Science Fair Primer

Introduction
Science is a verb as well as a noun
As teachers, we know that students are
the focus of education. Each student
starts at a different place and learns at a
different rate. Classrooms display a great
variety of student interest and ability.
Teaching is often akin to taking a group
on a long trek. As the guide you need to
meet the group where they are and lead
them towards the destinationthe path
you choose may not always be the most
direct route.
Science is both a product and a process;
a noun as well as a verb. In many
classrooms science is presented as only
a noun, a product, a compendium of
facts. However, science is also a
process that can be easily unleashed
through the inquiry of student
1999 Kivalliq Regional Science FairRepulse Bay
investigation and science projects. Within
the parameters of a projects, students can become their own guide and learn to teach
themselves. Students are interested in the world around them and science is a process
that is powered by such curiosity.
Why Bother with Science Projects?
A Science Fair has the potential to attain many goals for both the participant and the
school at large. The following list provides some of the main possibilities:
For the School, Science Projects
Provide an opportunity for student-directed learning.
Accommodate a great variety of student abilities and learning styles.
Bridge the schoolcommunity gap. Science Fairs create a venue for school and
community to meet and celebrate student work and success.
Establish a legacy of student excellence.
For the Student Participant, a Science Fair
Provides an opportunity to study topics of interest through a hands-on approach.
Develops an understanding of science as process as well as a product
Develops a sense of accomplishment self-esteem for students who complete a
project.
Develops science skills and knowledge.
Provides an opportunity to find the answers to their own questions.

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Develops writing and oral presentations skills

Employs mathematical and analytical skills
Creates an opportunity to learn and have fun learning outside of the classroom.
Develops artistic skills.
Provides an opportunity to develop an idea from conception to completion and
work to a deadline.
Where Can I Find the Time?
In the Kivalliq, teachers support and manage Science Projects in a number of ways that
very greatly in the amount of structure provided by the school.
In-Class Science Projects
Many schools integrate student projects into the Junior and Senior High School Science
programs. In this model, all students complete a project alone or as part of a group.
Some class time is provided for project research and development and student work is
graded and included with other assessment to make up their report card grade in
science. This model provides the most support to the students who need it most and
yields the most projects, but also utilizes valuable classroom time.
Extra-curricular Projects
Some schools decide to make science fair projects an optional extra-curricular student
activity. This model is especially prevalent with senior high schools, where extensive
curricula and departmental exams demand every classroom hour. Science clubs offer
the support to students who do most of the work on their own time after school. This
model is appealing to the more motivated students but does not offer enough support
for average students. As a result, projects may be of excellent quality, but will be fewer
in number.
Steps to a Successful Project
Science Fair projects can become overwhelming if not structured and supported by
teacher-mentors. It is important to have your students start work on their projects as
soon as possible; too much time is never considered to be a problem. Encourage
students to be creative, natural, honest, personal, and original. Also encourage them to
create bilingual projects (English and Inuktitut) on topics relevant to their lives. Students
may prepare their projects as individuals, in groups or as a class. However, projects that
are eligible for the Kivalliq Regional Science Fair may have no more than two
participants working on them.
Have students begin a project logbook and record all stages of their work. Logbooks
contain all rough work, plans and records, everything should be recorded in the logbook
with date annotations. Logbook are not finished presentations. They are a record of the
students work and progress and are the starting point of the project and the reference
for both the project display and report. It is more important for a logbook to be complete
than to be neat and tidy.
Time-management and motivation are two key supports that teachers need to provide

Science Fair Primer

their students in the Kivalliq. Here are seven basic steps to get your students started on
their project work.
1. Problem:
Ask a question which can be answered by research, observation, experimentation
and/or creating new invention.
2. Hypothesis:
State your hypothesis. Students will predict what the outcome will be based on the
students experiences and/or information collected from available resources.
3. Procedure:
A Material: List every item which is needed to do the experiment, study or
innovation. Include equipment as well as materials.
B Method: List a step-by-step sequence of exactly what your plan is.
4. Results:
In your logbook, record your observations and/or results. Note any accidents,
mistakes, unusual or unexpected observations Develop graphs and/or charts to
present your data.
5. Conclusion:
Using the data from your results, answer the question asked in Part 1. Then, note
any additional comments, explanations of why the results did or did not match your
hypothesis. Also note any information, which you learned from your research that
would be relevant (include a Bibliography).
6. Report:
Write a report to summarize your project and results. Include a bibliography and
acknowledgements section. Your report should contain all relevant information
regarding your project.
7. Display Exhibit
Develop a display to present your
project and results. Displays should
be attractive and easy to read and
understand and contain information
from steps 1-5. Your exhibit may not
be able to display everything that is
in your report, but should contain the
main points.

