Science Projects
Question: Madeline, you have been involved in helping kids do science fair projects for the last 5 years. Why science fair projects? What makes them so important?
Answer: Ed that is an excellent question. I know a lot of kids ask that question with a groan when their teacher announces that they have to do a science fair project!
Science fair projects are a metaphor for life. You must come up with an original idea that will hold your interest for 3 - 5 months, do a step-by-step procedure, do an experiment, report your findings and decide whether or not you want to expand your research or shelve the project. Here is a great example of a metaphor. I remember when our teenage son took on the job of cutting our lawn. First he cut it straight across, then he cut it in circles, and finally he cut it on an angle. At first I did not know why he was experimenting with such a simple chore. Then one day he came in and told us that he found that when he cut the grass on an angle, the grass grew thicker and was not as sparse in the heavily shaded areas!
Question: How does a science fair project differ from a science experiment?
Answer: When you do a science fair project you must include all 6-steps of the scientific method which include...
~ Coming up with an original idea.
~ Asking a question before you even do an experiment. I call this a "wonder" question. I wonder why birds fly in formation? I wonder why I have blue eyes just like my mother even though I am a boy?
~ Reading, researching and reporting on original research that you find in a scientific journal opposed to a lay magazine like Time Magazine.
~ Writing a hypothesis.
~ Doing an experiment that has a control and experimental group.
~ Calculating your statistical data and drawing tables to show your findings.
~ Writing a project report. Science experiments can be just for fun without all the detailed information required. An easy experiment is to freeze three ice cube trays - one with hot water, one with cold water, and one with luke warm water. Then observe which one freezes the fastest.
Ed does that answer your question?
Ed: Yes, so, what you are saying is that you do not have to do any scientific research, write a hypothesis or calculate your data. It is much easier and sounds like more fun!
Question: What are the age ranges?
Answer: This is my favorite question. Here is my soap box answer...
It astounds me when I get emails from parents asking me to help them find a science fair project for their kindergarten or primary age children. Kids that age do not have the comprehension skills, the math knowledge or the ability to focus for a long time. You know whose project it becomes... well, of course, the parents. Now the kids are frustrated and overwhelmed and the parents take on the project. Not a good precedent to set for future study and learning habits. At his age science experiments can be so much more fun, and what is most important is that the simple experiments stimulate the child to be curious about science. When the child gets older they want to do a science fair project.
Science Fair Projects are for very bright middle school age students and definitely for Jr High and High School kids.
Teachers can do classroom science fair projects with young children. And middle school age students, when put into groups and with teacher guidance, can do science fair projects.
Questions: How hard is a typical science fair project?
Answer: Science Fair projects can be very easy or very complicated or any where in-between. That depends on what the student decides to research.
Arun won a scholarship at Harvard. He is at one end of the spectrum. His experiment on
Oxidative Transformations Using Hypervalent Iodine Water Soluble
Reagents was amazing and won all kinds of awards.
Nick did a science fair project on batteries, which was not difficult but interesting and won a gold medal in his school's science fair.
Doing a science fair project is not for everyone. But can still be fun. I think the most important thing is to do a subject that is of interest to you and then decide what kind of project you want to do.
There are also outstanding science fair kits. Before you even purchase the kit from our site, we give you science project ideas so that you do not have to struggle to come up with an original idea. i.e. I think that one of the best kits for doing a science fair project is the Picoturbine Windmill Kit because it can be used to create individual, team, or classroom energy science fair projects. There is room for the kids to come up with numerous, fun, original, and interesting experiments and it addresses our need to learn more about renewable energy.
Madeline Binder has a Masters Degree in Education and Human Services Counseling. She believes that a parent and teacher's role is to encourage children to work from their strengths and be their cheerleader. href="http://www.super-science-fair-projects.com/"
posted by SensoryEdge
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