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North Hills School District

The Twenty-First Annual


West View Elementary School
Science Fair 2015

Calling all student scientists, artists, builders, and more!


The West View Elementary Science Fair is an annual event where you get to pick your project
and then design it. Awards will be given based on the judges scores, your number of years of
participation, and also on your votes for 1) the most creative project, 2) grossest project, and
3) your favorite project.
The first step (if you choose to accept this assignment) is to fill out the science fair
application in this handout. You will need to decide whether you want to do an Exhibit,
a Demonstration, or an Experiment.
Whats the difference between those three? Glad you asked!
An Exhibit is a simple display of interesting and cool things you have found. Examples might
be a sea shell collection displaying different shapes or a rock/mineral collection
displaying different colors or materials. You may collect and display information,
pictures, drawings, or models that allow us to see what you have found.
A Demonstration is a display that shows how something works. Some examples are how the
human heart pumps blood, how a lock and dam system works, or how a tornado
forms. Think about the questions you have about your topic. Find out answers to your
questions from the Internet, from the library, or from people you know that are
knowledgeable about it. Write down where you got your information.
A journal is optional for exhibits and demonstrations. If you do keep one use it like a
scratch pad with your ideas, thoughts, and facts you find.
In an Experiment, you will design a way to solve a problem then test if you actually have
solved the problem. You will design your experiment with the scientific method. First,
what is the big question hypothesis - you are asking? Second, how have you designed
your experiment to answer the question? Third, what are the results you observed
from your experiment? Fourth, what conclusions can you make? You must keep a journal
for an experiment write down all your planning, your thoughts, and your results and
conclusions. A journal is required for an experiment.
Keep in mind that you will make a table-top display of your project.
Also, you'll have a unique opportunity during the day where youll be able to show off your
project to a few special members of the community, who will ask you some questions, such as:
1) Tell me what your project is about.
2) How did you prepare for your project?
3) What did you learn from your project?
4) What was most fun about your project?

Dates and Info To Remember


Application Form Due:

Tuesday, January 6, 2015 to your teacher

* Display boards are available at the school office for $2.00


Projects are Due:

Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM (in the gym)

NOTE - To prevent the awful amount of traffic congestion we've faced in previous
years, we ask that you DO NOT drop off your child's project in the morning! This
year, we will be accepting projects Tuesday evening from 5:00-8:00 PM. We hope
this makes drop-off easier for everyone!
Parents Night:

Friday, Feb 6, 2015 from 5:00 6:00 PM

Pick up of Student Projects:

Friday, Feb 6, 2015 from 6:00 PM

Special awards such as Fan Favorite will be announced!

Projects can be picked up at the end of Parents Night (Friday). If possible, please wait
until 6:00 PM to pick up projects so that other parents and children have ample time to
see all childrens wonderful science displays. Any display not picked up during Parent's
Night cannot be saved and will be discarded, unless prior arrangements have been made.
The Science Fair is made possible by the Science Fair Committee of the West View
PTA, and many outstanding volunteers. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate
to email your childs teacher, or contact one of the Science Fair Committee Co-Chairs:
Guy Uechi - 412-415-1145 - guechi@gmail.com
Ron Smart - 412-641-0522 - ronalddsmart@gmail.com
Elise Neill - elise.neill@gmail.com

General Rules

1. Projects are to be constructed by the student. Teachers, parents and friends may advise
and guide, but should not build the project without the child's involvement. Any assistance
provided should be documented in the journal.
2. Projects employing dangerous chemicals, explosives, or potentially hazardous substances,
open flames, electricity not properly shielded, or poisonous plants will not be permitted.
3. NO LIVE ANIMALS OR INSECTS may be present. Use pictures in your display.
4. Entries will be judged by grade level. All participating students will receive an award based
on the display and the results from the judging session.
5. West View Elementary and the West View PTA assume no responsibility for science fair
projects, but every effort will be made to give general protection against damage or loss.

Special Awards based on Students Votes

In addition to the awards students receive based on judges scores and for number of years
of participation, students will vote to award each of the following:
1. Most Creative Project
a. Grade K-2
b. Grade 3-6
2. Grossest Project
a. Grade K-2
b. Grade 3-6
3. Fan Favorite Project
a. Grade K-2
b. Grade 3-6

Science Project Ideas and Examples

These ideas are only suggestions. We encourage students to think of their own ideas for their
science project. There are also some websites listed at the end that may give you good ideas.

Exhibits Making observations and organizing them according to a category or


categories
Plants and Animals
Different bugs found in your backyard
Different poisonous snakes or insects
Different animals in our yard
Earth and Space
Geological layers
Layers of the atmosphere
Human Body
Dominant traits exhibited in your family
What vegetables do the members of my family like?
Whose heart beats fastest?

Demonstrations Showing how something works


Plants and Animals
How do plants drink water?
What is photosynthesis?
How does a chick breathe inside its shell?

