Waters Landing Elementary School PTA Science Fair Guide

Transcription

1 Waters Landing Elementary School PTA Science Fair Guide This guide has detailed information about how to complete an investigation through conducting an experiment and researching a topic for demonstration. 1 P a g e

2 Demonstration or Experiment? You Choose The first step to participating in the WLES science fair project is to choose whether you want to create a science demonstration or conduct a science experiment. This guide provides students with step by step instructions for how to conduct a science experiment and research a topic to create a demonstration. The guide also includes information about the scientific process and a list of science topics by grade covered in the MCPS curriculum. Students may choose any topic for their science fair project. Overview The Scientific Method 1. Ask a question 2. Gather information about the question 3. Form a hypothesis. (That s a prediction.) 4. Test the hypothesis. (Test your prediction.) 5. Tell others what you found. 2 P a g e

3 What are the steps in doing an EXPERIMENT? 1. Decide upon a science TOPIC. 2. What do you want to find out? Write a QUESTION to be answered. 3. Find out as much as you can on your topic. 4. Guess the answer to your question. Make a HYPOTHESIS. 5. Plan your experiment from beginning to end. This is you PROCEEDURE. 6. Follow your plan and write down what happens. These are your RESULTS. 7. Write a CONCLUSION that tells you what your learned. 8. Use a display board to teach others about your experiment. What are the steps in creating a DEMONSTRATION? 1. Choose a topic (i.e. volcano, parts of a plant, animal adaptations, weather, etc.) 2. READ and LEARN about your topic. Keep a record of what books, journals, internet sites and other references you used. 3. Decide how you will display your information. Maybe you will build a model, draw pictures, or put together a collection of items. 4. Use a Display board to help teach others about your topic. 3 P a g e

4 Web Resources The following websites contain information and project ideas to help students and parents find science fair experiments and demonstrations. 1. Science Buddies: 2. Science Fair Project Guide: 3. All Science Fair Projects: 4. Science Project: 5. Cool Science Projects: 6. Kids Science: 7. Super Science Fair Projects: Montgomery County Public Schools Science Curriculum Framework Topics Science Units by Grade and Marking Period Kindergarten First Marking Period: Earth Space Sciences: Weather observations, attributes, patterns; seasonal changes. Life Sciences: Plant and animal life cycles; external features; diversity; adaptations for survival. Second Marking Period: Life Sciences: Basic needs of plants and animals; life cycles of plants and animals; comparison between offspring and parents. Third Marking Period: Life Sciences: External features of plants and animals used for survival; identification of local plants and animals; animal classification; comparisons between different plants; comparisons between different animals, including humans. Fourth Marking Period: Life Sciences: Similarities and differences of external features and adaptations; adaptations of plants and animals to survive in an environment; interactions between plants and animals and their environment. 4 P a g e

5 First Grade First Marking Period: Life Sciences: Comparisons of plants and animals; parts of living things; basic needs of animals; relationships between fulfillment of basic needs and observable features of animals. Second Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Parts of non-living objects; movement of non-living objects; effects of magnets on objects. Life Sciences: Parts of living things. Third Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Properties of materials and objects. Earth and Space Sciences: Natural features of Earth s surface; natural and man-made objects in the environment; changes in the environment. Life Sciences: Human actions that harm the environment. Fourth Marking Period: Earth and Space Sciences: Human actions that affect the environment; conservation and protection of natural resources. Physical Sciences: Use of electricity Second Grade First Marking Period: Earth and Space Sciences: Description of Earth materials properties of rocks, soil, water; description of Earth s surface and atmosphere water, natural features of continents, natural features of the ocean floor. Second Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Classification of objects based on observable properties; description of the parts of objects; description of relationships between the parts of objects; investigation of changes made to parts of objects; design of an object made of parts; description of minute objects; description of minute features of objects. Third Marking Period: Earth and Space Sciences: Description of day and night sky; Moon and Sun observation over time; observable properties of the moon, stars, and sun. Life Sciences: Survival of plants and animals in familiar and unfamiliar habitats; observation and description of minute organisms in their habitats; satisfaction of basic needs by minute and larger organisms. Fourth Marking Period: Earth and Space Sciences: Moon and Sun observation over time; location and motion of celestial objects; identification of moon phases; description and comparison of patterns of change in the sun and moon. Life Sciences: Comparisons of plant and animal life cycles, including humans; comparisons of familiar organisms to organisms that lived long ago. 5 P a g e

