due e-form on the Science Fair webpage automatically sent to SCOE upon clicking “Submit”

Friday, 12/12/14

5:00 pm

Schools Notified of Allotted Projects Slots Monday, 01/05/15 8:00 am

Student Project Application Due e-form on the Science Fair webpage automatically sent to SCOE upon clicking “Submit” Monday, 01/12/15 5:00 pm

Set Up Display at Sonoma State University Students must bring Display Board, Notebook, & printed copies of the Project Summary

Thursday, 02/26/15 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Parent/Public Viewing of Projects 5:00 – 6:00 pm

Judges Check-In at Sonoma State University

Friday, 02/27/15

8:00 am

Students Check-In at Sonoma State University Students MUST be present from 8:30 am - 11:45 am for orientation and interviews. 8:00 am

Interviews and Project Scoring | Science Fair Breakout Sessions 9:15 – 11:45 am

Lunch | Student Viewing of Peers’ Science Fair Projects | SSU Campus Tour 11:45 – 1:00 pm

Awards Ceremony 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Projects to Be Taken Home Blue Ribbon winners should save their projects in case they are recommended for the California State Science Fair

By 3:00 pm

San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair Mid-March, 2015 San Francisco

California State Science Fair May 18 – 19, 2015 Los Angeles

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Date TBD TBD

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Steven D. Herrington, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools

Mickey Porter Deputy Superintendent

Educational Support Services

Gary Robinson Synopsys Outreach Foundation

Table of Contents Acknowledgement and Contact Information ...................................................2 What is the Science Fair? .................................................................................3 Project Display Regulations .............................................................................4 Project Application/Summary ..........................................................................6 Category Descriptions ......................................................................................8 Judging Form ...................................................................................................10 Eligibility, Rules, and Procedures ....................................................................12 Science Fair Sequence of Events .....................................................................14

Helpful Hints for Students……………………………………………………15

Acknowledgment The Synopsys Outreach Foundation has generously provided major funding for the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair. During the 2014-15 school year, the Synopsys Outreach Foundation will provide science project support to more than 140,000 students and teachers at more than 650 schools. We gratefully acknowledge their contributions. We also appreciate the time and energy donated by our judges and other volunteers.

Director

Karen McGahey [email protected]

707-522-3330

Coordinators

Jill McIntyre School and Project Registration | Facilities

[email protected] 707-524-2816

Jessica Progulske Event Logistics | Judge Coordination

[email protected] 707-524-8418

Anna Van Dordrecht Project Content | Breakout Sessions

[email protected] 707-522-3334

Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair Webpage www.scoe.org/sciencefair

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What is the Science Fair? The Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair gives students in grades 6-12 the opportunity to learn about a topic of their own choice. Students can complete individual projects, or they can work in teams of two or three students. (Note: The San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair accepts only individual projects and does not allow participation by students in Grade 6. Additionally, the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair is no longer a gateway to the SFBASF. Instead, school sites can register students by visiting the San Francisco Bay Area website at http://www.sfbasf.org) The idea is to design, complete, and report on a scientific research project. Topic categories are listed below.

Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair Categories

Agricultural Science

Behavior and Social Sciences Biology

Chemistry Cognitive Science (Junior Division)

General Sciences Earth and Planetary Sciences

Electronic and Electromagnetism Environmental Science (Junior Division)

Health and Human Biology Mathematics and Software

Physics and Astronomy Product Science (Junior Division)

The project should engage students in research into a question to which they do not already know the answer. Investigations that lack experiments, yet involve observations and data gathering, are also appropriate. While collections, demonstrations of known information, models, etc. are excellent exercises, they are not appropriate for the Science Fair. The old baking soda and vinegar volcano or an insect collection would, therefore, not be appropriate. As students ask their questions and develop their hypotheses, design their experiments, gather their data, and complete their research projects, they should also keep a notebook. The notebook must be submitted with the project and will be part of the project scoring. A display showing the process and results enables the judges to view and evaluate the student’s work. The display may be a “poster,” but it should be affixed to a cardboard or form board for support. On the day of the Science Fair, students give a brief explanation of their project to the judges.

