All information can be found at: · • Botany (Video, Website, Powerpoint) ... If your school has a science fair, you must enter that fair in order to enter TCSEF (Tulare County

20 2002

All information can be found at: www.tcoe.org/sciencefair

FOREWORD Science Rocks!

Science isn’t just for “nerds” or “eggheads.” It is not mysterious or difficult. It is a fun way of trying to gain, organize, apply and convey knowledge about the world within which we live. It is trying to understand the patterns that are around us. It’s comprehension, it’s literacy….it’s science. That’s it…….…it’s that simple. Of course science also is a process. It follows a logical sequence of investigative events. It is organized. It sometimes can be … yawn…tedious. It requires clear thinking, checking and rechecking, planning, doing, analyzing, interpreting, summarizing and publishing your results. In other words it is a method, a scientific method. Through this method, our culture and society has flourished! Our future in America depends on the continuous works of scientists, engineers and mathematicians, who investigate, analyze and design natural and man-made environments and interpret their work for society. America once lead the world in scientific discoveries, but now is falling behind in the number of scientists, engineers and mathematicians entering the work force each year. One reason is that we do not require or encourage students to study and master basic and advanced studies of science and math like other countries.

It is proven that students are motivated by participation in independent study projects. The Science & Engineering Fair was developed to encourage students to accomplish and display their investigations. A science project is not easy to do. It requires hard work, study, organization and a great deal of time. But it is worth it! Science fair projects have changed the lives and begun the careers of many young people. You may be off on an adventure that will have profound

impact on your life and your future. This handbook was designed to provide assistance and guidelines to students who have decided to work on an independent science, math or engineering project. You

may not need to use all of the handbook information, but we suggest you read through it and select the parts that will help you most. There are many ways to do an independent science project. Investigations can be as creative as the investigator’s mind. This handbook will help get you started. It includes project ideas, tips to keep you going, and instructions for creating your display. Professionals publish their results in journals and magazines; otherwise, how would others know of their findings, and benefit from their work and the new knowledge? Your work will be shared with others through your science fair display.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Mission Statement………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5

The Two Strands…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

6

“DOING SCIENCE” STRAND 7-53

What is a Science Fair Project?……………………………………………………………………………………………

7

What are the rewards for doing a Science Fair Project?…………………………………………………

8

Guidelines for Excellence………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9

Rules and Regulations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9-19

Tulare County Certification of Compliance for Research (FORMS 2 & 3)……………

20-21

Science Fair Investigation Checklist…………………………………………………………………………………..

22

Judging Standards…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

23-24

A Science Fair Project, “What it is” and “What it isn’t”…………………………………………………

25

A Review of the Scientific Method……………………………………………………………………………………..

26-27

Selecting Your Project Topic………………………………………………………………………………………………..

28-29

Six Key Aspects to a Successful Science Project………………………………………………………………

30-35

Science Fair Project Categories and Project Examples………………………………………………

36-47

Gathering Information…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

48

Project Planning Timeline……………………………………………………………………………………………………

48

Constructing Your Exhibit……………………………………………………………………………………………………

49-50

Project Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

51-53

“SHOWING SCIENCE” STRAND 54 - 59 Regional Tulare County Science Fair Field Trip Information………………………………………

60-61

Sponsors………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

62

EPILOGUE 63

MISSION STATEMENT

The Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair mission is to:

Motivate and stimulate the interests of all students in the fields of science, engineering and mathematics.

Recognize outstanding effort and scientific achievement by students through

their science fair projects.

Provide an educational experience for student participants.

Make all students aware of opportunities in science, engineering and mathematics, and to encourage involvement of all ethnic and gender groups.

Involve the corporate community in recognizing outstanding students in

technological and scientific fields of study.

Encourage independent research.

Provide a public forum to acknowledge the efforts of students and teachers.

Stimulate interest and support of science and mathematics within our schools.

TWO STRANDS TO SUBMIT PROJECTS For the 2009 – 2010 School Year, students may submit a project under one of two different strands:

“DOING SCIENCE” ~ Experimental Science ~ where students do a traditional science

fair project.

“SHOWING SCIENCE” ~ Experiential Science~ where students model, demonstrate or

showcase a skill/concept in science. 10 Project Categories: 3 Showcase Categories:

• Behavioral & Social Science • Technology/Multimedia • Botany (Video, Website, Powerpoint)

• Earth & Space Science • Engineering & Mathematics • Visual Display • Environmental Science (Display, Book, Poster/Brochure) • Medicine & Health • Microbiology & Biochemistry • Artistic Representation • Physical Science (Music, Theatrical) • Product Testing & Materials

Science

• Zoology 1. Each student participant in this

strand will receive a “Distinguished Project Ribbon” in recognition of their contribution to the development of the scientific process.

2. Thirty “Sweepstakes” Awards will be awarded.

3. Special cash awards presented by professional societies and organizations.

4. Approximately 6-10 students with their projects will go on to compete in the California State Science Fair.

1. Each student participant in this

strand will receive a “Super Science” Ribbon in recognition of their desire to understand the importance of science.

2. The top project in each category will be awarded a medal.

Pages 7-53 of this handbook describe the “DOING SCIENCE” Strand. Pages 54-59 describe the “SHOWING SCIENCE” Strand.

WHAT IS A SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT?

A Traditional Science Fair Project under the “DOING SCIENCE” Strand is:

The display of an individual student’s effort. Students are expected to get guidance, suggestions and evaluations from advisors; however, the majority of the thinking, investigation and construction of the display is to be that of the student.

An attempt to answer a question or problem using the scientific method, or it

is a display of an effort to design or construct a mathematical or engineering project.

A consistent effort by a student with very little help at school, in the field, or at

home.

WHAT ARE THE REWARDS?

There are many reasons for a student to undertake a Science Fair project:

Curiosity about some aspect of our world and/or the universe.

Desire to study and learn about science, math or engineering.

Desire to improve upon another’s Science Fair project idea.

A career goal in science, math or engineering.

Desire to solve social problems through the application of scientific thought.

Encouragement by a teacher.

What are the rewards? There are many prizes awarded at the Tulare County Science and Engineering Fair, but the greatest reward may be personal, like:

Learning to be responsible for your own education.

Development of skills in scientific inquiry.

Increased knowledge in the project content matter, and an appreciation of scientific thought.

Improved skills in literature research and organization of data, concepts

and ideas.

The feeling of achievement and validation of the student’s efforts.

Experience in the highest form of mental application, i.e., analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

The top students will have the opportunity to participate in the

California State Science Fair.

GUIDELINES FOR EXCELLENCE A project is not simply a display, but a process of studying a problem and answering a question. The process includes many steps, steps that you’ll find on page 22. The checklist will help you see an overall picture of the work you must do to complete a research project. Many students find the criteria for judging helpful in setting quality standards for their projects. Read the judging standards section on pages 23-24 to see what the science fair judges will be looking for. Be organized in thought and in deed, but above all else; follow the rules and regulations for Tulare County Science and Engineering Fair found in this handbook.

RULES AND REGULATIONS The Tulare County Science and Engineering Fair (TCSEF), under the auspice of the Tulare County Office of Education believes that all students have the right and opportunity to compete fairly for all awards. The following regulations will keep projects uniform for judging and ensure that they abide by federal, state and local laws, as well as the State of California Education Code. For these reasons, the following will be strictly enforced:

The Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair Director, or his/her representatives, reserve the right to not display any materials which might be offensive to the general public, especially elementary school–aged children who frequent the fair.

Any exhibit or part of an exhibit, which, in the judgment of the Fair director or his/her representatives, poses any safety threat to the public or to other exhibits, will be removed and not judged for any awards.

Students in grades 3 through 12 attending a Tulare County school (public, private, or parochial) may enter exhibits in the Fair. All projects must be checked and approved by a sponsoring teacher and/or administrator from the school/district.

If your school has a science fair, you must enter that fair in order to enter TCSEF (Tulare County Science and Engineering Fair).

Schools in districts having district-wide fairs participating in TCSEF may enter only through the district fair.

Senior Division: Students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to enter a project as

individuals or as members of a team (teams consist of two or three students). Projects must be submitted within one of the 10 categories. (pages 36-37)

Junior Division: Students in grades 6 through 8 are eligible to enter a project as

individuals, or as members of a team (teams consist of two or three students). Projects must be submitted within one of the 10 categories. (pages 36-37)

Elementary Division: Students in grades 3 through 5 are eligible to enter a

project as individuals, or as members of a team (teams consist of two or three students). Projects must be submitted within one of the 10 categories. (pages 36-37) Grades 3, 4 and 5 are NOT eligible to qualify for the California State Science Fair.

Students who have prepared a project in conjunction with any study or research in industry, university, hospital or institution other than their school:

Must provide a letter from the principal research director. The letter should indicate the relationship of the student project to the research activities of the institution.