Human Body
What is DNA? How does it control our body?
How do fingerprints identify who we are?
How do germs make us sick?
How do scabs and scars form? How do they protect our bodies?
How does mucus (snot) protect our bodies?
Physical Science
How does a battery work?
How does a magnifying glass work?
What is centripetal force? How does it keep us from flying out of a roller coaster?
What kind of salt best melts the ice on our sidewalks?

Experiments Answer a big question using the scientific method.


Design the experiment to test your guess.
Plants and Insects
What is the best fertilizer to make plants grow?
Does moisture affect the direction of root growth?
Can beetles be a nutritious substitute for meat?
Do earthworms like light or darkness?
Environment
How can we stop acid rain?
How much space does garbage take up in a landfill?
Human Body
Does cold water affect your voice?
Do boys have different pulse rates than girls?
Physical Science
Design a way to visualize magnetic field lines.
How do the shape and size of an object affect its velocity when sinking through water?
What type of string is strongest? The most elastic? The least elastic?
What effect does temperature have on glow sticks?
Consumer Science
Is tap water better than bottled water?
Is there an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to hairspray?
Do all dishwashing detergents produce the same amount of bubbles?
Mathematics
Does increasing the number of coin flips affect the number of time heads and tails show?
Does the number of times you can fold a piece of paper depend on the size of the paper?

Reference books and books detailing science experiments are in a special section of the
library.
Helpful web sites:

http://www.fossweb.com/
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/projectguide
http://sciencebuddies.com
http://supersciencefairprojects.com/elementarysciencefairprojects.html
http://www.allsciencefairprojects.com
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/elementaryprojectideas/a/1308/
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/scifair.htm
http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scifair/index.html
http://www.education.com/sciencefair/
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/index.html#chemical
http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/index.html

STEPS FOR STUDENTS


Step One Preparation

Make sure you understand what is expected of you and what you need to do to enter this fair.
Turn in the enclosed Science Fair Application Form to your teacher by Tuesday, Jan 6.

(The Form is on the last page of this packet.)

Step Two The Project

Begin to work on your project. Decide whether you want to do an Exhibit, a Demonstration,
or an Experiment. The basic requirements for all students entering the fair are the same:
Design a Exhibit.
1. Pick a topic.
2. Collect information, pictures, drawings, or models.
3. Figure out the best way to display your work.
4. A Journal is optional for exhibits. If you do keep one use it like a scratch pad with
your ideas, thoughts, and facts you find.
or
Design a Demonstration.
1. Pick your topic.
2. What questions do you have about your topic?
3. Find out answers to your questions from the Internet, from the library, or from people
you know that are knowledgeable about it. Write down where you got your information.
4. Figure out the best way to display your work.
5. A Journal is optional for demonstrations. If you do keep one use it like a scratch pad
with your ideas, thoughts, and facts you find.
or
Design an Experiment.
1. Use the Scientific Method Worksheet to help you with your design.
2. Keep a Journal writing down all your planning, your thoughts, and your results and
conclusions.
3. Conduct your experiment and collect your data.
4. Figure out the best way to display your work.

And now, a few more words about the Science Fair Journal and Scientific Method
Worksheet (4th graders & anyone else doing an Experiment, pay attention!):
The Journal and Worksheet are only required for Experiments. Youll get a bonus point if you
have a journal with your Exhibit or Demonstration. For these, you can use a Journal as a place
to keep notes and ideas.

Science Fair Journal


Your Journal is a day-to-day account of what you did and what you thought about as you did it.
Its like a diary that you keep (scientists do this all the time) so that later you can go back
over your work and reflect on what you did and how you did it. You should provide enough
detail that someone else could reproduce your experiment just by following what you wrote.

So, be sure to include things like your Big Question, your Hypothesis, your Experiment Design
and Procedure, Data & Results, and your Conclusions.
Each day-to-day entry should have a date listed, a brief summary of the activities you did
that day, and a few of your thoughts.
Some Examples:
January10
The first try didnt work so well. I used 2 cups of vinegar and cup baking soda. It only fizzed a
little, and I spilled vinegar all over the kitchen. Next time will be on newspaper, with less vinegar.
January17
MydadandIboughtthewoodforthedevicefromHomeDepot.Wehadagiftcard.Weboughtsix3ftboards.

January22
Today I worked on making an airtight seal around the top of my bottle. I first tried modeling clay,
but it got really messy when wet. My mom suggested duct tape and so I tried that. It held up under
the water, but didnt make an airtight seal. I asked my dad and he suggested silicone caulk. I put it
around the top of my bottle and now I have to wait until tomorrow for it to dry.

The Scientific Method Worksheet can be found on the second to last page of this
packet! Its double-sided, so make sure you fill out both sides!

