Imperial Estates Elementary

Science and Engineering Fair Family Information Night

Science and Engineering Fair Dates

➢ Imperial Estates Science Fair: January 13th -15th, 2021

➢Northern Regional Fair (Virtual): February 18th, 2021

Imperial Estates Expectations For Science and Engineering Fair Projects

➢All students in grades 4th - 6th must complete an individual or team project

➢3rd grade optional, but will not compete

➢K-3 will complete class projects

➢Have FUN!

Team Projects

Team Projects 2 Students only

➢Each member must have his/her own logbook

➢Team projects compete against individual projects

➢The students must be from 4-6th grades but can be from different grades

Team projects are permitted and Encouraged!

10 Different Categories

• Animal Sciences• Plant Sciences• Microbiology• Earth & Environmental

Sciences• Chemistry• Physics & Astronomy

• Environmental Engineering

• Engineering Mechanics

• Robotics & Intelligent Machines

• Coding

What is the Elementary and Engineering Science Fair?

Science DivisionThings to know for this division

➢The Science Division is the most similar to the traditional Science Fair Project

▪ Projects require students to use a control group as well as an independent and dependent variable

▪ A detailed daily log

▪ REQUIRED to complete a minimum THREE trials

▪ No Summary

▪ ALL grades (4-6) required to have a bibliography

(6) Categories in Science Division

1. Animal Sciences

➢Study of all aspects of animals (including humans) and animal life, animal life cycles, and animal interactions with one another or with their environment.

2. Plant Sciences

➢Projects dealing with plants and how they live.

3. Microbiology

➢Study of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and antimicrobial substances.

Science Division Continued4. Earth and Environmental Sciences

➢ Earth and the environment.

➢Meteorology and climate sciences

5. Chemistry

➢Studies exploring the science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter.

6. Physics and Astronomy

➢Science of matter and energy and of the interactions between the two.

➢Astronomy - study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth.

Engineering DivisionThings to know for this division

➢ This division allows a student to form a question based on real world engineering situation based on observations

➢ This project requires students to design a prototype and make at least three different modifications to the prototype in order to win for the school or district fair.

➢ No Summary or essay is required

➢ ALL grades (4-6) required to have a bibliography

➢ A detailed daily log should be completed for each day the student works on the project

(2) Categories in the Engineering Division

1. Environmental Engineering:

➢ Includes developing a prototype or process that solves an environmental problem.

2. Engineering Mechanics:

➢Focus on the science and engineering involved in movement or structures.

Computer Science DivisionThings to know for this division

➢A computer science project allows students to design and then build codes/robots to solve a real-world problem that they have observed within the real world.

➢ This project requires students to design a code or robot and make at least three different modifications to the code/robot

➢No summary or essay is required

➢ALL grades (4-6) are now required to have a bibliography

➢A detailed daily log should be completed for each day the student works on the project

(2) Categories in the Computer Science Division

1. Robotics and Intelligent Machines

➢Projects use machine intelligence to complete a task or reduce the reliance on human intervention

2. Coding

➢Focuses on the study or development of software, information processes to demonstrate, analyze, or control a process or solution.

Requirements For All Projects➢ Students should complete all Approval forms with their family and

then bring them to teacher before any testing begins. Project approval form

Ethics agreement form

Risk Assessment and Designated Supervisor Form

➢ Additional forms may be needed for projects in Science Division

➢ Project components must be completed by the specified date on the timeline.

➢ Logbooks and presentations can be completed digitally. Templates for the logbook and presentations will be provided by teacher and can be found on the Imperial Estates Website under Science and Engineering Fair

Projects that are NEVER Allowed in BPS Elementary Science and Engineering Fairs

➢ Testing involving firearms, knives or other items that could be considered weapons in a school setting (e.g. a paintball gun, BB gun, bow and arrow, etc.)

