Floyds Knobs
Elementary
2016
Science Fair
GRADES
K-4
Student & Parent Information Session (optional)
Tuesday, February 9, 2016 6:30 p.m.
FKE Media Center
Intent To Participate Form
Due to teacher Friday, February 12, 2016
Projects Due and Judging
Grades 3 – 4 Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Grades K – 2 Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Students/parents may bring projects to
classrooms during morning arrival
Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, April 6, 2016, FKE Gym
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. View Projects, 6:30 p.m. Awards
District Science Exhibit & Awards (1st Place Winners Only)
Thursday, April 7, 2016 5:45 p.m., Grant Line Elementary
Questions? Contact:
LuAnne Suer or Abbey Campbell
(812) 542-5505
SCIENCE FAIR 2016
Intent to Participate
Dear Parents,
All students at FKE are eligible to participate in the Science Fair. Awards are given to the top ten projects at each grade level. Students are judged on their project exhibit and question-answer evaluation/presentation in the classroom.
The Science Fair packet gives detailed information about project requirements and parent involvement expectations. It also provides steps to follow to help develop a quality project. If you need to purchase a science fair display board, they are available at FKE’s Welcome Center for $3.00. The timeline for the 2016 Science Fair is:
February 1 – April 4 Develop and complete project and display board
Tuesday, February 9 Student & Parent Information Session, 6:30 p.m. (optional)
Friday, February 12 Intent To Participate Form Due to teacher
Tuesday, April 5 Grades 3-4 Projects Due
Wednesday, April 6 Grades K-2 Projects Due
Wednesday, April 6 Awards Ceremony (6:00 View Projects, 6:30 Awards)
Thursday, April 7 District Science Fair Exhibit & Awards (for all 1st place winners)
at Grant Line Elementary School
Please return the completed form below to your classroom teacher by Friday, February 12, 2016.
*If you change your mind at any point about participating, please let your teacher know.
**All fourth grade students and Excel students (3rd and 4th) are required to participate.
SCIENCE FAIR 2016
Intent to Participate
Name _____ Grade Teacher _
Projected Topic (can change)______
£ I plan to participate in the 2016 Science Fair.
£ I do not plan to participate in the 2016 Science Fair.
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Parent Signature ______Date
WHAT HAPPENS FROM THE TIME YOUR SCIENCE FAIR
PROJECT ARRIVES UNTIL AWARDS CEREMONY
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 (Grades 3-4)
WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (Grades K-2)
7:30 – 8:00 a.m. Deliver project to student’s classroom.
Your teacher will check-in your project.
If your name or face appears on your display materials, it will be covered.
Projects will be displayed in the classroom.
Students will briefly present their project to the classroom teacher and classmates.
Students should be prepared to answer questions about their project.
ALL projects will be moved to the FKE Gym for judging.
JUDGING: April 5 (Grades 3-4) or April 6 (Grades K-2)
A panel of judges with backgrounds in science will view the projects.
Grade 3-4: Projects will be evaluated on the quality of your science project based on the Scientific Method (title, question, hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusion).
Grades K-2: Projects will be evaluated on the quality of your question and your science project. Students may follow the Scientific Method but it is not required for grades K-2.
Students who will be receiving an award for their grade level will be notified by phone during the day on April 6 (for all grades) and a note will go home.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 • Awards Ceremony, FKE Gymnasium
Please join us as we celebrate the hard work of all FKE Science Fair participants.
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. View Projects
6:30 p.m. Awards Presentation
At the end of the ceremony, please collect your projects.
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 • District Exhibit & Awards, Grant Line Elementary
First place winners will need to set up their projects and be in attendance
for the county-wide elementary science fair exhibition. Set-up: 5:45-6:00 p.m.: Viewing of projects: 6:00-6:30 p.m.; Awards Ceremony 6:30 p.m.
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REQUIRED SCIENCE PROJECT COMPONENTS
1. SCIENCE PROJECT EXHIBIT: April 5 (Grades 3 – 4) & April 6 (Grades K – 2)
· Due 7:30 a.m. – 7:50 a.m. Bring your project to your classroom before school. Parents may help students bring and set up their projects during morning arrival, if needed.
