2014 ELEMENTARY MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGINEERING DISTRICT FAIR

(1)

P

ALM

B

EACH

C

OUNTY

S

CHOOL

D

ISTRICT

2014

E

LEMENTARY

M

ATH

,

S

CIENCE

,

AND

E

NGINEERING

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

School Coordinators’ Handbook

(2)

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

S

CHOOL

B

OARD

M

EMBERS

Mike Murgio, District 1

Chuck Shaw, District 2 and Board Chairman

Karen M. Brill, District 3

Jennifer Prior Brown, Esq., District 4

Frank A. Barbieri, Jr., Esq., District 5

Marcia Andrews, District 6

Debra Robinson, M.D., District 7 and Vice-Chairperson

S

UPERINTENDENT

E. Wayne Gent

C

HIEF

A

CADEMIC

O

FFICER

Cheryl C. Alligood

A

SSISTANT

S

UPERINTENDENT

C

URRICULUM

&

L

EARNING

S

UPPORT

Keith Oswald

S

ECONDARY

C

URRICULUM

D

IRECTOR

Diana Fedderman

K-12

M

ANAGERS

Nancy Kinard, Math

Wendy Spielman King, Science

P

ROGRAM

P

LANNERS

Mickey Banek, K-5 Mathematics

Thomas Salinsky, K-5 Science

(3)

2013-2014

P

ALM

B

EACH

C

OUNTY

E

LEMENTARY

M

ATH

,

S

CIENCE

,

AND

E

NGINEERING

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

T

ENTATIVE

C

ALENDAR

O

F

E

VENTS

Date

Time

Sept. 12, 2013



School Coordinators’ Meeting, FHESC, Ibis training room 2 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Sept. 24, 2013



School Coordinators’ Meeting, FHESC, Rear of Cafeteria 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Dec. 20, 2013



Intent-to-Participate survey closes 3:00 p.m. Feb. 6, 2014



District Committee Planning Meeting, FHESC, C-225 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. April 4, 2014



Project Registration Spreadsheetemaildue 3:00 p.m.

(No more projects accepted after this date)

April 10, 2014



District Committee Planning Meeting, location TBA 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

April 11, 2014



Field Trip Reservation survey closes 3:00 p.m. (Request on Intent-to-Participate survey)

April 11, 2014



Activity Table Reservation survey closes 3:00 p.m. (Request on Intent-to-Participate survey)

May 12, 2014



Deliver and Set-Up Student Projects at S. FL. Fairgrounds 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.

(S. FL. Fairgrounds Expo Center West)

May 12, 2014



Judges’ Reception Dinner & Judging 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. (S. FL. Fairgrounds Expo Center West)

May 13, 2014



School Field Trips 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (by reservation only)

May 13, 2014



Open To The Public 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

May 14, 2014



School Field Trips 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (by reservation only)

May 14, 2014



Coordinators Pick-Up Project Boards from Fairgrounds 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. (S. FL. Fairgrounds Expo Center West)



School Coordinators



Field Trips



Email Deadlines



District Committee

(4)

T

ABLE

O

F

C

ONTENTS

School Board……….. 2

Elementary District Fair Calendar………3

Table of Contents………...4

General Information

Introduction

………. ... 5

Types of Projects ……… ... 6-7

Choosing a Topic ………. ... 8

Math Fair Project Ideas………. .... 9

Science Fair Project Ideas ……… ... 10-11

Engineering Project Ideas ………... .. 12

Support and Guidance ………. .. 13

Helpful

Hints

for

Students ………. . 14

Coordinator’s

Role

……… ... 15

District Fair Competition Rules ……… ... 16-18

Entry Procedure ………. ... 19

District Fair Judging Criteria………. ... 20

Organizing

Your

School Fair ………. ... 21

Coordinator’s Due Dates ……… ... .22

Setting Up Projects ………. ... 23

Hands-on Activities & Field Trips ……… ... 24

English

Translation

Form ……….… ... 25

School Fair Scoring Sheets ……… ... 26-27

(5)

I

NTRODUCTION

This handbook is for teachers who facilitate elementary school, Math and Science Fair competitions. It

describes the rules, policies, and procedures necessary to coordinate a successful transition from your

School Math and Science Fair to the District Math and Science Fair.

If you were not present at the August 15, 2013 School Coordinators’ meeting at Palm Beach Gardens

High School, you should attend either Thursday, September 12, 2013, 3:30-5:00 P.M. at the District

Office (FHESC), Ibis building training room 2 or, Thursday, September 24, 2013, 3:30 to 5:00 P.M.

FHESC, in the rear of the cafeteria. All elementary school fair coordinating teachers must attend one of

these workshops.

School and District Math, Science, and Engineering Fairs are academic competitions, held annually by

public, private, and home school organizations to engage young learners to thinking critically and

solve problems. Participating students earn recognition for their creative ideas, skills, and abilities.

Only first and second place winning projects from School Fair competitions can advance to the District

Fair, where they compete again with other winning projects from schools throughout Palm Beach

County. The Elementary Math, Science, and Engineering District Fair is the highest level of

competition for elementary students in kindergarten through grade five in Palm Beach County.

Understanding how math, science, and engineering projects are different is important.

Math projects

investigate a problem and gather data which the learner analyzes mathematically. The

focus is on the math skills used in the analysis. Consumer-product surveys are good examples of math

fair projects. Consumers are polled about their likes and dislikes. The data gathered is analyzed

mathematically by the learner and the results of the survey are explained. Winning math projects should

reflect the learner’s grade-level, math skills, and abilities.

Science projects

on the other hand, focus on the scientific process used in an investigation. The

learner identifies a problem and forms a hypothesis. A procedure is written to test the hypothesis by

experimenting. Experiments are conducted and data is recorded. The data is used to support

conclusions that are made about the results of the investigations. Winning science projects manipulate a

variable, use controls, and have at least three trials of data samples. They should also reflect the

learner’s grade level, science skills, and abilities.

