Qve Science Fair Packet

2008-2009 QVE Science Fair Information Packet Grade 5

1 11/20/2008

Student/Parent

Quail Valley Elementary Presents 2008-2009 Campus Science Fair! 11/21/2008 Dear Parents/Caregivers: It is that time of year when we begin to turn our attention toward district-wide academic challenges such as the annual FBISD Elementary Science Exposition. In preparation for this event, Quail Valley Elementary will host our own campus science fair for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students during the week of January 20, 2009. Participation for all 4th and 5th grade students at QVE is REQUIRED as part of our campus-wide effort to promote student achievement in science. Information on the campus fair, including specific project criteria and guidelines, is included in this packet. Please read and discuss this information carefully with your child. It is critical that students meet and follow all criteria and guidelines. It is also important for students to create projects that reflect their own interests and workmanship. (Parents are encouraged to support, but not participate in, their student’s project.) Best of division winners from each FBISD elementary campus will have the opportunity to display their projects in the district Elementary Science Exposition on February 17, 2009. This is a significant honor that will be memorable for years to come! Should your child’s project qualify for this exposition, you will be contacted in writing on or before January 27, 2009. Please encourage your student(s) to begin thinking about possible topics for investigation over Thanksgiving break. We are confident that the students at QVE are the best and brightest in Fort Bend! We look forward to seeing the wonderful, creative efforts that they will bring to this year’s fair. If you find that you have questions or concerns at any time during this process, please feel free to contact our campus science fair coordinators at: Mrs. Janelle Ranford (5th Grade) [[email protected]] Mrs. Debra Nork (4th Grade) [[email protected]] Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter. Mrs. Ranford Mrs. Nork

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Student/Parent

PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN: I have reviewed the QVE Science Fair information with my child and understand that a project MUST be submitted on January 20, 2009. I further acknowledge that my child understands his/her responsibility to complete much of the work for his/her project at home, according to the enclosed timeline. ____________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature

_____________ Date

_______________________________ Student Signature

___________ Date

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Student/Parent

SCIENCE FAIR OPPORTUNITIES

The Science Fair provides students an opportunity to: develop scientific and mathematical skills and processes; Experience learning through inquiry; experience the hands-on, minds-on approach to investigations; and develop a positive attitude about themselves and their work.

The Science Fair and Expo provides an opportunity for students to integrate reading, writing and study/research skills with science. Furthermore, these events provide a means by which the school and community can work together toward a common goal of promoting science literacy.

PARENT’S ROLE

The parent: •

supports their child’s desire to participate in the science fair;

•

encourages their child to investigate and/or illustrate a principle, concept, or phenomenon in a positive atmosphere; and

•

ensures their child’s project adheres to the designated guidelines and timeline.

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Guidelines for Elementary Projects FBISD does not require participation by students in any science fair. However, students are encouraged to participate and may be requested to do so by their classroom teacher with prior approval from the principal. This is a campus-based decision. In order for a student's project to enter a fair, the project must meet all rules and guidelines, and must have prior approval from the student's teacher or the building's science fair chairperson. Students whose projects are selected to represent their school at the District Science Exposition must turn in a completed district entry form to the building's science chairperson. Specific Grade Level Requirements Entrants: Grades 4 and 5: • Students must work individually in Grade 5. • Students may work individually in Grade 4 –OR• Pairs of students may work on projects together in 4th Grade, with teacher approval. However, no more than two students may work on any one project.

Grading Procedures: Grades 4 and 5: *Students may receive grades on the portion of the project completed at school (i.e. in-class presentation), as determined by each teacher.

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Criteria for Science Investigation Projects Entries must illustrate clearly the steps of the scientific method: A. Identify a problem for investigation (written as a question); B. Read, research and provide a journal of information gathered; C. State a hypothesis related to the problem (written as an “If-then” statement) ( Ex: If I give a plant more light, then it will grow taller.) D. Prepare a list of materials needed and procedures to follow for an investigation; E. Conduct the investigation; F. Collect, organize, and sequence data; (include graphs, charts, tables, photos, etc.) G. Determine results and state the conclusion; I. Design and construct a display reflecting research and the process of investigation

Examples of experiments: 1. Does (wing design) (size) (type of paper) affect the flight (time) (distance) of a paper airplane? 2. Does filter material affect how well muddy water is cleaned? 3. Does the packing material affect how well a raw egg is protected?

PLEASE NOTE: The project MUST reflect the steps of the scientific method. Therefore, Model/Report projects will NOT be accepted. Examples of projects that will not be allowed include: • Models of volcanoes, the solar system, etc., accompanied by reports on these topics • Research reports on global warming, recycling, etc. Students are expected to investigate and test a hypothesis—not just research and report information. Thank you!

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Student Guidelines for Project Displays Your project display should be neat, well organized, and self-explanatory. The materials used to construct your display may be hardboard, cardboard, thin sheets of plywood, cork board, or a commercially bought display board. There is no minimum size for the display. However, you must strictly adhere to the restrictions placed on the maximum size of the display.

