Catholic High School

Science & Social Studies Fair Packet 2013-2014

Schedule of Project Preparation Topic Selection/Category Choice - September 6, 2013 Final Topic/Outline of Research Plan - September 25, 2013 Abstract - November 13, 2013 Bibliography to English Teacher (High School Only)- November 13, 2013 CHS Science & Social Studies Fair Set-up - December 2, 2013 CHS Science & Social Studies Fair - December 3, 2013 Iberia Parish Fairs - Late January, 2014 UL-L District Fairs - February/March 2014 LSU State Fairs - April/May 2014

Participation Projects are required of ALL CHS students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, as well as high school students who are enrolled in HONORS courses in Science or Social Studies.

6th grade students are required to participate in Social Studies fair.

7th grade students are required to participate in Science fair.

8th – 12th grade students are allowed to choose which fair they would like to enter.

All students, even those not required to do a project are encouraged to participate in the Fair for the learning experience it provides students in these grades. Students placing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at the CHS fair will advance to Iberia Parish fairs.

Project Set Up Students are required to set up their projects the evening prior to the fair, Monday, December 3, 2013 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. This is MANDATORY and necessary to assure that all projects are accounted for and placed in the proper categories for judging. This process takes time and MUST be complete Monday night!

Other Requirements Concerning Individual, Group, and Continuation Projects Students at all levels may elect to do an individual or group project in either fair. Groups may have at

most TWO students. When submitting approval forms and research plans, students working together submit only one form with the names of BOTH students on the forms.

Continuation Projects (Phase II, etc.) are allowed. However, the work must be a significant improvement/change over previous phases. Additionally, this year’s “Board” may only have material from this year! Work from previous years may be included on binders or folders in front of the project. Special rules govern continuation projects and special paperwork is required in science fair.

Open House, Awards Ceremony, Removal of Projects For parents and family members to be able to view the projects, Open House will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday December 3, 2013. The Awards ceremony will follow promptly at 5:30 p.m. All 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention Winners with receive awards, as well as Overall Winners in various levels of the Fair. All 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will represent CHS at the Iberia Parish fair. Projects MUST be picked up immediately following the awards ceremony. STUDENTS ARE NOT TO REMOVE PROJECTS PRIOR TO THE AWARDS CEREMONY!

Questions or Concerns Please Contact the Fair Director, Michele Stelly, via email mstelly@chspanthers.com

Some useful hints for successful projects… The purpose of the CHS Science and Social studies Fair is to give students a chance to do original research. Thereby they learn how scientists, engineers, sociologists, economists, etc. work. Your project should not be merely a book report or Internet search that you display on a board. It should instead, ask a question, have a purpose, pose a problem, and then proceed through a logical series of steps to answer those questions and reach a conclusion. Some students might choose to seek a “mentor” to help them with their project at a university, research lab, engineering company, or a teacher or parent.

Here are some ideas - a ladder to success!

1. Pick your idea. Find something YOU can do and no one else can! Think of a clear purpose, question or problem. Be Clever! Be Original!

2. Do a “review of literature” by reading articles, books, etc. on your topic to find out what has been done before on your topic. Once you know what has been done, think what YOU can do different. Don’t be “General.”(How plants grow.) Be “Specific.” (The effect of fertilizer on the growth of bean plants.)

3. Gather your materials, design your experiment, and have a “Control.” Determine how to get data and information. Be sure to submit any required paperwork in advance. Projects involving animals and humans are highly restricted, as are those concerning chemicals, drugs, and micro-organisms. These require special paperwork from your fair director.

4. With necessary supervision, begin experiment or collection of data. Use a notebook to record data, thoughts, etc. This is a good thing to show judges as documentation of your findings.

5. Organize your data into charts, tables, graphs, etc. Be neat and clear and be sure to label the axes, title the graphs, etc.

6. Based on the data, what conclusions can you reach? There should be one for each purpose. Can the research be improved? Can a practical application for your findings be suggested?

7. Prepare a report, abstract, and other materials required by the Fair and/or your teacher. Compile a Bibliography of your literature review, Internet research, interviews, etc.

8. Construct your exhibit. It should be neat, interesting, and appealing. It must fit size requirements, but does not have to be expensive!

