Science & Engineering Fair

Using Student Research in

Your ClassroomJudy Day

judy_day@me.com

www.ncsciencefair.org

A research project: – teaches a student 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 students to pursue their natural curiosity

and questions that they are interested in answering!– helps you to comply with the NC Standard Course of

Study and graduation requirements

Allows students to integrate science across curricula and provides skills to students–Elementary & Middle Schools

• Reading & writing in content areas• Math analysis of data, graphing, charts• Computer skills in presentation, graphs, text

–High Schools• All of the above• Meet requirements for Science Honors’ Curricula• Meaningful projects for Graduation Project

requirements• Increase science literacy, student interest in science,

and motivation to pursue scientific careers

Addresses Standards-NationalScientific literacy should include the ability to:• Find or determine answers to questions derived

from everyday experiences.• Describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena.• Understand articles about science.• Engage in non-technical conversation about the

validity of conclusions.• Identify scientific issues underlying national and

local decisions.• Pose explanations based on evidence derived from

one's own work. Adapted from the NCSCOS

Standards-StateStudents in all grades and in every scientific discipline should have the opportunity to

• ask questions• plan and conduct investigations• use appropriate tools and techniques to gather data• think critically and logically about relationships

between evidence and explanations• communicate arguments.

Adapted from the NCSCOS

Science Education Research says:

“Science experiences should also connect students to everyday life and the science- and technology-related

social issues with which local communities, nations, and all

humanity struggle.”Creed, R.P., S.P. Sheldon, and D.M. Cheek,. The Effect of Herbivore Feeding on the Buoyancy of Eurasian Watermilfoil, Appalachian State University, 1992.

Science Fair

The Process at a GlanceTeachers • Form review committees• Get parental support• Culturally responsive• Plan for differentiation• Collect and copy forms• Science and Engineering Fair

– set-up– scoring

Students• Topic selection• Background research• Develop questions• Develop a research

plan• Experiment• Write• Display• Compete

Getting Parental Support• Educate parents concerning student’s projects

(not parent’s projects!)• Provide information as to scientific investigation

(not cookbook lab)• Stress support roles of parents• Request volunteers for mentoring and science

competitions

Where can a research project be done?

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

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

orEngineeringDesignCycle

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

Comparison of the Scientific Method and the Engineering Design Process

Starting the Project

Make a Time Table• Topic should not only interest student - but be

do-able in the time that you have

• Develop time line for designing experiment and methods, experimentation, and analysis.

• Reserve time for putting together paper or project board

• Time table may be directed by teacher/mentor

Pick Your Topic• Most difficult part• Should come from something of great

interest - hobby or topic know something about

• Should not be too broad that it can not be answered through the investigation

• Begin keeping your journal/research log!

Research Your Topic• Use internet - but look at sites, should look for “.edu” or

“.gov”. NOT ALL INFORMATION IS CORRECT ON WEB! (Try using Googlescholar.com for journals)

• Use libraries – local resources and at NC State (as well as community and other colleges and universities)

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

• Create a bibliography of your sources

• Look for questions that you would like to answer.

Organize• Look at what you have learned.• Think of questions that weren’t answered.• Narrow your focus for your topic to a

particular idea.• Develop that “testable” question!

Keeping It All Together: Science Notebooks

Examples of Student Notebooks

Examples of Student Notebooks

Examples of Student Notebooks

Examples of Student Notebooks

Examples of Student Notebooks

Examples of Student Notebooks

Design Research Plan• Question being addressed• Hypothesis/Problem • Description in detail of method/procedures• How will you analyze the data that you

collect• Bibliography - at least 5 sources!

Planning the Experiment!• Make an experimental design BEFORE

collecting data!• Explain what you are going to do, what will be

involved, and what you are trying to find out. (remember that “testable” question!)

• Need to have controls and document factors that influence experiment.

• Need to have limited variables so that you know what is changing and why.

• Design the process of your experiment• Experiment should have large enough

numbers to be valid (30)• List materials needed• List any safety issues and precautions • Review types of data expected and how it

will be analyzed

Planning the Experiment!

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.

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.

Draw Conclusions• Did the variables that you tested show a relationship or

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?