Maximum display size (set up) must be limited to:

Front to back – 30 inches Side to side – 36 inches Top to bottom – 36 inches

Display Restrictions: A. Liquids, food, accessible chemicals (including household products), gases, or open flames may not be displayed. Wrappers may be used on displays instead. B. Controlled or illegal substances, including drugs, alcohol, or tobacco may not be displayed. C. Animals and animal parts (exception: hair, nails and teeth) may not be displayed. Pictures or student-made models may be used instead. D. Micro-organisms, molds, or fungi cultures may not be displayed. Pictures may be used instead. E. Knives or any other sharp objects should not be displayed. Use plastic items instead of glass ones when possible. F. Liquids MAY NOT be used as part of a display. They may be simulated by using blue plastic wrap, etc.

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Guidelines for Investigations Involving Live Animals Investigations involving live animals is acceptable if strict adherence to the guidelines set by the National Science Teachers Association (Science Teacher, September 1980) are followed: A. Students who intend to conduct research involving animals must obtain written approval of their teacher and the Science Mathematics Chairperson prior to beginning the project. B. All aspects of animal care and treatment shall be supervised by a qualified individual who will ensure proper standards are being maintained. C. Supervisors and students should be familiar with appropriate literature on the care and handling of living organisms. Practical training in learning these techniques is encouraged. D. Of primary importance is the maintenance of good animal health and the provision of optimal care based on an understanding of the life habits of each species. Experimental procedures conducted on vertebrate animals shall include only those which do not involve pain or discomfort to the animal. E. Project report must include documentation that experimentation on a living organism is within acceptable ranges that causes no harm to the organism. This documentation can be as simple as a note verifying a phone conversation with a local veterinarian or a written notation from a reference book.

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Student/Parent

QVE 2009 SCIENCE INVESTIGATION PROJECT TIMELINE TASK

Suggested Completion Date DUE TO TEACHER BY 12/5/2008

1. Select a problem to investigate. State the problem as a question.

Investigation topics must be turned in for approval before continuing work at home. 2. Read and research. Record ALL notes and information (data) in a project journal (composition book, spiral notebook, studentcreated book, etc. ) that is dedicated ONLY to this project. Learn as much as you can about your topic by reading books, magazines, Internet searches, interviews, etc. Write down the titles and authors of all sources you use for later reference. Be neat, and label each page of your journal with a title, date, etc. for easy reference. 3. Write a hypothesis. This is an “educated guess.” What do you think will happen? Write this as an “If—Then” statement.

4. List the procedures to follow. List all the steps you will take to complete your investigation. Remember that it is important to control variables. You should only change ONE thing in your experiment; everything else should be kept the same. Remember also to repeat trials at least 3 times, if possible, to make your data more reliable.

Complete at home during the week of 12/08/08-12/12/08

Complete at home during the week of 12/08/08-12/12/08

Complete at home during the week of 12/15/08-12/19/08

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5. List and gather material (s) needed.

6. Investigate and collect data. (Conduct your actual experiment.) Data can include photographs, drawings/sketches, measurements, observation tables/charts, other numerical information, physical artifacts, etc. Write down ALL of your observations and other data neatly in your project journal. Remember that the judges will not be with you while you are actually doing the project so you must keep careful records to show us what happened.

Complete at home during the week of 12/15/08-12/19/08

Complete at home between 12/22/08 -1/5/09 (THIS ASSIGNMENT CONTINUES DURING WINTER BREAK)

7. Organize and sequence data and results. Organize the data into charts, graphs, tables, etc. as appropriate. Look for patterns, unusual occurrences, and/or other evidence that helps you to make sense of what happened during your investigation.

Complete at home between 1/5/09-1/09/09

8. Draw conclusions. Use the data to determine what happened during your investigation. Explain the data to the audience—What does it all mean? Be sure to tell if your hypothesis was accepted (correct) or rejected (incorrect). WHY?

Complete at home between 1/05/09-1/09/09

9. Design and construct a display using the research data. The display board IS your science fair report. It should tell the story of your project from beginning to end, clearly and neatly. Be sure to include the project’s title, introduction/purpose, statement of the problem/question, hypothesis, list of materials, list of procedures, results/data (including graphs, charts, tables, photos, etc.), conclusions, and references. It is also a good idea to include a statement of significance (Why is this project important to you? Why might it be important to other people?), and a section on future studies (What other topics/questions would you like to investigate in the future as a result of this project?)

Complete at home between 1/12/09-1/16/09

NOTE: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONSTRUCT THE DISPLAY BOARD WILL BE SENT HOME AFTER WE RETURN FROM WINTER BREAK.