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Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair Project Display Regulations 1. Display size limitations:

a. Project display boards are not to exceed 60" tall x 47" wide.

b. Each project will have an allotted table space of 14" deep (front-back) by 47" sideways.

c. Projects will be displayed on tables. They must be self-supporting.

d. If necessary, parts of a project may be placed on the floor, but this is discouraged. The judges will make their decision based mainly on the project display.

e. All projects must fit within these size limitations. This includes elements of the project that may extend or protrude. Requests for extra space for displays that necessitate additional space must be submitted in writing or via email and approved one week prior to Sonoma County Science Fair. Floor space is very limited, so try to design a display that fits on the table in the 14" x 47" space. If you need to use the floor, you must notify us, in writing, at least a week ahead of time and must be submitted by the due date.

f. Summaries and notebooks may NOT be added on the day of the Science Fair, nor may displays be modified on the day of the Science Fair.

g. The display may consist of a “poster” affixed to a cardboard or foam board display board.

2. Students MUST be available to be interviewed by the judges in order to be eligible for a ribbon. 3. The student’s original laboratory notebook must be present for inspection during judging period. 4. The summary must be displayed with the project. Neither the summary nor the abstract may be added

or changed on the day of the Fair, nor may the project display be changed on the day of the fair. 5. Student name(s) should be on the back of the display and inside cover of the notebook. 6. Safety and Ethics: See Display Regulations at www.usc.edu/CSSF

a. All projects must adhere to all Sonoma County laws for public safety. Lasers must be appropriately shielded. Projects must sustain their own weight.

b. No hazardous materials may be exhibited at the project display. This includes, but is not limited to, acids, unsecured glassware, mercury (including glass thermometers), hazardous microbes, carcinogenic and radioactive materials, open flames, and unsealed foodstuffs, which may attract pests. For these items, the substitution of illustrations or photographs is encouraged. Materials in violation of this rule will be removed by the Science Fair coordinators.

c. The Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair will disqualify any project deemed unsafe.

d. Displays may not contain any living organism except plants. The display of preserved animals is not permitted. Projects may not display photographs or procedures detrimental to the health and well being of vertebrate animals. Photographs of surgical procedures may not be exhibited.

e. Projects involving animals must be in compliance with the rules of the California State Science Fair. See their website for research and display regulations under “Information for Students” at www.usc.edu/CSSF

6. Electricity will not be available. 7. SCOE will NOT provide computers. If a computer is required for a project display, it is entirely the

student’s responsibility. Be sure that your battery is charged. 8. Note that project displays MUST show the project without requiring the student to explain or

demonstrate things to the judges.

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The Display Note: The diagram below is an example of what a display might look like. Be sure that the judges can easily find all information. Note that the display should include a notebook.

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Project Application/Summary

The Project Summary form (Page 7) can also be download from the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair webpage www.scoe.org/sciencefair. Be sure to type your Summary and do a spell check. The Summary must fit in the space provided so that it is a one-page document. Should your project go on to the State Science Fair, they have word/space limits on their Summary forms as well. Required Summary Formatting:

• 12 point, Times New Roman font • 500 words or less • The Summary must fit on one 8.5 x 11” page. Please do not change font size.

Note: we will not edit or revise the summaries, so please proof-read carefully. Please bring five copies of your Summary when you drop off your projects and notebooks the day before the Science Fair. Students MAY NOT bring notebooks or Summaries on the day of the Science Fair. One copy will go into a plastic display provided for you on the Exhibit tables; the other copies will be available for the judges.

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Project Title Student(s)’ First and Last Name Student(s)’ Grade Student(s)’ School

Purpose/Objective(s)/Goal(s) (One or two simple sentences) Hypothesis or Question (One or two sentences. If you are doing an experiment, the hypothesis might be an if…. then… sentence) Methods and Materials (Simple and Clear) Results/Data Summary Summary Sentence (Summarize results in one or two sentences) Results Summary (Summarize results; don’t give all the details) Conclusions Discussion Did the results support the hypothesis or answer the question? Mention some of your data that supports your conclusion. Does your project indicate or lead to other work?

