SCIENCE FAIR

When: October 30th

Where: Troutman Elementary Media Center

Student’s name:______

Teacher’s name: ______

Parent’s signature: ______

Science Fair project idea:______

(must submit idea for approval)

  • Projects are to be completed at home (no group projects).
  • For those interested in participating, you will receive a packet with more detailed information and instructions once this permission slip has been turned in.

***Please returnto Mrs. Lester byFRIDAY OCTOBER 4th!

--For safety reasons, students may NOT study mold, bacteria, or any harmful chemicals (ammonia, bleach, etc…).

Troutman Elementary Science Fair

October 30th

Troutman Elementary Media Center

Parents,

Enclosed you will find the following:

  • List of helpful tips
  • Review of the scientific method
  • An example of a science display board
  • Judging rubric

On the day of the science fair, the students will report (after breakfast) to the media center with their projects. Here, they will be registered and given a number. The judges will identify projects by number only for privacy and fair judging practices. The students may be called out of class to present their projects should there need to be clarification for the judges, specific questions concerning the project, or in case there is a tie. You may use photographs (don’t show your face), draw pictures, or build a small model of what you studied. No liquids, food, or animals are to be brought to school.

Parents may come to help their students set up projects but they are not permitted to stay in the judging area. No projects will be accepted after 9:00a.m. We will host Science Fair Open House on October 30th from 3-6p.m. Here, you can bring the whole family to look at everyone’s hard work. The winners will be announced at school on the 31st.

We adhere to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) rules and regulations. For more information, you may visit Have fun and good luck.

Sincerely,

Debra Lester

Project due: October 30th

Here is a list of helpful tips beforeyou get started:

  • A good science fair project takes about 3 afternoons to complete.
  • Use a glue stick or rubber cement (Elmer’s glue wrinkles the paper).
  • Type as much as you can (keep it neat).
  • If you use pictures, do not let your face show in them.
  • Do not put your name or grade on the front of the board.
  • Make sure your project is question driven (how much/many, what would happen if, which is the best, etc…).
  • Parents may provide guidance, but students are expected to complete the project.
  • Models of volcanoes and the solar system are cool but are NOT considered science fair projects unless they can be used to find the answer to a question.
  • If your experiment extends over a period of time (several days), journal your daily progress.
  • Use the scientific method during your experiment.
  • I am available for any questions:

Scientific Method:

  • Question or Problem The goal is to wonder about something and then create an experiment to find out the answer to your question. Example: Which brand of toothpaste works the best?
  • Hypothesis A hypothesis means good guess. This is where you will guess what your end result will be and why before you perform the experiment. Example: I think Colgate will be the best toothpaste because it is the kind that my dentist gives me.
  • Research, Materials, and Data Research includes all of the people, books, or websites that helped with your project (list or cite these sources). Materials are the list of supplies that you used in your experiment. Data shows the results of your experiment. It can be written and/or in graph form.
  • Procedure The step by step process you used to do your experiment.

Example: 1. I bought 5 different brands of toothpaste.

2. I soaked 5 eggs in coffee to simulate stained teeth.

3. I brushed each stained egg 100 strokes with a toothbrush.

  • Conclusion The conclusion is a summary of your results.
  • Reflection The reflection is a summary of your project, hypothesis and anything that you learned along the way that you did not know before you started. It is ok for your hypothesis to be wrong. Think of it as a game, not a test.

Here are a few ideas, but feel free to be creative…

  • Does music affect on animal behavior?
  • Does the color of food or drinks affect whether or not we like them?
  • Does music have an affect on plant growth?
  • Which kind of food do dogs (or any animal) prefer best?
  • Which paper towel brand is the strongest?
  • What is the best way to keep an ice cube from melting?
  • Can the food we eat affect our heart rate?
  • Does color affect heart rate?
  • Do certain tv shows or commercials affect heart rate?
  • How effective are child-proof containers and locks.
  • Can background noise levels affect how well we concentrate?
  • What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?
  • Does the color of light used on plants affect how well they grow?
  • What plant fertilizer works best?
  • Does the color of a room affect human behavior?
  • Do athletic students have better lung capacity?
  • What brand of battery lasts the longest?
  • Does the type of potting soil used in planting affect how fast the plant grows?
  • Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
  • Can plants grow in pots if they are sideways or upside down?
  • Does the color of hair affect how much static electricity it can carry? (test with balloons)
  • How much weight can the surface tension of water hold?
  • Can some people really read someone else's thoughts?
  • Which soda decays fallen out teeth the most?
  • What light brightness makes plants grow the best?
  • Does the color of birdseed affect how much birds will eat it? (more info.)
  • Do natural or chemical fertilizers work best?
  • Can mice learn? (you can pick any animal)
  • Can people tell artificial smells from real ones?
  • What brands of bubble gum produce the biggest bubbles?
  • Does age affect human reaction times?
  • What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
  • Does shoe design really affect an athlete's jumping height?
  • What type of grass seed grows the fastest?
  • Can animals see in the dark better than humans?

OTHER TOPICS:Soil, water, household items (dish liquid, cleaner), electricity, the human body (touch, taste), sound, color, animals, food, etc…

  • No mold or spores
  • No bacteria cultures
  • No cruelty to humans or animals