Engineering projects

combine math, science, and the engineering design process. The focus is on

the design and engineering. The learner will:

A

SK

,

“What’s the problem?

I

MAGINE

, “

What could a

possible solution look like?”

P

LAN

, “What would be needed to build it?

D

RAW

a technical diagram of their

design

and build it.”

C

REATE

a way to test the design a minimum of three (3) times, and

I

MPROVE

it with

each trial. Last, they communicate the results explaining what they learned from the engineering process

and how their design might apply to real-life

This handbook will help coordinating teachers plan, organize, and judge their own School Fair, and

then register their winning projects into the District Fair competition.

For additional resources go to the P.B.C. School District Elementary Math and Science Fair web page,

http://www.palmbeachschools.org/ec/Science/documents/ElementaryMathematicsandScienceFair.asp

,

or email Thomas Medcalf, Chairman of the District Elementary Fair Committee, for assistance.

(6)

T

YPES OF

P

ROJECTS

MATH PROJECTS

A math project consists of all the activities used to solve a problem, explore an idea, and apply a mathematical skill or principle. It must include a purpose, procedure, investigation or survey, data, relationship to mathematics, and a conclusion. It should apply a mathematical skill, concept, or principle and clearly explain all the

mathematics used to obtain the results. SCIENCE PROJECTS

A science projects consists of all the activities used to investigate a problem, explore an idea, and apply science skills and concept. It must include a purpose, hypothesis, experimental procedure, data tables, graphs, and a conclusion. It should show a record of all the data (evidence) collected in the experiments in tables or charts, and compare or contrast any trends in graphs. A written conclusion with claims supported by evidence should clearly support or reject the hypothesis. Metric units and measurements should be used if possible and the experiment should be repeated a minimum of three (3) times for validity or include a minimum of three (3) separate experimental samples.

ENGINEERING PROJECTS-USING THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

An engineering project consists of all the activities used to design and engineer a solution to a problem and should follow the ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS. 1) ASK, “What is my problem?”[PURPOSE] 2) IMAGINE, “What is a possible solution?” [HYPOTHESIS] List all the things you will need to make it. [MATERIALS] 3) PLAN and draw a technical diagram [DRAWING], complete with a title, labeled parts, measurements with their units, of your design that is accurate and precise enough that it can be reproduced by others. 4) CREATE a step-by step description of how you built it and plan to test it. [PROCEDURE] Follow the plan by testing it in 3 separate trials, while recordingwhat you observe [DATA]. 5) IMPROVE how it works each trial until it works perfectly time after time.Last, communicate what you’ve learned to the judges. Write about what you learned through the design and engineering process [CONCLUSION] and explaining how your design applies in real-life

situations.

All math, science, or engineering project boards should include all the following steps:

1. Purpose - (Ask*) a statement describing what you are trying to discover. It should be written in the

form of a question. You can also use the problem statement as the title of your project. Collect as much information as you can about your project. Spend some time in the library or on the internet learning more. Your research should help you understand your question a little better and help you predict your experiment’s results.

2. Hypothesis - (Imagine*)a prediction that can be tested by conducting an experiment. A hypothesis is

an informed guess. Use the information you’ve collected about your question to predict the outcome of your investigation before doing your experiments.

3. Materials - a list of all the equipment and supplies you plan to use in your experiment. It is best to list

the items by quantity, in column form. Use metric tools and measures if possible.

4. Procedure - (Plan*) a list of all the steps for your investigation in the exact order you will perform them.

Be clear, but keep it simple. Other people should be able to repeat your experiment by following your procedure steps.

In every experiment there should be control groups that DO NOT change and one variable group which DOES change. You will use the control group data after the experiment to compare and validate your variable group results. List the controls, which you think will not change, and identify the variable you think will change in your experiment.

Anything in your experiment that changes in order to solve your problem statement is a variable. Pick one variable to test and control all the other variables keeping them exactly the same in each trial.

After writing your experiment on paper, show it to your teacher. When your teacher approves it, you are now ready to begin experimenting.

(7)

T

YPES OF

P

ROJECTS

(continued)

5. Data - (Create & Improve*)a record of all the observations and measurements made in your

experimental test. It is important to record everything that takes place. Keep a record of all the observations and measurements you make. The data should be kept in a notebook. Take

photographs that show changes in your data, but not the investigator (no student faces). When you have finished your experiment, run it again using fresh materials. The more you repeat it, the more valid your results will be. Run you experimental test a minimum of three (3) trails and/or 3 sample tests. (Create*)Build Your Design. (Improve*) With each test trial (minimum of 3) in any engineering design project, make your design even better by “tweaking it” (improving how it works) with each trial. Record what happens in each test and how you improved it before retesting.

6. Tables/Graphs - (Draw*)tables comparing and contrasting the data, graphs showing trends and/or

technical drawing of engineering designs. The data you collect should be organized into tables so it is easy to understand. Record all measurement with their units. Be precise and accurate with any calculations. Average the data trials and graph them using the most appropriate type of graph (bar, line, circle, or leaf-plot) to show any trends. Make accurate and precise technical drawings that

including a title (What is it?),labels(What’s this part called?), and measurements with units (How long is this part?). Include them on your project board. Drawing, tables and graphs can be layered on top of each other.

7. Relationship-to-Mathematics - explain all math skills, calculations, or principals used in the

investigation. This step is required on all math fair and math engineering project boards, (it can also be included on science project boards). It should explain, in writing, any math skills, calculations, or principals used in your investigation and/or engineering design process.

8.

Conclusions -

stating if your results agree or disagree with your hypothesis, what you discovered in

your experiments or design process tests, and why it is important. Begin your conclusion stating in writing if your results agreed or disagreed with your hypothesis. Write about any problems that

happened during your experiment that may have affected the results. All findings should be explained. Any claims (statements) must be supported by your data (evidence). If possible, at the end of you conclusions explain why your project is important or what application it may have to real-life. *

Required for all “Special S.T.E.M. AWARD Categories

All project boards should show the entire investigation process. The students are not present for judging, so only the information written and displayed on the project board communicates their understanding to the judges.

The layout of the information on the project board should follow the same order of the steps above and should read from left panel to right panel of the project board display.

M

ODELING THE

L

EARNING

P

ROCESS

Before a student is required to do a math or science fair project independently, they should have an opportunity to use the science inquiry process, or math skills that are necessary to complete it. Learners need to follow the steps of a project in order: purpose, hypothesis, materials, procedure, data, graph, relationship-to-mathematics, and conclusion. Modeling the learning process before making it an individual assignment is the best way to insure all learners will be successful. The following Model Project Activities are available on the District Elementary Mathematics and Science Fair web page for this purpose. Click on

http://www.palmbeachschools.org/ec/Science/documents/ElementaryMathematicsandScienceFair.asp

.

LOOK FOR:

Sink or Float – Whole-class science project for grades 3-5 or

Surf or Sand Toss – Whole-class math project for grades 3-5

(8)

C

HOOSING A

T

OPIC

Original project ideas grow out of individual interests and should be chosen by the learner themselves. Proper topic selection should appropriately reflect the learner’s grade-level, skills and ability. Expectations should be rigorous yet enjoyable for the learner. Classroom teachers can quick-start the process by using the Math and Science Fair Project Ideas and suggestions in this handbook.

Choosing a topic can be difficult for the learner. Engage them by asking, “What questions are you wondering about?” Suggest possible question after science or math lessons. For example -

Mathematics Science

Are all even, (odd, or prime) numbers alike? Why does white light have colors? What numbers are divisibility? How? Does color affect how hot it gets? Are all rectangles the same? Does salt water freeze?

What’s the probability of scissors, rock, or paper? Is air pollution affected by precipitation?

Ask, “What other questions do you want to answer?” Most learners will respond to this approach and contribute some of their own questions. Next probe them for more, “Can you make a prediction to test that question?” Explain the difference between “opinion questions” and “testable questions.” Write their predictions on the board and continue probing, “Can you think of an experiment you could do to find the answer to your question?” Guide their thinking by asking, “What do you think will change as you experiment? (This is called a variable.) How many variables should you have? (Only one is best if you want a definitive cause.) What things needs to “stay the same” in the experiment? (These are called controls, because you measure and keep them the same as you experiment.) What should you measure to determine how the variable has changed? What tool could you use? What units of measure should you record? How can you know the result will always be the same? (Test it over again 3 times.) What are these extra tests called? (Trials)

Recording their inquiry questions routinely can help learners select a project topic they can investigate independently. Asking guiding questions can help them develop their topic into a project.

Below are some example guiding questions to use throughout the process.

 What predictions could you test? (Hypothesis)

 What materials and tools will you need to test it? (Materials)

 What steps should you follow in your experiment? (Procedure)

 What “changes” (variables) should you look for? (Observations)

 What should “stay the same” (control) in your experiment? (Observations)

 What metric tool(s) can you use to measure your results? (Collecting Data)

 What measurements and observations should you record? (Recording Data)

 Should you record your data in a table or log? (Organizing Data)

 How can you compare, contrast or graph your data? (Analyzing Data)

 What claims can you make from your data? (Drawing Conclusions)

 What data (evidence) supports your claims? (Drawing Conclusions)

 How should you display your work so the judges know what you discovered? (Layout)

The classroom teacher should model the process first. Then, provide topic ideas, guide questions, and support the learner and parents by suggesting an appropriate time frame in which they should complete their individual

projects. A student guide with a letter for parents, time line, and chunked homework assignments is available on the District Elementary Math and Science Fair web page. Click on

http://www.palmbeachschools.org/ec/Science/documents/ElementaryMathematicsandScienceFair.asp. Look for Student Guide Timeline and Assignments.

(9)

M

ATH

F

AIR

P

ROJECT

I

DEAS

A good math project should solve a problem or answer a question using math skills or principles. Here are some interesting ideas you might want to investigate.

Do numbers and symbols really help people communicate? What are magic squares?

What are Napier rods?

Is probability affected by the number of sides on a die? What are triangular and square numbers?

How does temperature affect the state of matter?

Roman Numerals vs. Arabic Numbers, What’s on Your Watch? Can “Peasant Multiplication” improve test scores?

Where’s the math of computer languages? Musical math, notation and fractions What are Tangrams?

Stock Market Math What are “Big Numbers?”

How are fractions used in advertising? Symmetry in Nature

End of Days, When do Calendars End? Is 666 really a part of every barcode number? Are there ordered pairs in art?

What’s a number’s divisibility?

Switch On, Switch Off, Binary Number Computing Abacus – Unplugged Calculation

What are Catalan Numbers? Why have Time Zones? What are Fibonacci Numbers?

That’s the Least of your Number Coin Problems Can an Almanac Accurately Report the Weather? What is the Golden Mean?

Could there be a North American Euro? Is your Bank ATM’s, FREE or FEE?

Are some Unit Prices more attractive than others? Does daylight savings time work for you?

How to Measure a Planet

What in Your Wallet? Cash, Debit, or Credit

What do you what to

know? Be different and

(10)

S

CIENCE

F

AIR

P

ROJECT

I

DEAS

P

LANTS

How does the duration of light affect plant growth? How does the color of light affect the growth of plants?

What are the effects of temperature on the germination of bean seeds? What is the effect of spacing on the growth of radish seeds?

How does magnetism affect the height of bean seeds? To what extent does pH affect the germination of rye grass? What is the effect of different soil mixtures on plant growth? What is the effect of planting depth on the germination of seeds?

To what extent do various concentrations of salt water affect plant growth? How does acid rain affect leaf development?

What is the effect of detergents on the germination of bean seeds? What is the effect of gravity on the roots of a plant?

What is the effect of temperature on the ripening of a banana?

A

NIMALS

How does temperature affect the activity of meal worms?

To what extent does the amount of food affect the population size of mealworms? How does different colored light affect the behavior of earthworms?

How does the intensity of light affect crickets?