Help Received Who provided what kind of help?

Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair Project Summary

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Category Descriptions The Synopsys-Sonoma County Science categories below align with categories used for the California State Science Fair. The Technology category is now called “Electronics and Electromagnetic,” and the Physics category is now “Physics and Astronomy.” Please note that there is now also an “Earth & Planetary Sciences” category. The California State Science Fair does not have an “Agricultural Science” category. If a project in this Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair category is selected to go on to the State Science Fair, it will then be entered in an appropriate category such as “Chemistry,” “Plant Biology,” “Mammalian Biology,” “Chemistry,” or “Product Science.” www.usc.edu/CSSF/ For more information on the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair categories, go to: www.sfbasf.org

Three Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair categories are open only to students in grades 6-8 (Junior Division). They are “Cognitive Science,” “Environmental Science,” and “Product Science.” High school students wishing to do projects in these areas would enter their project in one of the other categories.

Science Fair Project Categories Examples

Agricultural Sciences: Studies related to growing plants and animals for human use.

Comparisons of different agricultural practices, such as fertilizers, watering practices, pest management, feeding, breeding, or other variables. Analysis of characteristics of agricultural products.

Behavioral and Social Sciences: Studies of human psychology, behavior, development, linguistics, and the effects of chemical or physical stress on these processes. Experimental or observational studies of attitudes, behaviors, values, gender, diversity, anthropology, archaeology, sociology.

A study of senses in stress management; racial awareness in infants; AIDS awareness in teens; peer pressure; effect of authority figures on group decision making.

Biology: Biology is the study of living things, including plants, animals, protests, fungi, monerans, algae, etc. May be biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, studies of individual types of organisms, physiology, animal behavior, zoology.

Which sugars do yeasts use? Acid concentrations in various fruits; peripheral vision; the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers; bird responses to predator calls; studies of how light affects bacteria.

Chemistry: Studies in which chemical and physico-chemical properties of nonbiological organic and inorganic materials are observed. (Biochemistry would be in the Biology category.).

Conductivity of electrolytes; Does water purity affect surface tension?; Isolation, purification, and specific rotation determination of ricinoleic acid.

Cognitive Science: (Junior Division only (grades 6-8). Studies of learning, memory, and perception in humans, using human or animal models for human processes, subliminal perception, optical illusions, recall and observations, interaction of different senses. (Senior Division projects would belong in Behavioral and Social Sciences.)

Does age affect learning? Flash cards vs. computer scripts for learning, optical illusions, the effect of noise on learning.

Continued… Science Fair Category Descriptions

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Science Fair Project Categories Examples

Environmental Science: (Junior Division only (grades 6-8)…Senior Division projects would belong in other areas such as Environmental Engineering, Biology, Earth Science, etc.): projects studying the impact of natural and man-made changes in the environment such as floods, fires, acid rain, air pollution, earthquakes, etc.

The effects of fires on flora and fauna; how does water quality affect types and abundance of macro-invertebrates; bacterial pollution at the beach.

Earth & Planetary Sciences: Studies in geology, seismology, engineering geology, atmospheric physics, weather, physical oceanography, marine geology, coastal processes, and comparative planetology.

Gravity current velocities; beach sand fluctuations and cliff erosion, solar activity and refraction properties of the ionosphere; resistance to erosion in different soil types.

Electronics & Electromagnetics (replaces Technology): Experimental or theoretical studies with electrical circuits, computer design, electro-optics, electromagnetic applications, antennas and propagation, and power production.

Satellite reception without a dish; transmission of information by laser; effect of solar power.

General Sciences: This category is for projects that don’t fit into the other categories. Other California State Science Fair categories include Applied Mechanics and Structures, Environmental Engineering, and Pharmacology/Toxicology. Categories available for the California State Junior Division (grades 6-8) also include Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics, Materials Science.

Health and Human Biology: Research involving human health and the human body, how it works, and how things affect it. Some projects might more appropriately be entered in other categories such as Behavioral Sciences, Cognitive Science, or Environmental Science.

