Www.ncsciencefair.org September 22, 2015 UNC-Pembroke Inspiring Innovation in Student Research! 1.

www.ncsciencefair.org

September 22, 2015UNC-Pembroke

Inspiring Innovation in Student Research!

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NC Science Fair Foundation (NCSFF)• Organizing body of the NC Science and Engineering

Fair (NCSEF)• 501c3 Non-Profit Organization• The state affiliate of the INTEL International Science

and Engineering Fair (ISEF)• Sponsor of student competitions and events• Provider of teacher professional development• Website http://ncsciencefair.org/

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Introductions


Introductions, cont.• Workshops Sponsored by Biogen Foundation

The Biogen Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of people’s lives and contribute to the vitality of the communities in which we operate. The Foundation puts special emphasis on innovative ways to promote science literacy and encourage young people to consider science careers. The Foundation focuses on STEM education initiatives and is committed to sparking a passion for science and discovery, supporting innovative initiatives, and strengthening efforts to make science accessible to diverse populations.

• Our host

• Participants – tell us about you–Name–School–Grade level

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Science and Engineering Regional Fairs Across NC

• NC has 9 regional fairs feeding into the State Science and Engineering Fair

• Different local feeder patterns in different regions• Region 3 has two – 3A and 3B

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What do you think of when you think of a Science Fair?

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Today’s students investigate NEW PROBLEMS and New Solutions

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www.ncsciencefair.org7

Why should students participate in an independent research project?

• Experience the excitement of inquiry-based science

• Learn how scientists approach a problem and seek answers

• Teaches lifelong learning skills, organization, and time management

• Allows personal development as students become “experts” in their field of investigation

• Encourages natural curiosity

• Helps you to comply with the Next Generation Science Standards


Why should teachers have this as part of their curriculum?

• Integrate Science Across Curricula Reading & writing in content areas Math analysis of data, graphing, charts Computer skills in presentation, graphs, text Interpretation of scientific data Increase science literacy, student interest in science, and

motivation to pursue scientific careers Learn real world skills

• New K-12 Next Generation Science Standards states that science education should be built around “Scientific and Engineering Practices”

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The Process for Teachers(1) Set a Time Line

–Schedule for designing experiment and methods, experimentation, and analysis.

–Review of research plans prior to experimentation–Putting together paper or project board–School and higher level competitions

(2) Get Parental Support – volunteers, mentoring,

(3) Guide students through the process, ask questions

(4) Have students present work – local, regional, state

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Guiding Student Research Ch 4; p

68-72


Transferring Student Work to Graded Assessment

• Each portion is assessed separately, not looking at the final complete project for the next Einstein

• As we will model today, each portion is reviewed for how well students follow the science and engineering process

• Teachers can provide feedback throughout the process and encourage student’s critical and creative thinking

• Rubrics for grading each portion can be found in sciencebuddies.org in the Teacher section

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Guiding Student Research p 77

and 85-89


The Process for Students1. Think about what interests them, their own real world

problems2. Start journal on Research3. Select Topic4. Do Background Research5. Develop Questions6. Develop a Research Plan7. Conduct Experiment8. Analyze results9. Write up findings10. Create the Display11. Present research and findings

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Developing the Project

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Resources

• NC Science and Engineering Fair: www.ncsciencefair.org

• Science Buddies: www.sciencebuddies.org, information for students, teachers, and parents

• ISEF Get Started: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/participate

• ISEF Rules and Guidelines: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/rulesandguidelines

• ISEF Rules Wizard: http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp

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Picking the topic• Topic (noun)

1. a subject of conversation or discussion: to provide a topic for discussion. 2. the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts.

3. Rhetoric, Logic. a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn.

• Should come from something of great INTEREST – Hobby or topic they know something about– Encourage students to think about their environment/their life– Real world applications/something in the news

• One to two words• Begin keeping your journal/research log!• Good resource is the “Topic Wizard” on www.sciencebuddies.org

• This should give ideas, not a project (your students can use the project suggestions as background information

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the Most Difficult Part


Design a ProjectDesign a Project

In groups of 3-4 you will come up with

a TOPIC

develop a TESTABLE QUESTION

create a RESEARCH PLAN

and determine how to PRESENT YOUR DATA

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Background Research Research on your problem might include:

• Definition and/or explanation of the topic or problem

• Definition and/or explanation of terms found in the problem

• Information about topics that relate to the problem

• Explanation of why it is important to know about this problem

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While students are doing their research they are looking for questions that they would like to answer


Conducting Background ResearchResources

Use the internet but look for “.edu” or “.gov” • NOT ALL INFORMATION ON THE WEB IS

CORRECT!• Try using Googlescholar.com for journals

Use libraries – local resources and community and other colleges and universities

Talk to experts in the field - local and distant (NC Universities, Science Buddies, etc.)

