Online Resources to Help You and Your Students Achieve Science Fair Success

1
Online Resources to Help You and Your Students
Achieve Science Fair Success
The Presenting Sponsor of Science Buddies is
Seagate Technology.
2
Overview

• Science Buddies (www.sciencebuddies.org) provides
  free online resources for K-12 students and
  teachers doing science fair projects.
• We have resources for fair administrators,
  teachers, parents, and students.
• Resources are designed not only to help you and
  your students have a successful science fair
  experience, but also to improve project quality.

3
Overview (contd)

• Science Buddies is recommended by and linked to
  by many partners and advocates, such as the
  SciLinks program of the National Science Teachers
  Association.
• All of our resources and programs are free.
• We are a 501(c)3 non-profit, supported mainly by
  corporate grants. Seagate Technology is the
  Presenting Sponsor of Science Buddies.

4
The Home Page
5
Finding a Topic

• Finding a topic is often the biggest hurdle for
  students.
• The Topic Selection Wizard asks students
  questions about their everyday interests and
  activities, and then recommends an area of
  science and science fair project ideas matched to
  their specific interests.

6
The Topic Selection Wizard
7
Topic Selection Wizard (contd)
8
Finding a Topic (contd)

• We have a library of over 900 Project Ideas,
  graded by difficulty, in more than 30 areas of
  science.
• Project Ideas can be used as is, or they can
  serve as examples that students can creatively
  and uniquely modify to make their own.

9
Project Ideas
10
Project Ideas (contd)
11
Project Ideas (contd)
12
Project Ideas (contd)
13
Project Ideas (contd)
14
Tools and Techniques

• Detailed guides to specific areas of science
  provide basic tools and methods that can be
  utilized to complete a project.
• They allow teachers greater ability to help
  students with projects outside their immediate
  subject area.
• Combined with Project Ideas, Tools and Techniques
  become powerful, modular components that can be
  combined to help students develop unique and
  original projects.

15
Tools and Techniques (contd)
16
Doing the Project

• The Project Guide outlines the scientific method
  and steps of the science fair process, and
  contains information about doing engineering,
  math, and computer programming projects, too.
• Printable versions of the Project Guide are
  invaluable as classroom handouts.
• Advanced topics (e.g. writing an abstract) are
  included, in addition to more basic topics (e.g.
  formulating a question).

17
The Project Guide
18
The Project Guide (contd)
19
The Project Guide (contd)

• Articles explain key concepts in language that
  students can understand.

20
The Project Guide (contd)

• Examples help students understand what makes a
  quality assignment.

21
The Project Guide (contd)
22
The Project Guide (contd)
23
The Project Guide (contd)

• Checklists allow students to self-evaluate their
  own work.

24
The Project Guide (contd)

• Printable worksheets guide students through
  critical steps of the science fair process.

25
Ask an Expert

• Ask an Expert is an online mentoring program that
  allows students who are working on science fair
  projects to get individual support from talented
  high school students and science professionals
  from industry and academia.
• It provides a safe forum for finding answers to
  those tough questions that go beyond a teachers
  expertise.
• Forums are arranged by grade level to offer
  grade- and age-appropriate support to students.

26
Ask an Expert (contd)

• Students can ask questions throughout the entire
  project or just about a specific problem.
• Questions range from parents asking how to help
  their 3rd graders do their first science fair
  project, to students preparing for the Intel
  International Science and Engineering Fair
  (ISEF).
• Mentoring by science professionals dramatically
  improves project quality.

27
Ask an Expert (contd)
28
Science Fair Time

• A variety of resources are designed specifically
  to prepare students for a science fair.
• We have tricks for preparing display boards, tips
  to help students prepare for judging, and advice
  for preparing for top competitions.
• Resources are available through the Project
  Guide and the Competitions tabs on the Science
  Buddies homepage.

29
Prep for Top Competitions

• Resources are designed specifically to help
  students prepare to compete at ISEF, the Intel
  Science Talent Search (STS), the Junior Science
  and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), and Siemens
  Competition in Math, Science, and Technology.
• Resources include
• Guide to working within ISEF rules
• Tips on finding a mentor
• Ask an Expert ISEF Preparation Forum
• Advanced board design and construction tips

30
Prep for Top Competitions (contd)
31
Teacher Resources

• Resources were created to support teachers who
  have their students participate in science fairs.
• Resources include
• Teachers Guide to Science Projects
• Guide to Planning a Science Fair
• Grading Rubrics
• Teacher and student timelines
• Scientific Method Classroom Poster
• Science Project Enrichment Tools

32
Teacher Resources (contd)
33
Parent Resources

• These resources will increase parents' confidence
  and motivation to help their children with
  science fair projects.
• Topics include
• Why Are Science Fairs Important?
• Science Fair Project Overview
• Explaining Plagiarism
• Internet Safety Tips

34
Parent Resources (contd)
35
Careers in Science

• Working with our partners in industry and
  academia, we profile real-life scientists and
  engineers. 
• The Career Profiles feature
• Details about the nature of the work,
• Mini case studies and/or video interviews of
  professionals in the area,
• Advice on what students interested in the
  field should study in high school, and in junior
  college or college,
• Salaries, potential employers, and more! 
• By the end of 2009, science career
  information will be featured on most of our
  900 Project Ideas.

36
Careers in Science (contd)
37
Engineering Projects

• Engineering and computer science projects dont
  follow the scientific methodthey follow the
  engineering design processbut they are still
  valid science fair projects.
• Engineering and Programming Project Tips explain
  the steps of the engineering process and how the
  engineering design process differs from the
  scientific method.

38
Engineering Projects (contd)
39
Scientific Review Committee (SRC) and Rules Advice

• Science Buddies offers an easy-to-understand
  outline of the international rules for
  pre-college science competitions, as well as
  general safety guidelines.
• Always check with your local fairs SRC or fair
  director with questions about any rules.
• An overview helps students, parents, and teachers
  understand why compliance is so important.

40
SRC and Rules Advice (contd)
41
Extra Help

• Additional resources include
• Guide to science fair project photography
• Guide to keeping a lab notebook
• Listing of supplies and materials sources
• Student blogs
• And much more

42
www.sciencebuddies.org