6 Third Grade First Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Position and motion of objects; changes of motion forces, gravity and friction; comparisons of speed and distance of moving objects. Engineering and Technology: Characteristics and scope of technology; engineering design process ideas, models for solutions, design evaluation, design improvement. Second Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Conservation of matter; changes to physical properties of materials; temperatures effects on physical properties of materials heating, cooling. Engineering and Technology: characteristics and scope of technology; human needs influence technology; technology used to create products. Third Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Production of heat and energy; heat transfer. Engineering and Technology: Characteristics and scope of technology; impact of products and systems; engineering design process ideas, models for solutions, design evaluation and improvement. Fourth Marking Period: Life Sciences: Basic needs of living things; survival of organisms in different habitats; natural resources and human needs; flow of matter and energy recycling, decomposition. Engineering and Technology: Characteristics and scope of technology; effects of technology on the environment. Fourth Grade First Marking Period: Life Sciences: Diversity of plants and animals in their environments; flow of Sun s energy to plants and animals within an ecosystem; interactions of organisms with each other and their environment; features and behaviors that help organisms survive in an environment. Engineering and Technology: Engineering design process models for solutions, design evaluation, and improvement. Second Marking Period: Life Sciences: Survival and reproduction of organisms in different habitats; characteristics contributing to survival and reproduction of organisms; changes to the natural environment beneficial and harmful consequences to habitats; environmental issues Earth s natural resources and human actions, individual and group decisions that harm or help the environment; human activities in Maryland impact the environment. Engineering and Technology: Experimentation to solve technological problems. Third Marking Period: Earth and Space Sciences: Weather conditions and patterns; properties of water on Earth. Physical Sciences: Properties of matter; conservation of matter. Engineering and Technology: Characteristics and scope of technology; engineering design. Fourth Marking Period: Physical Science: Properties of matter. Earth and Space Sciences: Rock formation; properties of rocks and minerals; fossils as evidence of Earth s history; changes to Earth s surface weathering 6 P a g e

7 and erosion. Engineering and Technology: Application of engineering design process; impact and use of technology. Fifth Grade First Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Motion of objects distance, time, direction, speed; changes in motion force, mass; energy and motion potential, kinetic; conversion of energy. Engineering and Technology: Characteristics and scope of technology; engineering design process. Second Marking Period: Physical Sciences: Static electricity; electrical energy circuits, conduction; magnetism magnetic forces; forces wave energy; electromagnets. Engineering and Technology: Characteristics and scope of technology; engineering design process. Third Marking Period: Earth and Space Sciences: Astronomy celestial patterns, light and shadow; properties and patterns of Earth and stars; Earth s relationship to the sun; characteristics of Earth and other planets; characteristics of other celestial bodies comets, asteroids, meteors, moon. Physical Sciences: Wave energy light; properties of light pathways and interactions with materials. Engineering and Technology: Impact of products and systems; influence and impact of space exploration on technology. Fourth Marking Period: Life Sciences: Multicellular organisms plant and animal cells, specialized cells; unicellular organisms; heredity inheritance and variation of traits in plants and animals. Engineering and Technology: Development, impact and use of technology microscopes, troubleshooting. This information is from the MSPC website. For detailed information regarding the science curriculum framework, please visit the MCPS website. 7 P a g e

8 Experiments Science Fair Check List Choose a topic of interest. Think of a question to answer. Complete entry form with parent signature. Research topic. Record sources of information. Write hypothesis. Plan Procedure. Gather your materials. Conduct experiment as planned. Record results. Review results. State conclusions. 8 P a g e