What is the effect of background color on the color of a chameleon? What is the effect of temperature on the behavior of goldfish? How do different levels of salinity affect brine shrimp?

What is the effect of different pH on snails? How do vibrations affect the behavior of ants?

What is the effect of height above ground on the attraction of birds to a feeder?

H

UMAN

B

ODY

Who generally have bigger hands (feet), boys or girls? Who are generally taller, boys or girls?

Who generally have larger lung capacity, boys or girls? How does vision effect the sensation of taste?

What is the effect of age on reaction time?

To what extent does age effect the sensation of hearing? To what extent does age effect the sensation of smell?

What is the effect of exercise on pulse rate (or blood pressure)? What is the effect of walking/skipping/running on respiration rate? What is the effect of left/right handedness on reaction time? To what extent does the amount of light affect the acuity of vision?

How does color affect the perceived taste sensations of noncarbonated beverages? Does listening to different types of music affect how well you can perform mental tasks? Does watching T.V. affect how well you can perform mental tasks?

E

ARTH

&

S

PACE

Does the sun rise at the same time and in the same location in the sky? Are the amount of hours of daylight and night the same year round? Does the moon rise at the same time and in the same location in the sky? What is the effect of freezing temperatures on rocks?

To what extent do different types of soils retain water?

What is the effect of rain on soil covered with different types of foliage? What is the effect of wind on different mixtures of soil?

What is the effect of temperature on crystal growth?

What is the effect of temperature on the evaporation of water? What is the effect of air pollution on precipitation?

(11)

M

ORE

S

CIENCE

F

AIR

I

DEAS

E

ARTH

&

S

PACE(continued)

What is the effect of the length of a wing on the length of flight of a paper airplane? To what extent does sunlight affect the temperature of soil?

To what extent does sunlight affect the temperature of water? To what extent does humidity affect evaporation?

How does the pH of rain affect limestone? What is the effect of time of day on shadows?

To what extent does the season affect shadow length? To what extent does season affect shadow direction?

How does the angle of the sunlight affect the temperature of soil or water? How do different surfaces absorb the sun’s energy?

P

HYSICAL

What is the effect differently shaped prisms on the production of a color spectrum? What effect does lens shape have on the refraction of light?

How do color light filters affect perception of color of objects?

How does length, tension, or mass of a guitar string affect the pitch of sound? How do different solids affect the transmission of sound?

How does the length of a vibrating body affect the sound?

To what extent do different solids (wood, plastic, metal) conduct heat? What is the effect of temperature on the volume of air?

What is the effect of heat on different liquids?

To what extent do different insulating materials affect heat loss/gain of water? How does the color of an object affect its reflection and absorption of solar energy? What is the effect of household liquids and powders on red cabbage juice?

How is the strength of a magnet affected by different materials (glass, cardboard, paper)? What is the best shape for a kite to lift off quicker?

How is the distance a skateboard rolls affected by the amount of mass on the skateboard? How does wattage affect the radiation of heat from a light bulb?

How do different fabrics affect heat loss from an object?

To what extent does temperature affect the height that a ball will bounce?

How do the number of batteries and the way they are connected affect the brightness of a bulb? How do the number of batteries and the way they are connected affect the strength of an

electromagnet?

How does the number of wraps of wire around an electromagnet affect its strength? What is the effect of the size of the iron core on the strength of an electromagnet? How does the density of an object affect its buoyancy?

E

NVIRONMENTAL (Green)

What is the effect of recycling on the amount of wastes that goes to the landfill?

What materials that are thrown away at home could be reused at school for learning projects? How do oil spills affect feathered animals, furry animals, fish, sand and shells?

Which plant and food wastes breakdown and can be composted easily into new garden soil? Which native plants will attract hummingbirds, butterflies, or more birds into an environment? Which native plants require less irrigation water and provide year round color to a landscape? What natural remedies are effective at controlling harmful insect that attack garden plants? What native plants can be introduced into irrigation ponds to promote aquatic habitats? What steps can be taken at home or school to reduce the trash sent to the landfill? What steps can be taken to reduce energy consumption in your home or school over time? What steps can be taken to reduce potable water use at home or school?

(12)

E

NGINEERING

D

ESIGN

P

ROJECT

I

DEAS

F

LIGHT

E

NGINEERING

Design, test, and improve

..

ways weight (ballast) can be used to balance longer wing length to achieve the longest flight of a model airplane.

the wing span of a fixed propeller model airplane to increase its flight air time

different launch guide systems, vertical, 45degree,and horizontal, to get the maximum flight distance out of a balloon rocket

different propulsion gases, like air and helium, to see which produces a longer balloon rocket flight.

alternative egress (escape) methods out of an aircraft

an air powered model hover craft.

safety restraint designs for infants traveling on aircrafts.

sound separation systems to separate adult air passengers from crying babies.

comfortable seating for longer flights

W

ASTE

R

ECYCLING

E

NGINEERING

..

a system to insure all paper, plastic and/or aluminum cans are being recycled properly

a trash can that maximizes the volume (space) that recyclables such as paper, plastic, aluminum take up

a trash can that motivates kids to sort recyclables properly

new ways to reuse commonly wasted materials so they don’t take up space in our landfill

a system to reuse or recycle school supplies so they aren’t wasted

a way to keep people from disposing of harmful liquids and solids down the sink drain

a way to reuse old school uniforms

inexpensive and safe ways to compost vegetation and/or food scraps back into soil

M

ECHANICAL

E

NGINEERING

..

your favorite furniture

your favorite sports equipment

ways to crush balky plastic recycling to save trash container space

easy, safe ways to mount you favorite music player to your bike

a soap container that quickly cleans garden tools

a wind powered device that moves water up hill

a rubber band powered cart or train (connected carts)

a steam powered model boat or car

a hand powered coin sorter

a mechanical arm that throws balls to a hitter

a prosthetic device that allow a handicap person to participate in a sport

a Ping-Pong ball throwing catapult

E

NERGY

C

ONSERVATION

E

NGINEERING

..

a portable solar powered chocolate s’more cooker

an LED clock powered by a fruit or veggie battery

a mega strong electromagnet

a rechargeable electricity storage cell (capacitor)

a hydro-electric powered paper cutter

a wind powered LED light reading visor

a solar powered personal fan for a baseball cap

a hydrogen cell powered speed racer

(13)

S

UPPORT AND

G

UIDANCE

T

HE

C

LASSROOM

T

EACHER

’

S

R

OLE

The most important part of the classroom teacher’s role is to model the process and coach their students how to create testable questions. Classroom teachers should provide all the appropriate oversight, guidance, and support the learner’s need to succeed. The checklist below lists the classroom teacher’s responsibilities.