Surveys of teens’ health habits; threshold levels for sensing odors, touch, or sounds; reaction times; measuring CO2 production levels, pulse, or breathing rate in different circumstances.

Mathematics & Software: Studies in geometry, topology, real and complex analysis, number theory, algorithm analysis, artificial intelligence, computer graphics, modeling and simulation, programming environments, languages.

Maximally dispersed points on a sphere; computer-modeled evolution; partitions of positive numbers; neural network model of vision.

Physics & Astronomy: Studies of the physical properties of matter, light, acoustics, orbital mechanics, astrophysics, observational astronomy, astronomical surveys, computer simulations of physical systems (see also Earth Sciences).

Emissivity as a function of geometry; Solar activity and geosynchronous satellites, superconductors, radiation phenomena, reducing noise with sound barriers.

Product Science: Biological and Physical (Junior Division only (grades 6-8). Comparison and testing of natural and man-made products for quality and/or effectiveness for intended use in real-world consumer-oriented applications. (Senior Division projects would belong in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, or some other category.)

Water absorption in woods with and without sealants, which plywood is best for skateboards?; Which laundry detergent works best? Does garlic inhibit oral bacteria growth? Do cats really prefer Friskies food? Is anti-bacterial soap cause for concern? Can people tell the difference between colas?

Technology: See Electronics & Electromagnetics

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Judging Form

Student Name(s): ____________________________________ Project #___________________ Mandatory Components Are Present: (if all four are not checked, project is not eligible for ribbon) [ ] Display [ ] Typed Summary [ ] Notebook [ ] Interview Score: Page 1_____ + Page 2______ = ____ TOTAL (includes Judges’ discretion) [ ] Adding Checked? Ribbon Color (circle): none White (105-119 pts) Red (120-134 pts) Blue (135-150 pts) (70-79%) (80-89%) (90%+)

Scored Sections Points Possible

Points Earned

• Commendations • Suggestions for improvement

A. Summary Sheet & Notebook • Summary Sheet: Name(s), school, project title, question,

hypothesis (if experiment), methods summary, results summary, conclusion, and help received.

• Notebook: Kept up throughout the project, entries dated, table of contents, page numbers, changes noted as required in handbook. The notebook may be hand-written or kept on a computer.

• Both should be neat, with proper spelling and grammar.

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[ ] exceptional, excellent [ ] needs improvement

B. Project Display • Display is self-explanatory, easy to understand… • Sections neatly and clearly labeled (question, hypothesis (if

experiment), procedure, data, conclusions, etc.). • Spelling and grammar are correct. Writing is neat. • Meets requirements. (size: max. 47” wide, self-standing). • Overall appearance and quality. Creativity of display.

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[ ] exceptional, excellent [ ] needs improvement

C. Creativity, Originality & Skill Level • The approach to the investigation was scientific. • The problem is new, different, and/or meaningful. • An original or creative approach was used. • Procedure steps were listed and appropriate • Safety issues, if any, were addressed. • The approach and level of difficulty were reasonable for a student of

this age. • Technical problems, if any, were overcome and not merely avoided. • The study was carefully designed and appropriate for the student’s

skill level, age, and resources. • The study was clearly the student’s work. (It is appropriate for

students to receive help and instruction from others, but the project should be done by the student. All help should be clearly noted and credited.)

• Data collection and measurement were done carefully and recorded neatly and accurately in the notebook.

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[ ] exceptional, excellent [ ] needs improvement

Total Points Page 1 (sections A-C): 75 [ ] adding checked?

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D. Scientific Thought/Organization • Based on a clear question (and hypothesis, if experiment) • Project was well thought out and used an approach that was

reasonable and appropriate for the question, hypothesis and student’s age and resources.

• Data and conclusion relate to the question/hypothesis. • If experiment, variables and used and identified • Data displayed in a clear manner, preferably using a data table,

graphs, photos, etc. Metric system used as appropriate. The data presented are recorded in the notebook.