Project must clearly distinguish between the work of the student entrant and the work of others.

Must show only student’s personal research in the display

May mention the research of others only if student clearly specifies the assistance received and the contributions of others in research related to the project.

Judges will evaluate only the work specifically done by the student.

Research includes the use of laboratory equipment and/or space other than that normally available at the student’s home or school.

Ethics Statement:

Scientific fraud and misconduct is not condoned at any level of research or competition. Plagiarism, use or presentation of other researcher’s work as one’s own and fabrication or falsification of data will not be tolerated. Fraudulent projects will fail to qualify for competition.

Restricted projects require additional forms. Experiments that involve human subjects, nonhuman vertebrate animals, pathogenic agents, controlled substances, recombinant DNA, or human/animal tissue require approval from the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair before experimentation begins.

Any project that involves vertebrate animals must: Conform to the regulations listed within this handbook and on the Tulare

County “CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS, THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF LIVE VERTEBRATE ANIMALS, AND TISSUE SAMPLE SOURCES” form. (see FORM 2, page 20)

Follow all federal and state laws which includes California State Education Code Section §514540 (see below), the Code of Federal Regulations 45 CFR §46.102, the Code of Federal Regulations PL 99-158 and Animal Welfare Act Title 9 Volume 1 Parts 1-199

California State Education Code Section §51540.

In the public elementary and high schools or in public elementary and high school school-sponsored activities and classes held elsewhere than on school premises, live vertebrate animals shall not, as part of a scientific experiment or any purpose whatever:

(a) Be experimentally medicated or drugged in a manner to cause painful reactions or induce painful or lethal pathological conditions. (b) Be injured through any other treatments, including, but not limited to, anesthetization or electric shock.

Live animals on the premises of a public elementary or high school shall be housed and cared for in a humane and safe manner. The provisions of this section are not intended to prohibit or constrain vocational instruction in the normal practices of animal husbandry.

Display a copy of the completed form with the exhibit. Vertebrate animal

studies without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging.

Any project that involves human subjects in a survey or study must: Conform to the regulations listed within this handbook and on the Tulare

County “CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS, THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF LIVE VERTEBRATE ANIMALS, AND TISSUE SAMPLE SOURCES” form. (see FORM 2, page 20)

Display a copy of the completed form with the exhibit. Human studies without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging.

Students may not be involved in the direct acquisition of recombinant DNA, tissue, organs, or other body parts (including blood and meat) from human or vertebrate animals. Any project that involves tissues samples or DNA must:

Conform to the regulations listed within this handbook and on the Tulare County “CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS, THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF LIVE VERTEBRATE ANIMALS, AND TISSUE SAMPLE SOURCES” form. (see FORM 2, page 20)

Display a copy of the completed form with the exhibit. Tissue studies without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging.

Human parts, even teeth, hair, nails and histological sections may NOT be exhibited.

Any project that involves pathogenic agents, caustic chemicals, or hazardous or dangerous equipment must:

Conform to the regulations listed within this handbook and on the Tulare County “CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING PATHOGENIC AGENTS, HAZARDOUS EQUIPMENT AND/OR CHEMICALS” form. (see FORM 3, page 21)

Display a copy of the completed form with the exhibit. Studies involved with pathogenic agents such as bacteria, viruses or fungi, or studies involved with hazardous equipment and/or hazardous chemicals without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging.

RULES AND REGULATIONS CONTINUED

The display of bacterial cultures, live or dead vertebrates, invertebrates, or microorganisms, or their parts, is NOT permitted. This includes, but is not limited to: embryos, microbial cultures or fungi, whether known to be disease causing or not. Only illustrations or photographs of microorganisms and animals are permitted, although sealed insect collections will be permitted on display.

Exhibits may not display photographs of procedures detrimental to the health

and well being of vertebrate animals or humans. Performance of or results of surgical or medical procedures may not be shown.

IS YOUR PROJECT RESTRICTED? Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair Pre-approval Requirements Does your project involve any of the following?

Does your project involve…your pet? any other animals that have bones (except people)? (Non-human Vertebrate Animals, FORM 2)

Does your project involve…asking your friends or other people questions? experiments on yourself? experiments with people in any way? (Human Subjects, FORM 2)

Yes

No

Does your project involve…DNA from one organism inserted into the DNA of another organism? (rDNA, FORM 2)

Does your project involve…anything coming from a human or animal body? Cheek cells or other cells? Teeth? Bone? Fluids such as blood, saliva, or urine? (Animal Tissue Source, FORM 2)

Does your project involve…mold or other fungus? bacteria? viruses? cultured samples collected from the environment? anything that might make you sick? (Pathogenic Agents, FORM 3)

Does your project involve… any chemical such as household cleaning agents, solvents, metals, organic chemicals, or ethidium bromide? (Chemicals, FORM 3)

Does your project involve… model rockets? lasers? UV light? other types of radiation? guns or gunpowder? fire? anything else that might be considered dangerous or hazardous? (Hazardous or Dangerous Equipment, FORM 3)

No

No

No

No

No

No

You do not need pre-approval. Your teacher must submit your project information by February 19, 2010.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

You must have Pre-Approval! Your teacher must submit your project information by February 5, 2010.

RULES AND REGULATIONS CONTINUED

Maximum exhibit size is 4 feet wide by 2-1/2 feet deep by 6-1/2 feet tall. Oversized exhibits will not be eligible to be judged for awards.

Students must take full responsibility for the safety of all parts of their exhibits.

Although the management of the Fair takes many precautions to protect the exhibits, we assume no responsibility for any items lost or damaged during the Fair. Valuable material and equipment should be simulated or pictured; they may be brought for demonstration during judging and then removed. All parts of the exhibit should be securely attached to the exhibit.

A copy of the logbook and/or notebook along with the Official Project Abstract (see Form 1, page 51-53) must accompany the project and be displayed with the exhibit. (It is recommended that the original logbook and/or notebook be kept in the possession of the student at all times.)

Awards, medals or flags from previous school/district fairs are not allowed. Please do not display your name, or your school’s name on the front of your

exhibit. Please leave a space in front of your project for the Project Abstract form.

Exhibits requiring electricity:

Electrical cords for 110-volt AC exhibits must be UL-approved, 3-pronged electrical cords at least 9 feet long in order to use the provided electrical sources.

You must provide 10 amp fuses or circuit breakers in your circuit. If wiring carries more than 20 volts, wiring must be of adequate size and well

insulated. Connectors must be soldered or secured by UL-approved fasteners. Open knife switches or doorbell-type push buttons are not permitted above 20 volts.

Exhibits producing temperatures exceeding 100° C (212° F) must be adequately insulated.

Batteries with open tops are not permitted. High Voltage equipment, large vacuum tubes or dangerous ray-generating

devices must be properly shielded.

Exhibit backboards:

Must be constructed of rigid material or be reinforced with framing. Materials may be: masonite, pegboard, hardboard, foam-core board (purchased

commercial backboards are recommended) to which poster paper, cardboard or fabric may be securely attached.

All exhibits must adhere to all county, state and federal laws and regulations regarding wiring, toxicity, fire hazard, and general safety.

Lasers may be displayed but not operated at any time. Containers for high-pressure gases must be empty. No open flames or highly flammable materials are

allowed. Dangerous, combustible, and cryogenic materials

are prohibited. Syringes, pipettes, knives and other similar devices

are prohibited. Any apparatus with unshielded belts, pulleys,

chains, or moving parts with tension or pinch points may not be operated. Toxic and hazardous chemicals are prohibited. No gas or water outlets are provided.

A project entered into the Fair must remain at the Fair from Registration/Set-Up to the conclusion of the final day after the Awards Ceremony.

All projects must be set up and picked up only during designated hours. Projects not picked up by 5:00 p.m. at the end of the week will be

discarded.

The students that are selected after the first round of judging on Monday night must be available to be interviewed on Wednesday.

Sign-up’s for interview times will be taken over the phone on Tuesday. Only students being interviewed will be allowed in the judging area with the

projects on the day of judging. Parents or teacher must remain in the waiting area.

Team Projects:

Teams may have up to three members: NOTE: Teams may not have more than three members at a school/district fair and then eliminate members to qualify for the TCSEF.

A Team Project cannot be converted to an individual project or vice versa. A new member may not be added to a continuing Team Project, but two original team members may continue their research if the third member no longer participates.

Each team should appoint a team leader to coordinate the work and act as spokesperson. However, each member of the team should be able to serve as spokesperson, be fully involved with the project, and be familiar with all aspects of the project. The final work should reflect the coordinated efforts of all team members and will be evaluated using the same rules and judging criteria as individual projects.

Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair Project Entry Form

(Please Print Legibly)

To be completed by the STUDENT:

Science Fair Project Strand:

(Check One)

“DOING SCIENCE” ~ Experimental Science

“SHOWING SCIENCE” ~ Experiential Science

Please See Strand Descriptions on other side of Entry Form.

