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STEM EXPO
Student Handbook
Science Investigation Category
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL
APRIL 23, 2018
6:00 – 8:00pm
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Table of Contents
What is the STEM Expo? ............................................................................................................................................... 3
A Quick Note about STEM Competitions ...................................................................................................................... 4
Getting Started on a Science Investigation ................................................................................................................... 5
Important Note for Students Using this Handbook: ..................................................................................................... 5
Getting Organized ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Choosing Your Project Topic ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Choosing Your Project Question or Hypothesis ............................................................................................................ 8
Safety Regulations ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Suggested Project Timeline/Calendar ........................................................................................................................ 10
Science Investigation Project Checklist....................................................................................................................... 11
Elements of a Successful Research Paper for Science Investigations ......................................................................... 12
Prepare a Display Board of Your Findings/Work ........................................................................................................ 13
Display Board Ideas for Science Investigation Projec ................................................................................................. 15
How Adults Can Help .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Registration for Edmonds STEM Expo ........................................................................................................................ 16
Project Planning Proposal Example ............................................................................................................................ 17
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Visit the Edmonds School District “Explore STEM” site at https://goo.gl/6QAQB8
What is the STEM Expo?
Welcome Students! The STEM Expo is a celebration of YOU, and of your learning in science and engineering. It is the place to share what you care deeply about and to show the community how STEM can be used to impact our future. To join the event, you may use work done as part of a class, or work you’ve developed independently with support from a teacher, mentor or coach. Your projects may be presented as team or as individual work in any of the following categories:
Science Investigations Lab experiments or field studies designed by students in order to answer a scientific question. Engineering Design Projects and Inventions Inventions and engineered projects designed by students to provide a solution to a problem. Computer Sciences Projects designed by students which include work in computer engineering, programming, forensics and software development. Science Inquiry Essays This category showcases two major types of student essays. One type is writing done to explain lab techniques and experiments done (but not designed) by students. A second type is writing based on a review of scientific literature to explore a question about a scientific topic. STEM Club Projects Procedures and technologies used by students as part of STEM related competitions and project-based learning activities. STEM Classroom Demonstrations These displays feature demonstrations of procedures and technologies used within STEM classrooms.
Each category has specific criteria that need to be followed. The criteria for Scientific Investigations are listed in this handbook. You are encouraged to choose the type of project that best fits your learning style and interests. Students, teachers, mentors and advisors can find STEM Expo resources in any of the above categories at the Edmonds School District STEM Expo website.
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A Quick Note about STEM Competitions
As you are getting ready for the STEM Expo, it is a great time to be
aware of other STEM competitions that you might like to participate
in, too.
Use your talents, passion and STEM knowledge to make a
difference in our world! Check out these opportunities to share
your ideas. You might participate in one of these events as part of a
class, but you could also do it on your own. Find an event that fits your style. If you have questions about
getting started, need support, or plan to enter on your own rather than as part of a class, contact Mary
Glodowski at the Edmonds School District [email protected].
Besides using your ideas to make a difference in the world, here are a few other reasons to consider
participating in a STEM competition:
You can start to make a difference in the world now! (Just had to mention that one more time.)
It’s really the most important reason for doing science and engineering, after all.
You have something to brag about on your college applications.
You have something significant to add to your resume.
You can make great connections with the scientific and engineering community.
$$$ All competitions listed below have cash prizes. $$$
$$$ Some of the competitions listed below have scholarship prizes. $$$
Consider reviewing these events for great ideas to help you with your STEM Expo Project. Visit
Edmonds School District STEM Competitions for easy access to information on ALL of these amazing
events! https://goo.gl/FCHKdG -
Central Sound Regional Science & Engineering Fair
Washington State Science & Engineering Fair
Intel International Science & Engineering Fair
Broadcom MASTERS
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Siemens Competition
eCybermission
Microsoft Imagine Cup
FIRST LEGO League
Real World Design Challenge
Toshiba ExploraVision
Imagine Tomorrow
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Getting Started on a Science Investigation
Science investigations focus on RESEARCH and producing KNOWLEDGE about the world. If you have a
question that could be answered by planning and completing an experiment, you should consider
exploring through a science investigation.
On the other hand, if you have a project that focuses on DESIGN and producing a SOLUTION TO A
PROBLEM, you should consider learning more about engineering design and inventions. A separate
Student Handbook for that category can be found at the STEM Expo resources webpage.
