METRO CHARTER 2016 HANDBOOK APRIL 7, 2016 INFORMATION, RULES, AND REGISTRATION
Dear Parents, Metro Charter will be having a science Fair! We hope that with your enthusiastic encouragement, your child will participate in the fair by preparing a project. This will be an exciting experience for your child! Although students may receive help at school from teachers, parent support and assistance are essential to your child s success. A general guideline to go by is: 2 nd graders should be able to do many parts. Kindergartners and 1 st graders will probably need help for most of the project. Please consider letting your child do a project. Science is all about asking questions, and no one asks better questions than an elementary school child! In addition to the opportunity to work on a project, the Science Fair provides students with an increased awareness of science and an opportunity for them to develop positive attitudes about themselves and their work. This may be the first time that your child has been given the opportunity to participate in a science fair. We are confident the following benefits will result from your child s participation in the Science Fair: Science Fair is for students of all grades, and is voluntary Every child is encouraged to participate Each participant will receive a certificate from the principal Participants can be individuals or teams of 2 or 3 (not necessarily in the same grade) At the science fair, our junior scientists will show their fellow students what their science interests are! Most of all, the science fair is for students to HAVE FUN with science! If your child can t think of a topic immediately, take a look at the suggestions on the school website, or stop by your child s classroom. Choose a project that is both interesting to your child and that your child can be a big participant in. Remember, there s science in just about everything we do!
Good Luck, and Happy Science SCIENCE FAIR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WHY ENTER THE SCIENCE FAIR? It s fun to discover! It is your chance to learn about something you are interested in. You ll have fun doing it too! Otherwise it is up to you. We hope to see you there. CAN I DO A PROJECT WITH A PARTNER? Yes, A partner can be great! Your partner does not necessarily have to be from the same grade, he or she can even be your sibling. Groups of 2 or 3 are allowed, and family projects are ok too. HOW DO I PICK MY TOPIC? What interests you? What have you been learning in school with your teacher in the science class that you are still wondering about? Talk to your family, your teacher, or visit your local library or science center or planeterium. There are lots of great topics; you just have to fin done! HOW DO I KNOW MY TOPIC IS OK? Almost any topic is great! If you re not sure, talk to your teacher or ask Ms. Clerx in the office. Remember that you can not bring anything to the school that is against school rules. Valuable things could be stolen. Dangerous things should not be on display where other kids could handle them. CAN I BRING AN ANIMAL TO THE SCIENCE FAIR? No! No animals are allowed at school. So, if your Project involves an animal, please take pictures and mount those on your display.
RULES Nothing that violates a school rule if it s not allowed at school, it s not allowed in the Science Fair! Characer counts all the time! No hazardous chemicals (nothing that would hurt someone if they breathed near it or if they touched their skin) NO pets/animals ( if you are doing a project with animals, you can take pictures and bring those in to tell about it) No fire/flames or combustible chemicals Science Fair Display Samples
HELPFUL HINTS FOR PARENTS Keep it simple, inexpensive, and preferably green (using donations, recycled or recyclable materials and items from home) Enjoy this time of discovery and fun for you and your child! This should be a fun project! Success is when your child asks their own question, completes their project with a smile, and knows more than when they started. The goal is that your child learns about the scientific method or the engineering design process through direct experience. For their daily reading, recommend they choose a science book that can be a research resource for their project. The project does not have to look store bought or fancy. Although neatness is good, it s not the main focus. Use their words; children say things in unique and fun ways. Type the report as your child wrote it or dictated it to you. If the sentence structure is off, ask them if needs correction. Guide them to the correction. It is best to guide and answer their questions with questions. You may know the answer, but help them discover it themselves. For example, you may want to show them which paragraph in the book to re-read rather than giving them the answer. If you allow your child to use the internet for research; verify the site is correct and then let them use the research they found there. REMEMBER Anyone can create a web site; this does not mean its information is correct! Make sure the web site is run by a large, recognized group such as a college or organization, DOT org, gov or edu are generally trustworthy for accuracy of content. Feel free to ask for help! Remember, scientists ask for help all the time!
PROJECT TYPES COLLECTION You will collect and organize something of interest, answering questions related to observations made while exploring your world. Examples: What kinds of insects can be found in the backyard? What types of tree leaves can be found on my street? EXPERIMENT You will conduct an experiment to find the answer to your question/problem. Using The Scientific Method will take you through the correct process of asking a question, doing some research, making a hypothesis (your best guess at how it will turn out), planning and conducting your experiment, and analyzing your results. INVENTION Everyone is an engineer! You will use science, math, and creativity to dream up and design an object to solve a real life problem. Think about all the necessary steps: asking a question, brainstorming, planning, creating, testing, and making it even better. RESEARCH PROJECT Someone has already found the answer to your question/problem, and you will look for their answers/solution by reading books, talking to experts, and gathering information from other sources such as schools and public libraries. Your display board will have drawings, photographs, charts, graphs, dioramas, etc. Examples: How does a solar cell work? How does a light bulb operate? How do clouds form? DEMONSTRATION You can present a demonstration of a scientific process or rule. This might mean showing how something in nature works, or showing/teaching the different steps of a scientific process.
PRIMARY SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS Do ants like cheese or sugar better? What foods do mealworms prefer? Does holding a mirror in front of a fish change what a fish does? What color of birdseed do birds like best? Do mint leaves repel ants? Which travels faster a snail or a worm? On which surface can a snail move faster dirt or cement? How far does a snail travel in one minute? How much can a caterpillar eat in one day? Which food do birds like best? Which foods do ants prefer most? COMPARATIVE STUDIES What kind of juice cleans pennies best? Do all watches keep the same time? How does omitting an ingredient affect the taste of a cookie? Do suction cups stick equally well to different surfaces? Which cheese grows mold the fastest? Which is the warmest/coldest area in your house? Which colors show up best in the dark? Do clothes dry fastest indoors, outdoors, or with a fan? Does eating breakfast affect school performance?
CONSUMER TESTING What brand of raisin cereal has the most raisins? Which dish soap makes the most bubbles? Which paper towel is the strongest? With which type of battery do toys run the longest? Which laundry detergent works the best? Which potato chip is the greasiest? Which brand of bubble gum flavor lasts longest? Which cereal absorbs the most milk? Which crayon melts the fastest? Which breakfast cereal has the most iron? Which cereal will stay crispy the longest when placed in milk? Which soap cleans the best? Which candy melts the fastest? Which brand of glue works the best? Which size/shape Frisbee is best for long distance throwing HUMAN STUDIES Does anyone in my class have the same fingerprints? Which student in class has the greatest lung capacity? Is reaction time affected by gender? Does smell affect the taste of food? PLANT STUDIES Can plants grow without soil?
Will bananas turn brown faster on the counter or in the refrigerator? Does temperature affect the growth of plants? Can plants grow from the leaves? Do different kinds of apples have the same number of seeds? Does a plant grow bigger if watered with milk or water? Does a plant grow better in sunlight or artificial light? Which soil grows plants the fastest? Does light affect seed germination? Does salt or sugar affect see germination? Does the depth a seed is planted affect its ability to sprout? What kind of soil is best for plant growth? What is the best kind of water for your plants? Which beans grow the fastest? Can ground up vegetables be good fertilizers? PHYSICAL SCIENCE Can the design of a paper airplane make it fly further? Do wheels reduce friction? Does a ball roll further on grass or on dirt? Do all objects fall to the ground at the same speed? What kind of things do magnets attract? How can you measure the strength of a magnet? How much salt does it take to float an egg? Does water with salt boil faster than plain water? Does an ice cube melt faster in air or water?
Can you tell what something is just by touching it? Can you tell where sound comes from when you are blindfolded? Can things be identified by just their smell? Does the length of a vibrating object affect the sound it produces? What is the best way to make an electromagnet? Does temperature affect the strength of an electromagnet? Does the number of wraps of wire in an electromagnet affect its strength WATER Does a bath take less water than a shower? Does warm water freeze faster than cool water? Does the temperature of the water determine the time it will taka a drop of food dye to color a glass of still water? Which materials absorb the most water? Which dissolves better in water salt or baking soda? Which liquid freezes fastest? Which color makes water evaporate fastest? Does water type (tap water, bottled water, rain water) affect plant growth? Will an ice cube melt faster in fresh water or salt water? Does salt affect the freezing point of water?