North Hills School District The Twenty-First Annual

West View Elementary School Science Fair 2015

Calling all student scientists, artists, builders, and more! The West View Elementary Science Fair is an annual event where you get to pick your project and then design it. Awards will be given based on the judges scores, your number of years of participation, and also on your votes for 1) the most creative project, 2) grossest project, and 3) your favorite project. The first step (if you choose to accept this assignment) is to fill out the science fair application in this handout. You will need to decide whether you want to do an Exhibit, a Demonstration, or an Experiment. Whats the difference between those three? Glad you asked! An Exhibit is a simple display of interesting and cool things you have found. Examples might

be a sea shell collection displaying different shapes or a rock/mineral collection displaying different colors or materials. You may collect and display information, pictures, drawings, or models that allow us to see what you have found.

A Demonstration is a display that shows how something works. Some examples are how the

human heart pumps blood, how a lock and dam system works, or how a tornado forms. Think about the questions you have about your topic. Find out answers to your questions from the Internet, from the library, or from people you know that are knowledgeable about it. Write down where you got your information.

A journal is optional for exhibits and demonstrations. If you do keep one use it like a scratch pad with your ideas, thoughts, and facts you find. In an Experiment, you will design a way to solve a problem then test if you actually have

solved the problem. You will design your experiment with the scientific method. First, what is the big question hypothesis - you are asking? Second, how have you designed your experiment to answer the question? Third, what are the results you observed from your experiment? Fourth, what conclusions can you make? You must keep a journal for an experiment write down all your planning, your thoughts, and your results and conclusions. A journal is required for an experiment.

Keep in mind that you will make a table-top display of your project. Also, you'll have a unique opportunity during the day where youll be able to show off your project to a few special members of the community, who will ask you some questions, such as:

1) Tell me what your project is about. 2) How did you prepare for your project? 3) What did you learn from your project? 4) What was most fun about your project?

Dates and Info To Remember Application Form Due: Tuesday, January 6, 2015 to your teacher * Display boards are available at the school office for $2.00 Projects are Due: Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM (in the gym) NOTE - To prevent the awful amount of traffic congestion we've faced in previous years, we ask that you DO NOT drop off your child's project in the morning! This year, we will be accepting projects Tuesday evening from 5:00-8:00 PM. We hope this makes drop-off easier for everyone! Parents Night: Friday, Feb 6, 2015 from 5:00 6:00 PM

Special awards such as Fan Favorite will be announced! Pick up of Student Projects: Friday, Feb 6, 2015 from 6:00 PM Projects can be picked up at the end of Parents Night (Friday). If possible, please wait until 6:00 PM to pick up projects so that other parents and children have ample time to see all childrens wonderful science displays. Any display not picked up during Parent's Night cannot be saved and will be discarded, unless prior arrangements have been made. The Science Fair is made possible by the Science Fair Committee of the West View PTA, and many outstanding volunteers. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to email your childs teacher, or contact one of the Science Fair Committee Co-Chairs: Guy Uechi - 412-415-1145 - guechi@gmail.com Ron Smart - 412-641-0522 - ronalddsmart@gmail.com Elise Neill - elise.neill@gmail.com General Rules 1. Projects are to be constructed by the student. Teachers, parents and friends may advise

and guide, but should not build the project without the child's involvement. Any assistance provided should be documented in the journal.

2. Projects employing dangerous chemicals, explosives, or potentially hazardous substances,

open flames, electricity not properly shielded, or poisonous plants will not be permitted. 3. NO LIVE ANIMALS OR INSECTS may be present. Use pictures in your display. 4. Entries will be judged by grade level. All participating students will receive an award based

on the display and the results from the judging session. 5. West View Elementary and the West View PTA assume no responsibility for science fair

projects, but every effort will be made to give general protection against damage or loss.

Special Awards based on Students Votes In addition to the awards students receive based on judges scores and for number of years of participation, students will vote to award each of the following: 1. Most Creative Project

a. Grade K-2 b. Grade 3-6

2. Grossest Project

a. Grade K-2 b. Grade 3-6

3. Fan Favorite Project

a. Grade K-2 b. Grade 3-6

Science Project Ideas and Examples These ideas are only suggestions. We encourage students to think of their own ideas for their science project. There are also some websites listed at the end that may give you good ideas. Exhibits Making observations and organizing them according to a category or categories Plants and Animals Different bugs found in your backyard Different poisonous snakes or insects Different animals in our yard Earth and Space Geological layers Layers of the atmosphere Human Body Dominant traits exhibited in your family What vegetables do the members of my family like? Whose heart beats fastest? Demonstrations Showing how something works Plants and Animals How do plants drink water? What is photosynthesis? How does a chick breathe inside its shell? Human Body What is DNA? How does it control our body? How do fingerprints identify who we are? How do germs make us sick? How do scabs and scars form? How do they protect our bodies? How does mucus (snot) protect our bodies? Physical Science How does a battery work? How does a magnifying glass work? What is centripetal force? How does it keep us from flying out of a roller coaster? What kind of salt best melts the ice on our sidewalks?

