A Guide for Students, Parents and Teachers

HOW TO DO

A

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT

A Guide for Students, Parents and Teachers

Prepared By The

ISAAC KNAPP DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY

Representing Dentists In

Adams County

Allen County

DeKalb County

Huntington County

Jay County

LaGrange County

Noble County

Steuben County

Wells County

Whitley County

Forward

Part of the Mission of the ISAAC KNAPP DISTRICT SOCIETY (IKDDS) is to Promote an Appreciation of and Interest in Oral Health while Fostering a Greater Understanding of the Science and Art of Dentistry among the Citizens of our District.

We intend to accomplish this mission, in part, by encouraging students to undertake dentally related Science Projects. It is our hope their study of oral health issues will at least result in a greater appreciation of their own health and personal responsibilities toward oral hygiene and regular professional care. Furthermore, it is our expectation that this endeavor shall spark an interest in some that will lead to a vocation in the field of Dentistry.

There are numerous wonderful opportunities in the field of Dentistry that are often overlooked. We encourage the bright and conscieneous student to investigate these opportunities – talk to an IKDDS member. We actively seek these leaders to join our profession.

This document has a definite slant toward encouraging dentally related science projects. However, the information presented applies to any scientific paper and is used universally. Furthermore, this document is intentionally more comprehensive than needed for many projects but was designed to also answer the needs of the serious student and to give guidance to parents and teachers in areas most students would not consider. Younger students will most likely use a simpler format and one is included for them.

Almost all of the information contained herein has been obtained from other sources but not all sources are recognized. We thank those whose work we have borrowed in preparing this document. We hope you find these guidelines useful and we would appreciate your suggestions for future revisions.

The Society acknowledges its debt of gratitude and sincere appreciation to Linda Wall for the hours spent in preparing and revising this document and many other papers on this project. Without her help this effort would not have reached fruition.

The ISAAC KNAPP DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. August 29, 2005

Dr. Dennis Zent

President, 2005-2006

Mr. John Trautman

Executive Director

(260) 459-9441

Document Prepared by:

IKDDS Science and Research Committee Steven Wert, DDS

John E. Regan, DDS, MAGD, Chairman Ralph Merkel, DDS

Andrew Schmidt, DDS

Stephen D. Regan, DDS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I. Prologue 4

1. Advice to Students and Parents 4 (From a parent) Barbara Olenyik Morrow
2. Science Fair- A Personal 4

(From a parent) Barbara Olenyik Morrow

II. Steps to be taken 6

1. Start Early 6

B. Know the Rules 6

1. Safety First 6

2. Local School Rules 7

3. District Rules 7

4. Intel International Science & Engineering Fair Rules 7

1. Selecting a Subject 8
2. The Scientific Method 10

1. Title 10

2. Abstract 10

3. Background Statement 10

4. Literature Review 10

5. Materials and Methods 10

6. Results 11

7. Discussion 11

8. Conclusions 11

9. Acknowledgements 12

1. Bibliography 12

E. The Scientific Method Simplified. 13

F. Presenting your Results 14

1.Exhibiting Your Project 14

2.What Judges Look For 15

III. Where to find Help 17

A. Your local IKDDS member 17

B. Internet Sites 17

C. Local Experts 17

IV. Appendix 18

A. Intel ISEF rules

1. Ideas for Dentally Related Science Fair Projects 29
2. Example of a Science Fair Project 30
3. Teachers Lesson Plan 31

1. References 32

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I. PROLOGUE

A. Advice to Students and Parents Regarding Science Fair Projects (From a Parent)

1. Use the summer to brainstorm for ideas. Avoid the pressure, once the school year begins, of having to come up with an idea the night before the science fair form is due.
2. As you read newspapers and magazines, keep an eye out for science articles. Parents should draw children’s attention to certain articles and discuss with them how the article might serve as a springboard for a project. In the same vein, parents and students should listen to science segments on television or radio (public radio is a great source) and think about ways to launch a school project.
3. Talk to experts. Ask health professionals (your physician, dentist, optometrist) if they have suggestions for a project.
4. Look for opportunities for your child to conduct some or all of his/her research in a laboratory setting. For example, before my son’s freshman year in high school, he read an interesting article about translucent concrete. They agreed, and during the meeting they showed my son their in-house state-certified lab. They offered to let him do research there, which he did. The experience allowed my son to work with professional, to gain respect for sophisticated equipment, and to observe how science has real-life applications.
5. Persevere. Don’t be discouraged when you call someone for ideas, and they say they don’t have time to help. Be polite and ask that person if they can recommend the name of another person who might have similar expertise. Remember-there are lots of experts to talk to. If you strike out with one, try another.
6. Use the internet-but use it wisely. Steer your child toward professional publications and scientific journals as they begin researching a subject. Help make them aware that not everything that claims to be “science” follows the scientific method.
7. Have fun. Understand at the outset that hard work lies ahead. But science is all about discovery, and for the curious-mined, discovery is always fun.