Important Note for Students Using this Handbook:
If you are participating in the STEM Expo as part of a class assignment:
Follow all instructions from your teacher very carefully as you move through the scientific
investigation process. This handbook may serve to give you a few more ideas and resources to
consider.
If you are doing this project without your class and will be entering only the STEM Expo:
Feel free to use a blend of the strategies presented in this handbook in a way that best suits your
style! Before you start your investigation, you will need to have your procedure/plans approved
for health and safety issues. Contact Mary Glodowski at the Edmonds School District
[email protected] for approval, to register for the STEM Expo, and if you have
questions or need support with your project.
If you are doing this project for both the STEM Expo AND for another STEM event or competition (see
examples on page 4):
If you plan to share your competition work at the STEM Expo, follow all instructions given for
your other STEM event/competition very carefully. You will register for the STEM Expo with your
teacher. If you are doing entering the STEM Expo without your class, you can contact Mary
Glodowski at the Edmonds School District [email protected] to register for the
STEM Expo, and if you have questions or need support with your project.
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Getting Organized
Record Keeping - Notebooks
Your project notebook is the most important aspect of providing evidence that
your ideas and work belong to you. It is a detailed account of every phase of
your project, from your initial ideas to your final products. It is a hand-written,
day-by-day record of everything related to your project.
General Guidelines: 1. Use a durable, stitched, laboratory-type notebook. Pages are not to be removed. 2. Use the first few pages as your Table of Contents and fill in titles and pages as you work. 3. Begin using the notebook right away and document everything you do for the project. 4. Whether working individually or as a team, each person must have a notebook.
5. All pages must be numbered before information is entered.
6. All pages are dated as information is added.
7. All entries should be done in blue or black ink. No pencil.
8. Don’t worry about neatness. This is a real, working notebook that serves as a “diary” or record of what you are doing. Don’t re-write pages to make them look nice. They only have to legible and organized enough for others to read your work and understand what you are doing.
9. Simply put a line through errors – no white-out – and initial.
10. Most of the records in your lab notebook will be hand-written. 11. Notebooks typically include:
Topic ideas and brainstorming, questions about your topic
Daily observations and ideas
Question (or hypothesis) for your investigation
Literature review reading notes, bibliographical citations
Drafts of materials and procedures, and actual materials and procedures
Labeled sketches and photos of experimentation
Data tables, calculations, graphs
Data analysis notes, conclusion notes
Poster design
Finding Resources
Edmonds School District Online Resources Library https://goo.gl/4rzjuH
Teachers and Specialist in your topic area
School Library and Media Specialists
Google Scholar
Museums
Organizations that specialize in your topic
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Choosing Your Project Topic
Choosing your Project Topic is the first step and probably one of the more difficult things about doing a STEM project. The following suggestions can help you get started:
Generate a list of interests: The best topic comes from something you are passionate about. What are your hobbies? Are you interested in how things work, patterns you observe in nature, solving a problem or issue you have noticed in your community? Is there something you have always wondered about? Is there a product or design you have wanted to develop or improve? Remember to record these in your lab notebook. You may not use them, but your notebook is your record of your science process. Get help: Brainstorm ideas with a friend, parent, or another interested adult. What questions do I have about the topic? Just as you identified a topic, generate a list of questions you have about this topic. Remember, this is all a brainstorm to this point
Best Tips for Idea Resources from the STEM Competitions (see page 4)
eCybermission: You can watch series of short videos that guide students through each stage of a science or engineering process. Remember to look at the bottom of the page for links to supporting documents. Toshiba ExploraVision: This site has a series of great tips to help guide you through the processes of brainstorming, choosing a topic, and even how to research.
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Choosing Your Project Question or Hypothesis
Once you’ve selected a topic and narrowed your search to a single question to investigation, the final steps are making sure that the question is in a testable form.
Is My Question Testable?
Once you have a list of broad questions, think about how you can rephrase the question to make it testable. For example, instead of asking, “How fast do M&M’s dissolve in water?” You may want to ask, “Does the temperature of water change the dissolving rate of red M&M’s?” Little changes like these can make a big difference. Remember to be as specific as you can. Examples of Science Questions:
How does the blade shape affect how fast a propeller will turn in the wind?
How rapidly does a plant make starch?
What is the best insulator to keep ice from melting?