9. Work on your presentation and review your materials. 10. Look at other projects, ask questions, and learn!

Getting Started - Science Fair Science Fair Categories: Animal Sciences – The study of animal life, insects, etc. Behavioral and Social Sciences – The study of human/animal behavior Biochemistry – The study of chemical effects in life forms (Experiments need extra paperwork.) Cellular and Molecular Biology – The study of cells, molecules, genetics, and immunology Chemistry – Composition/properties of substances, reactions (Experiments need special paperwork.) Computer Science – Usually involves original programs, applications, or equipment development Earth and Planetary Science – Geological, meteorological, and studies related to Earth, space, etc. Engineering: Electrical & Mechanical – the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, processes, and systems Engineering: Materials & Bioengineering – the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical machines and systems Energy and Transportation – Study of aerodynamics, alternative fuels, fossil fuels, vehicle development, renewable energies, etc. Environmental Management – The solution of practical problems of mans’ interaction with the environment with the goal to maintain and improve the state of environmental resource affected by human activities Environmental Sciences – Study of pollution, ecology, and experimental studies, and seeing what affects these Mathematical Sciences – Study of patterns and relationships; Original research is a must! Medicine and Health – The body, illness, and things that affect them Microbiology – Study of yeast, bacteria, algae (Experiments done in a lab and need special paperwork.) Physics and Astronomy – The study of matter, energy, astronomy, and astrophysics Plant Sciences – The study of plants, growth, germination, etc.

Keep in mind… When working on a Science Fair project, the emphasis is on doing and presenting original RESEARCH rather than on just doing a “Book Report/Internet Search on Boards.” Judging and grading of projects is based on the use of the Scientific Method. This requires (A) a review of the literature involving preliminary reading and library/Internet research, (B) a purpose and hypothesis, (C) well designed experimental procedures to gather information, (D) graphs, statistics, or other analysis of information obtained, and (E) presentation/justification of a conclusion.

Overview of the Scientific Method

The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way. Just as it does for a professional scientist, the scientific method will help you to focus your science fair project question, construct a hypothesis, design, execute, and evaluate your experiment.

The best titles sound a little scientific… The title of a good Science Fair project should usually ne something like:

“The Effect of ________________on_________________.” “A Comparison of ____________and ____________ Under Condition___________.”

“The Development and Testing of _____________Under Condition___________.” “How Does ____________Affect________________?”

Note: A False or Partially True

hypothesis does NOT mean

that your project failed!

Image courtesy of: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/86144647/Scientific-Method

Suggested Science Fair Board Set Up

Purpose – State what you want to find out and why. Problem – Briefly state what you discover from your background/literature research. Hypothesis – State what you predict the outcome of your experiment will be. Method/Procedure – In detail, explain what you plan to do in your experiment. Include materials you will use and steps you will follow for the experiment. Pictures of the experiment should be included here. If a survey is conducted, display it here or in front of your project. Data – Display the raw information that you gathered from your experiment. Use charts, graphs, photographs, etc. to illustrate your findings. Results – Display an overall view of your findings (compiled data). Show the outcome of your experiments in charts and graphs. Conclusion – Write a paragraph or two to explain the outcome of your experiment. State whether

your hypothesis was supported or rejected by the experimentation. Bibliography – If there is room, your bibliography can be included on your board. If not, display it in front of the project. Use MLA format. Abstract & Report – Place in front of your project.

TITLE

Purpose

Problem

Hypothesis

Method

Data

Graphs

Charts

Photographs

Models

Drawings

Results

Conclusion

Bibliography

Abstract Any other items that need to

be displayed - examples:

photographs, project data

notebook, item to be

demonstrated, item used to

model or explain experiment,

etc.

Report

The Science Fair Project Report

Elements:

Title Page

Table of Contents

Introduction and Purpose

This section introduces the topic of the project, notes any information already available,

explains why you are interested in the project, and states the purpose of the project. If you are

going to state references in your report, this is where most of the citations are likely to be, with

the actual references listed at the end of the entire report in the form of a bibliography section.

Hypothesis

State your guess as to what the outcome will be.

Method

List the materials you used in your project and describe the procedure that you used to perform

the project. If you have a photo or diagram of your project, this is a good place to include it.

Data

Data refers to the actual numbers or other information you obtained in your project. Data can

be presented in tables or charts, if appropriate.

*Data and Results are not the same thing and should be in separate sections.

