The 17th Annual Tri County Science & Technology Fairs3.amazonaws.com/lisd/SF-Manual-20164.pdf ·...

The Hillsdale-Lenawee-Monroe Mathematics & Science Center

presents…

The 17th

Annual

Tri-County Science & Technology

Fair

February 2, 3, and 4, 2016 at Adrian College

Tri-County Science & Technology Fair

Contacts

Hillsdale-Lenawee-Monroe Mathematics & Science Center

Interim Director & Science Fair Coordinator:

Kelly Cichy

(517) 265-1625

[email protected]

Science Fair Registration Coordinator:

Holly Spagnoli

(517) 266-1198

[email protected]

Presented By:

Hillsdale-Lenawee-Monroe Mathematics & Science

Center (HLM M/S Center)

in partnership with Adrian College

A special thank you to our Adrian College faculty sponsor, Dr. Maher Mualla!

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Important Dates

Activity Date Time Location

Science Fair Registrations Due

(electronic form preferred)

Tuesday, January 12, 2016 4:00 p.m. HLM Math/Science

Center

Adrian, Michigan

Science Fair Project Set-Up Tuesday, February 2, 2016 2:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Tobias Room

Adrian College

Division Judges Orientation

Dinner

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 4:45 - 5:00 p.m.

5:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Tobias Room

Adrian College

Students With Their Projects for

Judging

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Tobias Room

Adrian College

Science Fair Project Room -

CLOSED TO PUBLIC*

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Tobias Room

Adrian College

Sponsor Award Judging

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

and

Wednesday, February 3,

2016

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

and

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Tobias Room

Adrian College

Science Fair Public and School

Viewing

Wednesday, February 3,

2016 and

Thursday, February 4,

2016

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

and

9:00 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Tobias Room

Adrian College

Science Fair Awards Assembly Thursday, February 4,

2016

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Dawson Auditorium

Adrian College

Project Removal Thursday, February 4,

2016

By 2:30 p.m. please Tobias Room

Adrian College

*After student project presentations, you are welcome to visit

Adrian College’s dining room next door (open until 7:00 p.m.). 3


Category Descriptions

Division I: Grades 5th - 6th

Individual Experiments

Team Experiments

Division II: Grades 7th - 8th

Earth Science Life Science

Physical Science Team Experiments

Division III: Grades 9th - 12th

Earth Science Life Science

Physical Science Team Experiments

Description of Categories

Earth Science:

Geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, astronomy, speleology, seis-

mology, geography, air pollution, and ecology.

Life Science:

Study of living things: molecular biology, molecular genetics, enzymes, photosynthesis, hormones, agricul-

ture, horticulture, forestry, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant pathology, plant genetics, hydroponics,

algae, dentistry, pharmacology, pathology, ophthalmology, nutrition, sanitation, pediatrics, dermatology, aller-

gies, speech and hearing, animal genetics, ornithology, ichthyology, herpetology, entomology, animal ecology,

paleontology, cellular physiology, circadian rhythms, animal husbandry, cytology, histology, animal physiolo-

gy, invertebrate neurophysiology, or studies of invertebrates.

Physical Science:

Study of nature and composition of matter and laws governing it: physical chemistry, organic chemistry, inor-

ganic chemistry, materials, plastics, fuels, pesticides, metallurgy, and soil chemistry. 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, or en-

vironmental engineering. 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, ther-

modynamics, semi-conductors, magnetism, quantum mechanics, or bio-physics.

Team Projects:

Study conducted by two or three students in any of the three disciplines listed above.

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Tri-County Science & Technology

Fair Awards Place awards will be given within the categories listed in each division. Company or Organizational Sponsor

Awards will also be given in all divisions.

Division I: 5th - 6th Grade Individual and Team Awards:

Place Awards within both the Individual and Team Project categories.

1st Place ….. Gold Medal, Certificate, $100.00 5th Place ….. Ribbon, Certificate

2nd Place …. Silver Medal, Certificate, $75.00 6th Place ….. Ribbon, Certificate

3rd Place ….. Bronze medal, Certificate, $50.00 7th Place ….. Ribbon, Certificate

4th Place ….. Ribbon, Certificate

Division II: 7th - 8th Grade Individual and Team Awards:

Place Awards within each category: Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Team Projects.



3rd Place ….. Bronze Medal, Certificate, $50.00 7th Place ….. Ribbon, Certificate


Division III: 9th - 12th Grade Individual and Team Awards:

Place Awards within each category: Earth Science, Life Science, Physical Science, and Team Projects.



3rd Place ….. Bronze medal, Certificate, $50.00 7th Place ….. Ribbon, Certificate


Sponsor Awards:

These awards may include: Certificates of Excellence, educational scholarships, gift certificates, cash, books,

calculators, book bags, and more. Students are eligible to win sponsor awards in all categories and divisions.

5


Rules and Regulations

1. Display must be durable with all parts firmly attached. No attachment to walls or tables will be allowed.

2. Displays must meet size requirements. Table Displays: 4 ft. wide x 2 ft. deep x 6 ft. tall

Floor Displays: 4 ft. wide x 2 ft. deep x 9 ft. tall

3. All display limitations must be followed (see Display and Safety Regulations).

4. Projects that involve human subjects, non-human vertebrate animals, pathogenic agents, controlled sub-

stances, recombinant DNA, or human and animal tissue, require approval from the Tri-County Science Fair

Review Board before experimentation begins.

5. Projects must adhere to all Federal, State, and local laws. Refer to rules regarding human subjects, recom-

binant DNA, controlled substances, hazardous substances of devices, non-human vertebrate animals, hu-

man and animal tissue, and pathogenic agents at :

http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/rulesandguidelines Students will not be required to fill out forms.

6. No project may use consumable alcohol, tobacco, or illegally obtained narcotics.

7. Only one exhibit will be allowed per student and only one student may work on an individual project. Pro-

jects in the Team category must be limited to three students. A Team project cannot be converted to an

individual project.

8. All experimental work must be done by the student. Adults may supply materials, advice, and consulta-

tion.

9. The Science Fair Committee reserves the right of refusal of an exhibit which it deems unsafe or unsuitable

for public exhibition.

10. The project may have begun at any time between January 2015 to February 2016. A previously investi-

gated topic may continue under investigation, but data previously displayed must be treated as “research”.

New data must be generated, displayed, and conclusions drawn based on this data.

11. All students entered must be in 5th - 12th grade and attend a school or home school in Hillsdale, Le-

nawee, or Monroe County at the time of the fair.

12. Plagiarism will result in disqualification. All material obtained from outside sources must be referenced.

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Display and Safety Regulations

Unacceptable for Display Acceptable for Display Only (cannot be operated)

1. Living organisms (i.e., plants, animals, microbes).

2. Dried plant materials.

3. Taxidermy specimens or parts.

4. Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals (includes

embryos).

5. Human or animal food, including liquids.

6. Human/animal parts or body fluids (i.e., blood, urine).

Exceptions: teeth, hair, nails, dried animal bones, histo-

logical dry mount sections, and wet mount tissue slides.

7. Soil or waste samples.

8. Laboratory chemicals, including water.

9. Poisons, drugs, controlled substances, hazardous sub-

stances or devices (i.e., firearms, weapons, ammunition,

re-loading devices).

10. Dry ice or other sublimating solids (i.e., solids which

vaporize to a gas without passing through a liquid

phase).

11. Sharp items (i.e., syringes, needles, pipettes).

12. Flames or highly flammable display materials.

13. Empty tanks that previously contained combustible liq-

uids or gases, UNLESS purged with carbon dioxide.

14. Batteries with open-top cells.

15. Awards, medals, business cards, flags, etc.

16. Photographs or other visual presentations depicting ver-

tebrate animals in other-than-normal conditions (i.e.,

surgical techniques, dissection, necropsies, or other lab

techniques).

***Exhibits may not display student names and/or student

faces. Entries containing such images should be blacked

out or covered with a sticker.

1. Projects with unshielded belts, pulleys, chains and

moving parts with tension or pinch points.

2. Class III or IV lasers.

3. Any device requiring voltage over 110 volts.

Acceptable for Display & Operations (with re-

strictions)

1. Class II lasers:

a) must be student-operated

b) posted sign must read “Laser Radiation: Do

Not Stare into Beam”

c) must have protective housing that prevents

access to beam

d) must be disconnected when not operating

2. Large vacuum tubes or dangerous ray generating de-

vices must be properly secured.

3. Pressurized tanks that contain non-combustibles may

be allowed if properly secured.

4. Any apparatus producing temperatures that will cause

physical burns must be adequately insulated.

5. High-voltage equipment must be shielded with a

grounded metal box or cage to prevent accidental con-

tact.

6. High-voltage wiring, switches, and metal parts must

have adequate insulation and overload safety factors,

and must be inaccessible to others.

7. Electric circuits for 110-volt AC must have a 9-foot

cord. The cord must have sufficient load carrying ca-

pacity and approved by Underwriters Laboratories.

8. Electrical connections must be soldered or made with

approved connectors. Connecting wires must be insu-

lated.

9. Bare wire and exposed knife switches may be used

only in circuits of 12 volts or less; otherwise, standard

switches are required.

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How do I Prepare for the Science Fair? Elements of a Successful Project:

Project Notebook or Journal (required of all divisions):

A project data book is your most valuable piece of work. Accurate and detailed notes make a logical and

winning project. Good notes show consistency and thoroughness to the judges and will help you when

writing your research paper or topic report. Notebooks should:

a) Be bound in some manner. Composition notebooks work well.

b) Contain all aspects of the research project.

c) Be written in blue or black ink only.

d) Show all mistakes - do not use whiteout or erase mistakes.

e) Not contain grades or marks from teachers or your Adult Sponsor

Abstract (Division III only):

After finishing research and experimentation, you are required to write a maxi-

mum 250-word, one-page abstract. The abstract should not include any materi-

al which is not mentioned in the paper. An abstract should include the:

a) purpose and hypothesis of the experiment d) basic results

b) procedure or method used e) conclusions

c) basic data collected

Abstracts may be included as part of the display on single sheets of paper, as flyers, or in a brochure style.

Several copies should be made so that judges, teachers, students, or general public viewers may take a copy

with them.

Research Paper or Topic Report (required of all divisions):

A research paper should be prepared and available along with a project data book, and any necessary forms

or relevant written materials. A research paper helps organize data, as well as thoughts. Your paper should

be typed, double-spaced, and free from spelling errors. Times New Roman, Times, or Bookman font styles

are recommended. Font should be no larger than 12. Each chapter or section should begin as a new page in

the paper. The judges should not be your proofreaders!! Have four to five adults proofread your paper for

any errors. Make the necessary changes before entering the fair.

Element Division I & II Division III

Project notebook or journal x x

Abstract x

Research paper or topic paper x x

Display x x

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Division III Research Paper:

a) Title Page - Center the project title and put the name and date of the Science Fair at the bottom right.

b) Abstract - A one-page summary of the paper. Purpose, hypothesis, methods, data, results, and

conclusions are included.

c) Table of Contents - Include a page number for the beginning of each section.

d) Introduction - The introduction should be written in a book report style using 3rd person separated into

the following four parts:

1. Reasons for Research - Why is this project important?

2. Problem Statement - What is the purpose of this project?

3. Background Information - All information found from library research. This is the main body of

the introduction.

4. Hypothesis - What do you think will happen?

e) Materials List - Include everything used in the experiment, the number used, and special features.

f) Methods - Describe in detail the methodology used to collect your data or make your observations. Your

report should be detailed enough so that someone would be able to repeat the experiment from the infor-

mation in your paper. Include detailed photographs or drawings of self-designed equipment. The meth-

ods should be written in past tense.

g) Results - Your results should be broken down into three areas:

1. Raw Data Table - A table listing all of your results for each subject, trial, and variable.

2. Smooth Data Table - A table listing the averages for each variable. Other statistical data may also

be included on these tables - modes, deviations, t-test analysis, etc.

3. Analyzed Graph - A graph illustrating the differences between the variables.

h) Discussion - The discussion is the essence of your paper. The results and conclusions should flow

smoothly and logically from your data. Be thorough. Allow your readers to see your train of thought,

letting them know exactly what you did. Compare your results with theoretical values, published data,

commonly held beliefs, and/or expected results. The discussion should be divided into four main parts:

1. Analysis of Results - Complete analysis, very thorough with references to tables and graphs, intro-

ductions material, and the purpose of the project.

2. Problems Encountered - Discuss all problems, solutions, or changes that needed to be made.

3. Suggestions for Future Research - Discuss ways to expand on this project or other related research

which could be done.

4. Conclusion - Summarize your results. Be specific, do not generalize. Never introduce anything in

the conclusion that has not already been discussed. Was your hypothesis supported? Why or why

not?

i) Acknowledgements - You should always credit those who assisted you, including individuals, business-

es, and educational or research institutions. Identify any financial support or material donations.

j) References - Your reference list should include any documentation that is not your own. See an

appropriate reference manual for correct format.