· The science project exhibit is a display board presentation of your research project/ experiment.
· Guidelines:
o Clearly label all work.
o Neatly present in an understandable way your data and experiment.
o DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME OR PHOTO ON YOUR BOARD. (If either is included, it will be removed or covered.)
o Exhibits must be limited to approximately 30” front-to-back and 48” side-to-side.
· Key components (sample display board is included at the end of this packet):
o Title
o Presentation (displayed clearly & aesthetically, but it is judged on the quality of the science)
o Background (Paragraph form or bulleted statements, photos, etc. to explain your area of research so others can understand)
o State Question and Hypothesis or Objective
o Methods (Experiments and step by step process)
o Results (Use photos, graphs, charts, models, etc. to present your collected data)
o Key Findings (Do they answer the question/hypothesis?)
o Conclusion (Why are findings important?)
o References (Any books, articles, or websites used for your research; avoid Wikipedia and other unreliable sites as reference material)
2. PRESENTATION/Q & A SESSION April 5 (Grades 3 – 4) & April 6 (Grades K – 2)
· Be prepared to share what you’ve learned from your research project/experiment in class and to answer questions from your class and teacher.
· This portion will be evaluated and scored along with the display board.
· Guidelines:
o Each student will be allotted approximately 3 – 5 total minutes.
o Students may NOT demonstrate any part of their project.
o Your board should clearly describe and show your project/process.
o If a student is not present for the question and answer (Q & A) portion of the science fair, their project will be evaluated but they will not be eligible for a finalist award.
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SCIENCE PROJECT EXHIBIT
Key Components to the Science Project Display Board
1. Title
The title must be prominently presented on the display board. Typically it is presented at the top of the center section of the display. It can be in the form of a question.
2. Introduction/Background Information
Information about the project is presented. Formats used may include paragraphs, bulleted statements, photos, graphs, and/or materials used for your project. It is important to provide enough information for others to understand your area of research.
3. Statement of research question and/or hypothesis/objective
Clearly present the question you are asking, the hypothesis you are testing, and/or the objective of the research project. These components can be emphasized visually by displaying in all caps, bold, underlined, or italicized text.
Example: QUESTION – What makes tomato plants grow?
HYPOTHESIS – Tomato plants need sun, water, and fertilizer to grow best.
4. Methods
Present the methods you used to test your hypothesis or complete your research objective. In addition to writing the methods (i.e. step-by-step process for conducting your experiments), pictures, graphs, charts, models, etc. can be used as visual aids in the science project exhibit.
5. Results
Present the results of your experiment visually in the form of charts, graphs, photos, models, etc. Present the results you used to answer your research question. You may also want to include the data you collected (e.g. feathers, rocks, leaves, machines, etc.). If you used a laboratory notebook to document findings, be sure to include it in your science project exhibit.
6. Key Findings
Summarize your results in a brief written format. Bullet points may be used.
7. Conclusion
Describe the impact of the results to the question you asked. What are the implications of your findings? Why would others want to know about your science project? How would others benefit from the knowledge you gained? Why are your findings significant or important?
8. References
List any books, articles, websites, etc. that you used for your research. Do not use Wikipedia or other unreliable sources as reference material.
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SCIENCE FAIR RULES
1. Project may include, but is not limited to the following subject areas:
Astronomy, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics, etc.
2. Number of students per project: one student per project (no group projects)
3. Project Requirements
· The maximum amount of money allowed for project supplies is $15. No expense is necessary.
· Commercial kits, including models, games, etc. may not be used.
· Students in grades 3-4 must use “scientific method” in their project.
· Students in grades 3-4 must be able to explain their project. Students in ALL grade levels will present projects to their class.
· A simple bibliography should be included with the exhibit if reference books, articles, or internet sources are used. Avoid using Wikipedia as a source; however, Wikipedia articles have reference sections that may point you in the right direction for reference material.