For example, a graph displaying the minimum concentration of salt that can be tasted in

water with each line in the graph being a separate test would be data. If the results of all

of the separate tests are averaged together, this information should be included in the

results of the project.

Results

The Results section is where the data is explained. Sometimes this analysis can include tables,

graphs, or charts, too.

Conclusion

The Conclusion focuses on the Hypothesis or Question as it compares to the Data and Results.

What was the answer to the question? Was the hypothesis supported or rejected? What did you

find out from the experiment? Answer these questions first. Then, depending on your answers,

you may wish to explain ways in which the project might be improved or introduce new

questions that have come up as a result of the project. This section is judged not only by what

you were able to conclude, but also by your recognition of areas where you could not draw valid

conclusions based on your data.

Bibliography

Your research must include at least 5 sources. Use MLA format. Here are a couple of online

resources to use as a guide:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/search.php - Owl Perdue Online Writing Lab is a great

resource for proper MLA usage in research papers and bibliography entries.

http://www.easybib.com/ - Easy Bib is a resource that allows you to enter the information

on your information source and it generates a MLA bibliography entry for you. If you

choose to use this site, be aware that it sometimes makes mistakes! Use it as a guide

and double check the entry. Middle school students can ask their English teachers to

look over the bibliography. High School students are required to turn the Bibliography in

their English teacher for a grade!

Acknowledgements

Remember it is fine to have a mentor or assistance with your project. Make sure to give proper

credit to those who assist you.

The Abstract

An abstract consists of a 250 word report summarizing your purpose, question being addressed,

hypothesis, method, results, and conclusion. It is to be written in 3rd person.

Example Science Fair Abstract:

This project is a study of the effect of two-cycle marine engine exhaust water on certain green algae. The experimenter planned to determine the toxicity if outboard engine lubricant. Toxicity is determined by means of the standard bottle “batch” measurement technique. The common marine algae Scenedesmus quadricauea and Ankistrodesmus sp. were the test organisms. A measured amount of engine exhaust water from a K3-5 outboard motor was introduced into an isolated culture of each alga. Measure of the health of the algae included color, area covered, and growth amount. Tests were conducted under a controlled hospital lab environment. The experimenter discovered that the engine exhaust had a major impact on algae. Specifically, there was a significant decrease in the coverage of the algae, a cessation of growth. Suggested further studies include the effect of various temperatures on the algae, the effect of various types of motor oil, as well as a possible remediation of strategies.

IMPORTANT:

Your name, school, hometown, or other identifying information is NOT to be visible anywhere on your project board or report. It is, however, required on your official abstract form.

Additional information for parents and students:

1. Adult help is NOT prohibited. In fact, a process called “mentoring” in which the student consults with teachers, adults, and experts in their field of research is encouraged. Mentoring is a way for students to “learn” or “get ideas” for their research and experimentation process. This is important to confirm that the student is using proper experimentation techniques as well as ensure the safety of the student while experimenting. However, the actual “work” should be done by the student.

2. If as a part of the project the student directly handles, manipulates, or interacts with any of the following, special paperwork and approvals by CHS, ULL, LSU, and/or ISEF must be completed in ADVANCE of any experimentation:

a. Human subjects (even a simple survey, questionnaire, or activity) b. Non-human vertebrate animals (even pets or farm animals) c. Pathogenic agents (mold, bacteria, fungi) d. Controlled substances (drugs, alcohol, tobacco) e. Laboratory projects or Recombinant DNA projects f. Human or animal tissue (Blood, bones, etc.) g. Radiation or radioactivity in any form

3. Any questions regarding any of the above listed circumstances, advance approval, or any other

concerns you may have should be directed to Michele Stelly, CHS Science fair director, via email mstelly@chspanthers.com.

4. CHS Science fair follows the rules, regulations, and guidelines set by the International Science &

Engineering Fair. At the ISEF website http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/, there are links to science resources as well as archived project abstracts that you can view and use for ideas – you cannot recreate the project! Other links include a getting started link, rules and guidelines, and the document library for required paperwork.

5. Students moving on to the Iberia Parish level of competition will be contacted to complete the necessary paperwork.

Display and Safety Rules:

Getting Started – Social Studies Fair

Social Studies Fair Categories:

The following is a list of the various social studies related disciplines. The descriptions should assist both

students and teachers in properly assigning projects to a correct area. Please note the importance of “people”

in each area; it is critically important that all projects stress the role of “people” within each area.

