Cobb C

ounty School District

Elementary Science Fair

From Stress to Success!

Coordinator: A

ngela Sm

ithA

ngela.Sm

ith@cobbk12.org

What is a science fair?

A JO

URNEY O

F SC

IENTIFIC

INQ

UIRY•

Students answ

er a scientific question by cond

ucting an experim

ent.

•The process end

s with a

showcase event that

shows stud

ents that their w

ork ma

tters to the school com

munity.

Great Science Fair

Projects:

XA

re based

on a testable questionX

Follow the scientific m

ethodX

Support results with d

ata

Choose a testable question

Experiment vs.

Dem

onstrationExperim

entX

An experim

ent tests at least 2 d

ifferent materials

XExam

ple: X

In which type of soil w

ill a

bean pla

nt grow

more?X

I have to ha

ve more

than one typ

e of soil to test.

Dem

onstration

XA

dem

onstration does

not test different

materials.

XExam

ples:X

Making a volcano.

XM

aking an electrical

circuit.

XM

aking a robot.

Experiment vs.

Dem

onstrationExperim

entX

An experim

ent tests at least 2 d

ifferent materials

XExam

ple: X

In which type of soil w

ill a

bean pla

nt grow

more?X

I have to ha

ve more

than one typ

e of soil to test.

Dem

onstration

XA

dem

onstration does

not test different

materials.

XExam

ples:X

Making a volcano.

XM

aking an electrical

circuit.

XM

aking a robot.

Science Fair Questions

XInteresting:X

Students w

ill be learning about their question for m

any weeks, so it need

s to be a topic they are interested

in

XTesta

ble:X

https://ww

w.kyrene.org/cm

s/lib2/AZ01001083/C

entricity/D

omain/895/Testable%

20vs.%20N

ontestable%2

0PPT.pdf

XV

ariables:X

http://scienceprojectideasforkid

s.com/2010/how

-to-w

rite-a-science-project-question/

Examples of Q

uestions

XD

o coffee grounds affect the grow

th of plants?

XW

hich type of surface can an insect wa

lk on best?

XW

hich sunscreen blocks sunlight the best?X

Wha

t food d

o mealw

orms like best?

Xhttp://m

jusdella.ss4.sharpschool.com

/UserFiles/Servers/Server_142253/File/200%

20Science%

20Fair%

20Ideas.pd

f

Scientific Method

The Scientific Method

XProjects w

ill be required

to include the steps of

the scientific method

.X

Question

XResearch

XHypothesis

XM

ateria

ls

XProcedure for Experim

ent

XD

ata

XC

onclusion

Must

have!

Scientific Method

ResourcesX

https://ww

w.youtube.com

/watch?v=bUa

-ilQqEv0

Xhttps://w

ww

.youtube.com/w

atch?v=RUJrBFDixN

oX

https://ww

w.brainpop.com

/science/scientificinquiry/scientificm

ethod/X

Click on the im

ages below

to access helpful gra

phic organizers.

Using Research Journal to Record D

ata

Research Journal

http://ww

w.sciencebudd

ies.org/blog/2010/01/lab

-notebooks.php

Recording Data

http://ww

w.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_data_analysis.shtml

Data Rem

inders:

XIf a good

testable question has been w

ritten, students w

ill be able to gather d

ata through experimentation.

XQ

uantitative d

ata includ

es numbers

and/or units of m

easure

�i.e. M

easurem

ents: height, weight,

voltage, tim

e, distance, quantity

XQ

ualita

tive data includ

es descriptions

and anecd

otes�

This type of data is hard

er to analyze

Data Results

XD

ata should be d

isplayed

in a graph

or chartX

Graph or chart the average of the

data w

hen possibleX

Remem

ber to label the axes of the graph and

include a graph title

(and key, if necessary

)

Now

That You Have A

G

reat Project, How

Will

You Display It?

Pickett’s Mill Science Fair

XFor our school fa

ir, students w

ill not be required to

create a board, they m

ay create a Power Point

to share their findings. C

lick on the following link

for a Power Point layout exam

ple.X

https://drive.google.com

/file/d/1P5kN

BMzo1eFZkQ

opg_bqoKlgIuX63kR-/view

?usp=sharing

XStud

ent projects that move on to the county fair

will be required

to create a display board.

XIf created

appropriately, students can use their

Power Point slides to print out to create their

board

.

Display Boards:X

Display Boa

rdX

PicturesX

Steps of the Scientific M

ethodX

Notebook

or JournalYou ca

n find this d

iagram

and a

lot of helpful inform

ation about d

isplay boards at

ww

w.sciencebud

dies.org.

Display Boards:

XM

ay not include:

XLiving or d

ead organism

s (including fungi, animals, plants, and

microorganism

s)X

Taxiderm

y specimens, parts, pelts

XPreserved

vertebrate or invertebrate anim

als or anim

al parts including cellsX

Hum

an or a

nimal food

of any kindX

Plant m

ateria

ls including potpourri, grain, birdseed, spices, leaves, logs, branches,

etc. Plastic or other inorganic replicas or photographs should be used instead

XSoil, sand, rock, m

inerals, or w

aste sa

mp

lesX

All chem

icals, including water

XBa

tteries with open-top cells

XA

ll liquids, gels, pow

ders, and crea

ms

XD

ry IceX

Haza

rdous substances or d

evicesX

Sharp item

sX

Flam

es or highly flam

ma

ble materials

XG

lass

XHam

mering, pinching, or pound

ing devices

Project ScoringX

Pickett’s Mill w

ill use the same rubric for scoring

projects that w

ill be used at the county science fair.

Advancing to the D

istrict Fair

XThe top six projects (regard

less of grade

level) will ad

vance to the district fair.

Location:

LovinggoodM

iddle School3825 Luther W

ard Rd, P

owder S

prings, GA 30127

Phone: (678) 331-3015

http://ww

w.cobbk12.org/lovinggood/

Timeline

XN

ovember 15 –

Parent Inform

ational Meeting

XN

ovember 28 –

1stStud

ent After School Help Session

XN

ovember 30 –

Project Selection Sheets Due

XD

ecember 11 –

2nd

Student A

fter School Help Session

XJanua

ry 8 –3

rdStud

ent After School Help Session

XJa

nuary 18 –

Science Fair Projects Due and

Will Be

Judged

XJanua

ry 31 –Science Fair W

inners Will Be A

nnounced

at STEM N

ight

XFebruary 9 –

Cobb

County Science Fair

Questions?