What affect does salt have on the freezing temperature of water?
Does temperature have an effect on a magnet’s strength?
These examples below show how to turn your interests into testable questions:
How can plants be protected against pests?
becomes Can companion planting protect beans from beetles?
How does weather change? becomes Can cloud formations be used to predict the weather
that follows?
How fast can a marble roll? becomes How does the angle of a ramp affect how fast a
marble will roll?
Do caterpillars know where they are?
becomes Are caterpillars able to see?
In real life, the boundaries between science and engineering projects are not always clear. Scientists
often engineer tools to do their work, while engineers often use science practices to help them design
their products. Your project may fall in the gray area between science and engineering, and that’s OK.
However, if the objective of your project is to invent a new device, procedure, computer program, or
algorithm, then it makes sense to follow the engineering process.
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Safety Regulations
The International Rules for Pre-college Science Research: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs is published each year to support students doing independent research safely. They are the official rules of the Intel ISEF and affiliated science fair, as well as the Edmonds School District STEM Expo. The purpose of these rules is to:
protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher and of the human participant
to make sure federal regulations are followed and safe engineering and lab practices are used
protect the environment
determine eligibility for participation in the STEM Expo and other STEM competitions and events
Do you plan to use any of the following in your project for the STEM Expo? Human Subjects, in any way, even for surveys or opinions
Vertebrate Animals (animals with a backbone)
Animal Tissues
Microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses)
Recombinant DNA Technologies
Radiation
Controlled or Hazardous Substances
Explosives or Firearms
Chemicals not generally found in the household
YES NO
You and/or your teacher should visit the summary of the STEM Expo Safety Regulations at https://goo.gl/nwf7s2 BEFORE you start your project.
This will help you determine if your project can be approved by your teacher, will need to be modified, or if you need to consult the STEM Expo Safety Team at [email protected].
Your teacher may approve your plans.
If your project idea requires a consultation with the STEM Expo Safety Review Team, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t be able to do your project. We will work with you to ensure that all safety regulations are followed. To see a summary of the Edmonds School District STEM Expo Safety Regulations, please visit https://goo.gl/nwf7s2. To see the entire Safety Regulations in full detail, please visit https://goo.gl/ZKZMPH.
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Suggested Project Timeline/Calendar Science investigations and engineering projects take time. It’s not unusual for most of the time to be spent on background research and planning. Creating a timeline for your project is HIGHLY recommended. It helps to keep you on track and breaks the process into smaller tasks.
Here’s one example of a timeline based on the Central Sound Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
Tasks to be completed in each week or two week time frame Week 1
November
Start a STEM Expo Lab Notebook to record all work on your project
Decide whether to do a team or an individual project
Brainstorm 3 topic ideas
Develop at least 3 research questions or define at least 3 problems, share with an adult
Think about how you would test each research question, or develop a solution for each problem
Choose a testable research question, or engineering design plan
Decide on a project category for the STEM Expo
Weeks 2&3
December
Make a list of questions you have about your topic
Spend as much time as possible reading & taking notes on your topic
Develop your scientific question or engineering design criteria
Finalize your scientific question or engineering design criteria
WINTER BREAK Weeks
4-5
January
Make a rough draft of your materials and science research procedures or engineering design plans
Complete a Project Planning Proposal form. One can be found at the end of this handbook.
If your plans involve human subjects (even if it’s just to ask them questions for a survey), animals or animal tissue, micro-organisms, DNA, radiation, controlled or hazardous substances, explosives, or chemicals not generally found in a household, please review the Safety Regulations found in this handbook BEFORE you start your project.
Weeks 6&7 January
Wait for Project Approval (and Safety Approval if applicable)
Write the introduction and background sections of your research paper
Format the references page for your research project. Be sure to have at least 3 sources!
Week 8 February
Finalize your experimental procedure, or engineering prototype designs
Conduct your scientific investigation, or build and test your engineering prototype(s)
Weeks 9&10
February
Register for the STEM Expo
Continue to collect data for your scientific investigation, or modify your engineering prototype and retest
Organize your raw data into graphs and charts
Analyze your data
Week 11 February
Science Investigation - collect the final data for your project
Engineering - Redesign your product and conduct final testing if needed
Finalize all graphs and charts for your display board
Analyze your data
Week 12 March
Write the experimental procedure, results, and conclusion sections of your research paper
Write your official 250 word abstract (for upper grades)
Weeks 13&14 March
Proofread your research paper
Create your display board
Practice talking about your project with friends and family!
