Rosa Parks
Inquiry Fair
2015 - 2016
What is the Inquiry Fair
A
chance for students in grades K – 5 to
complete a voluntary scientific
investigation and present what they have
found during their investigation.
 Classroom IB projects are also presented
Two types of projects
Classroom
Inquiry IB Projects
Voluntary Science Fair Projects
Prince William County Science Fair
Fifth
grade winners of Rosa Parks
Science Fair are eligible for the PWC
Science Fair.
Students are entered by category
Saturday, April 9th (Projects are
dropped off the evening before.)
Categories
Science Fair Projects
Students
pick a topic and design an
experiment that shows cause
(independent variable) and effect
(dependent variable)
(Think experiment not model)
Examples of Science Fair Projects
 How
does salt affect the time it takes for water to
freeze?
 Does
the amount of sugar affect how long it takes
for crystals to form?
 Which
brand of paper towels absorb the best?
 Does
temperature affect how high mentos/soda
will spray?
 Does
the size of a ball impact how high it will
bounce?
What is not an example
Model
of solar system
Volcano exploding
Model of the layers of the earth
Diagram of a cell
Poster showing the parts of an atom
What can we not do for an experiment:
• skin, blood, tissue, saliva, sweat, or other body fluids
• experiments on animals.
• hazardous or controlled substances.
• open flames
• firearms/weapons
• bacterial cultures
Steps to complete the project
1. Write a proposal for an idea
2. Design the Experiment
3. Finalize the materials and procedures.
4. Run experiment with adult supervision
5. Organize results(graphs, charts)
6. Put presentation board together
Step 1 - Proposals
 Students
submit a
proposal sheet with their
idea. Students can
submit more than one if
they aren’t sure if.
 Due
15th
by Friday, January
Step 2 - Design the experiment
 Students
complete the
Design the
Experiment
Form
 Due Friday,
January 22nd
Step 3 – Finalize materials and procedures
Step 4 - Run the experiment
 Students
with adult supervision
to finalize and collect materials
 Students with adult supervision
run the experiment.
 Students collect data in an
organized way during the
experiment
 Take photos if possible
 Begin as soon as the Design
the experiment is completed.
Step 5 - Organize the data
Students
create a final copy of their data
table
Students often take data and create a graph
Graph making sites:
https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
http://www.chartgo.com/
Step 6 - Prepare the board
USE COLOR
• BE CREATIVE
• CUT CAREFULLY
• USE PHOTOGRAPHS YOU TAKE
• USE GRAPHS
• TYPE WHEN POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ
• COMPLETED BOARD DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD
•
What needs to be on the board?

Title of experiment

Question – What the student is trying to answer

Hypothesis – If…, then….

Independent Variable -One thing purposefully caused to be different)

Dependent Variable- Effect measured in the experiment

Constants – factors kept the same to be fair

Control group- group that did not get the independent variable

Data/Results(tables and graphs)

Procedures – Steps used to complete the experiment

Conclusion –paragraph explaining results
Dates to remember

Proposal Forms due Friday, January 15th

Designing an Experiment Form due Friday, January 22nd

Project Board due Tuesday, February 23rd

Judging will be afterschool on February 25th

Classroom IB Projects and Individual Science Projects will be on
display from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 25th

Fifth grade winners are eligible to go on to the PWCS Science
Fair
What resources are there:

I will be available to any student Tuesdays from 7:45 – 8:30 am. Parents just
need to notify me that their child is coming in for help.
Internet Support for Science Investigation Ideas
Here are a few websites with ideas and support. Some sites are better than others. Some sites have
projects like solar system models missed in with scientific investigations. Please review carefully and ask
me questions if you are unsure.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
•7.
www.sciencebob.com
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/scifun/projects.htm
http://users.rcn.com/tedrowan/primer.html
http://sciencefairproject.virtualave.net/observation.htm
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/fair.html
www.sciencebuddies.org
ttp://fair.science-resources.org/questions.htm
Graph making sites:
•https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
•http://www.chartgo.com/
Sample Project
Materials:
String
Washers
Timer
Does the amount of
weight affect how
many times a
pendulum swings?
Hypothesis: If there is
more weight, then the
pendulum will swing
more times.
Independent Variable :
Amount of weight
Dependent Variable :
Number of times it
swings
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
Tables:
Showing Results of each trial
Graphs of Results:
Constants:
1. Length of string
2. Height dropped
Control:
Pendulum with one washer
Conclusion:
Describe in paragraphs what
you did, results, any thing
you learned, any questions
for future investigations