Present Findings• Write an abstract of your project.• Prepare a scientific paper, PowerPoint, or

poster to present your findings.• Present your project to class, school, or

organization.

Project Display• Review rules for display and safety• Provide data notebook and research

paper• Board should have:

– Title - Experiment– Problem - Results– Background - Conclusion– Hypothesis - Abstract (can be on table)– Experiment

• Use more photographs instead of stuff!

The Effect of Suburban Retention Ponds on the Concentration of Polluted Runoff

QuestionAre suburban retention ponds effective at reducing the amount of pollutants entering streams as they are designed to do?

Procedures• Collect water samples approximately

an hour and a half into a rainfall to identify the spate.

• Collect two samples from each of three locations by submerging the top of a nalgene bottle.

• Test the samples for nitrites and nitrates, ions contributing to hardness, alkalinity, and pH will also be tested.

Sample collection Testing

Date SS NO3+NO2 Total Hardness Total Alkalinity pHCollected Site Name mg/L µg/L gpg ppm12/6/06 BL IN - 1 11.70 278.83 15 10 6.212/6/06 BL IN - 2 12.80 274.42 10 10 6.212/6/06 BL OUT - 1 11.60 285.39 10 15 6.612/6/06 BL OUT - 2 10.80 285.08 10 10 6.712/6/06 BL STREAM -1 6.96 455.54 15 20 6.712/6/06 BL STREAM -2 11.09 477.40 10 20 6.7

12/13/06 IN-1-12:30 8.11 200.93 20 25 6.212/13/06 IN-2-12:30 22.43 136.53 20 20 612/13/06 OUT-1-12:30 20.23 160.40 15 10 612/13/06 OUT-2-12:30 19.87 253.96 10 10 612/13/06 STREAM-1-12:30 8.64 446.32 20 30 6.212/13/06 STREAM-2-12:30 14.51 456.08 25 25 6.2

Date SS NO3+NO2 Total Hardness Total Alkalinity pHCollected Site Name mg/L µg/L gpg ppm12/19/06 BL IN -1 15.51 119.38 10 15 6.412/19/06 BL IN -2 15.33 89.17 10 10 6.312/19/06 BL OUT -1 20.71 98.58 15 15 6.512/19/06 BL OUT -2 18.71 84.38 10 15 6.612/19/06 BL STREAM -1 20.17 219.48 10 15 6.612/19/06 BL STREAM -2 12.77 367.17 10 10 6.7

1/5/07 IN -1-4:45 1.50 3817.44 40 40 6.81/5/07 IN-2-4:45 1.89 367.26 25 15 6.31/5/07 OUT-1-4:45 12.73 233.40 10 10 6.21/5/07 OUT-2-4:45 14.46 226.24 10 10 6.21/5/07 STREAM-1-4:45 15.00 364.03 180 250 6.91/5/07 STREAM-2-4:45 14.03 371.33 10 10 6.4

Data

Suspended Nitrites & Total Total BASELINE Solids Nitrates Hardness Alkalinity pH

Mean Baseline Sample 14.01 252.90 11.25 13.75 6.52 Mean Precipitation Sample 12.78 586.16 32.08 37.92 6.28 Variance Baseline Sample 17.43 18701.19 5.11 14.20 0.04 Variance Precipitation Sample 45.10 1047021.55 2247.54 4556.63 0.09 Observations Baseline Sample 12.00 12.00 12.00 12.00 12.00 Observations Precipitation Sample 12.00 12.00 12.00 12.00 12.00 Pearson Correlation -0.09 -0.26 -0.20 0.16 0.02 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 df 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 t Stat 0.52 -1.08 -1.51 -1.25 2.33 P(T<=t) one-tail 0.31 0.15 0.08 0.12 0.02 t Critical one-tail 1.80 1.80 1.80 1.80 1.80 P(T<=t) two-tail 0.62 0.30 0.16 0.24 0.04 t Critical two-tail 2.20 2.20 2.20 2.20 2.20

Statistics

6.0

6.2

6.4

6.6

6.8

7.0

1 2After rainBefore rain 6.0

6.2

6.4

6.6

6.8

7.0

1 2

Flow #1 into pond

Flow #2 into pond

Flow #1 exitingpond

Flow #2 exitingpond

Stream #1 out ofpond

Stream #2 out ofpond

Base line -before rain

After rain

5

15

25

35

45

1 2

ppm

After rainBefore rain 5

15

25

35

45

1 2

ppm

Flow #1 into pond

Flow #2 into pond

Flow #1 exitingpond

Flow #2 exitingpond

Stream #1 out ofpond

Stream #2 out ofpond

Base line -before rain

After rain

pH

Alkalinity

Results• After a rainfall, the pollution and ions

increased, while the pH decreased significantly.

