Once a year opportunity to explore a field of science that you like

The experience to teach others about your topic – You are the teacher and get to teach adults about your topic and project

To learn from other young scientists A competition to create a high-quality project – You get to

compete against others in your class and grade level Eliminates the Fear Factor - An event that develops oral

presentation skills – Helps you overcome fears of talking and presenting in front of people

Participation in the JISD Science Fair is mandatory for students in grade 6.

Each student will have mini assignments that will be counted as part of the overall science grade.

Animal Sciences (Zoology) Behavioral and Social Sciences Biochemistry Cellular and Molecular Biology Chemistry Computer Science Earth and Planetary Science Engineering: Electrical & Mechanical

Engineering: Materials & Bioengineering Energy & Transportation Environmental Management Environmental Sciences Mathematical Sciences Medicine & Health Sciences Microbiology Physics and Astronomy Plant Sciences (Botany) Team ProjectsThere are 17 categories to choose from!

Project categories continued:

Must choose 1 of the 17 categories

Students can also choose to compete in Team Projects. Team projects will compete within the 17 categories and will be judged with all other projects in the category selected. Teams may have up to 3 members.

Must submit parent science fair information and assignment 1 by September 8th

Must get teacher approval before you begin your project› Some projects may have to have an SRC (Scientific

Review Committee) approval

The proposal form helps your teacher understand what question you want to answer and how you are going to test the question

When typing your reports, use the Scientific Method (like our lab reports) Reports may also be handwritten, however, if you win and compete in Regional, you will have to redo your report in typed format.› Define problem

What scientific question are you trying to answer?› Hypothesis› Procedure and Plan

Give detailed information how you are going to prove or disprove your hypothesis and give a list of materials you will use

Be clear about the variables (elements of experiment that change to test hypothesis) verses your control (elements of the experiment that change).

› Test Record observations in detail. Use data tables and graphs

to record information and results.› Analysis

What result occurred and what did your experiment prove?› Conclusion

Was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not? Use data from experiment to make inferences about the

outcome of experiment What further study do you recommend and if you repeated

the project again, what would you change?

Your display board must have:› Title › Your name (ONLY on the BACK of the board)› Typed information using Scientific Method › Charts, diagrams, graphs, pictures to support

procedure and results Try to use:

› Computer generated graphs› Contrasting colors, but limit the number of

colors› Rubber cement of double-sided tape to attach

papers for neat presentation (glue may wrinkle to paper)

Try not to:› Handprint title and name › Make title or headings hard to read

Don’t use uneven letters (use all capitals) Don’t use words with letters of different colors

› Attach folders that fall open› Misspell words› Leave the front of the table empty

Display models (if any), reports, copy of abstract (summary of project), and journal

Pictures› Don’t use photos and names of a student or student’s family

(pictures should not have your face or name in them)› Don’t use photos or other visual items depicting animals in

surgical techniques, dissections, or other lab procedures Don’t use living organisms – no live plants or animals Don’t use human/animal parts or body fluids – like blood or

urine› Exception: teeth, hair, nails, dried animal bones, dry mount

sections, completely sealed wet mount tissue slides Don’t use laboratory/household chemicals including water

› Exception: water can be used if in enclosed container Don’t use batteries with open-top cells, flames or

flammable materials, poisons, hazardous substances or devices, dry ice, sharp items, glass or glass objects, etc.

Don’t use active Internet or e-mail connections as part of displaying or operating the project

Don’t use unsafe apparatus: large vacuum tubes, dangerous ray-generating devices, empty tanks previously containing combustible materials, pressurized tanks, etc.

Creative Ability (30 points)› Focus is on what the student contributed

and how creative the approach was to solving the problem Scientific Thought/Engineering Goals (30 points)

› Is problem clearly stated? › Are variables recognized and defined? Were controls necessary, and if so,

were they correctly used?› Are limitations of the data recognized?› What further research is indicated?

Thoroughness (15 points)› How completely has the problem been covered?› Are conclusions based on a single experiment or on replication?

Skill (15 points)› Does the project exhibit evidence of the student her/himself having the

requisite skills necessary to design, implement, and complete the project? Is there evidence the student worked largely on her or his own?

› What assistance was received? Clarity (10 points)

› Can the student explain the purpose, procedure, and conclusions?› Does the presentation suggest evidence of the student having prepared the

report by her/himself?

You have the unique opportunity to:› Compete against others in your class and your grade

1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards for each category A campus can send up to 3 winners in each category to the

district fair› Compete against other 6th graders in the JISD District

Science Fair in December All 1st – 3rd place winners at the district level can compete in the

regional competition› Compete against other 6th graders from across North Texas

in the Regional Science Fair in February Win cash and awards

› Compete against other 6th graders from all across the state in the Exxon Mobil State Science Fair in San Antonio April Win scholarships and awards