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Division I & II Research Paper or Topic Report:

The junior division research paper should include the following areas:

a) Title Page - Center the project title and put the name and date of the Science Fair at the bottom right.

b) Introduction - The introduction should include the purpose of the project, any background information or

library research conducted on the topic, and the hypothesis. Reports written for models and collections

will only contain the background information and should be written similar to a book report. Five or more

references should be used.

c) Material List - This page should list all of the materials used, the quantity of each, and any special

features or product descriptions.

d) Procedure - For all experimental projects a step-by-step procedure should be written. Procedures should

be written in such a manner that anyone who wants to repeat the project will be able to do so.

e) Data Table - The data table should include all of the trial results, as well as the mean, median, or mode.

f) Graph - A graph illustrating the mean, median, or mode should be created. Graphs should be made to

illustrate the data in an appropriate manner. Line and bar graphs are most commonly used.

g) Analysis of Results - Within this section, you should discuss your data table and graph. This section is a

written account of the results. Any problems you encountered during your experiment may be included in

this section.

h) Conclusion - Was the hypothesis supported or not supported? Discuss how you came to this conclusion.

What did you learn in doing this experiment?

i) Acknowledgements - This page is basically a thank you note to all of the people who helped you com-

plete this project. Names may be included, but not organization, company, or school names.

j) References - Using the correct reference style (APA or MLA), make an alphabetical list of all of the refer-

ences you used in your report.

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Science Fair Judging Criteria

I. Scientific Thought

For all projects except engineering projects:

1. Both problem and hypothesis are identified and clearly stated.

2. The problem is manageable and capable of being investigated.

3. The hypothesis is derived from the literature search conducted prior to the experiment.

4. The procedure for gathering data and making observations is detailed to allow for repetition by

others.

5. The experiment is designed so that it yields valid, reliable, and accurate data in testing the hypothe-

sis. Variables are identified and controlled.

6. The student has used a sufficient sample size and/or has repeated the experiment to

provide sufficient data for analysis.

7. Conclusions formulated are logical, based on the data or observations collected,

and relevant to the problem/hypothesis.

8. Student demonstrates an understanding of remaining unanswered questions.

Engineering projects:

1. The project has a clear, well-defined objective.

2. The objective is manageable and capable of being investigated.

3. The project addresses an existing or newly-created need.

4. The project reflects knowledge of existing solutions and their limitations.

5. The materials/procedure is clearly stated with adequate detail allowing repetition by others.

6. Accurate and detailed data has been collected with the development of the solution/device/product.

7. A functional, environmentally-safe solution/device/product was created.

8. The solution/device/product has been tested to determine its feasibility and/or effectiveness.

9. Student shows an understanding of remaining unanswered questions and/or suggests future modifi-

cations required.

II. Clarity and Thoroughness

1. Student has prepared an in-depth annotated bibliography which cites sources of information other

than encyclopedias and textbooks.

2. The complete project is documented in a notebook which is organized, neat, and accurate.

3. The project demonstrates a depth and/or breadth of study.

4. Through the use of an abstract interview, the student demonstrates a clear understanding of the

project in summarizing the project goal, procedure, and findings.

5. The display reflects the logical presentation of the project in addition to being neat and

organized.

6. It is evident the student committed considerable time and effort in developing the project.

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IV. Creativity and Innovation

1. The student’s project is original, stemming from ideas conceived by the student as opposed to

those

found in a laboratory text or provided by others.

2. The student has used equipment and/or materials creatively to obtain data/observations.

3. The student shows creative ability or originality in the analysis, interpretation, and application of

the data.

V. Communication of Data and Analysis

1. Data/observations are organized and presented in the journal section of the notebook as original

entries (not copies).

2. Data/observations are organized and summarized using charts, tables, or graphs.

3. Includes an Analyzed Graph illustrating the differences between the variables.

Judges will score each project, awarding points from 0-10

in these five categories:

Overall Appearance

Scientific Thought

Creativity/Innovation

Thoroughness/Clarity

Communication of Data and Analysis

*The judges selected for the science fair include local science professionals, teachers, college professors,

college students, and community members. Each judge will score in his or her area of specialty. Any

person who has a child entered, or who assisted a student with a project , will not be judging in that

Division.

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Entry Form Information All entry forms may be electronically submitted or saved to your computer and e-mailed as an attachment to:

Holly Spagnoli, Registrar

Hillsdale-Lenawee-Monroe Math/Science Center

4107 N. Adrian Hwy.

Adrian, MI 49221

[email protected]

(517)266-1198

If you need assistance submitting or e-mailing your form, please contact Holly Spagnoli. Due to the high vol-

ume of entries, we are unable to accept non-electronic formats.

Entry forms may be found on the following website:

http://www.lisd.us/instructional-services/stem/hlm-math-science-center/hlm-msc-student-programs/

Entry Deadline:

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

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Adrian College Campus

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The 17th Annual Tri County Science & Technology Fairs3.amazonaws.com/lisd/SF-Manual-20164.pdf ·...

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