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[ ] exceptional, excellent [ ] needs improvement

E. Scientific Rigor & Thoroughness • Evidence of preliminary research, reading and preparation prior

to starting actual experimentation. • All pertinent data recorded, thoroughly analyzed and clearly

communicated. • Conclusions clearly based on data collected • Connections between experiment/investigation, data, etc. clearly

shown. • Accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of the data were

evaluated. Adequate data collected/enough trials for conclusion drawn, Controls clearly identified.

• Possible sources of error and uncontrolled conditions discussed. • Use of scientific tools and technology were appropriate.

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[ ] exceptional, excellent [ ] needs improvement

F. Interview • Student has prepared a brief (1-2 minute) presentation. • Student’s answers indicate comprehension of scientific principles

and practices. Understanding of the science behind the project is shown.

• Interview leaves no doubt that the student understands the project and that the project was done by the student rather than by a teacher, mentor, or other helper.

• Student is able to explain the purpose, procedure, and conclusion(s) in a clear and concise manner.

• If a group project, each member showed understanding of the work, although different group members might have had different responsibilities within the team.

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[ ] exceptional, excellent [ ] needs improvement

G. Judges’ Discretion -- Extra Credit Occasionally a project may very well done, but the criteria above may not clearly reward the student for their good work. A student may have undertaken an exceptionally difficult challenge; demonstrate exceptional creativity; have a creative display; have given an excellent interview; etc.

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up to 5 bonus pts, not included in total

Total Points Page 2 (sections D-G) 75 [ ] adding checked?

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Eligibility, Rules, and Procedures 1. Recommendation Projects entered in the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair must be recommended by a sponsoring teacher or parent of a homeschooled student. The Science Fair coordinator reserves the right to disqualify any project due to poor quality, incompleteness, inappropriateness of project content, or safety reasons.

2. Sonoma County Students The Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair is open to students in grades 6-12 from any educational institution in Sonoma County.

3. Single Entry Each student may enter only one project. Each project may have one, two, or three students involved. All work must be done by the student(s). If judges discover that the project was prepared by anyone other than the student(s), the project will be disqualified. Only projects completed by individual students in grades 7-12 may go on to the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair.

4. Categories When registering the project, the student is asked to indicate a category. The Science Fair coordinator may reassign a project to a more appropriate category at his/her discretion. Note that some categories are open only to students in grades 6-8 (Junior Division).

5. New Research Scientists constantly build on their former work. Students are encouraged to continue their investigations after the Science Fair. However, if a project from last year’s Science Fair is re-entered, substantial new research and development must be shown. The project display and notebook must clearly differentiate between “new” and “old” work. Final determination will be made by the category judges.

6. Previous Work Students may revise, repeat, and improve upon projects done in previous years. Thus, a student who did a project after last year’s Science Fair or a student who did not participate in last year’s Science Fair could enter last year’s project in this year’s Science Fair. Projects completed in the previous school year but not entered in the previous year’s Sonoma County Science Fair may be entered in this year’s Science Fair. The display and notebook must clearly indicate when the work was done. It is highly recommended that the work from the previous year be continued and further developed prior to this year’s Science Fair.

7. Supervision On the day of the Science Fair, students not accompanied by their own parent(s) must be under supervision by a teacher or other authorized adult. Each student must have appropriate signed transportation/permission forms as required by his or her school district. The Sonoma County Office of Education is not responsible for supervision of any participant. Students who misbehave may be disqualified from the Science Fair at the discretion of the coordinators.

8. Number of Entries Due to space limitations, the number of entries from a school may be limited by the Science Fair coordinator. If a school/teacher finds that they do not need the allocated number of projects, they should notify the Science Fair coordinator as soon as possible so that the unneeded allocation can be given to another school.