• The greatest concentration of pollution was at sites 1 and 2, where runoff water entered the pond, the least was where the water exited the pond, effluent sites 1 and 2, even though the differences were not significant.

• Site 1, where the runoff water entered the pond, had about ten times more nitrites and nitrates than any other sample. It also had greater hardness and alkalinity.

• The first stream site had a dramatic rise of hardness, alkalinity, and pH on January 5, 2007.

• The stream had the highest concentration of suspended solids, followed by Sites E1 and E2.

• More precipitation samples are needed.

Why do my students need to use the NC and ISEF forms?

• They help your students plan their project

• The parents know what the student is doing and has proper supervision

• Only the completed NC Elementary/Middle School Form with the Research Plan are required of all projects with an abstract for fairs for Elementary & Middle School students

• Students with topics with special concerns and risks will need additional ISEF Forms (use ISEF Form Wizard if needed)

• Students have used the internationally recognized standard for rules and regulations for research.

Why do my students need to use the NC and ISEF forms?

If your students are nominated to continue to higher levels of competition, they must show that the work:– has been done safely for the student and others around

him/her– was planned and researched before starting the investigation– was supervised by someone qualified for their project– did not cause physical, psychological, or personal harm or

injury to people – did not cause pain or suffering to animals

How can I get through the ISEF forms with my

students?!• Most elementary and middle school students will only

need the NC Elementary/Middle School Form with their approved Research Plan

• High School students must use ISEF Forms – minimum of 1, 1A, Research Plan, and 1B

• USE THE ISEF RULES WIZARD for additional required forms!*

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

What are some of the rewards for students who enter competitions?

• Enjoy science• Apply math• Scholarships!• Cash awards!• Increased interest in science

and engineering as a career• Personal rewards

Intel ISEF North Carolina attended Intel ISEF for the past four years. Our State

Science Fair students have received numerous accolades for their research at Intel ISEF including:

• Two First Place Grand Award winner (2006, 2008)• One Second Place Grand Award winner (2005)• Four Third Place Grand Award winners (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008)• Six Fourth Place Grand Award winners (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008)• Two $3000 Army Savings Bond Awards and an all-expense paid trip to

London (2006)• Two $3000 Air Force Scholarship (2006, 2008)• A $300 Scholarship from Sigma Xi for Interdisciplinary Team Research

(2006)• An eight week student internship with NOAA (2005)• Two AVASC Foundation – 1st award - $1,000 (2007, 2008)• Society for Technical Communication: Merit Team Award of $100 (2007)

For more information: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/

How do I get started?• Visit the State Science and Engineering Fair

of NC Web Site– http://www.ncsciencefair.org

• Use online guides– Intel ISEF Student Handbook

• http://www.scienceforsociety.org/isef/– Science Buddies (planning and “Ask an Expert”)

• http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/science-projects.shtml

Web Sites for Science Competitions• NC Science and Engineering Fair

– http://www.ncsciencefair.org/• Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF)

– http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/• Intel Science Talent Search

– http://www.societyforscience.org/sts• NC Student Academy of Science

– http://www.ncsas.org• Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

– http://www.jshs.org/• NC Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

– http://education.uncc.edu/cmste/jshs/• Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition

– www.siemens-foundation.org/competition/• ISWEEEP – International Sustainable World of Environment,

Energy, and Engineering Project Olympiad– http://www.isweeep.org/

http://www.ncsciencefair.org/

For more information, contact:Judy Day, Eleanor Hasse, Pam Lovin, Dee Dee

Whitaker

Judy_Day@me.com eehasse@bellsouth.net lovinphysics@gmail.com dcwhitak@ncsu.edu