Create a bibliography of your sources At least 3 for elementary and 5 for Junior and

Senior

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Organize the information from the background research

1) Look at what you have learned

2) Think of questions that were not answered

3) Narrow your focus for your topic to a particular idea

4) Develop the “testable” question!

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Creating a Testable Question• A scientific question usually starts with: How, What, When, Who,

Which, Why, or Where

• Design a "fair test" that requires you to change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions the same– If you cannot design a fair test, then you should change your

question

• Your science fair project question should involve factors or traits that you can easily measure using a number. Or, factors or traits that are easily identified.

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From Science Buddies

Question must address: topic what is being changed/tested what is being measured


Create your testable questions• This worksheet allows you to use

your background research to guide you in developing your question

• Remember your question must answer:What is your topic What is being changed/testedWhat is being measured

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Take 15 minutes to develop your testable question using this

worksheetOnce your group has your question, write it on the big pieces of paper

“Topic to Experiment” worksheet (PDF in the files provided)

plants

plants

Soil FoodLight TemperatureWater

plants

GrowFlower

types of water

flowering

Does filtered water, tap water or rain water help plants flower faster?

Time it takes to flower

FilteredRainTap


Learn by Doing

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Developing Authentic InquiryGenerating research questions Complex transformation of observations

Developing simple controls Developing theories and mechanisms

Making multiple observations Multiple studies of the same type

Observing intervening variables Multiple studies of different types

Using analog models Studying expert research reports

Simple transformation of observations

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How is Research Done?The Inquiry Cycle

#4 Test & Discover

#5 Student Analysis & Dissemination

#1 Student Curiosity & Interest

#2 Develop Testable Question

#3 Experimental Design

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Engineering Design Cycle

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Comparison of the Methods*The Scientific Method The Engineering Process

State your question Define a need

Do background research Do background research

Formulate your hypothesis, identify variables

Establish design criteria

Design experiment, establish procedure

Prepare preliminary designs

Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment

Build and test a prototype

Analyze your results & draw conclusions

Test & redesign as necessary

Present results Present results

*Sciencebuddies.org 25


ISEF Areas of Research

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Life Sciences RoboticsPlant Sciences ComputationalChemistry MathematicsBehavior & Social Sci. Systems SoftwareBiomedical & Health Materials ScienceEnvironmental/Earth Embedded

Systems(hardware)Energy – Chem., Physical Engineering


Developing the Research Plan


Things to think about• Is this original?• Is this doable?• Materials• Location

1. Home2. School3. University4. Laboratory5. Industrial Setting6. Medical Center7. Field

• Mentor– Adult sponsor– Scientist– Local experts

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Developing a Research Plan Question being addressed – the “testable” question Hypothesis/Problem/Goal Description in detail of method/procedures

Written in future tense (BEFOREBEFORE experimentation) Fluid process that may require rewriting

What type of data you are planning to collect (what is being measured)

• Need to have controls and document factors that influence experiment

– Be sure to have large enough numbers to be valid• Need to have limited variables so that you know what is

changing and why How will you analyze the data that you collect

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Back of ISEF Form 1A is how to write a research

plan (handout)


Rules and Regulations• We follow the rules put forth by ISEF

– Can find the complete rules as a PDF in your workshop folder

• Why?• Protects students• Protects you• Raises the expectations for quality work• Gets scientists involved in your school• Allows students to compete at higher levels• Develops understanding of how science is regulated in U.S.

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Does your project follow the rules?

ISEF rules wizard can be useful to determine forms needed.

http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp

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What are ISEF Forms?• Requiring ISEF Forms protects students and school.• Forms must be reviewed BEFORE Experimentation• http://ncsciencefair.org/index.php/students-a-parents/

forms• Local fairs can save paper by using an online system for

Forms 1, 1A and 1B. Research plans, abstracts, and other forms need to be in hard copy.

• Students who win and go on to the next level will need hard copies of all forms.

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Setting up an Online Research Documentation for Schools

• Google doc: http://tinyurl.com/pytm8ys• Allows the teacher to have a spreadsheet with all

student information with approvals from parents.• Allows the documentation of approvals without

blowing your paper budget!

