A GUIDE TO PREPARING FOR

THE 2015 DISTRICT ELEMENTARY

MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE FAIR

SCHOOL FAIR

SUCCESS

Planning for SuccessPlanning for Success1. The District Elementary Fair is May 12-14, 2015.2. Plan ahead and schedule your School Science Fair before April 1, 2015.3. Read the 2015 Rules and Handbook carefully for changes in this year’s competition.4. Complete the “Intent-to-Participate Survey” by December 19, 2014 to register your school. 5. NEW complete all Animal and Human Subjects Experiment Approval Forms before beginning projects. 6. Use the same Judging Criteria and Math and Science Project Score Sheets for your School Fair that are used for the District competition (see 2015 Rules and Handbook).

Modeling for SuccessPresent the Scientific Method and Engineering

Design Process as the pathways to Elementary Math & Science Fair investigation.

Focus on the steps involved in completing a math science, or engineering project board.

Give students and parents a model of what a completed project should look like (see webpage for samples).

Let 3rd, 4th & 5th grade students work in teams. Unite all participants in the same learning

situations with the same expectations.

Involve the ParentsExplain the purpose, expectations, and

student’s accountability to the parents.Provide parents with a Student Check List . Use the Student Timeline and

Assignments Guide (see the Elem. Fair webpage).Provide students & parents with their own

Rules and Handbook (see webpage).Use the same Judging Criteria used by the

District Fair competition judges.

Help the StudentsTake time to complete Inquiry Think Sheets

after math & science activities.Help the students in selecting a “testable”

question and discuss project safety.Have students submit a draft of their project

(see Student Timeline & Assignments Guide).Complete Animal & Human Subject

Approval Forms.Let 3rd,4th and 5th grade work collaboratively.Provide materials to students if needed and

monitor their progress.

S.T.E.M. Awards1. AVIATION sponsored by FLIGHT SAFETY INTERNATIONAL. Grade 2-5, individual math or science projects about flight and/or aviation safety (can involve rocket flight also).2. GREEN, sponsored by the P.B.C. SCIENCE EDUCATORS’ ASSOCIATION. Grade 2-5, individual math or science projects about recycling, conservation or preservation. 3. PHYSICAL SCIENCE, sponsored by Up-N-Running Machinery, Inc. 2-5 individual projects with hand-made mechanical or engineered features used in the experiment.4. Energy, sponsored by FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT. 2-5 individual projects about energy usage or conservation. .

Keep It Scientific Write a hypothesis before experimenting

Identify all the variables and controls

Get your procedures approved before starting

Use tools and make accurate measurements

Record precise observations

Use a notebook to stay organized

Repeat experiments 3 times for validity

Graph your data to compare and contrast trends. Use Claims and Evidence T-tables to match causes

and effects and write your conclusions.

Follow all the rules for the District Fair competition.

Celebrate Successo Hold a School Fair parent night.o Use judges from your community.o Follow the 2015 Rules and Scoring

procedures.o Only award projects with 1st & 2nd Place and

Honorable Mention ribbons.o Give Certificates of Participation to all

participants. o Register your School Fair winners in the District

Fair competition.o Plan a field trip to the District Science Fair.o Sponsor an Activity Table at the Fair.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Science Fair Handbook by Anthony D. Fredericks and Isaac Asimov. Old Year Books, Glenview, IL. ISBN 0-673-38800-X

Science Fair Handbook by Stephen C. Blume. Merrill Publishing, Columbus, OH. ISBN 0-675-035211-X

Science Fair Workshop by Marcia J. Daab. Fearon Teachers Aids, Simon & Schuster Supplemental Education Group. ISBN 0-8224-6374-1

Science Fairs Plus an NSTA Press Journals Collection. NSTA Press, Arlington, VAISBN 0-87355-219-9

thomas.medcalf@palmbeachschools .org

HTTP://WWW.PALMBEACHSCHOOLS.ORG/EC/SCIENCE/DOCUMENTS/ELEMENTARYMATHEMATICSANDSCIENCEFAIR.ASP

Hyperlink to the School District’ s Elementary Math and Science Fair web site.