Division: ELEM. JUNIOR SENIOR (Check One) 3-5 6-8 9-12

Grade: Team Project: Please Staple Team Project Entry Forms Together

Project Title:

Student Name:

Address: C i t y Zip

Contact Phone: E-mail:

Contact Name: (Contact name & phone number are needed in order to contact the parent and/or

guardian in the likelihood that the student’s project has been selected for an award.)

To be completed by the TEACHER/ADULT SPONSOR: The Teacher or Adult Sponsor who worked directly with this student is:

Phone:

School: District:

School Phone: E-mail:

Signature: Date:

(My signature verifies that I have reviewed the student’s application for accuracy and checked that ALL required forms and signature are complete.)

Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair

Project Entry Form Continued:

“DOING SCIENCE” ~ Experimental Science where you do a traditional science fair project.

PROJECT CATEGORY (check one)

Behavioral & Social Science

Botany

Earth & Space Sciences

Engineering & Mathematics

Environmental Science

Medicine & Health

Microbiology & Biochemistry

Physical Science

Product Testing/Materials

Zoology

Need Electricity?

No Yes

The following “Restricted Project” forms are attached to this entry form: (FORM 2)

Certification of Compliance for research involving Human Subjects, the humane treatment of live vertebrate animals, and tissue sample sources (FORM 3)

Certification of Compliance for research involving pathogenic agents, hazardous equipment and/or chemicals

“SHOWING SCIENCE” ~ Experiential Science where you model, demonstrate or showcase a skill/concept in science.

SHOWCASE CATEGORY (check one)

Technology/Multimedia (Video, Website, Powerpoint)

Visual Display (Display, Book, Poster/Brochure)

Artistic Representation (Music, Theatrical)

MAIL OR DELIVER BY:

With Restricted Forms – Friday, February 5, 2010

Without Restricted Forms –

Friday, February 19, 2010

To:

Tulare County Office of Education 7000 Doe Avenue, Suite A

Visalia, CA 93291 ATTN: SCIENCE FAIR

For questions, call (559) 651-3043 or visit: www.tcoe.org/sciencefair

The completed entry package must include:

• This completed form; • Restricted Project Forms for “DOING

SCIENCE” Strand: (required for any project involving live vertebrate animals, human subjects, or projects using tissues, organs, human parts, animal parts, blood or hazardous materials. These MUST be completed and approved before starting experimentation;

• Student Permission Form (either in English or Spanish).

Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair Handbook: Revised for 2010 20


CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING

HUMAN SUBJECTS, HUMANE TREATMENT OF LIVE VERTEBRATE ANIMALS, AND TISSUE SAMPLE SOURCES.

FORM 2 Return to: Tulare County Science Fair 7000 Doe Avenue, Suite A Visalia, CA 93291-9220 ATTN: Jonathan Janzen FAX: 559-651-0516

Submit this Form by Friday, February 5, 2010.

NAME OF APPLICANT (LAST NAME, FIRST NAME) CATEGORY

PROJECT TITLE

NAME OF SCHOOL/DISTRICT

This form is for: Compliance for Research Involving Human Subjects Humane Treatment of Animals Tissue Sample Source Verification

rDNA Studies

We certify that the experimental procedure used in this science fair project complies with State and Federal regulations including but not limited to 45 CFR §46.102 and California Education Code §51540:

SIGNATURE OF STUDENT DATE SIGNED

PROJECT ADVISOR

PRINT NAME TITLE

NAME OF INSTITUTION TELEPHONE NUMBER

ADDRESS OF INSTITUTION CITY ZIP

SIGNATURE OF PROJECT ADVISOR DATE SIGNED



CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING

PATHOGENIC AGENTS, HAZARDOUS EQUIPMENT AND/OR CHEMICALS.

FORM 3

Return to: Tulare County Science Fair 7000 Doe Avenue, Suite A Visalia, CA 93291-9220 ATTN: Jonathan Janzen FAX: 559-651-0516

Submit this Form by Friday, February 5, 2010.

NAME OF APPLICANT (LAST NAME, FIRST NAME) CATEGORY

PROJECT TITLE

NAME OF SCHOOL/DISTRICT

This form is for: Compliance for Research Involving Pathogenic Agents such as: bacteria, viruses, molds & fungi. Hazardous or Dangerous Equipment such as: lasers, radiation, model rocketry, & gunpowder. Hazardous or Dangerous Chemicals such as: household cleaning agents, solvents, & acids. We certify that the experimental procedure used in this science fair project complies with State and Federal regulations including but not limited to 45 CFR §46.102 and California Education Code §51540:

SIGNATURE OF STUDENT DATE SIGNED

PROJECT ADVISOR

PRINT NAME TITLE

NAME OF INSTITUTION TELEPHONE NUMBER

ADDRESS OF INSTITUTION CITY ZIP

SIGNATURE OF PROJECT ADVISOR DATE SIGNED


SCIENCE FAIR INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLIST

Check your topic or problem. Obtain signatures for the necessary certification. All projects require teacher-supervisor approval.

Develop the questions you want to use to guide your investigation. Prepare your time schedule. Plan to work on your project at least 3 times per week. Conduct research in the library and/or the internet. Write a statement of your problem or idea. Make a preliminary outline. Search the literature. Read and take notes. Revise outline. Refine the statement of your problem. Develop your working hypothesis. Design your investigations, experiments and/or observations. Obtain necessary supplies and equipment. Control Variables. Record your results (data.) Organize your data (graphics, charts, tables.)

Analyze your data. Interpret your data (What does it mean?)

Formulate your conclusion by reviewing your results.

Summarize your work. Write your Science Fair Abstract. Refine or redesign you investigation. Design and build your Science Fair display.


JUDGING STANDARDS

Exhibits should demonstrate the mathematical, engineering or scientific principles studied in a way that is clearly understandable to other people. Displays may consist of a demonstration experiment, a working model, or of charts, diagrams or collections with a scientific objective.

Judges evaluate and focus on the following:

Originality/Creativeness Total 30 Points

Original ideas and the creative use of resources are usually impressive. This originality may be in the scientific concept, a new approach to solve an old problem, or a new interpretation of data. The uniqueness of the approach and the handling and interpretation of the data should be commensurate with the grade level of the student. However, an original project must be well executed. Original projects are those that go beyond the textbooks and explore new ground and innovative techniques.

Comprehension/Scientific Thought Total 30 Points

Comprehension is the understanding and appropriate use of scientific theory, terms, techniques, and methodologies. Students should have a depth of knowledge about the scientific and engineering principles and practices, which can be shown by the ability to extrapolate what was learned from the project and applied to the principle. Depth includes understanding the basic science behind the project topic, comprehension at a finer level of detail, and awareness of the influence that the project has on related material in the subject topic.

Scientific Thought: The project shows depth of study and effort in employing scientific procedures in the solution of a clearly defined problem including study of background, organized procedures, appropriate sampling, orderly recording and analysis of data and the formulation of logical conclusions.

Engineering Goals: The project has a clear objective relevant to the needs of the potential user. The product or process has been tested and is working and feasible economically and ecologically.


Organization and Completeness Total 15 Points

The project should have a well-defined goal or objective. The materials, methods, and experimental design should be sufficient to answer all the appropriate questions. A second component of organization is thoroughness, which includes not only the issue of how well the original questions have been addressed, but also the issue of how fully questions arising during the project have been addressed. It is the duty of all scientists to provide evidence in support of their claims. The burden of proof does not rest with the observer. Without supporting results or data, the science project is not a completed work.

Effort, Motivation and Skill Total 15 Points

The amount of time a student has spent doing the actual science project and the amount of time the student has spend reading and learning the subject should both be considered. While motivation and effort are not the same, the amount of effort that goes into a project is usually an indication of a student’s motivation. Credit will be given for special skills needed for the construction or use of equipment and for mathematical, computational, observational and design skills.

Clarity Total 10 Points

The purpose, procedures and conclusions are clearly explained orally and through the display. Ideas should be clearly presented and easy to understand. The project notebook is well organized, neat and accurate. Sources of ideas, data and assistance are clearly identified. A well-written abstract, easy to follow visual aids, and clear and concise answers all add to the quality of a project.


A SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT - “WHAT IT IS & ISN’T”

A Science Fair Project is:

A display of a first–hand investigation by a student.

An attempt to answer a question by designing and conducting an experiment or a series of experiments.

An attempt to design and conduct a survey of people’s attitudes towards specific issues.

A report of observations of humans and/or other organisms.

A design and construction of a project to test a mathematical or engineering principle or concept.

A systematic approach to solving a problem using the Scientific Method.

A Traditional Science Fair Project in the “DOING SCIENCE” Strand is NOT:

A demonstration. A demonstration is in only the “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand and shows how something works or tries to explain why something happens the way it does. Demonstrations are not acceptable in the “DOING SCIENCE” strand because they lack hypothesis development and experimentation.