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School or District Science Fairs: Some schools and school districts hold their own science fairs. These are often used to select projects to go on to the County Science Fair. Each school or district runs its fair in its own way. Some may be highly competitive, while others are less so. The Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair: The purpose of the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair is to encourage students’ interest in science. All participants are given a certificate and a participation ribbon. Teams of judges from local colleges, science-related businesses, schools, and agencies evaluate each project based on how well it satisfies the judging criteria. Based on the judges’ evaluation, a project may be awarded a blue, red, or white ribbon, but the ribbons do not represent first, second, and third places. Blue ribbons are awarded to projects that receive 90% of the total points possible, red ribbons are given for 80%, and white ribbons are given for 70%. Thus, it is conceivable that all projects might earn blue ribbons, or that no projects might earn blue ribbons. It is more like the grading of a test or other assignment than like a contest or sporting event in which there is a first, second, and third place. The California State Science Fair: The Sonoma County Office of Education is allocated a small number of entries in the California State Science Fair. Based on the judges’ recommendations, exceptional projects may be invited to participate in the California State Science Fair, which is held in southern California. If you think your project is likely to be selected to continue on to the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair or the California State Science Fair, check online to be sure your project complies with their rules.

California State Science Fair May 18-19, 2015 | Website

San Francisco Bay Area and Intel International Science Fairs: The Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair is no longer a gateway to the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair. Instead, school sites can register students by visiting the SFBASF website. Exceptional projects from the Bay Area Science Fair may be recommended for participation in the California State Science Fair and/or the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair Mid-March, 2015 | Website

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Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair Sequence of Events

Set-Up Thursday Afternoon

• Project displays and notebooks are brought to Sonoma State University, along with five copies of the student’s Project Summary forms.

Friday’s Science Fair

• Judges Judges should arrive by the assigned time for an overview of the day’s agenda and an explanation of the scoring procedures.

• Students Students should check-in by the assigned time in the designated area.

• Parents and Teachers Each school must have at least one adult accompanying its students. That person should attend the Student Orientation with his/her students. It would be appreciated if some teachers and parents would also assist with lunch distribution.

• Welcome and Student Orientation Following the Judges’ Orientation in the morning, there will be a brief Welcome and Student Orientation. At this point, judges will have the opportunity to share information about themselves with the audience of students, parents, and teachers.

• Judging and Interviews Each project will be evaluated by a team of at least two judges.

Part of the project evaluation will be an interview by the judging team. The purpose of the interview is to give the student an opportunity to answer judges’ questions. Students should be able to explain their project in a way that shows their understanding of the science involved. To be eligible for a ribbon, students must be present for an interview during the designated judging time.

• Lunch Pizza and bottled water will be provided for student lunches. A separate lunch will also be provided for all judges.

• Judge Callibration / Student Exploration of Science Fair Projects Following lunch, judges will have time to tally and calibrate each of their student score sheets. During this time, students will be encouraged to visit and explore their peers’ Science Fair projects and/or participate in a campus tour.

• Awards

After lunch and the judging is completed, an awards ceremony will be held.

• Take-Down All projects must be removed from the rooms by the close of the Science Fair. Students who earn blue ribbons should take care of their project displays in case they are invited to participate in the California State Science Fair.

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Helpful Hints for Students (Checklist for the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair)

[ ] Monday, January 5th, 2015 I confirmed with my school’s science fair coordinator that I have a spot at the Synopsys-Sonoma County Science Fair.

[ ] Monday, January 12th, 2015 (5:00pm) I submitted my Student Project Registration eForm online and was sent a confirmation email that it was received. [ ] Wednesday, February 25th, 2015 I completed each of the following project requirements, and they are ready to be setup at Sonoma State University tomorrow afternoon. [ ] project display

[ ] 5 typed copies of the project summary

[ ] project notebook [ ] Thursday, February 26th, 2015 (5:00pm) – Day Before the Science Fair I dropped off and set up my project display, summary, and notebook at Sonoma State Univsersity (or) I made arrangements for another student or adult to do this for me. [ ] Friday, February 27th, 2015 (8:30am) – Day of the Science Fair I made arrangements to be present at Sonoma State University for the Student Orientation and Project Interviews. I will have a teacher or parent with me. [ ] Friday, February 27th, 2015 (9:00am) – Day of the Science Fair I attended the Student Orientation and know my assigned interview time. I will show up on time for my interview with the judges. [ ] Friday, February 27th, 2015 (3:00pm) – Day of the Science Fair I took down my project and have it ready to bring home. I carefully preserved all of my project components in case I continue onto the California State Science Fair or compete in the San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair.