Richmond County School System



Fair Tips for ParentsHere are some tips and dos and don'ts to keep your sanity, to keep order in the house, and to help your would-be scientists to do a really good project, and perhaps even win an award. Your willing and exuberant involvement could help your child to avoid a stressful experience, and instead to have an exciting learning adventure. You will both face many questions that must be answered.Finding the Right Project:The internet is great for gathering science fair project ideas. Searching for such terms as “science fair project ideas”, “winning science projects”, “6th grade science fair projects” etc. is a great way to start. They can even search for project ideas using areas of interest such as “baseball science fair projects” or “tsunami science fair projects.”Do’s and Don’tsDo be a positive, enthusiastic partner in the science fair experience! DON'T do the research for your student. Let your child find the project that he/she just cannot resist doing.DON'T do any of the work for your child, but DO give him/her guidance whenever needed. Do follow the science teacher’s list of requirements and/or scoring rubric. Requirements often change from one teacher to another. DON'T let your child do a project that uses dangerous chemicals, or is otherwise unsafe.DO make certain that your child allows enough time from start to finish. Do assist your child in setting aside a safe place where he/she can complete the experiment over a time period. This should be where little baby brother and sister scientists don’t interfere with the project.DO make sure that your child follows the "scientific method". This will include the question/problem, research, hypothesis, experiment (with materials and procedures), data/results, and conclusion.Do make sure that your child has learned how to make the presentation board.DO give encouragement, guidance and support.5189220556895 DO give your child the help they need getting to the library, getting available computer time, and getting the materials needed to complete the project. Even though scientists and engineers are held in high esteem, America is suffering from a lack of technically trained young people to enter the work force. Science fairs give children an appreciation for the science and engineering fields and encouragement to seek technical careers. Steering your child into successful science fair participation and cheering their efforts is a good step toward their future.5029200-178380Helpful Websites: does my child need in order to complete the project?Logbook: A composition book or spiral notebook. (This should be a new one designated only for the science fair…not one that has work from other classes in it.)This is a handwritten “journal” of the day to day tasks of completing the process and the scientific process.Each day students should put the date and record what they are doing.Example: November 11: Today I looked online for a topic. I looked on to find an experiment on skateboarding. I found one about the difference between fiber glass and plastic wheels. I plan on trying it. Nov. 13: I got teacher approval for my topic.Nov. 15: Went to store to buy materials.Etc..Formal Report: A typed formal lab report including all steps of the scientific process:Title Page and Table of ContentsQuestion/Problem Example: Does tap water or bottled water help plants grow better?ResearchLook up facts about how plants grow, photosynthesis, the process of bottling water, the differences between bottled and tap water, etc.Hypothesis: An educated guess of what will occur based on the research you completed.This can be written in 2 ways:I think _______________ will happen because ________________.OrIf ______________________, then ________________________.Examples:I think ferns will grow better when given tap water than bottled water because of the fluoride and other nutrients added to the water.OrIf I water a fern with tap water, then it will grow more than with bottled water because of the nutrients added to tap water. ExperimentMaterials: List all materials used and the amounts of each material.Procedures: List step by step all instructions for completing the experiment. Data/ResultsRecord what happens during the experiment.This can be done in a table, graph, with observations, pictures, measurements, etc.ConclusionSummarize what was learned by doing the experiment.If something didn’t go as expected that’s ok. Just explain why you think that might be so. Scientists often learn the most from experiments that didn’t go as planned. Tri-Fold Presentation Board/Backboard: Should be a typed, neatly-completed presentation of the scientific steps completed in the project. Backboards are available for purchase in the school library and at Walmart, Staples, Hobby Lobby, JoAnns, and many other stores. They are available in a wide-range of colors. This is the chance for students to grab the attention of science fair visitors and judges in order to share their hard work, so make it colorful, visually appealing, and eye catching. Titles should be creative/clever and large enough for others to see.Examples: Bubble Mania! (Instead of Does Dawn or Palmolive create larger bubbles?)Should include all steps of the scientific process except the research. Research does not need to be included on the backboard.Photos of the process (no children’s faces are allowed), graphics, tables, charts, and graphs should be included on the backboard.Use glue stick or rubber cement to adhere information to the board.2176145-317501802243339548407366 ................
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