St. Elizabeth Parish School Science Festival

The St. Elizabeth Parish School Annual Science Fair will be held Monday, April 23rd through Sunday, April 29th in the School Parish Hall. The primary grade classrooms will also have various science related projects for viewing during this period.

The projects will not be judged this year. The reason is to eliminate the competitive conflicts associated with such judging. I will, however, encourage students with exceptional projects to enter the L.A. County Science Fair.

The three panel display is not an option. It must be done.

All projects must be delivered to the hall on 4/23 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.. Please allow the students to set up their own project displays. This is not the job of Adults unless safety is an issue. Adults may help bring the components of the display. Once the components are brought in the adults must leave. Please do not use live animals or perishable items in your display. If your project involves working with living subjects (other than plants) please rely on photographs to enhance your display. All displays must be removed by 3:30 p.m. Monday 4/30.

All students, their families and parish members are invited to the Science Festival. All 6th, 7th and 8th grade Students are required to participate in the Science Festival.

· Experiment Format

· Items required are as follows.

· · Typed Laboratory write-up.

· Display of the experiment.

· Self supporting three panel display (A maximum width of four feet and maximum depth of one foot).

· These display panels must include:

· Title.

· Purpose.

· Hypothesis.

· Materials.

· Methods.

· Results with daily log.

· Review of literature.

· Conclusion.

· Abstract. (See details for a Lab write up)

· (7th and 8th grade only.)

· · · Details for a Lab write up

· · The purpose of creating a lab write up is to show others the procedures and results of your experiment. It is for all intents and purposes a step by step recipe for your science project. It is vital that you be extremely detailed and include all sections listed below. Data must be organized in tables, charts and graphs and must be included in your results section. Please remember that the results section is the place to discuss your findings. The results are then supported by using published research in the lit review section. If your results are different from the published research you are still required to compose a lit review section stating what other scientists have recorded.

· · The conclusion should be about one page in length. Please remember that these lengths do not include abstract, title page, table of contents, objective/purpose, materials, methods, and results sections (tests and observations), bibliography or the daily log.

· · Use the following as a guide to what each section of your report should have.

· · 1. Abstract: (7th and 8th grade only)

· The abstract is a shortened version of your entire paper. Others can read your abstract if they do not have time to read your entire paper. It should include information about yourself at the top: name, address, school, grade in school, age, and category of your project. Below this is your hypothesis. In the second paragraph summarize your procedures (materials and methods). The third paragraph should summarize your results and conclusions. The entire abstract should be about 200 to 300 words and fit on one page. The abstract is written after you have written the entire paper.

· · · 2. Title Page:

· This bears the title of your project in the center of the page. Your name, class number, grade level and school name would be placed in the lower right-hand corner of the page.

· · 3. Purpose:

· What is it you are trying to learn/find out about. Ex: "To see how colors and patterns affect memory."

· · 4. Hypothesis:

· This should be a sentence or two explaining what you are trying to prove.

· ex: "Shapes in solid colors are easier to remember than shapes that are checkered colors."

· · 5. Materials: List in detail all the equipment and materials used in the experiment.

· Describe exactly the equipment and materials and quantities of materials you used.

· Describe controls and variable here.

· · · 6. Methods:

· Number and list each step in the order performed during the experiment.

· Write only one specific action in each step.

· If drawing will make your method more clear, make drawings on separate pages.

· Explain any materials that you constructed. Be detailed.

· · 7. Results:

· The results section of your paper is where you describe what you found in your experiment. You must have repeated your experiment a minimum of three times. Therefore, you should have a wealth of information (data) which must be organized into graphs, charts, tables and a brief summary. Make sure you label your graphs and charts so the reader can understand them.

· Example:

· Table 1

· Color of shapes	person #1 % of shapes remembered.	person #2 % of shapes remembered	person #3 % of shapes remembered	person #4 % of shapes remembered
normal black	50	75	77	90
checkered	30	40	47	80
solid blue	50	80	70	93

· · This table can be summarized as follows:

· The control is the normal black. The variables are the checkered and solid blue. This table shows that indeed the solid colored shapes are remembered better than the checkered colored shapes. But comparing the results with the control, the normal black line drawings, shows that solid color shapes are not remembered any better than normal black line shapes.

· · All information gathered from your experiments need to be placed into a graphic form. This information then needs to be summarized. This is what the results section is for. The results section is not for stating if your hypothesis is correct or not.

· · 8. Literature review:

· This is where you use the books, magazines, newspaper articles, web sites etc. to back up what your results were.

· · ex: "When shapes are broken up into patterns the spatial memory of subjects decreased" ( Roth 75). This is what I found to be true in my tests.

· · 9. Conclusion:

· Restate the research topic as a paragraph. State in a paragraph the conclusion reached about the research question. Look over your graphs, charts, tables and daily log and then write what you think the data shows or seems to indicate. You may include your opinions. Do not be afraid to admit where you might have made mistakes. Negative results are not bad. If you did or did not prove your hypothesis, then say so. Be sure to summarize the major points you used to make the conclusions. You should also explain how your project can be improved.

· · 10. Lab Bibliography or works cited page:

· You are required to attach a bibliography to your lab write up. A bibliography is a list of books, articles, pamphlets, and other communications or sources that you used for researching your topic. Follow standard APA or MLA bibliographic form.

· · 11. Daily Log:

· In a separate spiral notebook, keep a daily log. List all times, dates, activities and work conducted during the project. Sample entries include: library work, developing your problem/question, locating and obtaining materials, constructing equipment, data charts, recorded data, observations you made during testing, writing, and so on. This also can include interview time and time you spent with mentors (people who guided you.) The log is to be with your display and must be identified as yours.

· · Display guidelines:

· · Students must follow the listed direction for their format choice. Displays must be three paneled and be no larger than a total of 48 inches in length. If the display needs electricity, you must provide your own extension cord. Those students who notify Mr. Chang in advance will receive location priority. Any special needs should be communicated in advance so appropriate steps may be taken to assist you. Please do not use live animals or perishable items in your displays. Offensive items will be removed without notification. Please remember that these displays need to be eye-catching as well as informative.

· Here are some tips for your displays.

· · The problem/topic is original or a unique approach to an old problem.

· Equipment and materials are used creatively.

· Scientific Thought

· The hypothesis is clearly stated.

· Project exhibits orderly recording in a table or graph.

· Experiments have been repeated and careful records have been kept.

· Conclusions are relevant to the hypothesis and based on data collected.

· Daily log is well organized and complete.

· Understanding

· Project demonstrates what the student learned about the topic.

· Student gives complete information in the display.

· Display is easily understood.

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