Experiments Answer a big question using the scientific method. Design the experiment to test your guess. Plants and Insects What is the best fertilizer to make plants grow? Does moisture affect the direction of root growth? Can beetles be a nutritious substitute for meat? Do earthworms like light or darkness? Environment How can we stop acid rain? How much space does garbage take up in a landfill? Human Body Does cold water affect your voice? Do boys have different pulse rates than girls? Physical Science Design a way to visualize magnetic field lines. How do the shape and size of an object affect its velocity when sinking through water? What type of string is strongest? The most elastic? The least elastic? What effect does temperature have on glow sticks? Consumer Science Is tap water better than bottled water? Is there an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to hairspray? Do all dishwashing detergents produce the same amount of bubbles? Mathematics Does increasing the number of coin flips affect the number of time heads and tails show? Does the number of times you can fold a piece of paper depend on the size of the paper? Reference books and books detailing science experiments are in a special section of the library. Helpful web sites:

http://www.fossweb.com/

http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/projectguide

http://sciencebuddies.com

http://supersciencefairprojects.com/elementarysciencefairprojects.html

http://www.allsciencefairprojects.com

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/elementaryprojectideas/a/1308/

http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/scifair.htm

http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scifair/index.html

http://www.education.com/sciencefair/

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/index.html#chemical

http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/index.html

STEPS FOR STUDENTS Step One Preparation Make sure you understand what is expected of you and what you need to do to enter this fair. Turn in the enclosed Science Fair Application Form to your teacher by Tuesday, Jan 6. (The Form is on the last page of this packet.) Step Two The Project Begin to work on your project. Decide whether you want to do an Exhibit, a Demonstration, or an Experiment. The basic requirements for all students entering the fair are the same:

Design a Exhibit. 1. Pick a topic. 2. Collect information, pictures, drawings, or models. 3. Figure out the best way to display your work. 4. A Journal is optional for exhibits. If you do keep one use it like a scratch pad with

your ideas, thoughts, and facts you find.

or

Design a Demonstration. 1. Pick your topic. 2. What questions do you have about your topic? 3. Find out answers to your questions from the Internet, from the library, or from people

you know that are knowledgeable about it. Write down where you got your information. 4. Figure out the best way to display your work. 5. A Journal is optional for demonstrations. If you do keep one use it like a scratch pad

with your ideas, thoughts, and facts you find.

or

Design an Experiment. 1. Use the Scientific Method Worksheet to help you with your design. 2. Keep a Journal writing down all your planning, your thoughts, and your results and

conclusions. 3. Conduct your experiment and collect your data. 4. Figure out the best way to display your work.

And now, a few more words about the Science Fair Journal and Scientific Method Worksheet (4th graders & anyone else doing an Experiment, pay attention!): The Journal and Worksheet are only required for Experiments. Youll get a bonus point if you have a journal with your Exhibit or Demonstration. For these, you can use a Journal as a place to keep notes and ideas.

Science Fair Journal Your Journal is a day-to-day account of what you did and what you thought about as you did it. Its like a diary that you keep (scientists do this all the time) so that later you can go back over your work and reflect on what you did and how you did it. You should provide enough detail that someone else could reproduce your experiment just by following what you wrote.

So, be sure to include things like your Big Question, your Hypothesis, your Experiment Design and Procedure, Data & Results, and your Conclusions. Each day-to-day entry should have a date listed, a brief summary of the activities you did that day, and a few of your thoughts. Some Examples: January10The first try didnt work so well. I used 2 cups of vinegar and cup baking soda. It only fizzed a little, and I spilled vinegar all over the kitchen. Next time will be on newspaper, with less vinegar. January17MydadandIboughtthewoodforthedevicefromHomeDepot.Wehadagiftcard.Weboughtsix3ftboards.January22 Today I worked on making an airtight seal around the top of my bottle. I first tried modeling clay, but it got really messy when wet. My mom suggested duct tape and so I tried that. It held up under the water, but didnt make an airtight seal. I asked my dad and he suggested silicone caulk. I put it around the top of my bottle and now I have to wait until tomorrow for it to dry. The Scientific Method Worksheet can be found on the second to last page of this packet! Its double-sided, so make sure you fill out both sides! Step Three Displaying Your Project Your display is a way of sharing what you have learned. A neat, attractive, colorful display with a catchy title will grab peoples attention. Also, be sure to remember to put your name on your display, so we know its yours! We want you to get credit for the awesome job you do! One of the most popular ways of displaying science projects is with a three-sided display. This type of display board is available at the school office for $2.00 If you are not using a commercially prepared display board, you can make a 3-sided display from heavy cardboard and hinge the sides with strong tape. Here is an example of how you could lay out your display:

Also, pictures are always a welcome addition to your display, and so are tables and graphs. All of these will help make your display visually interesting!