Anthropology - the studies of man's physical and cultural characteristics, distribution, customs, and social

relationships. Culture is developed by men living and thinking together. Examples: ancient civilizations, Native

Americans, customs, festivals, types of shelter and food, religion.

Economics - the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth and with the various related problems of

labor, finance, and taxation. Man labors to satisfy human wants. Examples: money, manufacturing, trade,

transportation of goods and services, communication, inflation, stock exchange, common market, government

budgets.

Geography – deals with the surface of the earth, its divisions and the climate, plants, animals, natural

resources, inhabitants, and industries of those division. Man and nature interact. Examples: ecology, foreign

countries, lands and people, maps, flooding, rivers, lakes, cities, conservation.

History - concerns what has happened in the life or development of a people, country, or individual. Man's

story is a continuous narrative of man's progress. Examples: story of mankind, historical events, places,

biographies, personalities, wars.

Louisiana History - any project that concerns Louisiana. Example: Louisiana politics, geography, history,

culture, music, people, unique festivals.

Political Science - concerns the determining of the form of government, choosing the officials, making the

laws, and performing the function of one's government. Social control regulates group living. Examples:

government agencies, FBI, crime, US Constitution, court system, international governments.

Sociology - the studies of the beliefs, values, and relationships of groups and the principles governing social

acceptance. Man lives in groups. Examples: families, crime, mental health, propaganda, life styles, dreams,

television, media.

Keep in mind… Selecting the topic is often considered the most difficult step in doing a social studies fair project. Originality is the key element. Taking an old topic and adding a twist or coming up with a brand new idea adds interest to your subject. Doing research involving a primary source vs. using encyclopedias and textbooks gives life to your topic. Ideas for using primary sources would include:

Interview a person for a first-hand account of your topic. Use the tape recording as part of your display. Visit an expert on a craft or technique and learn what makes it unique; make a home video to display with your project.

Select some of the folklore, types of unique industries, agriculture, architecture, festivals, food, music, or customs of this area, and bring back pamphlets, photographs, autographs, or samples for your backboard or display.

Visit a historical site, and use the artifacts there to tell the story from the perspective of the children of the period. Try on clothes from another time and reproduce paper doll clothes of the period for your display.

Don't be afraid to use media other than print to get across your enthusiasm.

An attractive backboard, a research report, and a bibliography are essential to a winning presentation. Displays make the difference in showing your creativity.

Methodology used in developing a Social Studies fair project:

Students entering Social Studies Fair are strongly urged to do a project involving comparison or data collection

rather than just a “Book Report / Internet Search on Boards” about some event or place! A project should ask a

question and collect some sort of data to answer it.

A true Social Studies project is done by a variant of the Scientific

Method which is called the “Socio-Scientific Method.” This process

used to explore observations of people and society. The necessary

elements of the project include:

Background Information: Locating, reading, and organizing EXISTING

information.

Purpose/Question: Creating a clear statement of the reason for doing

the research.

Method: Deciding what type of data collection will be done – Interviews?

Surveys? Data Collection? Comparisons? The methods need to

be original.

Conclusion: What is the MAJOR finding? What are other conclusions

you reach?

Three Types of Social Studies Projects Problem Solving. In this type of project you identify a problem, prove the

problem exists, collect information about the problem, and offer a solution(s)

to the problem. The solution can be yours or someone else's. If it belongs to

someone else, you have to give him/her credit.

Exposition (telling about something). This project is just what the name

says. You simply tell about something as thoroughly as you can.

Demonstration (showing how). In this type of project, you tell and show how

to do something.

Good Social Studies Project Titles:

Titles should ask a question or tell what you did.

“A Comparison of _______ to _______.”

“How Does _________Influence_________?”

What Is the Effect of ____________on_____________?”

Suggested Social Studies Fair Board Set Up

Introduction – State what you want to find out and why.

Background – Briefly state what you found out from background or literature research.

Method – In detail explain what you will do (your procedure) to find out the answer to your question.

Your Method may include surveys, interviews, literature research, visiting places, etc.

Data – Display the information you gather. This may be results of a survey, photographs, a map, pamphlets,

drawings, etc.

Interpretation of data – This is the written explanation of your data.

Conclusion - Write a summary of your findings. Be sure to include the answer to the question that your

project is asking.