By Barbara Olenyik Morrow

B. Science Fair-A Personal Story (From a Parent)

During the summer before my son’s freshman year of high school, he read an article in

the newspaper about a study showing that non-cola drinks can cause cavities. Knowing

that he would be required to do a science fair project for his honors biology class, my

son began researching the issue of tooth decay. While he looked for articles via the

Internet, I mentioned his project idea to our local dentist, Dr. Dan Schmidt of Auburn.

Dr. Schmidt pulled together several articles and also offered a suggestion-namely, that

my son examine the question of whether people are missing out on fluoride when they

drink bottled water.

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My son followed that suggestion, did more research, and then launched an experiment

at the Health Research Science Center at Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne. Dr.

Mark Putt and his assistant Michael Moore agreed to let my son use their laboratory,

and with Michael Moore serving as advisor, my son tested for the presence of fluoride

in a wide variety of bottled waters purchased in stores. He also conducted tests on

water treated in home filtering systems.

Along with learning a great deal-about everything from ions and electrodes to how to

maintain healthy teeth-my son benefited from the chance to work with knowledgeable

professionals in “real-life” work environments. As a parent, I believe this project

enriched my son’s understanding of the connection between health and science, and it

introduced him to the possibility of a career in dentistry.

By Barbara Olenyik Morrow

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II. THE STEPS TO BE TAKEN

A. Start Early

1. The best single piece of advice we can give you is to start early. Give yourself at

least a three (3) month head start on your deadline. Many experiments take time!

And then, extra time is required to analyze the results, type them for presentation,

make your display and rehearse your judge’s presentation. Put the important dates on

your family calendar.

2. The Role of the Parent: Science Fair Projects offer an exceptional learning

experience because of their self-taught and participation components. However, a

science fair project almost always requires parental help. Take some time to discuss

the project with your child. Be a resource person; keep the child on the right track

by asking probing questions, helping them make contact with other people, helping

them obtain or build the necessary equipment and assisting with the research and/or

experimentation. Parents should be particularly aware of any possible safety issues

such as machinery, electricity, radiation, or caustic chemicals for instance. Make

this a fun family educational experience. You will find this is easier to do if the

student selects a subject of interest to them. Get involved but don’t take over the

project.

1. Know the Rules

1. Safety First

1. Safety is an important factor in any kind of project. Some types of projects are

usually prohibited because of potential safety hazards. Be aware of any

hazards.

1. Check with your local school if you have specific questions.
2. Chemical and Glassware-usually glassware must be securely mounted. Chemicals usually cannot be displayed but colored water or photographs are used instead.
3. Fire and radiation. No explosives, fuels, poisonous materials, or aerosol cans are usually allowed. Radiation projects cannot be dangerous. Asking a specialist in the field (such as an IKDDS member in case of dental radiation) to check your idea. Ultraviolet light is usually allowed during judging only.
4. Biological Hazards:

(1) No living vertebrate animals are usually allowed.

(2) No hypodermic needles and syringes may be displayed.

(3) Molds and bacteria that are unknown or dangerous to humans should not be

displayed. Use photos. Harmless molds and bacteria, sealed in petri dishes,

as obtained from a supply house, are usually allowed to be displayed.

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1. Electrical and Mechanical Hazards

(1) All moving parts must have protective covers.

(2) Machinery must be well built

(3) Equipment and switches should run on 110-115 Volt A.C. or dry cells.

(4) Connections and devices to secure wires should be insulated and the wires need to be the right size for the use and the voltage.

(5) Noisy devices may be operated only when requested by the judges.

(6) Spark discharge equipment must not interfere with communication channels.

(7) Any device constructed by a student must have a suitable cord of at least six feet with a 3-prong plug. Lamps may have a two (2) prong plug.

1. Note the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

Safety Rules listed in the Appendix on page .

2. Local School Rules

a. The IKDDS surveyed all 200 schools in our 10 counties and found a great deal of

variety in how each school approached Science projects.

b. Some schools allowed students in the First, Second, and Third grades to work in teams

rather than individually, for example.

1. Some schools only conduct science fair projects every other year.
2. Be sure to contact your school for local rules. We discovered some excellent Science Fair Manuals being provided by some schools. By all means, follow your schools directions first and use this guide as a secondary resource.

3. District Science Fair Rules

1. District rules tend to be more strict and conform to more regulations. They belong to the Intel ISEF and, therefore, are subject to their rules which are noted below.
2. The Northeast Indiana Regional Fair is usually held at IPFW in March. Contact information is listed below.
3. Science Central also has a science fair day. Those interested should contact them.

4. Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Rules

a. Several years ago, Intel took over for Westinghouse in sponsoring the ISEF. Locally, the

following are members of ISEF and, therefore, follow their rules.