Step Four Be Prepared to Explain Your Project You will explain your project to the judges so be prepared to answer the following questions: 1) Tell me what your project is about. 2) How did you prepare for your project? 3) What did you learn from your project? 4) What was most fun about your project? Step Five The Presentation Bring your finished project to the side door of the gymnasium on Tuesday, Feb. 3, from

5:00-8:00 PM. For experiments, make sure bring in your journal with your project. Journals are optional for exhibits and demonstrations. Make sure your name is on your display!

Your project will be judged by one to three judges during the school day on Wednesday,

Feb. 4 and Thursday, Feb. 5. Ask your teacher to bring the class for a tour through all of the science fair projects. Bring your parents and friends back to school Friday, Feb. 6 between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm

to view your project, as well as the others. Your project can be taken home with you after 6:00. All projects must be picked up at the end of Parents Night. Any remaining projects cannot be saved and will have to be discarded, unless you have made prior arrangements.

Science Fair Judges Rubric (1st 6th grades) Below is the rubric or requirements from which your Science Fair project will be judged. Please bear this in mind as you are preparing your project. These measurements are what the judges will be using to evaluate your project. This is not a competitive Science Fair. The ribbon or ribbons that you are rewarded will reflect the effort and quality of the job that you do. Please Jot down students comments strongly

agree 4 pts

agree

3 ptsnot sure

2 pts

disagree

1 ptstrongly disagree

0 ptWhat is your project about?(Student showed understanding)

How did you prepare for your project?(Student showed adequate preparation)

What did you learn from your project?(Student learned something)

What did you like the about your project?(Student found the project interesting)

Display board(Information is presented neatly and clearly)

JournalFor Experiments: Does Journal have their big question, experiment design, data, and conclusions? For Exhibits/Demonstrations: leave this row blank*

Student: ______________________________________________ Project Title: ___________________________________________________________________ Grade: ______ Homeroom Teacher: ___________________________________ Judges Score (Total Points): _____________ * If the student has a journal with their exhibit or demonstration, please add an extra point to the total Judges Comments:

Scientific Method Worksheet

(This form must accompany your EXPERIMENT)

The Big Question What do you want to find out or what problem are you solving? State this as a question.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Collect Information: Research your topic. What is known about your topic? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Form a Hypothesis: What do you think will happen? Why? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Test Your Hypothesis: Design your experiment to see if your hypothesis is correct. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Record and Study Data ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion: (What did you learn from your observations during your experiment? Why do you think the results turned out the way they did?)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ScienceFairApplicationFormName:______________________________________________________________________Grade:_________HomeroomTeacher:___________________________________________________________CircleOne: Exhibit Demonstration Experiment Briefdescriptionofwhatyouplantodo:__________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Doesyourprojectrequireelectricity?Yes(_____)No(______)

Thenumberofyears(includingthisyear)youhaveparticipatedintheScienceFair:______ RETURNTHISFORMTOYOURTEACHERBYTuesday,January6,2015

Parentvolunteers:Ifyouarewillingtohelpwiththesciencefair,pleasecircleyouravailabilitybelowandprovideuswithyourcontactinformation.YoudonotneedtobeamemberofthePTAtovolunteer.Moreinformationwillfollowaswenearthesciencefairevent.Monday(2/2)eveningSciencefairsetup Tuesday(2/3)5:008:00PMprojectcheckin/dropoffWednesday(2/4)10:00AM12:00PMgreetjudges,getstudents,monitorprojectsWednesday(2/4)1:003:00PMgreetjudges,getstudents,monitorprojectsThursday(2/5)10:00AM12:00PMgetstudents,monitorprojects,tallyscoresThursday(2/5)1:003:00PMgetstudents,monitorprojects,distributeawardsFriday(2/6)4:005:00PMParentnightsetupFriday(2/6)6:007:00PMParentnightcleanup Parentname:__________________________________________________________________

Phone:_______________________________Email:__________________________________________________

Foranyquestions,pleasecontactGuyUechi4124151145guechi@gmail.com,EliseNeillelise.neill@gmail.com,orRonSmart4126410522ronalddsmart@gmail.com.