 Model the math and science fair process.

 Provide learners with topic ideas and other idea resources.

 Assign individual projects.

 Make certain each idea is appropriate for the learner’s grade level and skills.

 Approve each idea and explain any safety precautions before experiments begin.

 Explain the timeline and chunk any assignments by due date.

 Inform the parents of all expectations and keep them in the communication loop.

 Provide materials, tools, and an appropriate place to work (if necessary).

 Provide ongoing instruction and support with fidelity.

 Show learners how to organize and lay-out their project board.

 Check the spelling, grammar, skill, accuracy, and content for completeness.

 Assess the learner’s performance to assign a grade (if applicable).

 Enter the projects into the School Fair.

T

HE

P

ARENT

’

S

R

OLE

Parents play an important role in their child’s success in completing a project. The following checklist will assure parents they are not doing too much.

 Discuss the project’s expectations with your child.

 Review the timeline and assignments with them.

 Provide any materials, tools, or resources they need to complete the project.

 Set a time and quiet place to do the work.

 Encourage your child to do their best and monitor their progress.

 Only assist them in completing their assignment, DO NOT DO THE PROJECT FOR THEM.

 Check their spelling, grammar, skill, accuracy, and content for completeness.

 Tell them to plan and organize the project board layout before gluing anything down.

 Tell them only paper, pictures, and graphs can go on their boards, no other objects.

 Help them only with suggestions,DO NOT DO THE BOARD FOR THEM.

 Help them get their projects to school safely by the due date.

R

EMEMBER

!

The project board tells the judges everything that took place in the project investigation process. Students may not be present to explain their work at the School Fair competition and cannot be present at the District Fair competition. So, it is very important to include everything needed to clearly understand the project. No research papers, logs, or notebooks are scored at the District competition and will be removed from display. No models, parts, equipment, or samples are allowed.

(14)

H

ELPFUL

H

INTS FOR

S

TUDENTS

Math, Science, and Engineering Fair is a competition. Your project should show what you’ve learned in your investigation. You will learn how to identify a problem, make a hypothesis, and test your hypothesis with an experiment you design and develop. You should observe your variable and your controls, make

measurements, and record the data as you repeat your experiment three times. You should organize all your data in tables and average your trials. Plot then graph the data to compare and contrast your findings. Then communicate your findings and conclusions in writing along with all the parts of you project on a display board. Make sure to analyze your data, only make claims that are true, and match them up to evidence you see in your data. Write your conclusions in complete sentences on you project board. You can track your progress by checking off each of these steps as you complete them using the list below.

S

TUDENT

C

HECK

L

IST

Pick an interesting topic you want to learn more about.

Write your purpose. State what problem (or question) you are going to investigate.

Research your topic. Use your textbook and the internet to read more about your problem. Think about an experiment you could do to learn more about your problem.

Write a hypothesis. Predict what you think will happen in your experiment.

List the materials. Make a list of the things you use to do your experiment. Use measuring tools if to make some of your observations and record them in tables in your notebook.

Plan your experiment. Write a step-by-step procedure (recipe). Think of all the things you will “observe that change” in your experiment. These things are called variables (things that change). Pick one that you think supports your hypothesis and develop a procedure to test it.

Next, think about all the “other variables” in your experiment that could also change. Develop steps to keep them from changing? Record how you will measure and monitor them. The variables you keep from changing in your experiment become your controls(variables that do not change). A good procedure tests just one variable and controls all the others.

Submit your plan for approval to your teacher. Read and follow his/her comments or suggestions. Follow any safety precautions carefully.

Begin your experiment. As you run your tests, observe any changes that happen to your variable. Record them in your notebook. Keep accurate and precise measurements of what happens (quantitative

observations).

Describe any other changes you observe using your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, feel, or taste? (qualitative observations) Record anything you sense but cannot measure.

Repeat your experiment with fresh materials at least two (2) more times. Record a second and third set of observation data (trials) for each additional experiment. Don’t change anything in your procedure.

Organize your data into tables. Add up and average all your number data across all 3 trials. Plot and Graph any averaged data you can to compare what has happened visually. Describe what trend you see in your graph.

Record your conclusions. Do your results support your hypothesis? If not, why not? Don’t change you data, just explain your results. What claims can you make based on the data? It’s not about right or wrong, it’s about what your data supports or rejects. Report your results truthfully. Just list the facts.

Match each claim (truth) with evidence you observed (your data). Explain how the data supports each claim. Describe why your results are important, what they mean, and why they are significant. Also explain how the problem you investigated applies to real-life.

(15)

S

CHOOL

C

OORDINATOR

’

S

R

OLE

The Elementary School Fair Coordinator is the liaison between both levels of competition, school and district. They are responsible for distributing information to the principal, teachers, parents, students, and school district managers. The success of the participants is directly related to their understanding, cooperation, and leadership. Compensation includes one annual $575 performance based, board approved supplement per elementary school. Use the check list below to track the responsibilities of the school coordinating teacher and submit it at the end of the school year for compensation.

Attend one School Fair Coordinators’ meeting. (Required)

Register your school’s Intent-to-Participate in the District Fair competition. Set the date(s) of your School Fair.

Facilitate teacher and parent workshops to explain the procedures of your school fair.

Distribute and explain the District’s competition rules and regulations to all interested parties. Provide all available Elementary Math and Science Fair resources to all interested parties. Monitor the implementation of your school fair timelines.

