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STEM Parent Night. What is STEM?. An approach to teaching science, technology, engineering and/or math Testable- DATA Collected Inquiry-based Challenge Based Problem Based or Project Based. Why is a STEM Fair Important?. Allows students to explore science topics they are interested in.
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What is STEM? • An approach to teaching science, technology, engineering and/or math • Testable- DATA Collected • Inquiry-based • Challenge Based • Problem Based or • Project Based
Why is a STEM Fair Important? • Allows students to explore science topics they are interested in. • Teaches students the skills required to plan and work on long-term projects. • Integrates science, math, reading, writing and oral language. • Helps students prepare for MSA
When Creating Questions… • Consider the variables • INDependent (what they are changing on purpose- ONLY 1 thing) • Dependent (what they are measuring; suggested to be only 1 thing) • Control (everything else; anything and everything that must be kept the same in all the tests) • Consider the time/feasibility; think about where they are going and how it will look
Creating Questions • Look at the materials and generate questions you could explore by performing a scientific experiment. • Share questions
Topic and Question Development Students start with… • What am I excited to learn more about? • What do I already know? • What do I need to know? (Research)
Parent and Student Involvement • Student Journal for every child to keep throughout the science fair process. • Includes a place for a timeline, brainstorming ideas, research, and appendix of support documents • Places for teachers and parents to sign
Where to get ideas for projects • Books • Library, AIMS, GEMS • Websites • www.sciencebuddies.com • www.scifair.org/ • www.vansvillestemfair.wikispaces.com • Observations of world
When Approving Questions… • Follow the county rules for ES STEM Fair Projects, always error on the side of caution • No mold, unless it remains in a sealed container and is thrown away in the same sealed container • No product tests (except 3rd grade) • No interactions with vertebrates (only observation) • No bacteria! (at home petri dish testing kits are a no) • When in doubt- ask and get approval from School Safety Review Board or County Office!
Example: Approved Question Does the height (3 cm, 6 cm or 9 cm) of a ramp change how far a marble will roll?
Write a hypothesis • Answer the question • Include the reason (the because) • Example: The height of the ramp will effect the speed of the marble because the when you increase the height of a ramp you increase the angle.
Variables • Use the question to help point out the variables. • A well written question will contain both the independent/manipulated and dependent/measured variable. • Independent (what we are changing): height of the ramp • Dependent (what we are measuring): how fast it the marble travels
Controlled variables: What must stay the same. • Ruler • Size of marble • How far it is traveling • Stop watch • Where marble is released on ruler
Materials This (be specific in METRIC) • 1 30 cm ruler • 1 small marble • 3 books that are each 3cm high • 1 stopwatch that measures seconds • 1 cup Not This… • ruler • Marble • book
Incomplete Procedures • Make a ramp with books • Roll a marble down the ramp • Measure how fast it goes • Change the height of the ramp
What was Wrong? • Bulleted • Repeated trials required (at least 3) • Create a table to collect our data • Stress the controls that are staying the same.
New Procedures • Place the ruler on the end of a book that is 3cm high. • Place a cup 30 cm from the bottom of the ruler. • Place the marble at the top of the ramp. • Release the marble and measure how long it takes for the marble to reach the cup. • Record data and repeat three times. • Increase the height of the ramp by 3cm. Repeat steps 2-5. • Increase the height by another 3 cm and repeat steps 2-5. • Find the average time for the three trials.
Don’t forget… Do three trials. Record your data. Complete your Experiment…
Results • Include a graph • Independent variable is x-axis • Dependent variable is y-axis • Written explanation of data collection, pictures and graph
Conclusion • Use the questions to guide a well written conclusion • Was my hypothesis/prediction correct or incorrect? • What is the answer to my question? Support the answer with data collected. • Were there any problems with the investigation or things I would do differently? • What other things would I like to investigate about my topic? • How does what I learned apply to the real world?
Kate Cobb STEM Resource Teacher: Vansville ES Kathryn.cobb@pgcps.org www.vansvillestemfair.wikispaces.com Contact Information