Science Fair

Dear Parents:

It’s time to start work on our school’s Science Fair! Below is a schedule outlining due dates and important information regarding your child’s project. In addition, you will find helpful links to resources that may help you assist your child.  Ample time has been scheduled and work has been spread out, so students can complete the work at a comfortable pace.

This is a major project and will represent a significant portion of your child’s grade for the first and second quarter. The primary objective of this project is to have students approach a problem scientifically. This includes: Asking questions and forming hypotheses; Creating experiments to test those hypotheses; Organizing data and drawing conclusions; and Writing about scientific research.

The project must be experimental in nature as opposed to research oriented. In other words, students must do a test, survey, or experiment to determine the answer to their question instead of just looking it up in a book. We encourage students to pick topics that they are genuinely interested in, since they will be working on these projects for the next several months. Topics must also be “original” - something students do not already know.  This year, topics chosen must be related to material covered in their textbook; exceptions may be made with permission from the teacher.

Ms. Olaso


Science Fair Timeline

The sooner the assignments get turned in and checked off by Ms. Olaso, the sooner you can go on to the next step of your project.

  • Sept. 2, 2011 (Friday)          Parent/Student Consent from due.
  • Sept. 6, 2011 (Monday)        Project topic is due.
  • Sept. 9, 2011 (Friday)         Meet individually with Ms. Olaso to finalize topic, and discuss the project plan.  Complete the statement: “The purpose of this project is…”.  Write it on folder paper and turn in to Ms. Olaso.
  • Sept. 9, 2011 (Friday)         Begin collecting your materials for experiment.
  • Sept. 10-Oct. 2, 2011       Conduct your experiment.
  • Oct. 3, 2010 (Monday)        Turn in observations, measurements, and interpretations of what data means; so, it may be edited and refined.
  • Oct. 10, 2011 (Monday)       Students should turn in a mock-up (diagrammed example), on computer paper, of what their display boards will look like.  After the design is approved, students should start making signs, titles, and labels for their display.  Take and use photographs, if needed. 
  • October 10, 2011 (Monday)  Begin your conclusion.  Write abstract.
  • October 17, 2011 (Monday)  Start writing your first draft.
  • October 24, 2011 (Monday) Turn in first draft of written report. Conduct proofreading in class, exchange with partner for peer editing.
  • October 28, 2011 (Friday)    After receiving pair/share corrections, begin writing second draft of written report.
  • Nov. 7, 2011 (Monday)        Turn in second draft to teacher.  Teacher will make corrections.
  • Nov. 21, 2011 (Thursday)    After receiving back second draft, begin writing final draft.
  • Dec. 5, 2011 (Monday)        Turn in 2 copies of final draft, one for grading, one for project display.
  • Dec. 12-13, 2011 (Monday and Tuesday)   Bring in display posters and any items needed for display.  We will use class time to put finishing touches on these items.
  • Dec. 19, 2011 (Monday)      Final deadline for full completion of display project for grading and judging.
  • Jan. 9-13 2011 (Monday-Friday)          St. Ann’s Model School Science Fair grades 6-8.
  • Feb. 9-11, 2011                   Hawaii Association of Independent Schools District Science Fair.
  • To be Announced                 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair Volunteer Reply Form due.
  • April 2–4, 2012 (Convention Center)          Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair.
  • May 3-18, 2012 (Pennsylvania)       Intel ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair).

 

Students should be working on their experiments and display posters during the first few months of school.  There will be very few days allotted to completion of projects, in class.  This is considered an out-of-class project, to encourage students to experience science on their own time!

Helpful Links

Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair - provides tips and the Science Fair handbook

Science Buddies - provides topic ideas, tips, resources for parents and students