Any of the following do not pose a scientific query: A collection, a diagram, a table or chart, a model, an illustration, or a specimen.

BEWARE OF “CONSUMER REPORTS”! A “Consumer Reports” project is not recommended. Typical titles are:

“Which paper towel absorbs the most water?” “Which is the best mouthwash for killing germs?” “What is the best deodorant?”

These types of projects have difficulty in developing a valid hypothesis. Their library research is poor and sometimes is skipped entirely or done after the experiment is designed. Many projects that want to test a specific product require information that is proprietary and is not published.


A REVIEW OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

The Scientific Method is a logical process to arrive at the best answers to questions based on observable facts. The method will provide good answers when the investigator uses the following elements:

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM OR QUESTION:

A clear, short statement of the investigation problem or question must be worked out so that any observer can understand what you are doing. Example: Can houseflies distinguish between artificial sweetener and sugar?

HYPOTHESIS:

A hypothesis is a statement that serves as a possible explanation or answer to a problem or question. It can also serve to give direction to your investigation or experiments. Your hypothesis is to test, not to prove. Example: If houseflies can distinguish artificial sweeteners from sugar, they will respond or behave in a different manner when fed the two substances.

RESEARCH:

Search the literature (books, magazines, journals) and take notes on what others have learned about your topic. Often personal interviews with experts on your subject will be of great value. You need to know a lot about your topic before you can design and carry out good investigations and experiments. WARNING: The Internet is a great resource for information, but do not rely on it solely. Much of the information obtained online is misleading and of little value. Example: Look up and take notes on houseflies and their behavior, the feeding mechanism of insects; learn about sugar and artificial sweeteners.

EXPERIMENTATION:

A good experimental design will allow you to gather factual information on your problem and test your hypothesis. Accuracy in measurement is vital when recording your data. Remember, your hypothesis is to test, not to prove. Example: Fifty houseflies were selected to be tested for 10 trials in sugar solution (10%) and artificial sweetener (10%). Each fly was glued to a small stick by the wings and during the trial the flies’ feet were immersed in the solutions. The observation recorded was the extension of the flies’ proboscises into the solutions.


A REVIEW OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD CONT.

When setting up your experimental design, use the following guidelines:

Control the variables. You must eliminate other factors that could alter or influence your results. (Nothing should vary in the fly problem but the sugar and the artificial sweetener. Everything else must be the same: temperature, light, time of day, condition of the flies, etc.)

Collect DATA. During your experiment you must indicate in detail what you did and how you did it, and all of your observations. The data should be quantitative where possible (how much, how high, how hot.) Example: 47 out of 50 flies lowered their feeding proboscises when placed on sugar water; whereas 3 out of 50 flies lowered their feeding proboscises when placed on artificial sweetener “A.”

Proper Sampling: Use as many trials or subjects as practical to eliminate any individual differences.

Reproductive: Your experiment must be designed and described so that others following your procedure would get the same results.

Analysis and display of data: After collecting your data, it must be organized, analyzed and displayed in tables or graphs. Example: The results of the 10 trials in sugar and 10 trials in sweetener “A” should be listed on a table and the average (x), standard deviation (s), and probability (p) should be calculated. (You may need help to learn to do the calculations.)

CONCLUSION:

Discuss how the data (your results) compare with your hypothesis. Was your hypothesis correct? You cannot change the data, but you could alter or modify your hypothesis and perhaps design and run a new set of experiments. Example: The fly experiment data supports the hypothesis that houseflies can distinguish between the two substances. They appear ready to feed on the sugar, but not on the artificial sweetener “A.”


SELECTING YOUR PROJECT TOPIC

This step may appear to be simple, but it may be difficult for some students. You may feel that you lack ideas and directions. This section of the handbook was designed to help you find the idea or problem that best fits you.

Look through Science Publications to find something that interests you. – Science textbooks – Lab manuals – Science encyclopedias – Science magazines (not technical journals.) Some examples include: Discover High Technology Scientific American Today’s Health Science News Science World Consumer Digest Popular Science

Make a list of five things that seem interesting to you. Examples include:

“Why does paint peel?” “Why do bicycles with low tire pressure coast a shorter distance?”

“How do snails reproduce?” “What type of weight lifting increases muscle

mass the fastest?” “Do TV commercials control buying habits?”

– If you have a general topic

“Programming Computers” – Make a list of things you’ve always wondered about or wanted to do

“Making a Program that . . . . . . Teaches Others to Write Programs” . . . Controls Roof Solar Panels” . . . Simulates Predator-Prey Relationships in a Nearby Habitat” . . . Regulates Greenhouse Temperature”


SELECTING YOUR PROJECT TOPIC CONT.

From the list, pick a topic… – that interests you – that involves…

experimentation measurement gathering of numbers

– is specific enough to make into a problem and experiment

Examples: – “The Effect of _____ on _____” – “The Design and Construction of a simpler (less expensive) _____”

Avoid:

– Topics that are too general Cannot be made into problem and experiment

Make more specific: “Bacteria” becomes… “Effect of Bacteria on Plant Roots”

– Topics that require unavailable equipment “Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents” “Advantages of Two-Engine vs. One-Engine Cars” – Topics that require too much time “Designing a Submarine that can also fly” – Topics that are potentially dangerous “Building Better Explosives” “Effects of Different Gas Mixtures on Breathing” – Projects that are mainly a tool or organism that interests you Examples:

– “Microscopes” – “A Computer I Built” – “The Hamster as Research Animal”

– Topics that tend to be weak projects – “Which toothpaste tastes the best?”


SIX KEY ASPECTS OF A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT

Six Key Aspects of a Successful Science Project

1. Your Question - The essential starting point for your project.

Science is asking a question of nature and making sense out of the answer. Engineering is figuring out how to solve some problem by designing a new way to make or do something and showing that it works.

A science or engineering research project is ONLY as good as the question on which it is based.

You will want to choose a question that can be answered by some experiments that YOU can do by yourself, with only a little help from others.

If your question is "How do volcanoes work?" you will probably not do very well. That question is just too complex and needs much harder experiments than you are likely to have time, equipment or skills to handle.

If your question is "Do rats jump if you step on their tails?" you also will not do well. That question is too simpleminded, not to mention that to do the experiment would be rather cruel. We do not allow any experiments on vertebrate animals that might harm them.

A good question is clear and direct and helps you see what experiment to do to answer it. The best questions will also lead naturally into other questions by which you can extend what you are able to learn by some related experiments.

Now let's look at a concrete example of how you might go about developing your question. For example, you might decide that you would like to know something about why cockroaches go to certain places in a house more than others. That is a general statement of what you are interested in learning. Your specific question (which suggests a particular experiment that could be the center of your research project) might be: "What colors of floor material do cockroaches (Blattidae) prefer?"


SIX KEY ASPECTS OF A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT CONT.

2. Gathering Data or Recording nature's answers to your question.

Having a question and thinking of some experiment that could give you an answer to that question is only the beginning. Now you have to do the experiment and write down what happens.

Data are the numbers, observations, and other things you can write down to say what happened when you did your experiment. Some data you get by counting, some by measuring with an instrument (like a thermometer or a voltmeter, etc.) and some is simply your written description of what you saw.

In the cockroach experiment you might DESCRIBE the various floor colors you tried and also COUNT the number of cockroaches that you found on each color. You might also MEASURE the brightness of the light (with a photographic exposure meter, for example) and maybe MEASURE the temperature of the different colored floors (with a thermometer or thermocouple).

You will need to have a "logbook." This is a research notebook in which you write your data, and it is also a place to record what you did to produce those data.

You need to bring your research notebook to the Fair as a part of your exhibit. The judges will be looking for your observations and data, so be sure you write down each day as you do the experiments, not later on after all the experiments are done.

3. Precision also known as “How well did you measure it?”

Data are only useful if you can believe them. One important test of your data is: Do you get the same results when you repeat the experiment a second (or third, or tenth) time?

Try it and see. Notice how much the answers you get change from the first time you do the experiment to the next time. None of the answers you get is more correct than any other, so each answer is uncertain by about as much as any one answer differs from another.



This is called the "Precision" or "Repeatability" of your data.

If you are doing a physics experiment, you probably can just measure the same thing several times with the same apparatus. If you are doing a biology or psychology experiment, you may need to repeat your experiment several times using many different subjects (different plants or different people) each time.

In the cockroach experiment, you could repeat the experiment several times with a new handful of roaches for each pair of floor materials you are testing.

Suppose when you do your experiment five times, the numbers you get (for example, the number of roaches on one particular color of floor) are 76, 79, 72, 81, and 74. The average of these numbers is 76.4. But you should not conclude that the "correct" value is 76.4: that would be claiming more than you really know. Instead, you could say "after five measurements the answers ranged from 72 to 81 with an average of 76." That tells both what the average value was and something about how much the different values you recorded varied from one another.