➢ Testing involving fireworks or other explosives

➢ Testing involving controlled substances, prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco

➢ Microbial experimentation (involving microscopic organisms such as bacteria, fungi, etc.) using samples/organisms collected from the environment for the purpose of isolating, using for growing, and/or culturing

➢ Any project that produces mold, even if it was unintentional or inadvertently

➢ Any project that could cause pain, distress, or death to vertebrate

STUDENT HANDBOOKS Students will be receiving a hard copy of the student

handbook

Handbooks are posted digitally on school website under students and parents and then Science and Engineering Fair documents

Go to Guide – Any time student needs to complete a component on their project, all the instructions are in this handbook!!

Science Division Project Ask “What if “ questions to decide on a project

Complete project approval forms

Set up your logbook

Identify your variables (independent, dependent, controlled)

State the problem in the form of a question for example: How will salt affect the boiling point of liquids?

Write you hypothesis statement as an if…..then statement

Research and record your resources

Design the experiment: Write out the procedures and materials

Conduct the experiment at least 3 times

Record your data in charts and graphs

Analyze the data.

Make conclusions about what happened.

Complete your digital Science Fair board using the provided template

Engineering Division Project Look for a real-world problem you can fix, change, or improve

Start an Engineers logbook

Complete the Project Approval Forms

Research to become an expert in your problem

State the problem in a question form? Ex: How can runoff be cleaned before it goes into the Indian river?

Use your research to get ideas for prototypes

Brainstorm several designs and record them in your logbook

Write your engineering goal (similar to a hypothesis). Include the design you think is best and write how you can test it

Build a prototype

Test the prototype, analyze what worked and what didn’t and modify your design

Final Prototype- create a detailed diagram and record in logbook

Complete your digital Science Fair board using provided template

Computer Science Project Choose: Robotics or Coding

Start a Programmers logbook

Complete the project approval forms

Research- become an expert in your problem

List materials and programs

Write an algorithm (step by step procedure)

Develop and test program

Modify the program

Final reflection-tell what you have learned

Complete your digital Science Fair board using provided template

How to write a testable questionNot a Testable Question

▪ Does fertilizer make grass grow?

Are metals attracted to a magnet?

What happens when you mix vinegar with baking soda?

Do oil spills hurt animals?

Good Example of a Testable Question

What types of fertilizer will make grass grow greener?

Does the type of insulation on the wire affect the strength of an electromagnet?

Which antacid is the most effective in neutralizing an acid?

What material filters oily water the best?

Finding the Right Project:

➢Continue your project from last year

➢ Sciencebuddies.org

➢Books

➢Consider topics that are interesting to you

➢What is something you are curious about or often wondered?

➢Ask “what if” questions

➢ It should be FUN

Research➢Research key terms (science words) about your project

(Evaporation, electricity, insulation, chemical reaction, force,

friction)

➢Research using a variety of sources including library (books), videos, internet, experts in the field interview

➢You need to Include 3-5 credible sources in your research

➢ In your logbook, list each source, take notes on each source and write 3-5 sentences of what you learned on each source

➢Cite all your sources with a Works Cited page (bibliography)

District Bid Requirements➢ Students are no longer judged by grade level

➢ Students are now judged ONLY by category and division

➢ If students do not have ALL COMPONENTS, then they cannot place first or win a bid

▪ Three trials/variables Identified (Science Division)

▪ Three Modifications (Computer Science/Engineering Division)

▪ Detailed daily log

▪ Research/Bibliography

▪ Data/Graphs

▪ Results (Data Analyzed and Discussed)

▪ Conclusions

Science Project Resources

➢Science and Engineering Student Handbook

➢School Website- copies of all project materials, handbook, forms, etc.; can be downloaded and printed at any time

➢The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) Website

▪ http://student.societyforscience.org/rules-all-projects

➢https://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/crafts/science-projects/science-projects-for-kids-states-of-matter.htm

Exit Ticket

➢Please click the link the link to complete the Title 1 survey! We appreciate all or your feedback☺

➢https://forms.gle/85fX98XfXXQ5f7tY6

➢Complete by October 23rd , 2020

Questions?? Contact Michelle Ardjewski

Ardjewski.michelle@brevardschools.org