· No resubmission of previously judged projects is permitted.
4. Parent Involvement Expectations
Parents, please keep in mind this project is for the child. While your support is greatly appreciated and needed, it is to the benefit of the child to learn from and experience the Science Fair. The level of student involvement and understanding will be taken into account when judging the science projects.
Grades K – 2 Students should actively participate in all aspects of the project, including the display. Parents may assist the child with all aspects of the project.
Grade 3 Parents may help form the idea and aid in completion of the project, but the child should perform the predominant amount of work.
Grade 4 Parents may help form the idea and support the child in completion of the project. Research, data collections, interpretation of conclusions, and display should be completed independently by the child.
5. Science Project Exhibit Guidelines
· All safe methods of display are acceptable. Some examples include: machines, experiments, collections, clay models, papier mâché, models, pictures, cut-aways, cross-sections, posters, dioramas, panoramic models of any type soil displays, and charts.
· Exhibitor’s name or face shall not appear anywhere on the display or materials. If either appears on your materials presented, it will be removed or covered up with tape or stickers. All finalists’ exhibits will be identified by a number assigned by the Science Fair Committee.
· Exhibits must be limited in size, 30" front-to-back and 48" side-to-side. Floor space can be made available upon request.
· Construction of the display should be durable.
· Expensive or fragile items should not be displayed. Rather, photographs or simulations of these items should be used in the display.
· If Safety Rules (see below) prohibit the display of a particular item, then use photographs, diagrams, simulations, etc. to display these items.
· No external source of power (i.e. 120 VAC electrical outlet) will be provided at the school during judging or display. Projects must be self-powered.
· The staff cannot be held responsible for lost or damaged displays and/or equipment.
· Tri-fold cardboard display boards will be on sale for $3.00 at the school. Use of this board is optional. This board meets the size requirements.
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SCIENCE FAIR RULES (cont.)
6. Project and Exhibit Safety Rules – Projects must adhere to rules or will not be allowed.
· Carefully pack all display materials when transporting to and from the science fair.
· Moving or heavy parts must be firmly attached (to plywood or cardboard) and safe for judging and for the viewing public.
· Projects may not use dangerous chemicals or explosives.
· No exhibit may contain actual human body parts with the exception of teeth, hair, and nails.
· No exhibit may contain live animals.
· No exhibit may contain actual bacteria cultures. Use photographs or diagrams to display these items.
· No exhibit may contain controlled substances. This includes over-the-counter drugs and medicines.
· No exhibit may contain open flames.
· No food sampling or tasting for surveys can take place at FKE or in the classrooms.
· Projects may not use live animals. However, observations of animals in their natural environment are permitted. Photographs are permitted.
· Avoid glass containers and make sure any containers are covered with lids or plastic.
7. Judging
· Students will be judged on both their class presentation/Q&A session and display board. Students must be present for the class presentation to be eligible for any awards.
· Judges are selected by the Science Fair Committee.
· Judging is independent of the Science Fair Committee.
· Judges make the final decision as to which projects will win trophies or medals. Projects must meet the requirement components to be considered for awards.
· All science fair rules are subject to change as needed by the Science Fair Committee.
8. Awards and Ceremony Dates and Times for the Projects
· All Grades: April 6, 6:00 p.m. View Projects, 6:30 p.m. Awards Ceremony at FKE Gym
· Trophies and/or honorable mention medals will be awarded to at least 10 finalists per grade.
· Students who have first place winning projects for each grade will need to set up their project at Grant Line Elementary School on April 7, 2016, between 5:45 and 6:00 p.m. Students should plan to be present with their exhibit at the district exhibition and award ceremony. Projects can be taken home by their owner from Grant Line after the exhibition.
9. Project Removal from School Date and Times
· Projects should be removed after the awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 6, or in the morning on Thursday, April 7.
· Note: After April 8th, any remaining projects at school will be discarded.
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SAMPLE SCIENCE PROJECT
Left Panel
Center Panel
Right Panel
White display boards that fit the science fair criteria will be sold at school