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Project Summary Sheet

Student Name:_________________________________

Date:_______________

Record the decisions you have made so far on this page

My science fair topic is: ___________________________________________________
My question is: _________________________________________________________
My hypothesis is: _______________________________________________________
My project will be:

an experiment,

an innovation,

a study

Books I have read:. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Websites I have visited: __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Experts/Elders I have spoken to: ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Interesting things I found in my resource research: _____________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Safety regulations for my project are: ________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Equipment I need: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Ethics guidelines for my project are: _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Project Management: See attached timeline

Science Fair Primer

An Eight-Week Project Timeline

Set timelines to allow enough time for your students to make revisions and corrections.
The unexpected can happen, so plan for more time than you think you'll need for each
stage. For example, always plan for your students to finish their final display at least one
week before the fair. They will be glad of the time to practice answering questions as
and explain it to family and friends! Assign due dates for the different stages in the
project. For example, you may be expect your students to have their library research
done by a certain date, and all their experiments or design innovations completed by
another date that will still allow them time to prepare their final presentation
The following timeline provides a basic student outline for a science project from start to
finish. Please note that the exact amount of time needed to complete a science fair
project varies widely. This plan is based on the very least amount of time
recommended for project completion.
Week 1
Think about possible project ideas. Talk with your teachers, friends, and family about
your project. Choose a specific project topic. Write a description of what you want your
project to involve. Obtain a Project Summary Sheet from your teacher and begin to fill it
out.
Week 2
Develop your topic. Collect information regarding your topic. Conduct detailed research
regarding your topic, making sure to take sufficient notes. Record all sources of
information that you obtain research from. Formulate specific procedures for your
project and begin experimentation.
Week 3
Continue your experiments. Conduct many tests in order to ensure that your results are
accurate. Carefully record your experiments. Make appointments to talk with resource
people (those who may be able to help you with your ideas).
Weeks 4 & 5
Continue your experiments. Prepare an outline for your report. Write a rough draft of
what you have done and learned in the course of your experiment.
Week 6
Write your final report. Begin work on your project exhibit.
Weeks 7 & 8
Finish your project exhibit. Practice presenting to your family, friends, and class.

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Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Principles and Science Fairs

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) Principles common essential leanings or core values of
Inuit culture. The IQ Principles were developed by elders and adopted by the Nunavut
Government as guiding principles. KSEC believes that science projects and fairs
promote many of the eight IQ principles. In particular, Science Fairs can reinforce:
Innuqatigiitsiarniq- the concept respecting others, relationships and caring for
people. Group work and having fun together is part of every Science Fair.
Tunnganarniq- the concept of fostering good spirit by being open, welcoming and
inclusive. Science Fair challenge events are fun and create good will among the
participants. KSEC has created the Tunnganarniq Peer Award for the student
attending the Kivalliq Regional Science, who, in the eyes of his or her peers, best
exemplifies this principle.
Piliriqatigiingniq- the concept of developing a collaborative relationships and working
together for a common purpose. Most science projects are done by groups of
students working together collaboratively.
Avatimik kamattiarniq- the concept of environmental stewardship stresses the key
relationship Inuit have with their environment and with the world in which they live.
Science Fair events attempt to utilize recycled materials, such as cardboard, cans
and bottles.
Pilimmaksarniq- the concept of skills and knowledge acquisition and capacity
building is central to the success of Inuit in a challenging environment. Learning by
doing is a pedagogical technique that brings the traditional into the contemporary
and is essential to the knowledge construction that occur during the research and
development of science projects.
Qanuqtuurniq- the concept of being resourceful to seek solutions by maximizing
utilization of limited resources and improvising when and where necessary.
Resourcefulness is probably the strongest IQ value embedded in the Science Fair
program. Participants must be resourceful to create a project. KSEC has
established the Thomas Kudloo Memorial Qanuqtuurniq Award for the project that
relates to the north and Nunavut and show great resourcefulness. It is awarded
annually at the Kivalliq Regional science Fair
Aajiqatigiingniq- the concept of consensus decision-making relies on strong
communication skills and a strong belief in shared goals. Completion of a science
fair project requires many decisions that all members of the group must support.
Communication of a share goal is a key element in the interview portion of the
judging process.
Pijitsirarniq- the concept of serving and community as opposed to pure self-interest.
Working in pairs or in groups helps participants see beyond themselves. Science
Fairs utilize this teamwork approach.

