Science+Fair+share


 * SCIENCE FAIR IS [date]**

(we will start with brainstorming work << **CLICK HERE to complete your sci_fair page by "DEADLINE"**)

If you have not watched this video "Prepare for the Science Fair" yet - please do so (scroll down to bottom of this page).


 * [THIS IS A PUBLIC COPY OF THE PRIVATE SCIENCE FAIR PAGE. IF YOU ARE A CURRENT STUDENT, YOU WILL WANT TO VISIT THE ACTUAL WIKI PAGE FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE, RELEVANT INFO. **

Back to the example info….

**CHECK THIS CALENDAR OFTEN!**

There are two "categories" of science fair projects:
 * One type is a controlled experiment using independent & dependent variables (Read about [|independent and dependent variables] here)
 * Another type is more focused on engineering / building / creation and may not necessarily have variables to test - This can be an extension / completion of your Maker Monday project.

You will earn "badges" as you complete and turn in sections of your science fair project. Keep reading for more info Using Independent & Dependent variables BADGES EARNED ||= Project focused on Engineering / Building / Creation BADGES EARNED ||
 * = A Controlled Experiment
 * # Topic approved!
 * 1) Personal Plan sheet completed (on paper - one per group)
 * 2) Background research complete
 * 3) Purpose defined & hypothesis fully supported
 * 4) Procedure written, including variables (2) & blank data tables
 * 5) Get Materials
 * 6) Data collected in data table
 * 7) (5 part) Conclusion approved
 * 8) Board assembled || # Topic approved!
 * 9) Personal Plan sheet completed (on paper - one per group)
 * 10) Background research complete
 * 11) Clear goal defined
 * 12) Blueprint, sketches, and / or written plan (own words)
 * 13) Get Materials
 * 14) Plan executed & "story" recorded
 * 15) (4 part) Conclusion approved
 * 16) Board assembled ||

BADGES & THE POINTS THEY ARE WORTH:

(1) Topic approved on time worth 2 points // (approx. 3% of overall grade) // (2) Completed personal plan sheet (calendar) worth 1 point // (approx. 1% of overall grade) // (3) Background research paper is worth 24 points (see checklist on Background Info page) //(32% of overall grade)// (4) Purpose / hypothesis or goal is worth 4 pts (4 = excellent, 3 = proficient, etc.) // (approx. 5% of overall grade) // (5) Procedure, etc. / plan is worth 8 points - 4 pts for the plan, 4 pts for the variables or criteria/constraints // (approx. 11% of overall grade) // (6) Getting materials is worth 0 points. You should just get them. // (0% of overall grade) // (7) Data collection (either a data table or journal-like record) is worth 8 points. // (approx. 11% of overall grade // (8) Your conclusion is worth 20 pts. (see checklist on Conclusion page) //(approx. 27% of overall grade)//

(9) Your board is actually worth 0 points. It's your show. I'm much more concerned about the process and your growth as an investigator. // (0% of overall grade) //

Your signed mid-project check-in is worth a possible 2 points. // (approx. 4% of overall grade) // Your project abstract (see below) is worth a possible 4 points. // (approx. 4% of overall grade) // Your final self-eval is worth 2 pts. // (approx. 4% of overall grade) //


 * TOTAL: 75 points **

MORE SCIENCE FAIR SITES (TIPS, HINTS, and MORE):
 * Science Buddies Project Guides
 * Discovery Education Science Fair Central
 * Internet Public Library Science Fair page
 * All Science-Fairs.com

GREAT SITES FOR BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS:
 * How Stuff Works
 * Kids.gov (use the search bar of go to GRADES 6-8>>SCIENCE)
 * Use your internet search skills to find more!

**You will be writing an abstract for your experiment,** __ **due by the end of class on [date]** __ **. You may turn it in ahead of time. You will turn your abstract in to (2012-2013)** ** this Google Doc ** **(find your group and paste it in! - then I will paste it into the science fair program for the night) You will not put your abstract on your science fair board. Here is a** ** VERY IMPORTANT, AND HELPFUL, PAGE I MADE FOR YOU - READ IT ** **.**
 * An abstract basically is a shortened version (100 - 250 words only - the shorter, the better - let's aim for 100 words) of the paper and should contain all information necessary for the reader to determine:
 * (1) what the objectives of the study were;
 * (2) how the study was done;
 * (3) what results were obtained;
 * (4) and the significance of the results.


 * Frequently, readers of a scientific journal will only read the abstract, choosing to read at length those papers that are most interesting to them. For this reason, and because abstracts are frequently made available to scientists by various computer abstracting services, this section should be written carefully and succinctly to have the greatest impact in as few words as possible.


 * Although it appears as the first section in a paper, most scientists write the abstract section last!

Here are some other resources that might help you:
 * Science Fair abstracts for kids
 * George Mason University (source of my notes above) - abstract basics + examples to read
 * Purdue - even has a slideshow to help you
 * Abstracts in 6 "easy" steps
 * UC Berkeley (with examples) - kinda complex

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