Angola: Northeastern Indiana Tri-State Regional Science Fair

Professor Ann A. Benson

Tri-State University

1 University Avenue

Angola, IN 46703

(260) 665-4256

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Fort Wayne: Northeast Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair

Carol Dostal

IPFW – School of ETCS

2101 E. Coliseum Boulevard

Fort Wayne, IN 46805

(260) 481-6905

b. Intel ISEF rules are available at

1. The Intel ISEF Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs/2005-2006 are quite thorough

and should be reviewed in their entirety by those interested in serious fair competition. You

will find excerpts of some of their requirements in the appendix on page 18. The entire

document is available from Intel ISEF by writing:

Science Service

1719 N. Street NW

Washington, DC 20036

1. Selecting a Subject

1. Many people feel this is the most difficult part of doing a science project because

once the subject is chosen the rest of the parts fall in place as a logical sequence.

2. Inquiry based learning: Students are encouraged to choose a topic that interests

them. The best projects are usually those that help you explore things that you

question. For example:

1. Is one toothpaste really better than another?
2. There are many toothpaste brands on the market. Can one stop demineralization of teeth better than another?
3. Does bottled water contain fluoride?
4. Is one toothbrush better than another?
5. Should you buy a soft, medium, or hard toothbrush?
6. Do breakfast cereals which contain sugar hurt teeth?
7. Which brand of Xylitol is best?
8. Does waxed or unwaxed floss remove plaque best?
9. Does one brand of paper towel absorb more water than another?

The list is virtually endless and we have included many additional ideas in the appendix on page 29. .

1. Parents can help their student select a subject which is within their level of understanding. A First or Second grade student wouldn’t be expected to undertake a project of the same complexity as an Eighth grade student.
2. Choose a limited subject. Remember that the best science projects are not necessarily the most elaborate ones-projects that use a lot of expensive equipment or ones with the fanciest, flashiest displays. In fact, judges don’t tend to be impressed with projects or displays that look too “professional” or have, obviously, been done with a lot of outside help and money. Your child will have to be able to tell the judges how they did the project and discuss the results so too much coaching can be a hindrance rather than a help.

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1. The internet provides a wealth of information. Try sites listed on page 17. .
2. Your school or public library will be helpful at finding information or ideas for projects.
3. Walk through your local grocery store, pharmacy, or retail store with the thought of comparison shopping to generate ideas.
4. Talk to your family IKDDS member, physician or other professional. Your parents may be able to help you make these contacts but don’t be afraid to do it alone. These people will almost always “bend over backwards” to help you.
5. You can use Science Fair books to get ideas but then plan the experiment on your own. There are experiment books that tell you exactly what to do but then it is not your project.
6. Make a list of topics that interest you. List some questions about your topics. If you cannot ask any questions pick a different topic.
7. Science Categories to choose
8. BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Human and animal behavior (psychology, anthropology, sociology and archeology)

1. BIOCHEMISTRY

Genetics, food chemistry, photosynthesis and hormones.

1. BOTANY

Study plant life (plant anatomy, horticulture, and Classification

1. CHEMISTRY

Organic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry

1. COMPUTER SCIENCE

Study and development of computer programming

1. EARTH SCIENCE

Geology, meteorology, astronomy, seismology, and geography

1. ENGINEERING

Projects that apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses (mechanical, civil, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, automotive, heating, sound and environmental)

1. ECOLOGY

Study of the environment (pollution, man’s relationship with Earth)

1. MEDICINE AND HEALTH

Dentistry, nutrition, allergies, dermatology (skin), sanitation and hearing

1. MICROBIOLOGY

Biology of microscopic organisms (bacteria, fungi, and protista)

1. PHYSICS

Using principles, theories, laws, and techniques governing energy and its effect on matter (acoustics, fluids, gases, magnetism, gravity and friction)

1. ZOOLOGY

Study of animal (vertebrates and invertebrates)

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1. Follow the Scientific Method

1. Title: The Title page of your project is, obviously, the first piece of information on your

paper but it probably is not the first thing you should determine. The Title may not become

apparent until the project is nearly completed, Furthermore, projects can turn many new

directions as new questions arise during their execution.

1. Abstract. An abstract is a condensed synopsis of your project. Since the volume of scientific material is so large and time to read it all too short, today, most research reports summarize the purpose, results and conclusions in less than 250 words. It is placed under the Title and before the Background Statement. The abstract cannot be written until the project is completed.
2. Background Statement. This is the first thing you should do. Every good scientist follows and organized approach to their work. This section clearly explains what you are trying to discover. It could also be referred to as “The Purpose”. Usually a Science Project should state what you think will happen which is referred to as the “Hypothesis”. If you include an hypothesis, you should give an explanation of why you made the prediction to show that it was an intelligent choice and not just a wild guess. Use the words “if” and “then” to state your hypothesis. You hypothesis must be very clear so you can test it.

. 4. Review of the literature. Research your topic. This section reports work other

people have done in the area of your subject. The U.S. Patent office refers to it as

“Prior Art”. A good project involves work in a library. In your report, you should

summarize what you’ve found about your subject and give proper credit in a

bibliography. Even if you find the question raised has been answered by someone

else, you can still do the project anyway to find out for yourself and to check the

other person’s result. Sometimes this material is included under “Background

Statement” and not listed as a separate heading.