Another, more technically complete, method of giving this information would be to say, "In five measurements, the average value was 76.4 with a standard deviation of the mean of 1.6." If you wish to learn how to do this more mathematical kind of data analysis, consult any standard book on experimental statistics. We especially encourage high school students to use this approach.

Record your data in a table or chart and then plot them. This will help you (and the judges) "see" what is going on.



4. Controls, also known as "How do you know that what happened was because of what you did?”

Your experiment will very likely attempt to answer some sort of "What if..." question. You are trying to find out what happens when you change something about the situation.

In the cockroach experiment you will be looking for changes in the number of roaches that choose either of the two floor colors in the box when you change their choice of colors.

It is important to be sure that the differences you see are, in fact, caused by the changes you meant to make, and not by something else you just didn't notice.

If you had two regions of colored floor, one black and one white, and they were both under a strong light, the black floor would get hotter. If the cockroaches preferred the black floor, you might actually be observing their preference for a warmer area and not really a preference for a darker color.

Repeating your experiment is one way to check on this. If you don't get the same result when you repeat the experiment, clearly you are not measuring what you thought you were (or, something else is also happening). Another way to check on your results is to use a CONTROL situation.

A related question is how accurate your measuring instruments are. You may be able to read the temperature indicated on your thermometer to within one-tenth of a degree, but what if the thermometer is not measuring the actual temperature of the floor or whatever you wanted to measure? Or what if it is not calibrated correctly - it might be wrong by five degrees?! (You could, perhaps, check that by using a second thermometer.)



5. Analysis or Making sense of what you have done.

Most likely, no experiment will actually answer your question for you. You have to look at the data and then do some organized thinking about these data to arrive at an answer to your question.

Sometimes you will have to make a graph of your data, or compute some averages, or compare what you measure to what someone else has measured in a different situation.

Your work is still not done. Doing an experiment and taking some data is not all there is to science. You must figure out what it all means. And then you can tell others (including the judges) what you figured out.

After you have presented all the data you took in a way that lets you see some patterns you should write down what you think it all means. State your conclusion and your reasons for them. Your logbook is a very good place to put all these graphs, computations, etc. That way all your work is shown in one place. Later on, when you prepare your display, you may copy just those graphs that best show your results.



6. The Research Report or Tell us all about it.

The logbook, if you use it correctly, will have all the details of what you did and what you saw and what you calculated and what that all means to you. But it will, very likely, not be easy to read and understand.

A complete science research project will include preparing a research report. This is an organized representation of the information in the logbook (or at least the most essential parts of that information). The reason for representing it is to put it together in a way that makes it easier to read and understand.

An excellent science fair display will have the research report and the logbook attached to the display panels.


“DOING SCIENCE” PROJECT CATEGORIES

Below are the 10 main categories for TCSEF “DOING SCIENCE” strand projects:

BEHAVIORAL & SOCIAL SCIENCES: Human and animal behavior in context of social and community relationships— psychology, sociology, anthropology, archaeology, ethology, ethnology, linguistics, learning, perception, urban problems, reading problems, public opinion surveys, educational testing, etc.

BOTANY: Study of plant life --Agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, forestry, plant taxonomy, plant anatomy, plant physiology, plant pathology, plant genetics, hydroponics, algology, mycology, etc.

EARTH/SPACE: Geology, geophysics, physical oceanography, meteorology, climatology, atmospheric physics, seismology, petroleum geography, speleology, mineralogy, topography, astronomy, astrophysics

ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS: Technology; projects that directly apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses— civil, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, photographic, sound, automotive, marine, heating and refrigerating, transportation, environmental engineering, power transmission, computers; Development of formal logical systems or various numerical and algebraic computations, and the application of these principles— calculus, geometry, abstract algebra, number theory, statistics, complex analysis, probability, logic, other topics of pure and applied mathematics, etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Study of pollution (air, water, and land), its sources and control, recycling, reclamation, restoration, ecology.


“DOING SCIENCE” PROJECT CATEGORIES CONT.

MEDICINE/HEALTH: Study of diseases and health of humans and animals — dentistry, pharmacology, veterinary medicine, pathology, ophthalmology, nutrition, sanitation, pediatrics, dermatology, allergies, speech & hearing, etc.

MICROBIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY: Biology of microorganisms – bacteriology, virology, protozoology, fungi, bacterial genetics, yeast; Chemistry of life processes – molecular biology, molecular genetics, enzymes, photosynthesis, blood chemistry, protein chemistry, food chemistry, hormones, etc.

PHYSICAL SCIENCE (PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY): Theories, principles, and laws governing energy and the effect of energy on matter— solid state, optics, acoustics, particle, nuclear, atomic, plasma, superconductivity, fluid and gas dynamics, thermodynamics, semiconductors, magnetism, quantum mechanics; Study of nature and composition of matter and laws governing it— physical chemistry, organic chemistry (other than biochemistry), inorganic chemistry, materials, plastics, fuels, pesticides, metallurgy, soil chemistry, etc.

PRODUCT TESTING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE: Studies of materials characteristics and properties with respect to their static (not in motion) applications in the real world. Includes measures and comparisons of materials durability, flammability, and effectiveness for intended use. These characterizations do not imply knowledge of the chemical structure of materials being tested.

ZOOLOGY: Study of animals – animal genetics, ornithology, ichthyology, herpetology, entomology, animal ecology, paleontology, cellular physiology, circadian rhythms, animal husbandry, cytology, histology, animal physiology, invertebrate neurophysiology, studies of invertebrates, etc.


Project Examples in Each Category

Behavioral & Social Science

Insect learning How many trials are necessary for crickets to learn a simple maze?

Memory capability Memory retention in literate vs. non-literate societies.

Human stress reduction Test of aerobics exercise to reduce stress.

Perception on creativity Are left handed people more creative than right handed people?

Chemical influences on the brain Effect of caffeine on memory.

Linguistics Syntactic convergence in Chinese-English bilinguals.

Learning The effectiveness of flash cards vs. computer scripts.

Public Survey AIDS awareness in teens.

Group dynamics The Effect of Authority Figures on Group Decision Making.

Social relationships via technology Subliminal Persuasion by Television


Botany

Nitrates in our water Can Water Hyacinths remove nitrates from wastewater?

Irrigation systems and techniques Are drip irrigation systems more efficient?

Cotton fibers The relation between cotton fiber length and their strength.

Nutrients and plant growth Bean plant growth in various nutrient deficient soils.

Hydroponics and farming Investigations into farming without soil.

Stored food and seedling growth A comparison between stored seed and seed germination.

Soil temperature and seed Analysis of lawn seed germination at winter, spring, summer, and fall temperatures.

Irrigation and salting of the soil Are Tulare County soils becoming salted or alkali?

Auxins and geotropism Pea seed roots grow down because of plant growth hormones.

Study of crop growth in different soils Comparison of cotton growth in sandy loam and alkali soils.


Earth & Space Science

Particles and cloud formation Cloud chamber investigations of particles and cloud formation.

Solar activity Solar activity and refraction properties of the ionosphere.

Amateur seismology Build your own seismograph and test the earth’s activity.

Celestial Navigation Investigate the homing instincts of pigeons using celestial navigation.

Gravitational field strength Earth’s gravitational effect on various solar bodies.

Hydrology The effect of tule fog on various watersheds

Pacific Rim weather patterns Study the effect El Nino has upon the central valley climate.

Astronomy Determining the Age of a Galactic Star Cluster

Earth’s Timeline Did mastodons really roam near Tulare/Fresno thousands of years ago?

Geothermal Conductivity Temperature variations in soils around Tipton California


Engineering & Mathematics

Computer Assisted Instruction Design and write a program for computer-assisted instruction for your school.

Aerodynamics-wind tunnel Testing the wind resistance of automobile models in a wind tunnel.

Solar hot water When is it economically feasible to install a home solar hot water heater?

Recycling systems for solid waste Design, construct and test a mechanical method of separating solid waste for recycling.

Ratings of insulation materials Experiments to determine the efficiency of commercially available insulation.

Laser technology Applications for high frequency lasers in the music industry.

Manufacture of Ag. Related equipment Development of a small stroke engine.

Vector Analysis Design a formula to solve physics vector problems.

Robotics Build a robot to serve a specific need.

Ultrasound Develop an ultrasonic device to be used in medical applications.


Environmental Science

Acid rain The effect of acid rain on Tulare County’s vernal pools

Soil erosion Can soil erosion be stopped in the richest agricultural county in the nation?

Greenhouse effect Phytoplankton growth stimulation-combating the greenhouse effect; Microbial Bioremediation Effect on Marine Ecosystems; Oil Control;; Water Hyacinth- Primary Water Treatment.