….and take your project to the STEM Expo in April!
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Science Investigation Project Checklist _____Pick a Topic: Get an idea of what you want to study or learn about. Ideas should come from things in your
areas of interest. A hobby might lead you to a good topic. What is going on in the world that you would like to know more about? Most importantly, pick a question or problem that is not too broad and that can be answered through scientific investigation.
_____Set up and Keep a Project Notebook: Keep detailed notes of each and every step of your investigation and research in a Project Notebook.
_____Research Your Topic: Learn more about your topic. Record your notes in your Project notebook. Keep a list of resources. Use a minimum of 3-5 resources.
_____Consult with Your Teacher or Advisor and Get Approvals: You are required to discuss your plans with a teacher or advisor who can review and approve your plan BEFORE STARTING your project. Special attention should be given to health, safety, and ethics regulations.
_____Organize: Organize everything you have learned about your topic. At this point, you should narrow your thinking by focusing on a particular idea.
_____Make a Time Line: Choose a topic that not only interests you, but can be done in the amount of time you have. Based on your background research identify your ‘testable question, your hypothesis. Develop a time line to manage your time efficiently.
_____Plan Your Experiment: Give careful thought to your research plan. This plan should explain how you will do your experiments and exactly what will be involved, and a materials list. Use numbered, logical steps.
Identify the controlled variables (the parts of the investigation that could be made different but that are intentionally being kept the same). There should be many controlled variables.
Manipulated/independent variable (this is the ONE variable changed in the investigation)
Responding/dependent variable (this is what will be measured or observed)
Describe how and when the measurements or observations of the responding variable will take place
Number of trials or experimental groups. In most cases, the higher the number, the more evidence or data you will have to support your hypothesis or answer your question.
Length of time the experiment will last
_____Conduct Your Experiment: During experimentation, keep detailed notes of each and every experiment, measurement and observation in a Project Notebook. Do not rely on memory. Use data tables or charts to record your quantitative data.
_____Analyze Your Results: When you complete your experiments, examine and organize your findings. Use appropriate graphs to make ‘pictures’ of your data. Identify patterns from the graphs. This will help you answer your testable question. Did your experiments give you the expected results? Why or why not? Was your experiment performed with the exact same steps each time? Are there other explanations that you had not considered or observed?
_____Draw Conclusions: What patterns do you see? Did you collect enough data? Do you need to conduct more experimentation? Keep an open mind—never alter results to fit a theory. If your results do not fit your hypothesis, that’s okay and in some cases it’s very good! Try to explain why you obtained different results than what you expected. Were there sources of error that may have caused these differences? If so, identify them. How could this project be used in the real world? Finally, explain how you would improve the experiment and what would you do differently.
_____Prepare a Research Paper: See “Elements of a Successful Research Paper for Science Investigations” in this handbook.
_____Prepare to Present your Project: Construct a display board. Practice talking about your project to friends, family and teacher.
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Elements of a Successful Research Paper for Science Investigations
A research paper should be prepared and available along with the project notebook and your display board for
the STEM Expo. A research paper helps organize data as well as thoughts. A good paper includes the following
sections:
Title or Title Page
Table of Contents: Allows the reader to follow the organization of the paper quickly.
Abstract or Summary Page: Advanced grades may include an abstract to summarize the project.
Introduction: Include the purpose, your hypothesis or scientific question, an explanation of what prompted your research, and what you hoped to achieve. Summarize your background research about your topic.
Scientific Question or Hypothesis
Materials and Procedure: Use numbered steps to describe how you collected data, made
observations, etc. Your research paper should be detailed enough so that someone would be able to repeat the experiment from the information in your paper. Include detailed photographs, diagrams, and labeled drawings. When describing the materials used to complete your project, also include the technology used.
Data and/or Results: This could include statistics, graphs, pages with your raw data, etc.
Discussion and Analysis of Data or Results: Compare your results with expected results and/or
commonly held beliefs. Include a discussion of possible errors. What would you do differently if you
repeated this project? What other experiments should be conducted?
Conclusions: Briefly summarize your results. Refer to your experimental question or hypothesis.
Support those statements with evidence and data. Be specific, do not generalize. Mention real world
applications in your conclusion.