Further research – If there is any other work that you wish you would have done on your project, discuss that

here. If you have ideas for a Phase II of your project, these can be discussed here also.

Bibliography – Should be displayed on board or in front of project. Use MLA format.

Abstract – An abstract is a 250 word explanation of the purpose and content of the project. Place in front of

your project.

Report – Place in front of your project. *A specific format for Social Studies fair is required.

TITLE

Introduction

Data

Interpretation

of data

Conclusion

Further

Research

Background

Method

Graphs

Charts

Photographs

Models

Drawings

Abstract Any other items that need to be

displayed - examples:

photographs, item to be

demonstrated, item used to

model or explain project, a display

depicting place studied, etc.

Report Bibliography

The Social Studies Fair Project Report

Major Elements:

1 – Title Page

2 – Table of Contents (Including page numbers)

3 – Abstract

4 – Body of Research Paper

5 – Conclusion

6 – Footnotes (9th – 12th grades only, at least 5)

7 – Bibliography/References

Note:

The elements of the paper must be in the order above.

Page numbers must be used.

Footnotes are required for Division III (High School) only.

MLA bibliographic form is required.

All Information (including oral information/interviews) must be properly cited.

Title Page

Good titles are usually short and descriptive, and they create pictures in the minds of the audience. A title

should hint at the subject without telling the whole story, like a riddle that sparks interest because it makes the

listener think.

Table of Contents

All major elements of report as listed above should be listed with the appropriate page number.

Abstract

An abstract is a brief (approximately 250 words) summary of the content, purpose, and reference sources used

in the paper. The purpose of the report should be based in the question you asked or the problem you

identified. It is to be written in 3rd person.

Example Social Studies fair abstract:

This project is about the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II. The

project will describe the historical background for popular sentiment against Japanese-Americans

living on the west coast of the United States at the beginning of World War II. The project will show

that the internment of these people was not an act to increase national security, but was part of a

greater effort to calm an alarmed American public frightened by the sudden attack on Pearl Harbor.

Further, the project will show that the internment of these American citizens was inconsistent with

constitutional principles. Information for this project was secured from various sources, including

books, periodicals, and government departments. Also included with the project will be taped

interviews with legal experts and Japanese-Americans. The project intends to demonstrate that even

in times of national emergency, citizens must be careful to ensure constitutional rights.

Body of Paper

This element should be the longest section of the report. The length of the paper may vary, depending on the

type of project, but it should be at least five (5) pages in length to adequately cover the topics. The body

contains the important facts that the student has gathered from books, encyclopedias, magazines, and other

references. Plagiarism, copying word-for-word from a reference book, is not allowed and will be graded as an

“F”. The student should be able to read and understand all the information contained in the report. The body

should contain the material the student learned during the course of the project.

Conclusion

The student should briefly describe the knowledge he/she has gained as a result of completing the project. The

conclusion may consist of simply one or two paragraphs describing the general ideas that the student learned.

The conclusion should be written on a separate sheet of paper and not written as the last paragraph or two of

the body.

Footnotes

Footnotes are required for high school papers. MLA form for citations is required. All information (including oral

information) must be properly cited.

Bibliography

This element is a list of the books and other references from which the student gained information for his/her

project. MLA bibliographic form is required. All entries should be listed in alphabetical order. Here are a couple

of online resources to use as a guide:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/search.php - Owl Perdue Online Writing Lab is a great resource for

proper MLA usage in research papers and bibliography entries.

http://www.easybib.com/ - Easy Bib is a resource that allows you to enter the information on your

information source and it generates a MLA bibliography entry for you. If you choose to use this site, be

aware that it sometimes makes mistakes! Use it as a guide and double check the entry. Middle school

students can ask their English teachers to look over the bibliography. High School students are

required to turn the Bibliography in their English teacher for a grade!

IMPORTANT:

Your name, school, hometown, or other identifying information is NOT to be visible anywhere

on your project board or paper (report).

Additional information for parents and students: Adult help is NOT prohibited. In fact, a process called “mentoring” in which the student consults with teachers, adults, and experts in their field of research is encouraged. Mentoring is a way for students to “learn” or “get ideas” for their research. However, the actual “work” should be done by the student. Any questions or concerns you may have should be directed to Michele Stelly, CHS Social Studies fair director, via email mstelly@chspanthers.com.