Provide ongoing assistance and support as needed to all participants. Organize and facilitate your School Fair.

Recruit judges from your school and neighborhood community. Celebrate the success of all the participating students and teachers.

Register all first and second place School Fair winners in the District Fair competition. Make school field trip reservations to the District Fair competition.

Sponsor an activity table at the District Fair.

Deliver and set-up your registered project boards at the Fairgrounds.

Inform all interested parties of the dates and times the District Fair is open to the public. Pick-up and return your project boards back to the teachers and students.

Inform all interested parties of the District Fair winners.

Deliver any District certificates, ribbons, or other awards to your school, teachers, and students. Assist in any school recognition, celebration, or awards assembly for math and science fair.

Comments:

________________________________________________________________________

Coordinator’s signature _______________________________ Date

Principal’s signature __________________________________ Date

(16)

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

C

OMPETITION

R

ULES

PBC

E

LEMENTARY

M

ATH

,

S

CIENCE

,

AND

E

NGINEERING

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

All project display boards must have the following labels and their explanations to be certified for judging at the District Fair. School Fairs should use the District Judging Criteria (p. 20) and Math and Science Project Score Sheets (p.26-27) for a successful transition from School to District Fair.

Purpose isa statement describing the problem you are trying to solve.

Hypothesis isa prediction that can be tested by an experimental test you design.

Materials are a list of all the equipment, supplies, and things you plan to use.

Procedure is a step-by-step list, in order, of the experimental tests.

Data Tables are a record of all the observations and measurements you make during your experiment.

Only take photographs showing your data, not the investigator (student). Run the experiment with fresh materials three (3) times or use three (3) test samples.

Graphs & Technical Drawings are visual representations comparing and contrasting the data you

have collected, trends you identify, or improvements you make. Record all measurements with their units. Average all 3 data trials and graph the averages to show any trends. Data Tables, Graphs, and Technical Drawings can be layered on top of each other to save space on the project board.

Relationship to Mathematics MUST BE ON ALL MATH & MATH ENGINEERING PROJECTS

explaining all math skills, calculations, or principles used in your investigation.

Conclusions explaining the results of your project using the any data and/or improvements, matching

all the claims you make with the evidence in the observational data you recorded.

School and District coordinators reserve the right to prohibit the display of any project that does not comply with the rules or that is determined unsafe or inappropriate for elementary audiences.

Each project registered by a school coordinator, parent, or group in the District Fair will be examined and “certified for judging and display” by a District Fair certification committee member.

Any student in grades K-5 enrolled in a public, private, home, or virtual school in Palm Beach County may enter an individual project completed during the current school year. Individual projects must win or place in a School Fair before being entered into the District Fair competition if possible.

Classroom teachers, in grades K through 2, enrolled in a public, private, or home school organization may enter a class projectcompleted in class during the 2013-14 school year. Class projects must win 1st place in the School Fair competition before being entered in the District Fair competition if possible.

Grade 3 students may enter winning team projects completed in the classroom, during extended day classes or in after school clubs. Teams cannot exceed 4 students. Only 1 District Ribbon will be awarded per team project. Projects must be the students’ own work.Adults, including teachers, tutors, and parents may only advise, provide constructive criticism, encourage, or supervise them.

Students may only enter one project per division, math and/or science, in the District Fair. Students in grades 3-5 can submit individual projects completed during the 2013-14 school year.

In grades 3-5, individual projects must be the one student’s own work. Adults, including teachers, tutors, and parents may only advise, provide constructive criticism, encourage, or supervise them.

(17)

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

C

OMPETITION

R

ULES

(continued)

PBC

E

LEMENTARY

M

ATH

,

S

CIENCE

,

AND

E

NGINEERING

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

No student or school name may be on the front of the project board at the District Fair. Teacher and school name labels may only be placed on the back, center panel, of the project board. Projects with student and or school name anywhere else will be disqualified from judging.

No photographs that show student’s faces are permitted at the District Fair competition. Photographs of the experiment, data samples, measurements, and or improvements done in the investigation are permitted on the display board. Projects that show student faces will be disqualified from judging.

Project displays must be 36" H x 48" W and should be mounted on “standard” free-standing, cardboard science project boardwhich shutter fold in the center (available at most office and department stores). Any other size boards will be disqualified from judging.

Only paper and pictures are allowed on the project boards. No 3-dimensional objects, money, food, parts, pieces, or samples can be mounted on the project board. Only use glue, not staples that can cut the hands. Stapled project boards and or boards with anything other than paper and pictures will be disqualified form judging. No objects can be displayed in front of the display board at the District Fair including models, sample data logs, notebooks or research papers. Only the required items on the board will be judged and no additional points added for displayed items. Any models, samples, data logs, notebooks, or research papers left after set-up will be

removed and thrown out before judging.

Project boards entered in the District Fair must be self-supporting (able to stand vertically by themselves). Use of the floor or walls for projects, signs, posters, project board headers or other extensions are prohibited at the District Fair and will result in disqualification.

An English Translation Form(p. 25) must be attached to any project written in any language other than English, to qualify for judging at the District Fair. Foreign language projects without ENGLISH TRANSLATION SHEETS will be disqualified from judging.

NO BACTERIA, VIRUSES, MOLD OR PRESERVED SPECIMEN PROJECTS ARE ALLOWED AT THE ELEMENTARY DISTRICT FAIR. Due to allergy, contagion, toxicity, health and safety concerns established by the Florida Department of Education, projects involving pathogens must be conducted at state registered clinics, under the supervision of certified technicians that provide full liability insurance. No elementary age students can be approved in the state.

NO INVERTEBRATE OR VERTEBRATE ANIMALS, BODY PARTS, DISSECTIONS OR AUTOPSY PHOTOS ARE ALLOWED. Projects involving live invertebrates or vertebrate animals must be approved in advance by the District Fair Chairman before a student begins experimenting

NO LABORATORY GRADE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES CAN BE USED WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION. This includes grocery store compounds (i.e., baking soda, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, etc.). All Questions regarding appropriate chemicals for elementary investigations should be discussed with the District Chairpman before any student begins experimenting.