Acknowledgements: You should always credit those who have assisted you, including individuals,
businesses and educational or research institutions.
References/Bibliography: Your reference list should include any documentation that is not your own
(i.e. books, journal articles, websites, etc.) Use the MLA format. Include a minimum of 3 -5 resources.
A good internet resource to help you format your bibliography can be found at www.easybib.com Select the category of your source material (website, book, etc.) then follow the prompts to enter your source information, and a correctly formatted citation will be created for you to copy and paste into your documents. Adding bibliographies to work anytime you use resources is a good habit to establish.
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Prepare a Display Board of Your Findings/Work
The display board is a visual representation of your entire project, from question to conclusion. You will
be provided with a tri-fold display board. Keep your exhibit neat, uncluttered, and to the point. All
photos and illustrations should include captions and photo credits.
Note: No living organisms, taxidermy specimens, preserved animals, human/animal parts or body fluids,
hazardous or flammable chemicals, or drugs are allowed as part of your display at the STEM Expo.
Photos should not show students’ faces. Do not have anything of value or that is breakable as part of
your display. You will not have access to electrical outlets.
Your SCIENCE INVESTIGATION display board should include the following:
Title of the project
Your Name
Purpose and Background Research
Question/Hypothesis
Materials and technology used
Procedure and Methods
Data and Results
Data Analysis and Conclusions
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This is an example of how a display board is to be organized in the Central Sound Regional Science & Engineering Fair, the Washington State
Science & Engineering Fair, the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS. If you are entering these
competitions along with the Edmonds School District STEM Expo, use this format.
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Display Board Ideas for Science Investigation Projec
Student Name
Purpose and
Background
Research
Question
Materials &
Technology Used
Procedure & Methods
Hypothesis
Data & Results
Includes Graphs &
Tables
Pictures with captions
Data Analysis &
Conclusions
Title
This is another example of a Display Board for Science Investigation Projects
In Front of Display Board on Table: Research Paper, Project Notebook and any other materials you
feel would be useful to explain and show how you ran and/or created your project.
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How Adults Can Help
Visit the resource pages for the STEM Expo at the Edmonds School District “Explore STEM” site at https://goo.gl/6QAQB8
Be a questioner to help achieve focus and clarity. Guide the students rather than lead. Encourage students to make their own decisions and use the inquiry approach.
Be a helper by answering questions on the “how to.” A student might require help remembering how to set up a graph or chart. Show them how but don’t do it for them.
Be an assistant when students need extra hands. Some tasks are just too difficult to do alone. Help them organize time and information.
Be a coach for students who need help. Show or remind them how to use information and assist in finding appropriate search tools.
Be a runner for various materials that the student might need. A student might need materials for the project or they could need to visit a site or interview an expert to enhance their study.
Be a wise listener when students want to share ideas. Allow the student to discuss progress and show interest in the student’s project.
Most importantly, be an encourager! Allow students to do their own quality work. Students will perform best if they know they have support from teachers and parents. Let them know how well they are doing and how proud you are of their accomplishments.
Registration for Edmonds STEM Expo
Online registration for the STEM Expo will be open from February 22 – March 16, 2018. If you are
participating as part of a class, your teacher will give you registration access information in early
February. If you are participating without a class or club, please contact Mary Glodowski at
[email protected] for registration instructions.
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Project Planning Proposal Example
Edmonds STEM Expo Project Planning Proposal Due Date:
Student’s Name or Team Members’ Names Grade Possible Project Title
Category (circle one):
Science Investigation Engineering Design/Invention Science Inquiry Essay
Computer Sciences STEM Club Project STEM Classroom Display School: Sponsoring Teacher:
A brief explanation of your proposed project. (2-3 sentences):
Does your proposed project use any of the following?
Yes No Yes No
Human Subjects in any way (even if it’s just to ask them questions for a survey)
Controlled or hazardous substances
Vertebrate animals (animals with a backbone)
Any micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi)
Animal tissue Disease causing agents DNA Explosives Radiation Chemicals not generally found in a
household
I understand that when my project planning proposal is approved I will be expected to host my exhibit at the STEM Expo on Monday, April 23, 2018, 6:00-8:00pm at Mountlake Terrace High School. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Teacher’s Review:
Congratulations! Your project proposal has been approved.
Your project proposal isn’t ready for approval yet.