Step Three Displaying Your Project


Your display is a way of sharing what you have learned. A neat, attractive, colorful display
with a catchy title will grab peoples attention. Also, be sure to remember to put your name
on your display, so we know its yours! We want you to get credit for the awesome job you do!
One of the most popular ways of displaying science projects is with a three-sided display.
This type of display board is available at the school office for $2.00 If you are not using
a commercially prepared display board, you can make a 3-sided display from heavy cardboard
and hinge the sides with strong tape.
Here is an example of how you could lay out your display:

Also, pictures are always a welcome addition to your display, and so are tables and graphs. All of
these will help make your display visually interesting!

Step Four Be Prepared to Explain Your Project


You will explain your project to the judges so be prepared to answer the following questions:
1) Tell me what your project is about.
2) How did you prepare for your project?
3) What did you learn from your project?
4) What was most fun about your project?

Step Five The Presentation


Bring your finished project to the side door of the gymnasium on Tuesday, Feb. 3, from
5:00-8:00 PM. For experiments, make sure bring in your journal with your project.
Journals are optional for exhibits and demonstrations.

Make sure your name is on your display!

Your project will be judged by one to three judges during the school day on Wednesday,
Feb. 4 and Thursday, Feb. 5.
Ask your teacher to bring the class for a tour through all of the science fair projects.
Bring your parents and friends back to school Friday, Feb. 6 between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm
to view your project, as well as the others. Your project can be taken home with you after
6:00. All projects must be picked up at the end of Parents Night. Any remaining projects
cannot be saved and will have to be discarded, unless you have made prior arrangements.

Science Fair Judges Rubric (1st 6th grades)


Below is the rubric or requirements from which your Science Fair project will be judged. Please bear this in
mind as you are preparing your project. These measurements are what the judges will be using to evaluate
your project. This is not a competitive Science Fair. The ribbon or ribbons that you are rewarded will
reflect the effort and quality of the job that you do.
Please Jot down students comments
strongly
agree
not sure
disagree
strongly
agree
disagree
4 pts
3 pts
2 pts
1 pt
0 pt

What is your project about?


(Student showed understanding)

How did you prepare for your project?

What did you learn from your project?

What did you like the about your project?

Display board

Journal

(Student showed adequate preparation)

(Student learned something)

(Student found the project interesting)

(Information is presented neatly and clearly)

For Experiments: Does Journal have their big


question, experiment design, data, and conclusions?
For Exhibits/Demonstrations: leave this row blank*

Student: ______________________________________________
Project Title: ___________________________________________________________________
Grade: ______

Homeroom Teacher: ___________________________________

Judges Score (Total Points): _____________


Judges Comments:

* If the student has a journal with their exhibit or


demonstration, please add an extra point to the total

Scientific Method Worksheet


(This form must accompany your EXPERIMENT)

The Big Question What do you want to find out or what problem are you solving? State this
as a question.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Collect Information: Research your topic. What is known about your topic?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Form a Hypothesis: What do you think will happen? Why?


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Test Your Hypothesis: Design your experiment to see if your hypothesis is correct.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Record and Study Data


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion: (What did you learn from your observations during your experiment? Why do you
think the results turned out the way they did?)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

ScienceFairApplicationForm

Name:______________________________________________________________________

Grade:_________

HomeroomTeacher:___________________________________________________________

CircleOne:

Exhibit

Demonstration

Experiment

Briefdescriptionofwhatyouplantodo:

__________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Doesyourprojectrequireelectricity?Yes(_____)No(______)
Thenumberofyears(includingthisyear)youhaveparticipatedintheScienceFair:______

RETURNTHISFORMTOYOURTEACHERBYTuesday,January6,2015

Parentvolunteers:
Ifyouarewillingtohelpwiththesciencefair,pleasecircleyouravailabilitybelowandprovideus
withyourcontactinformation.YoudonotneedtobeamemberofthePTAtovolunteer.More
informationwillfollowaswenearthesciencefairevent.

Monday(2/2)eveningSciencefairsetup

Tuesday(2/3)5:008:00PMprojectcheckin/dropoff
Wednesday(2/4)10:00AM12:00PMgreetjudges,getstudents,monitorprojects
Wednesday(2/4)1:003:00PMgreetjudges,getstudents,monitorprojects
Thursday(2/5)10:00AM12:00PMgetstudents,monitorprojects,tallyscores
Thursday(2/5)1:003:00PMgetstudents,monitorprojects,distributeawards
Friday(2/6)4:005:00PMParentnightsetup
Friday(2/6)6:007:00PMParentnightcleanup

Parentname:__________________________________________________________________
Phone:_______________________________Email:__________________________________________________

Foranyquestions,pleasecontactGuyUechi4124151145guechi@gmail.com,
EliseNeillelise.neill@gmail.com,orRonSmart4126410522ronalddsmart@gmail.com.

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