(18)

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

C

OMPETITION

R

ULES

(continued)

PBC

E

LEMENTARY

M

ATH

,

S

CIENCE

,

AND ENGINEERING

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

The following objects or items are

NOT ALLOWED

at the District Fair



dead organisms (plant or animal)



live invertebrate or vertebrate experiments (without District Chair approval)



preserved specimens, body parts, or taxidermy



dirt, soil, mineral, or compost samples



any solid, liquid, or gas chemical or compound samples (including water)



any food

of any kind

(human or animal - including candy, snacks or treats)



any sharp objects of any kind



any medicines, vitamins, poisons (including plants), or drugs of any kind



dry ice or other inappropriate solid, liquid, or gas



flammable substances, candles, lamps, burners or other heating devices



batteries of any kind



real money, coins, or currency of any nation



awards, ribbons, medals, or certificates from other competitions



photographs of student faces



any materials deemed unsafe or inappropriate by the District Fair Committee

The Elementary District Fair Committee reserves the right to disqualify any project considered unsafe or

inappropriate from judging and remove it from public display.

(19)

IMPORTANT: All winning engineering projects must include a design plan with technical

drawings and must be tested and improved a total of three (3) times.

E

NTRY

P

ROCEDURES

PBC

S

CHOOL

D

ISTRICT

E

LEMENTARY

M

ATHEMATICS AND

S

CIENCE

F

AIR

A School Fair level competition should occur at each participating school before entering projects into the District Fair. Each school may enter the following number of winning projects from their school competition.

Division

Grades

Entries Per Grade Level

CLASS

Teacher directs and

students collect and

record the data and

conclusions.

ESE

K-2

1 math and 1 science project

(first place winners only)

ELL

REGULAR

GIFTED

TEAM PROJECT

2-4 students/team do

the work.

ESE

3 2 math and 2 science projects

(first & second place winners)

ELL

REGULAR

GIFTED

INDIVIDUAL

One student does the

work.

ESE

4-5

(Grade 2 and 3 students may also submit individual projects)

2 math and 2 science projects

(first & second place winners)

ELL

REGULAR

GIFTED



Ties at the school fair should be avoided or settled by the School Fair Coordinator or

Committee



S.T.E.M.

Project Categories

- sponsored by our community partners.

Flight Engineering

- sponsored by P

ALM

B

EACH

F

LIGHT

S

AFETY

I

NTERNATIONAL

.

Any grade 2

through 5, Individual Math, Science, or Engineering Design projects with an

“Aviation or Flight

Safety Design Theme”

may be entered. Ribbons & prize will be awarded for first, second, and

third place.

Waste Recycling Engineering

– sponsored by the P

ALM

B

EACH

S

CIENCE

E

DUCATORS

A

SSOCIATION

.

Any grade 2 through 5, Individual Math, Science, or Engineering Design projects with a

“Reduce,

Reuse, or Recycle Design Theme”

may be entered.

Ribbons & cash awards will be given for

first, second, and third place.

Mechanical Engineering

- sponsored by U

P

-N-R

UNNING

M

ACHINERY

I

NC

. Any grades 2 through 5,

Individual Math, Science or Engineering Design projects with a

“Mechanical Engineering Design

Theme”

may be entered. Ribbons and cash Awards will be given for first, second, and third place.

Energy Conservation Engineering

- sponsored by F

LORIDA

P

OWER

&

L

IGHT

.

Any grades 2

through 5, Individual Math, Science, or Engineering Design Projects with an

“Energy

Conservation Design Theme”

may be entered.

Ribbons and cash awards will be given for first,

second, and third place.

(20)

D

ISTRICT

J

UDGING

C

RITERIA

All projects are scored based on the same 5 judging criteria. The target questions under each

criterion will help you make your final decisions. Most questions are objective; however, some are

subjective by the nature of the competition.

1. MATHEMATICS OR SCIENCE INVESTIGATION - 40 total points

 Are the purpose and hypothesis stated? (1-6 points)

 Is the procedure thorough? (1-8 points)

 Is the method of data collection and analysis explained? (1-8 points)

 Are the claims (results) supported by the data (evidence)? (1-8 points)

 Does the project include and adequately explain all these parts - purpose, hypotheses, procedure, materials, design, observations, recorded data, drawings, graphs, and a conclusion? (1-10 points)

 Math projects must also have a relation to math (or will not be judged).

2. Creative Ability - 20 total points

 Does the project appear to be the student or students own work? (1-4 points)

 Does the project idea show originality? (1-4 points)

 Is there any evidence the concept/topic was researched beforehand? (1-4 points)

 Is appropriate data being recorded? (1-4 points)

 Are math, science, or engineering principals and design being applied correctly? (1-4 points)

3. Thoroughness - 15 total points

 Are the materials listed by quantity? (1-2 points)

 Is the procedure listed in order of operation? (1-2 points)

 Is the experiment repeated a minimum of 3 trials, or are there 3 samples of data?(1-3 points)

 Have engineering projects been tested and improved a minimum of three (3) times? (1-3 points)

 Are adequate controls used? Has the variable been identified and limited to one? (1-2 points)

 Is the procedure/plan accurate enough for others to reproduce and replicate similar results? (1 point)

 Has data been averaged and graphed? Have trends been identified? (1-2 points)

4. Skill - 15 total points

 Is the topic age and grade level appropriate? (1-6 points)

 Is the project rigorous compared to others in the same division? (1-3 points)

 Are technical drawings accurate and precise (with titles, labels, measurements & unit)? (1-3points)

 Does the project catch and keep your attention? (1-3 points)

5. Clarity/Neatness - 10 total points

 Is the data clearly presented (i.e., numbers and units), precise, and accurate? (2 points)

 Are the results/findings clearly explained? (3 points)

 Is information displayed logically? (2 points)

(21)

O

RGANIZING

Y

OUR

S

CHOOL

F

AIR

Determine the date and location of the school fair.