9 Prepare display. Prepare oral presentation. Bring display to science fair. Display Board Organization for an Experiment Procedure Title (student name) Results Question Sources of Information Hypothesis Conclusion Possible Experiment Questions Physical Sciences: Photos of Project 1. Which type of water evaporates the quickest; salt, tap or fresh? 2. Can more drops of water can be placed on top of a penny or a dime? 3. Which types of cloth will dry faster; cotton or polyester? 4. Through what surfaces will a magnet attract? 5. Which materials are conductors of electricity? 6. Does temperature effect the rate of evaporation? 7. Does the size of a sponge effect the amount of water absorbed? 8. How does the size and weight of a ball affect its rate of fall? 9. Which brand of paper towels has the fastest capillary action? 10. Does wetting a paper towel effect its strength? 11. Which fruit conducts the most electricity? 12. Does the type of liquid affect how fast an ice cube melts? 13. Does changing the height of a ramp effect how far a car will travel? 14. Does changing the temperature of water effect the buoyancy of an egg? 15. Does the flavor of ice cream effect how fast the ice cream melts? 16. Does changing the wingtip direction effect an airplane s flight? 17. Will more air inside a basketball make it bounce higher? 9 P a g e

10 18. Does the length of the wire affect the power of the circuit? Earth Science: 1. Do salt or sugar crystals develop faster? 2. Which soil types has the best soil retention? 3. Which solids decompose fastest? 4. Do plants affect erosion? 5. Does temperature affect the speed of molecules? 6. Which rocks are affected by magnets? 7. Which rocks conduct electricity? Life Sciences: 1. How much salt will a plant be able to tolerate and still grow? 2. Which type of see will sprout more quickly? 3. Which packaging method best reduces the growth of mold or fungus? 4. Does human weight change with time of day? 5. Does exercise affect blood pressure? 6. Does the size of fruit affect the number of seeds? 7. Which type of fruit has the most seeds? 8. Does the type liquid given to a plant affect its growth? 9. What is the effect of light on rate of seed germination? 10. How deep below the surface can you find the most invertebrates (insects, worms, grubs, etc.) 11. Which type of soil do find the most invertebrates? Demonstrations Science Fair Check List Choose a topic of interest. Think of a question to answer. Complete entry form with parent signature. Locate and record sources of information. Research topic. Plan how to share information. Prepare charts, tables, or other visual aids. Prepare display. Prepare oral presentation. Bring display to science fair. Display Board Organization for an Experiment 10 P a g e

11 Information Title (student name) Information Question Photos, charts or diagrams Sources of Information Photos, charts or diagrams Possible Demonstration Questions Physical Sciences: 1. What makes sound? 2. How does sound travel? 3. What kind of materials can carry sound? 4. How does light travel? 5. How does a camera work? 6. What is gravity? 7. What are the various forms of energy? 8. What is magnetism? 9. How does a compass work? 10. What are insulators and conductors of electricity? 11. What is an electric circuit? Earth Sciences: 1. What are the four layers of the earth? 11 P a g e

12 2. How are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks formed? 3. How are crystals formed? 4. What causes earthquakes? 5. What causes a volcano to erupt? 6. What factors effect weather? 7. What are fossils and how are they formed? 8. What is the water cycle? 9. What are the different kinds of clouds? 10. What is the life cycle of a star? 11. What are the phases of the moon? 12. How does a magnet work? Life Sciences: 1. What do animals need to survive? 2. What do plants need to survive? 3. How do plant cells differ from animal cells? 4. What are the different parts and functions of a tree? 5. What is the food chain? 6. What is the web of life? 7. How do plants germinate? 8. What is the life cycle of a plant? 9. How do insects develop? 10. How does the human ear work? 11. What are special adaptations of plants and animals? 12. What kinds of bacteria are helpful? Harmful? 13. What is a virus? 12 P a g e