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What does the SRC check?• No microorganisms for elementary students• No home culturing of microorganisms

• Extra forms, if needed – use checklist

• Research plan Does plan match checklist and abstract?Bibliographies – 3 for elementary and 5 for Junior and Senior projectsAcceptable risk differs – better safe than sorry…Disposal plan for chemicals and microorganisms

• Final project – did it follow the research plan?

• Plan reviewed and approved before experimentation

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Questions?

• Email your Regional Director• Email NC State level SRC through website

– [email protected]– The question will be reviewed and answered by several

SRC members– We encourage questions even if this is PRIOR to

experimentation

• ISEF SRC is helpful– If we can’t answer the question we will forward it to ISEF

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Begin the experiment• Keep detailed notes of every step and experiment in your

journal/research log.

• Use data tables or charts as you proceed to help you see trends in data.

• Have quantitative data, but also record observational data.

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Resource: Guidelines for keeping a laboratory notebook (http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/notebook/notebook.html)


Analyze Results• After experiments, examine and organize findings

• Use graphs to show data

• Identify patterns in data

• Look for experimental error and where they could occur

• Look at statistical relationships in data

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Bring in the MATH!!!Bring in the MATH!!!


Presenting Data• Schematics, illustrations, and flow charts are

effective means of explaining how an experiment was conducted or the design concepts for an engineering project.

• Tables are a format for presenting raw data or statistical summaries of data

• Graphs are used to visually represent data, be sure to choose the proper type of graph

• Photographs are particularly useful for depicting an experimental setup, or examples of what results actually looked like.

38In your groups, take 2 minutes to determine how you

would present your findings


Determining the best way In competitions students will be judged by scientists and

engineers working in the field of study thus they will expect to see data displayed in an appropriate manner

How to decide?• Refer back to the background research and how that

data was presented• http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/

top_science-fair_data_presentation_tips.shtml gives a table of top journals in various fields and links to their style guides

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Draw Conclusions• Did the variables that you tested show or cause a change?• Were you able to see relationships?• Did you collect enough data?• Was your hypothesis supported?• How did your data fit previous information that you found

in your background research?• What are practical applications or inferences that you can

make?• How would you change the experiment or future research

area?

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Why have students present their findings?• Good preparation for

college and business• Opportunity to compete• Gives students insight

into careers• Builds confidence• Increases organizational

skills

4141

• Enhances process skills• Improves writing skills• May be interdisciplinary• Requires creativity• Improves visual/spatial

thinking skills• Improves

communication skills


Ways to present findings• Prepare an Abstract

• Written after experimentation and includes:a) purpose of the experimentb) procedurec) datad) conclusions

• Ways to present findings: • Written paper

‒ Contains Title, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and Works Cited

‒ Resource: http://umech.mit.edu/freeman/6.021J/2000/writing.pdf

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Guiding Student Research p 158-

162 and 181

Bring in Bring in the the

ENGLISH!!!ENGLISH!!!


• Ways to present findings (cont.): • Oral presentation

‒ Prepare your material so that it tells a story logically• Subject: title, authors, acknowledgements• Introduction/overview• Method/approach• Results/information/analysis• Conclusion/summary

‒ Use examples, anecdotes, and significant details‒ Create continuity so that your slides flow smoothly

• Guide the audience through your story

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Guiding Student Research p 158-

162 and 181

Resource: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~martins/sen_sem/sci_talk/Scientific_talk.ppt

Ways to present findings


• Ways to present findings (cont.): • Poster Presentation

‒ Review rules for display and safety‒ Provide data notebook and research paper‒ Board should have:

• Title• Background• Hypothesis/Problem• Experiment• Results• Conclusions• Discussion/Future Directions• Abstract (on table)

Use more photographs instead of stuff!

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Ways to present findings


The Display

• Major purpose is to effectively communicate:– Question/Goal/Hypothesis– Purpose– Methodology/Design Plan– Experimental outcomes– Conclusions

• Clarity and neatness are considered, do not judge on artistic presentation and ability

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The Display

• Photo/Image credits must be displayed• Display of photographs other than that of the finalist must

have a photo release signed by the subject, and if under 18 years of age, also by the guardian of the subject. Sample consent text: “I consent to the use of visual images (photos, videos, etc.) involving my participation/my child’s participation in this research.”

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NOT Allowed at Project or Booth1) Living organisms, including plants2) Soil, sand, rock, and/or waste samples, even if permanently encased in a slab of acrylic3) Taxidermy specimens or parts4) Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals5) Human or animal food6) Human/animal parts or body fluids (for example, blood, urine)7) Plant materials (living, dead, or preserved) that are in their raw, unprocessed, or non-manufactured state (Exception: manufactured construction materials used in building the project or display)8) All chemicals including water (Projects may not use water in any form in a demonstration .)9) All hazardous substances or devices [for example, poisons, drugs, firearms, weapons, ammunition, reloading devices, and lasers10-15 – see more rules….

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Too big a job for one person

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You need a Team!

• Major tasks – Scheduling/Facilities– Website– Guiding student

research– Outreach to feeder fairs– Registration– SRC/IRB– Fair Finances

– Set-up/Display and Safety– Judging– Awards– Refreshments– Publicity– Sponsors

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Your Team Needs Tools• Many useful tools on NCSEF and ISEF websites.

– http://ncsciencefair.org/ – http://www.societyforscience.org/isef

• Science Buddies

– http://sciencebuddies.org• Using the planning document

– ‘Planning your science fair’ folder in the documents you downloaded has helpful documents

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Display and Safety Check• These regulations protect your fair• You may set up different rules for a non-competitive

category – e.g. Demonstrations • ISEF Rules strictly enforced at Regional and State

Competitions– http://www.societyforscience.org/document.doc?id=398

p 21

• “Display and Safety checklist” in folder

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Let’s practice. Around the room are pictures of posters. Be the Display

and Safety Check committee and evaluate

these projects

Display and Safety checklist


Display & Safety

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Scheduling your Fair• Plan backwards from ISEF which is always in May• 2016 State Science and Engineering Fair will be April 1-2

– All paperwork from Regional Fair winners is a rolling deadline – 10 days to 2 weeks after regional fair

• Watch our state web site for dates for regional fairs.– Region 7 will be held in December – All others held in late January or February

• Fairs feeding Regional fairs should take place 3 weeks ahead of their regional fair to allow for regional fair registration and SRC review– Check with your regional director and district fair

coordinator to schedule your fair appropriately

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Scheduling your Fair• “Planning Grid Fair timeline” – it will calculate the

dates to get things done, you may not need all of it depending on your fair and the dates are generous to decrease your work

• There is also a word document “Checklist for local and regional fairs” that gives you a breakdown of what is needed and descriptions with helpful hints

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Venue Set-up• Rooms needed:

– Check in area or table– Display rooms

• Each student needs a space or table – to display their project – should allow projects up to 48 inches wide and 30 inches deep and 108

inches high (floor to top)

• One room for elementary and split by discipline for junior and senior

• Projects need to be protected from unsupervised student access

– Judges need a private room for to confer– Awards ceremony– Volunteer space

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Recruit Judges• Need a variety of scientific

backgrounds. Be sure to look for engineers.

• Sources: Parents, Teachers, Community College, Ag Extension, Medical/ Veterinary, Professional Societies, Military, Award Sponsors

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In groups discuss:Who could you recruit?How have you found judges in the past?What are some concerns?


Train and Orient Judges• Provide Judges with training materials in advance.• Website Resources:

– http://www.ncsciencefair.org/index.php/judges – http://www.societyforscience.org/page.aspx?pid=284

• Orient judges day of the fair– Why and how of judging– Logistics!!!!

• Provide:– Scoring rubric (s) – may be different for different awards– Scoring form– List of project titles and numbers– Feedback form

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Judging• View posters without students

– Read the poster– Get a feel for their project– Think about questions you want to ask the student

• Interview students in front of their posters– They present their project– Ask probing questions concerning project– Determine their level of understanding about the project– Help the student learn something from their experience

• Rubric• Decide on award winners

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Be an educator and a mentor!

Rubric for scoring


Sending winners to the next level

• Good Communication is essential!!!! – With parents – With next level fair director

• Paperwork needs to be legible and complete to avoid delays and possible disqualification.

• Review rules for project and display before attending next level of fair.

• Students keep originals of paperwork – send copies!

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Studies conducted at a research institution, industrial setting or any work site other than home, school or field require Form 1C

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HUMAN SUBJECTS

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VERTEBRATE ANIMALS

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POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

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Www.ncsciencefair.org September 22, 2015 UNC-Pembroke Inspiring Innovation in Student Research! 1.

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