Recycling/reclamation Newspapers as mulch

Automobile pollution Analyses of exhaust emissions of cars and their impact upon valley wildlife.

Ground water recharge Study the effects of different types of soils on recharging the water table.

Environmental engineering Designing a new home sewer system.

Animal and plant co-dependency The relationship between the San Joaquin kit fox and valley grassland.

Restoration A restoration project of native grasses along the Kaweah River

Photochemical An analysis of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and hydrocarbons polluting our ambient air


Nutrition Is there a relationship between absences from school and diets high in additives?

School Nutrition How much sugar does the average student consume?

Exercise What effect does exercise have on your reaction time?

Teeth Do certain types of toothbrushes remove food from the mouth more effectively?

Animal husbandry Effect of acid on fertilization of rainbow trout eggs.

Vitamin deficiencies The lack of growth in humans due to a deficiency of minerals and vitamins.

Hearing acuity Effects of loud music on hearing acuity.

Pharmacology The role of antidepressants in pain relief.

Teeth How do teeth react to carbonated beverages?

Sanitation Effect of insecticides on mosquitoes.


Microbiology & Biochemistry

Bacteria What levels of bacteria are found in various sources of San Joaquin drinking water?

Viruses Do X-rays affect a bacteriophage?

Bacteria mutations Do environmental conditions create mutations in Escherichia coli?

Emulsification Effect of Bile on Fat

Enzyme substrate pH Effects of PEPc Enzyme Activation

Yeast growth Can Yeast Reproduce on a Sugar Substitute?

Energy of activation Catalyzed Reactions of Enzymes

Bacterial growth Does Garlic Inhibit the Growth of Oral Bacteria?

Protein formation Lipooxygenase influence on lipofuscin; granule formation in bananas.

Photo-producing bacteria Studies of Light Producing Bacteria


Physical Science (Physics & Chemistry)

Analysis of oil samples Techniques of fractional distillation of oil samples.

Thermodynamics Which material is the best insulator?

Acid and alkali soils Investigation of pH variations in soil samples.

Static Electricity New uses for a static electricity generator.

Acceleration A comparison of falling objects within the universal gravitational constant.

Sound How can sound effect heat transfer?

Qualitative analysis Negative ions (cations) can be separated and analyzed with exchange resins.

Acidity in milk A study of acidity in different types and brands of milk.

Minerals in tap water Testing the mineral concentrations in hard and soft water.

Aerodynamics The effect of dimples on golf ball flight.


Product Testing & Materials Science

Fiber duration Cotton, linen, wool: which one lasts longer?

Wood durability Water absorption in eight selected hardwoods with and without sealants.

Heat resistance Fire resistance of roofing materials.

Wood product Best plywood for homemade skateboards.

Soap comparison Which laundry detergent works the best?

Materials comparison Which type of baseball bat is best for little league?

Auto safety Anti-lock versus lock brakes.

Product comparison Which type of calf shampoo “pops” hair the most?

Radiation comparison Which type of cell phone works best in the Sierra Nevada?

Insulation Which type of insulation works best?


Zoology

Fish Hot Fish, Cold Fish: Respiration in Goldfish

Geo-biological interactions Effect of Gravity on Living Organisms;

Insects Insect’s adaptations to pesticides.

Snails How fast is a snail’s pace on various surfaces?

Owl food Analysis of owl pellets for determining owl diets and mammal distribution.

Mammals Pheromones as biological control of mammals.

Fruit flies A study of F1 and F2 generation of fruit flies to determine dominant and recessive alleles.

Insects studies An analysis of the effects of soil chemicals on pill bugs.

Reptiles Behavioral studies at the Chaffee Zoo.

Invertebrate Studies Ultraviolet Light and Sea Urchin Development


GATHERING INFORMATION

Learn as much about your chosen problem or question before proceeding with the design of your investigation. You need to become a “mini-expert” on your topic.

If you are organized, you won’t waste time. Write down all information that you might want to use in writing your abstract. Keep a journal (notebook) on your investigation. A small notebook can be carried easily and will remind you that this educational process is special. Record your personal observations or thoughts immediately.

PROJECT PLANNING TIMELINE

Fill in the estimated time for each area.

TIME (In Days) Date Due

__________________ Organization (Planning, Research) ________________

__________________ Construction (Physical Assembly) ________________

___________________ Development (Experimental work) ________________

__________________ Exhibit (Project Presentation) ________________

School/District Science Fair Date: _________________________________

Tulare County Science Fair Date: _________________________________

State Science Fair Date: _________________________________


CONSTRUCTING YOUR EXHIBIT

Your science project is complete only when you have done one more thing that has nothing to do with understanding nature and has everything to do with letting others understand you and what you have done.

This last step is building your display. There were several steps to doing a good Science Fair project described on page 18 under the heading "Investigation Checklist.” Your display will be best if it shows what you did at each step (in summary form, not in full detail).

Your display is a special way to "tell a story." Before you design your display be sure you understand what story you wish to tell. That means you need to show what you were trying to find out (your question), what you did to find out (your experiment), what results you got (your data), and, finally, what conclusions you reached.

The detailed description of all this will be in your research report. The display should show only the essence of each section; just enough to help anyone who quickly looks at your exhibit find out what it is all about. If you get the viewer's interest, then perhaps he or she will stop to study your research report in order to learn more.

Use photographs, graphs, and drawings, not just words.

Being clear is the whole aim. For example, judges like neat graphs, but they are not particularly impressed by computer drawn graphs (unless the computer was used to control the experiment and/or to make difficult calculations on the data before they could be graphed).

Although it definitely helps to be neat, you do not need to buy commercial letters or hire a graphic artist to help you. Please do check the spelling of everything on your display panels. Misspellings influence the judge’s impressions more than poor lettering quality.


CONSTRUCTING YOUR EXHIBIT CONT.

Add to your flat display boards some objects sitting on the table (your apparatus, perhaps, or a model.) 3-dimensional objects are valuable to display at the Fair.

Before you actually begin building anything, make a drawing of what your display will look like. Even build a model of the display if that helps you to see what it will be before you build it.

Have another person look at your drawing or model of the display. He or she can often tell you what is clear and what is not. Listen to him or her and make whatever changes you need to in order to make your display tell your story clearly.


PROJECT ABSTRACT After finishing research and experimentation, you are required to write a one-page abstract. An abstract should include:

Purpose of the experiment Procedures used Data Conclusions

It also may include any possible research applications. Only minimal reference to previous work may be included. The abstract should focus on work done since the last fair and should not include:

Acknowledgements Work or procedures done by a mentor

See the following page for an example of an appropriately written abstract. This abstract will be displayed in front of your science fair project.


Sample Abstract Project #_____________

Title of Project: Effects of Marine Engine Exhaust on Algae

Category: (circle one)

Behavior & Social Sciences Earth/Space Engineering & Mathematics Environmental Medicine/Health Microbiology/biochemistry Physical Science Product Testing & Materials Science Zoology

Grade Category: (circle one)

ELEM. (3-5) JUNIOR (6-8)

This project in its present form is the result of bioassay experimentation on the effects of two-cycle marine engine exhaust water on certain green algae. The initial idea was to determine the toxicity of outboard engine lubricant. Some success with lubricant eventually led to the formulation of “synthetic” exhaust water which, in turn, led to the use of actual two-cycle engine exhaust water as the test substance. Toxicity was determined by means of the standard bottle or “batch” bioassay technique. Scenedesmus quadricauda and Ankistrodesmus sp. Were used as the test organisms. Toxicity was measured in terms of a decrease in the maximum standing crop. The effective concentration – 50% (EC50) for Scenedesmus quadricauda was found to be 3.75% exhaust water; for Ankistrodesmus sp. 3.1% exhaust water using the bottle technique. Anomalies in growth curves raised the suspicion that evaporation was affecting the results; therefore, a flow-through system was improvised utilizing the characteristics of a device called a Biomonitor. Use of a Biomonitor lessened the influence of evaporation, and the EC 50 was found to 1.4% exhaust water using Ankistrodesmus sp. as the test organism. Mixed populations of various algae gave an EC 50 of 1.28% exhaust water. The contribution of this project are twofold. First, the toxicity of two-cycle marine engine exhaust was found to be considerably greater than reported in the literature (1.4% vs. 4.2%). Secondly, the benefits of a flow-through bioassay technique utilizing the Biomonitor was demonstrated.