Science Fair Primer

Historica Fairs
The Department of Education facilitates the Nunavut Historica Fairs Program for
Nunavut schools. They produce a Teachers Handbook that describes the Historica
guidelines and the steps for organizing a Local Historica Fair as well as preparation for
and participation in the Territorial Historlca Fair, the National Fair, and the Virtual
Historica Fair. The Historica Fair Program is open to Nunavut students in Grades 4-9.
All participating schools and the Historica Fair Team participate in a conference call
once a month over the year to provide guidance and answer questions.Each school
holds a Local Fair sometime between October and March. The two best projects from
each Local Fair are selected to proceed to the Nunavut Territorial Historica Fair.
The Territorial Historica Fair is held the first week of May. It consists of a website
located at www.ecss.nu.calhlstorica where the students' projects are displayed. Judges
from across Nunavut visit the site and rank the projects. The Nunavut delegation to the
National Historica Fair is decided in collaboration with the teachers of the students who
submitted the top-ranking projects. The National Fair is held the second week in July in
a different location in Canada each year. Students from each province and territory
come together for a week of activities and celebrations culminating in the National
Historica Fair. For more information on Historica Fairs, contact the Department of
Curriculum and School Services in Arviat.
Historica Fairs Project & Science Fair Projects
Many topics that are suitable for Historica Fair Projects are also suitable for science
projects and with a some tweaking and some additional work a student my be able to
enter his or her project in both programs. A study of an Inuit technology is an example
of a topic suitable for both programs.
Types of Science Projects
The Canada-Wide Science Fair groups projects into three main categories:
experiments, studies and innovations. The process of completing each is similar, but
there are some differences you will need to understand. On the next page the three
types are outlined, and examples of each are given.
Experiment:
Investigations are undertaken to test one or more hypotheses. An experiment is a
science project that uses a process of scientific inquiry to investigate the question. You
would think of a question about a topic, make a hypothesis (educated guess based on
your existing knowledge or by reading) regarding the answer, and then design and
conduct an experiment to test that hypothesis. You will make, record, and analyze
observations to accept or reject your hypothesis. The key to a good experiment is
identification and control of the variables.
Example: You might be interested in sewing qammiks and have a question' about which
is stronger synthetic or natural sinew, or you might want to know whether thinking
generates heat.

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Study:
A collection and analysis of data showing evidence of a correlation, situation or pattern
of scientific interest. Variables are identified and controlled where possible. A study is a
project in which observations are made about an existing phenomenon and results are
recorded. Instead of controlling and changing the variables, you would choose existing
or naturally occurring variables for observation. Your focus is on finding a (new)
explanation for the recorded observations. This type of project can also be a purely
literature-researched based project in which you compare work of several others in a
field and look for relationships that they may have missed. This is a less common type
of project, but if done well, is certainly as strong as the experiment or innovation.
Example: You might be interested in how darkness affects student attendance at school
or traffic at the health centre. You might want to do a library search and interview elders
to see if there are climate changes occurring in your region.
Innovation:
The development and evaluation of models or innovative devices (inventions), using
techniques or approaches from the field of technology, engineering or computers. An
innovation is a project in which you design a product that solves a particular problem.
You would identify a problem, and experiment with materials to design a solution. You
would conduct trials to test the product, and improvements in design are made to better
meet the needs of the original problem.
Example: You might like building models, and might want to choose to design
something that solves a particular problem, such as how keep your homes stink pipe
from freezing up in the winter time or how to prevent a snow machines fuel pump from
freezing up.
KSEC has adopted these same categories for the Kivalliq Regional Science Fair and
encourages schools to use the same designation. KSEC also encourages students to
develop projects that are relevant to the north and Nunavut and rewards such projects
in the judging process. Bilingual (English and Inuktitut) projects also receive additional
marks in the judging process at the Kivalliq Regional Science Fair (see pages 23-25).
What Makes a Good Science Fair Project?
First and foremost, a good project must be on a topic that interests its developer. There is no
substitute for the enthusiasm that results from interest and curiosity. The following list
describes the characteristics of award-winning projects.
A clear statement of the question asked. A clear statement of what the student
feels the answer to the question will be - and why!!
An outline of the experimental design - material needed, variables involved,
controls implemented.
A summary of experimental results.
An attempt to explain the results, and what they mean in relation to the original
question and the student's prediction.