NOTE: The final display MUST meet the size requirements listed in the project guide in order to qualify for a ribbon. Also, the project journal should be displayed with the board for maximum points. 10 11/20/2008

Student/Parent

10. Develop and practice an oral presentation for Class Be prepared to talk about your project in front of your classmates. You will need to explain the title of your project, the problem/question you were trying to answer, the materials you used, the procedure you followed (basic), your data, and your conclusion. It is important that you understand WHAT happened during your investigation and WHY. Class presentations should be no more than 5 minutes in length. You should also be prepared to answer 2-3 questions from your peers related to your project. Please PREPARE CAREFULLY! You worked hard on your project. This is your chance to show off your wonderful achievement! 11. Present the project in class and CELEBRATE a job well-done!

Complete between 1/12/09-1/19/09 NOTE: Students will receive an ELA Listening/Speaking grade on the presentation portion of their project. This is an important step. Please practice at home! Thank you.

ALL PROJECTS DUE at 8:00 a.m. on 1/20/2009

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PROJECTS ARE DUE BY 8:00 A.M. ON JANUARY 20, 2009. (LATE PROJECTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARDS AND MAY HAVE POINTS DEDUCTED FROM THE OVERALL SCORE. )

THANK YOU FOR BEING PREPARED, ON TIME!

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Student/Parent

STUDENT PLANNING WORKSHEET (To Help You Get Started!) Steps in Developing a Science Investigation Project 1.

Select a problem to investigate. Problem: _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Write the problem as a question. _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________?

2.

What do you already know about this problem? __________________________ _________________________________________________________________

3.

Read, research, and interview someone (in a related field) to obtain more information about your problem. List the books and magazines you used and the people you interviewed. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

4.

Develop a hypothesis (your statement about what you think will happen). Write your hypothesis. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

5.

Decide on the procedures you will use. List your procedures. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

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Student/Parent

Steps in Developing a Science Investigation Project (Continued) 6.

Make a list of materials you will need and list where you will find them. Materials Where I will Get Them _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

7.

Conduct your investigation. Take plenty of notes in your journal.

8.

Organize and sequence your data and results.

9.

Summarize your results.

10.

Draw a conclusion about your hypothesis. State your conclusion. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

11.

Design and construct a display. (Follow the guidelines.)

12.

Prepare and practice your oral presentation for class.

13..

Turn in your project on time. Share with fellow students.

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Student/Parent

DEFINITIONS 1.

Background Information/Research: Any essential information (e.g. definitions) that may be necessary to begin your investigation or is necessary to develop your hypothesis.

2.

Bibliography: A list of references consulted during your project.

3.

Conclusion: A statement telling what was learned as a result of the investigation.

4.

Further Research: Ideas for further investigation.

5.

Hypothesis: A scientific guess about the relationship between the manipulated variable and the responding variable. The hypothesis provides guidance for the student (the investigator) about what data to collect.

6.

Manipulated Variable: A variable that is intentionally changed in a situation (e.g. different amounts of water or brand of paper towel used).

7.

Materials: Any items needed to conduct the investigation.

8.

Procedures: A complete list of steps followed during an investigation.

9.

Recording Data: A complete record of all observations and measurements gathered during an investigation. Keep notes, charts, ideas, etc. in a journal of your project.

10.

Responding Variable: A variable that is possibly changed as a result of the manipulated variable (e.g. height of plant growth or winning the game every time).

11.

Results: A statement telling the outcome of the investigation.

12.

Statement of the Problem (Question): A simple question that can be answered through an investigation.

13.

Variable: A condition that varies or changes in a situation.

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Student/Parent

-SAMPLEQUAIL VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR SCIENCE INVESTIGATION DIVISION PROJECT JUDGING FORM GRADE _________

PROJECT NUMBER _________

TOTAL SCORE _________

DESCRIPTION/TITLE ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ I.

II.

III.

CREATIVE ABILITY:

POOR

A.

1

2

3

4

5

Does the project show originality in the selection of the problem and the use of equipment/materials?

EXCELLENT

SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT: A.

Is there a clearly stated problem/ question?

1

2

3

4

5

B.

Is there a clearly stated hypothesis?

1

2

3

4

5

C.

Is there evidence of a manipulated and controlled variable?

1

2

3

4

5

D.

Is the method of data acquisition and analysis explained?

1

2

3

4

5

Does the display board effectively relate execution of the project from beginning to end?

1

2

3

4

5

B.

Is there an observation log or journal?

1

2

3

4

5

C.

Is the conclusion reflective of the investigation?

1

2

3

4

5

THOROUGHNESS: A.

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IV.

DISPLAY: A.

B.

POOR

EXCELLENT

Is the visual display presenting the topic neat and free of obvious errors in spelling, grammar, etc.

1

2

3

4

5

Does the visual display present the topic in an understandable and appropriate manner for the grade level of the student?

1

2

3

4

5

V. COMMENTS (optional): ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Total score (50 possible):

______________________________________

_____________________________________ Judge’s Name

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