This program is provided with
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By Doug Steward
A Science Fair Project! What am I going to
do for such an impossible assignment?
Is it hard to come up with good ideas
that are interesting?
Are you lost without
any hope?
Does it seem that everyone is
having trouble
and nobody is able to help?
Where do you look for ideas that do well?
What can you do that will be helpful?
Who can you talk to for ideas
and helpful hints?
Many Monte Vista Students have done well in the past.
Talk to them.
Many parents are full of good ideas and expert help.
Newspapers, magazines and other news
sources are helpful in showing what is
happening in the world around you.
They are great sources for ideas.
What kind of hobbies do you have?
Hobbies are full of great science fair ideas.
Are graphite fishing rods
really better?
What can you do to improve your
competition skills?
What things are you interested in. Activities such as
music are sources for some great projects.
Is there a correlation between life style and musical
taste?
Or
Is there a mathematical basis
for music?
Or
What affects tone quality?
What sports are you interested in?
What can you do to be a better high jumper,
hurdler, or sprinter?
Do your pets do anything that
interest you?
Many projects can be designed to
discover information about habits
diet, or health.
Has a personal experience generated
any interest in some area that you can study?
If you like math
there are many
possible projects
that are
interesting.
The first thing you should do
is develop a good question.
Something you really want
an answer to.
Like…
What bugs are in the nearby river?
Or
How sharp should your ice skates be?
Then you find out everything you can
about that subject.
The library is a great place to start.
The staff in the library is trained to help you in all kinds of areas
Computer searches can be good.
Especially if you live a long way from the
source of information you need.
But…
Be careful there is a lot of bad information
out there.
Professionals in the community are a
great source of help and can provide
most of your much needed help.
Then develop a hypothesis.
A hypothesis
is a possible answer to your
question.
What you think the correct
answer is.
Like
Lunar phases do affect the
time of day fish feed.
Now you need to design an
experiment to test your answer.
Your experiment is the most
vital part of your project.
You will need to make observations…
that will support or contradict your
hypothesis.
These observations must be
recorded and organized.
You will be expected to account for
every part of your experiment.
Remember, observations mean very
little unless they are compared …
to a control.
An experiment is only as good as the
controls that are used for
comparisons.
If you have not made good
comparisons against known
quantities then you really
have no idea how much
change has actually taken
place.
A common mistake is that people
don’t make enough observations…
because the test group is too small.
The more individual tests you make
the more accurate your results will
be.
Always make sure to record everything
you see
Keeping an eye out for the unexpected.
Compare your data with what other
people have come up with.
Always evaluate what you are doing.
Did you use accurate techniques?
Did you have good controls?
Was your test population large enough?
Are your records clear and easy to read?
How many variables did you have?
Did you account for the unexpected?
When you complete your experiment
you need to decide what the
answer to your problem is.
Was your hypothesis correct?
If it was wrong, how would you
change it?
Hopefully you kept accurate records
of your journey.
Remember, the judges will be
looking for your records.
All your records, data analysis, and
conclusions should be available and
easy to read.
Now it is up to the judges to determine
how well you did…
and there are some things you can do
to assure an award winning year.
You need to develop a display that
will tell the story of what you did.
This display must be
sturdy and self
supporting.
It needs to be attractive
and easy to read.
Here is a good pattern to follow when you
are designing your display.
Models can be
helpful but be
careful they do not
overwhelm the rest
of the display.
Pictures are an
excellent
way of providing
information
and
showing changes.
Information can also be
displayed in the form
of graphs.
Make sure everything
is neat and well
labeled.
This display is well
organized, attractive
and very informative.
This display uses
some art to attract
people, but notice
all the essential
parts are present.
The project title should be well displayed
in a prominent place.
Your display is only part of the
presentation.
You will be expected to explain
your findings to a group of judges.
It would be helpful to practice presenting
your understanding of your experimentation.
Be careful that you don’t plan a speech.
That will turn off the judges.
But it is good to organize your ideas and…
Practice, practice, practice, practice.
Remember the judge’s job is to figure
out how much you know.
So be ready for some really hard
questions.
Look them in the eyes.
Shake their hands and introduce yourself.
Look professional
and be
confident in
your abilities.
Remember, the judges are probably
experts in your project subject.
Don’t try to make up the data.
The judges will know the difference.
Science fair competition is not easy.
It is full of hard work, tense moments…
and high expectations.
You can take the science fair
experience all the way to an
International adventure.
Traveling with old friends or…
Making new friends.
A person’s “good Luck” has
been defined as a time when his/her
preparation meets with an
opportunity.
A science fair project is an opportunity.
Can you prepare to meet the challenge?