Schools may hold their fair in the cafeteria,

media center, hallways, or rotate from classroom to classroom. School fairs should be held any time

during the school year

before Friday,

March 14, 2014,

prior to Spring Break. Participating Schools’

Project Registration Spreadsheets are due

no later than April 4, 2014, by 3:00 p.m.

Winning school

projects registered in the District Fair should be stored at the school until delivered to the fairgrounds

on

Monday, May 12, 2014 between 12:00 Noon and 4:00 PM.

School projects should be judged

using the District Judging Criteria (p. 20) and School Math and

Science Score Sheets (pp. 26-27). Try to have at least 2 judges per grade level. Judges can score

more than one grade level.

DO NOT USE PARENTS AS JUDGES

. Enlist the following people to

serve as school fair judges:



Middle & High School Teachers from neighboring schools



District math and science resource teachers (if available)



High school and college students, or academic clubs



Local professionals (business people)



Retired teachers and administrators



Community Educational Partners

(e.g., Pine Jog Environmental Ed. Center,

www.pinejog.fau.edu, Gumbo Limbo Nature Centerwww.gumbolimbo.org, South Florida Science Museum,www.sfsm.org, Palm Beach Zoo,www.palmbeachzoo.org, Solid Waste Authority,

www.swa.org, Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District, http://pbswcd.org, or the South Florida Water Management District, www.sfwmd.gov.



Order school ribbons and certificates

- it is recommended that each student who participates

be given a certificate of participation. Please

award only first and second place at each grade

level category

along with and honorable mentions for deserving projects because

only first and

second place can move-on to the District Fair competition

.



Conduct a Mathematics and Science Fair parent workshop

during a PTO, PTA, or other

parent/student school assembly meeting prior to your school fair.



Establish a time frame for setting-up and taking-down projects at your School Fair.



Provide coverage for teachers and staff that assist with set-up and take-down.



Set-up a schedule so participating classes can view the projects in your School Fair.



Schedule an Open House or a School Fair Night so parents can view the winning projects.



Register your 1

st

and 2

nd

place winners in the District Fair, online by

April 4, 2014, 3:00 p.m

.

Don’t forget to flag the projects you want judge for Special S.T.E.M. Awards.

(22)

C

OORDINATOR

D

UE

D

ATES FOR THE

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR



An Intent-to-Participate

online survey

must be completed

by

December 20, 2013

by all participating elementary, private, or home-school groups. Upon the receipt of

your

survey responses, you will be emailed whatever you requested including - Student/Parent

Packages,

Field Trip Reservation Forms, Hands-on Activity Table Reservation, and/or a Project

Registration Spreadsheet to register your school projects in the 2014 District Fair.



All projects entered in the District Fair should be judged

first

in a school fair competition before

March 14, 2014

. Projects entered in the District Fair will receive a

“Certificate of Participation”. Winning projects are awarded first, second, third place, and Honorable

Mention ribbons in every grade-level category (K-5). Projects identified by the school coordinator for

special judging categories can also win additional awards.



First and second place projects must be entered

in the District Fair

online using the

Project Registration Spreadsheet and

emailed before 3:00 P.M. Friday, April 4, 2014.

THIS DEADLINE IS FINAL.



The School Coordinator is responsible for

setting-up

their

project boards at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center West

from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. on

Monday, May 12, 2014

.



An English Translation Form

(p.25)

must be attached

to any

project written in any language other than English or it will not be judged.



The coordinator must furnish any tools or materials necessary to set-up their own projects.



Projects will be on display to the public

on

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 from

9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.



All projects must be picked up

at the South Florida Fairgrounds by the School

Coordinator

between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2014

.

Projects not picked up on time may be disposed of by

fairground management.

(23)

S

ETTING

U

P

ROJECTS AT THE

D

ISTRICT

F

AIR

First and second place School Fair projects can be registered in the District Fair competition. The school’s coordinating teacher registers the projects using an Excel spreadsheet (received after completing the

Intent-to-Participate survey). Projects should be delivered to the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center West on Monday, May 12, 2014, between 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. At the Expo Center, you will receive a printout of your preregistered projects and identification labels for each entry. No additional projects can be registered at the last minute.

Project I.D. Labels

Understanding how to read and attach the project identification label is important to correctly set-up your project boards at the Fairgrounds. Each project entry has a unique label that matches it to a display table and judging score sheet. Projects without labels will not be judged or displayed.

Project labels should be attached to the upper, right hand corner of the front right-side panel of each project board. It is then matched to an identical label on a table at the Fairgrounds where the project is to be displayed for judging.

The labels identify the TYPE of project (M=math, S=science), DIVISION of Project (C=Class, T=Team, and I=Individual), GRADE LEVEL(0-5), CATEGORY (Regular Ed, ExceptionalStudent Ed, English Language Learners and Gifted) and the PROJECT NUMBER of each individual project.

To keep the judging process anonymous, no other labels, school or student, should be on the front of any project board (or it will be disqualified from judging). Below is an illustration of a project identification label.

Navigating the Display Tables

Knowing how to navigate your way around the District Elementary Fair is helpful. Street signs taped at the end and middle of long rows of display tables, help steer you in the right direction by Categories(Math or Science) and Grade Levels(K-5) where each project board should be displayed.

Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

Should you need assistance finding a category, grade level or division; just ask for help from any Fair Committee staff member. Your patience is appreciated.

HOW TO FIND A PROJECT

1.

First look for MATH or SCIENCE.

2.

Next look for CLASS or INDIVIDUAL.

3.

Then look for Grade level by number and COLORof signage.

S-I-0R-46

TYPE

S

= Science project

M

= Math project

DIVISION

I

for Individual Project

C

for Class Project

T

for Team Project

GRADE LEVEL &CATEGORY

0

for kindergarten (possible grades levels K-5)

R

for Regular ED (

R

eg.,

E

SE, E

L

L and

G

ifted)

PROJECT NUMBER

(24)