Science Fair Primer

An eye-catching display exhibit that communicates the essential elements of the

project in a clear and concise manner
A logbook that contains date annotated planning notes and results of the
projects history.
A well-written report that summarizes the project and its results.
The Written Report (see page 22 for Report Rubric)
The report should communicate the students work to their teacher, classmates, judges,
and others who may come to the fair. A sign of an excellent report is one that someone
else could use to repeat the project. The report needs to be clearly written, in a logical
sequence, with all steps in clearly explained. This written work should tell a story about
the students observations, and should include the following:
A title page with project name and students name
An abstract of the project (brief summary of the entire project-- Title/Problem/
Purpose of Project/Hypothesis/Procedure/Conclusions in 50-200 words)
A table of contents
Introduction
The question/problem statement, purpose, and hypothesis
Background information, written in students own words
The procedure, including the materials list (include diagrams or photographs)
Summaries of all experiments/tests
A summary of all data collected (tables, graphs, etc)
Students conclusions about the results
A discussion of the possible applications of the project
A reference list
Acknowledgements
In addition, an appendix section may be included, which
could contain:
Any required forms, for example, ethics
committee approval forms
Copies of blank questionnaires used in your
project
Additional relevant photographs
The students original logbook (journal) should also be
submitted as a separate book.
The Display Exhibit
The purpose of a display is to communicate the
summary of students work and results in an eyecatching manner. Attention paid to colour and font size
of the text is vital to the overall appeal. A common
mistake is to overload the display with far too much
detail and text. The display information should not be
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the same as what is in your written report. Rather, it should just be the highlights of the
science project.
Items that must be included in a project display are:
Your question/problem statement
Your hypothesis
A summary of your results
The booklet of your written report
Your original logbook
Optional Items that may be included in a project display are:
Graphs or charts summarizing your results
Models, drawings, photographs
Materials to demonstrate your project (if allowed under safety guidelines)
Items that should not be included in a project display are:
Other references such as books, website pages. A student summary is preferred.
Any substances on the prohibited list. Consider photographs instead.
Anything irreplaceable. Students and teachers should think carefully about
security and possible damage before putting expensive equipment on display.
Judging Criteria
The process for judging a science project will depend, to large degree, on the
expectations that you communicated to your students and whether or not there is a
competition aspect to the Science Fair. In-class projects also carry the additional
responsibility of providing input into the students report card mark in science. In any
case it is a good idea to share evaluation rubrics and judging booklets with your
students at the onset of project work so they know exactly what the expectations are.
Judging is usually broken up into two parts; Project Display and Report and Student
Interview. Remember this process should be viewed as an opportunity to provide
positive feedback to the students.
The Kivalliq Regional Science Fair Report Rubric and Project judging booklet may be
found on pages 22-25. Some of the main criteria for judging are as follows:
Scientific Thought
Has the problem been stated clearly?
Was there an effective plan for obtaining a solution?
Does the project carry out its purposes to completion within the scope of the
original plan?
If controls were necessary, was there a recognition of their needs, and were they
correctly used?
Are the variables clearly recognized and defined?
Are there adequate data to support the conclusions? Were the experimental
errors inherent in the measurements made and in the materials used
recognized?

Science Fair Primer

Originality
Is the problem original?
Is the approach to solving the problem original?
Does the interpretation of the data show originality?
Has the equipment been used in an original way?
Is the construction or design of the equipment original?
Skill
Does the student have the skills required to do all the work necessary to obtain
the data that supports his project?
Did the student build the equipment himself?
Has the student made skillful use of the information facilities available?
Has the student shown an adequate scientific vocabulary related to his problem?
Is the workmanship on the exhibit neat and well done?
Dramatic Value
How attractive is the exhibit?
Does the exhibit successfully incorporate a multi-sensory approach?
How well does the display explain itself?
Report and Logbook (optional for lower grades)
Has all the required information been provided within the specified guidelines?
Has the student expressed himself well in written material? How much of the
written material was prepared with assistance of other persons?
Are the important phases of the project presented in an orderly manner in the
report?
How comprehensive is the logbook?
Student Interviews
With patience and understanding, interviewing students can be a most rewarding
activity. Most students (even shy ones) do enjoy the attention that results from
someone showing interest in their work and asking questions about it. Prepare youre
your students by having them practice interviews with family and friends before the
project is judged at school. The following are some common interview questions that
judges like to ask.

Why did you choose this topic for a project?

How much time did you spend working on this project?
What was the biggest surprise in your work?
What did you find out that you didn't expect?
What do you think would happen if you changed (a variable)?
What further work would you have done if you'd had more time?
If you were to do this project again, what would you do differently?
Tell me something that's not obvious from your backboard.

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