SAMPLE

BOTANY

SENIOR (9-12)


Project Abstract Title of Project:

Category: (circle one)

• Behavioral & Social Science • Botany

• Earth/Space Science • Engineering & Mathematics

• Environmental Science • Medicine/Health

• Microbiology & Biochemistry • Physical Science

• Product Testing & Materials Science • Zoology

Grade Category: (circle one)

• Elementary (3-5) • Junior (6-8) • Senior (9-12)

FORM 1 Name of Student: Grade Level:

Name of Student: Grade Level:

Name of Student: Grade Level:

School/District:

Name of Teacher: PROJECT # ____________


“SHOWING SCIENCE” STRAND

In the 2007-2008 school year, the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair Advisory Board decided to modify the Science Fair by including a second strand through which students can submit projects. The “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand was developed to allow students to model, demonstrate or showcase a skill/concept in science. “SHOWING SCIENCE”, also known as the Experiential Science strand, allow students who might not have enough science background to participate in the science fair as a means to encourage science learning. Demonstrations of a known scientific or engineering principle are not usually included in a science fair since they do not allow for hypothesis development or any measurable experimentation. The TCSEF Advisory Board, however, recognizes the need to motivate students into science by allowing them the opportunity to demonstrate what they already know. Giving students the opportunity to showcase through modeling, storytelling or demonstrating will hopefully stimulate them into further exploration and experimentation, i.e. science research.

Students who wish to create a science fair project in the “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand must select a category to display their knowledge under.

Below are the 3 main categories for TCSEF “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand projects:

Technology/Multimedia (Video, Website, Powerpoint)

Visual Display (Display, Book, Poster/Brochure)

Artistic Representation (Music, Theatrical)

RULES FOR THE “SHOWING SCIENCE” STRAND The Tulare County Science and Engineering Fair (TCSEF), under the auspice of the Tulare County Office of Education believe that all students have the right and opportunity to compete fairly for all awards. The following regulations will keep projects uniform for judging and ensure that they abide by federal, state and local laws, as well as the State of California Education Code. For these reasons, the following will be strictly enforced:

The Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair Director, or his/her representatives, reserve the right to not display, either physical or in electronic/digital format, any materials which might be offensive to the general public.


RULES FOR “SHOWING SCIENCE” CONT.

Students in grades 3 through 12 attending a Tulare County school (public, private, or parochial) may enter projects in the “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand of the Fair. All projects must be checked and approved by a sponsoring teacher and/or administrator from the school/district.

If your school has a science fair, you must enter that fair in order to enter TCSEF (Tulare County Science and Engineering Fair).

Schools in districts having district-wide fairs participating in TCSEF may enter only through the district fair.

None of the Projects in the “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand

are eligible to continue on to the State Science Fair.

Ethics Statement: Fraud and misconduct are not condoned at any level of competition. Plagiarism,

use or presentation of another’s work as one’s own and fabrication or falsification of information will not be tolerated. Fraudulent projects will fail to qualify for competition.

Students that participate in the “SHOWING SCIENCE” strand must follow all moral, humane and ethical standards that are listed in the “DOING SCIENCE” strand of this handbook. Failure to do so will force projects to fail to qualify for competition.

Team Projects: Teams may have up to three members: NOTE: Teams may not have more than three

members at a school/district fair and then eliminate members to qualify for the TCSEF.

A Team Project cannot be converted to an individual project or vice versa. A new member may not be added to a continuing Team Project, but two original team members may continue their project if the third member no longer participates.

The final work should reflect the coordinated efforts of all team members and will be evaluated using the same rules and judging criteria as individual projects.


TECHNOLOGY/MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY:

All video, keynote and Powerpoint presentation projects will have a run time of 5 to 10 minutes in length.

All projects will be submitted to the Science Fair in digital format (wmv, avi, quicktime, flash or webfiles i.e. html) and brought to the Tulare Science Fair on CD, DVD or jump/pin drive by March 1, 2010.

All projects will be uploaded to a server (chosen by Science Fair Staff) and all interested parties (public, parents, students and judges) can obtain the IP Address and password which will be posted on the TCSEF website. Judges will view all projects within this category from this IP Address.

All projects will be judged according to a rubric (pg. 57) and the top project in this category will be awarded a medal during the awards ceremony. It is expected that the top project be displayed/shown during the awards ceremony.

VISUAL DISPLAY CATEGORY:

All projects must be submitted to the Science Fair in the Sequoia Mall on Monday, March 8, 2010 by 5:00 PM

All projects must not exceed a maximum size of 4 feet wide by 2 ½ feet deep by 6 ½ feet tall. Oversized project displays will not be eligible to be judged for awards.

Students must take full responsibility for the safety of all parts of their project. Although the management of the Fair takes many precautions to protect the

exhibits, we assume no responsibility for any items lost or damaged during the Fair. Valuable material and equipment should be simulated or pictured.

All projects will be judged according to a rubric (pg. 58) and the top project in this category will be awarded a medal during the awards ceremony.

Projects not picked up by 5:00 p.m. at the end of the week will be discarded.

ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION CATEGORY: All musical projects, will have a run time of 3 to 7 minutes in length and must have

original lyrics if used. All theatrical projects will be video taped and submitted in digitital format All projects will be submitted to the Science Fair in digital format (CD, DVD, or

jump/pin drive) by March 1, 2010. All projects will be uploaded to a server (chosen by Science Fair Staff) and judges

given the IP address for judging. All projects will be judged according to a rubric (pg. 59) and the top project in this

category will be awarded a medal during the awards ceremony. It is expected that the top project be displayed/shown/broadcast during the awards ceremony.


“SHOWING SCIENCE”: Technology/Multimedia Judging Sheet Project Name: ____________________ Students: __________________ __________________

Presentation Constraints 2 4 6 8 Total

Creativity Project appears to be uninteresting, lack of creativity, obvious not created by participating students.

Project appears to be somewhat interesting, Judges unsure if project was created by participating students.

Project is fairly interesting, Project is highly interesting and work is clearly the work of the participating students.

Question at End of Project

Project DOES NOT provide a question that participating students could explore further in a “DOING SCIENCE” project.

Project somewhat provides a question that participating students could explore further in a “DOING SCIENCE” project.

Project provides a fair question that participating students could explore further in a “DOING SCIENCE” project.

Project clearly provides a question that participating students could explore further in a “DOING SCIENCE” project.

Time Less than 5 minutes long OR Greater than 10 minutes

Project time is maximized: 5 -10 minutes in length

Information 2 4 6 8 Addresses Topic

Project does not address a scientific concept/skill or person.

Project somewhat addresses a scientific concept or skill.

Project mostly addresses a scientific concept or skill.

Project clearly addresses a scientific concept or skill.

Organization

Audience cannot understand project because there is no sequence of information. There is no clear introduction and conclusion.

Audience has difficulty following project because a lack of conceptual flow. The introduction and conclusion are not very clear.

Project presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow. The introduction and conclusion are clear.

Project presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow. The introduction and conclusion have impact.

Details The project lacks details to support the main ideas.

The project has few details to support the main ideas.

The project has details but could use more to support the main ideas.

The project provides sufficient details to clearly support the main ideas.

Interest Level The information does not hold the interest of the audience.

The information somewhat holds the attention of the audience.

The information mostly holds the attention of the audience.

The information involves and holds the attention of the audience.

Audio/Visual 2 4 6 8 Spelling, Grammar and Readability

There were several spelling/grammar errors and/or the words were often not readable.

There were few spelling/grammar errors and/or the text was sometimes hard to read.

There were only one or two spelling or grammar errors and/or the audience needed some effort to read the text.

There were no spelling/grammar errors and the audience could easily read the text.

Screen Design Poor visual design (graphics, colors, titles, consistency, open space)

Fair visual design (graphics, colors, titles, consistency, open space)

Good visual design (graphics, colors, titles, consistency, open space)

Excellent visual design (graphics, colors, titles, consistency, open space)

Use of Enhancements

The project lacks or uses enhancements inappropriately.

The project includes few appropriate enhancements such as graphics, transitions, audio, video, and/or 3D. Some enhancements are inappropriate or distracting.

The project includes appropriate enhancements such as graphics, transitions, audio, video, and/or 3D but have moderate impact on the project.

The project includes quality enhancements such as graphics, transitions, audio, video, and/or 3D that add high impact to the project.

Research 2 4 6 8 Bibliography and Evidence of Research

There was no evidence of research within the project. No references or bibliography.

There was only some evidence of research for the project and/or no bibliography was attached to project.

There was some evidence of research for the project and a bibliography was a component of the project.

Evidence of research was obvious within the project. A wide variety of sources were used. A detailed bibliography was a component of the project.

Comments:

Total


“SHOWING SCIENCE”: Visual Display Judging Sheet Project Name: ____________________ Students: __________________ __________________















Organization

Audience cannot understand project because there is no sequence of information. There is no clear introduction and conclusion.

Audience has difficulty following project because a lack of conceptual flow. The introduction and conclusion are not very clear.

Project presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow. The introduction and conclusion are clear.

Project presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow. The introduction and conclusion have impact.

Details The project lacks details to support the main ideas.

The project has few details to support the main ideas.

The project has details but could use more to support the main ideas.

The project provides sufficient details to clearly support the main ideas.










Visual Design Poor visual design (graphics, colors, titles, consistency, open space)




Use of Enhancements










Comments:

Total


“SHOWING SCIENCE”: Artistic Representation Judging Sheet Project Name: ____________________ Students: __________________ __________________










Time Less than 3 minutes long OR Greater than 7 minutes

Project time is maximized: 3 -7 minutes in length















Screen Design Poor visual design (graphics, colors, titles, consistency, open space)




Use of Enhancements










Comments:

Total


REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR FIELD TRIP Teachers may wish to visit the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair with their classes whether or not they have students exhibiting. A field trip is only worthwhile if students have an assignment related to the visitation. Before your field trip, students should be counseled on proper conduct:

Walk through the exhibit area. Be considerate of others who might be viewing the same exhibit as you.

Exhibits are for viewing only. They should not be touched.


REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR FIELD TRIP CONT. The following are some possible questions to relate to students that are visiting the TCSEF (Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair):

I like the following exhibit in the ___________________________ division.

Title of Exhibit and School:_____________________________________________________

Why did you like it?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

What question was the experiment asking? _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________

How did the exhibitor try to find the answer to the question?

_______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________

How did the exhibitor get an answer to the question? _______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

What was the answer? _______________________________________________________________________________________

Do you agree with the answer or do you feel the experiment should be changed or

that more work is necessary? Why? _______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Was there something you felt could have been better? _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________


SPONSORS FROM THE 2008-2009 FAIR

is proud to be the principal sponsor of the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair

Title Community Sponsor….

Other Sponsors…..


EPILOGUE A science fair can be one of the most enjoyable experiences during a child’s education. The quest to solve problems and display knowledge about a specific topic can take a child to the uncharted realms of the imagination. “No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.” - Albert Einstein

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.” - Albert Einstein

“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” - Albert Einstein

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” - Albert Einstein

(All pictures except those noted are copyrighted under Microsoft Clipart)


Twenty-Third Annual Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair (Grades 3 – 12)

Sequoia Mall March 8 – March 14, 2010

Parental Information

1. Space must be reserved in advance of your child’s participation in the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair. Grade level participation is determined by the local school district.

2. The number of school science projects is limited to the number of spaces reserved for each school district. The number of spaces is mainly determined by the size of the school district and number of school districts participating. A school and/or district may request more project spaces. These extra spaces will not be confirmed until approved by the Science Fair Coordinator.

3. The school district determines which science fair projects are to be displayed at the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair. All displayed science fair projects must be judged to be the "best" or the "top winners" from each school district as determined by a prior school district science fair contest.

4. No project shall violate the "Safety Standards" set forth in the Tulare County Science Fair Student Handbook, which can be found at www.tcoe.org/sciencefair .

5. The maximum size is 4 feet wide by 2 ½ feet deep by 6 ½ feet tall. (See Science Fair Handbook for more details.)

6. All science fair project students will receive a “Distinguished Project Ribbon” for their contribution to the development of scientific research.

7. All projects must be delivered and set up between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 8, 2010. All projects must be picked-up on Sunday, March 14, 2010 during regular mall hours. TCOE is not responsible

for exhibits left after 5:00 p.m.

8. Judging of Science & Engineering Fair projects will be conducted between 5:00 and 9:30 p.m. on Monday, March 8, 2010.

9. School or classroom visits to the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair are encouraged. Viewing times begin Tuesday during regular mall hours through Friday noon. Please call us at (559) 651-3043

to let us know when you plan on coming so that we in turn may notify the mall’s office.

10. The Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair will be open to parents and the community during regular mall hours. An awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sequoia Mall.

11. TCOE assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to any project or part thereof. Display of valuable items is discouraged. Such items should be simulated if necessary to the display. Any exhibit, or part of an exhibit, which, in the judgment of the Fair director or his/her representatives, poses any safety threat to the public or to other exhibits, will be removed and not judged for any awards. Items such as: glass, animals, bacteria, explosives are NOT ALLOWED.

12. Group projects will be accepted. A group should consist of no more than 3 students. 13. Please Note: All projects must include a copy of all original data and/or notes as well as a completed Project

Abstract Form. Judges will also be looking for ways in which students apply the knowledge learned in the project to some real life situation.


TCSEF BULLETIN 2009 - 2010

http://www.tcoe.org/sciencefair

Two Strands for Students to Compete!

Two Strands for Students to Win Awards!

“DOING SCIENCE” EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE “Traditional science fair project” 10 Categories: • Behavioral & Social Science • Botany • Earth & Space Science • Engineering & Mathematics • Environmental Science • Medicine & Health • Microbiology & Biochemistry • Physical Science • Product Testing & Materials

Science • Zoology

1. Each student participant in this strand will receive a “Distinguished Project Ribbon” in recognition of their contribution to the development of the scientific process. 2. Thirty “Sweepstakes” Awards will be awarded. 3. Special cash awards presented by professional societies and organizations. 4. Approximately 6-10 students with their projects will go on to compete in the California State Science Fair.

“SHOWING SCIENCE” EXPERIENCIAL SCIENCE

“Model, demonstrate or showcase a skill/concept”

3 Categories:

• Technology/Multimedia (Video, Website, Powerpoint)

• Visual Display (Display, Book, Poster/Brochure)

• Artistic Representation (Music, Theatrical)

1. Each student participant in this strand will

receive a “Super Science” Ribbon in recognition of their desire to understand the importance of science.

2. The top project in each category will be awarded a medal.


TCSEF BULLETIN 2009 - 2010

http://www.tcoe.org/sciencefair

GOALS

• Motivate and stimulate the interests of all students in the fields of science, engineering & math. • Recognize outstanding effort and scientific achievement by students. • Provide an educational experience for student participants. • Make all students aware of opportunities in science, engineering and math, and to encourage involvement of all ethnic and gender groups. • Involve the corporate community in recognizing outstanding students in technological and scientific fields of study. • Encourage independent research. • Provide a public forum to acknowledge the efforts of students and teachers. • Stimulate interest and support of science and mathematics within our schools.

WHO MAY ENTER 3RD – 12TH grade public, private or parochial school students in Tulare County may enter their school or district fairs. Selected projects from these Fairs are invited to apply to the Tulare County Science & Engineering Fair.

LOSS OR DAMAGE The TCSEF or TCOE (Tulare County Office of Education) does not assume responsibility for loss of or damage to any project or project part. Note: It is advisable to have extra copies of notebooks and other printed materials.

2010 TCSEF DATES • December 18, 2009

Deadline for 2006 School Registration

• February 5, 2010 Deadline for Student Entry Forms that need to submit compliance forms.

• February 19, 2010 Deadline for Student Entry Forms that do not need compliance forms.

• March 8, 2010, 10 to 5 p.m. Exhibitors set up projects – Sequoia Mall, Visalia.

• March 8, 2010, 5 to 9 p.m. Initial judging for “sweepstakes” awards.

• March 10, 2010, 10 – 4 p.m. Student Interviews from “sweepstakes” awards to determine State Science Fair participants.

• March 11, 2010, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony – Center Court, Sequoia Mall

• March 9 – March 13, 2010 Public Viewing

• March 14, 2010, 10 – 5 p.m. Exhibitors remove projects

SPECIAL FEATURES 5. Each student participant will

receive a “Distinguished Project Ribbon” in recognition of their contribution to the development of the scientific process.

6. Thirty “Sweepstakes” Awards will be awarded.

7. Special cash awards presented by professional societies and organizations.

8. Approximately 6-10 students will go on to compete in the California State Science Fair.

9. Opportunities for schools and other groups to visit the fair.

DIVISION & CATEGORIES

DIVISIONS • Elem.: 3rd – 5th grade • Junior: 6th – 8th grade • Senior: 9th – 12th grade

CATEGORIES • Behavioral & Social Science • Botany • Earth & Space Science • Engineering & Mathematics • Environmental Science • Medicine & Health • Microbiology &

Biochemistry • Physical Science • Product Testing & Materials

Science • Zoology

PROJECT DISPLAYS

Displays must consist of three-section boards (wide back panel hinged to side panels which angle forward at roughly 45 degrees) of pegboard, masonite, foam-core board, hardboard or wood. Purchased commercial boards are recommended.

Board size is restricted to 4 feet wide, 2½ feet deep and 6½ feet high.

All boards and notebooks must remain on display until 10 am on Sunday, March 14, 2010.

All displays must comply with TCSEF Rules and Regulations. See the TCSEF Student Handbook at www.tcoe.org/sciencefair . Items in violation of the rules will be removed.

FOR INFORMATION Jonathan Janzen – Director 7000 Doe Avenue, Suite A Visalia, CA 93291 Phone: (559) 651-3043

Documents

All information can be found at: · • Botany (Video, Website, Powerpoint) ... If your school has a science fair, you must enter that fair in order to enter TCSEF (Tulare County