Highland Ranch Elementary School SCIENCE FAIR AND EXHIBITION 2018
How to Construct Your Presentation Board
Every project will be displayed on a tri-fold presentation board. These can be purchased at Target (cheapest), Michaels, Staples, or online suppliers. There is a standard size and a smaller version (Elmers brand, available at Target). Younger students in Kindergarten and First Grade may want to use the smaller board.
TIPS: Keep the poster neat, not cluttered. Arrange items in a logical flow, as if you’re telling a story of your investigation. Frame each section with contrasting colored paper. Include visuals such as pictures, graphs, etc. along with written statements and descriptions. Type or print text clearly (for younger students, parents may help with transcribing). Type should be at least size 16 font, or a size that is easy to read from a few feet away.
Things to include on the board (suggested, but not required):
✓ “TITLE”/TOPIC—Could be statement or question (“The Effect of Sound on Plant Growth)
or (“How do Crystals Form?”)
✓ “PURPOSE”/ STATEMENT OF PROBLEM / DRIVING QUESTION—what do you know
about your topic and what are you trying to find out through your investigation or experiment? (I want to know...if/then...what/how/why/...) For younger students (I wonder...) What is the importance of your findings?
✓
HYPOTHESIS/PREDICTION—What you think will be the result of your investigation or experimentation, based on what you already know about your subject/topic. (“I think that...because...if...then...”) For younger students (“I think...because).
✓ MATERIALS—what you used to complete the study
✓ PROCEDURES—how you conducted your study, steps you took to get data, how you
analyzed data, etc.
✓ RESULTS—what you found out. Can be in the form of written statements, charts, graphs,
pictures, etc.
✓ CONCLUSION—what your results mean and how it compares to your prediction. Also,
reflect on why the results did or did not match your hypothesis. Either way, you should know why you got the results you did and what it means. Would you do the experiment differently next time? If so, how? What are the consequences of the results? Do they help others to make informed decisions? Do they help us understand the world better?
✓ REFERENCES—list any books, websites, articles, or other sources of information used in
the project.
✓ STUDENT INFO—name, grade, teacher, and room #
✓ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/THANK YOUS—It is customary to thank any people that
helped with ideas, information, resources, etc.
Note from the Science Fair Committee Chair: The HRES Science Fair and Exhibition is a non-competitive, extra-curricular activity. Students are encouraged to explore, investigate, and communicate any area of science that they find interesting and share what they know and found out about their subject to others. The projects will not be graded and all participants will receive recognition for participation in the event. Therefore, all information provided in this document is suggested and recommended, but not required. Adjustments may be made and creativity is encouraged. After all, science is often a creative, non-linear process of exploration. It does not always follow a “method” but does involve processes such as observation, questioning, manipulating, etc.. For example, the investigation may not involve forming a “hypothesis” but may still be defined as a science project. In any case, choose a way to communicate your project in the way that makes most sense to you. If you need any assistance, please contact [email protected]
How to Construct Your Presentation Board
Every project will be displayed on a tri-fold presentation board. These can be purchased at Target (cheapest), Michaels, Staples, or online suppliers. There is a standard size and a smaller version (Elmers brand, available at Target). Younger students in Kindergarten and First Grade may want to use the smaller board.
TIPS: Keep the poster neat, not cluttered. Arrange items in a logical flow, as if you’re telling a story of your investigation. Frame each section with contrasting colored paper. Include visuals such as pictures, graphs, etc. along with written statements and descriptions. Type or print text clearly (for younger students, parents may help with transcribing). Type should be at least size 16 font, or a size that is easy to read from a few feet away.
Things to include on the board (suggested, but not required):
✓ “TITLE”/TOPIC—Could be statement or question (“The Effect of Sound on Plant Growth)
or (“How do Crystals Form?”)
✓ “PURPOSE”/ STATEMENT OF PROBLEM / DRIVING QUESTION—what do you know
about your topic and what are you trying to find out through your investigation or experiment? (I want to know...if/then...what/how/why/...) For younger students (I wonder...) What is the importance of your findings?
✓
HYPOTHESIS/PREDICTION—What you think will be the result of your investigation or experimentation, based on what you already know about your subject/topic. (“I think that...because...if...then...”) For younger students (“I think...because).
✓ MATERIALS—what you used to complete the study
✓ PROCEDURES—how you conducted your study, steps you took to get data, how you
analyzed data, etc.
✓ RESULTS—what you found out. Can be in the form of written statements, charts, graphs,
pictures, etc.
✓ CONCLUSION—what your results mean and how it compares to your prediction. Also,
reflect on why the results did or did not match your hypothesis. Either way, you should know why you got the results you did and what it means. Would you do the experiment differently next time? If so, how? What are the consequences of the results? Do they help others to make informed decisions? Do they help us understand the world better?
✓ REFERENCES—list any books, websites, articles, or other sources of information used in
the project.
✓ STUDENT INFO—name, grade, teacher, and room #
✓ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/THANK YOUS—It is customary to thank any people that
helped with ideas, information, resources, etc.
Note from the Science Fair Committee Chair: The HRES Science Fair and Exhibition is a non-competitive, extra-curricular activity. Students are encouraged to explore, investigate, and communicate any area of science that they find interesting and share what they know and found out about their subject to others. The projects will not be graded and all participants will receive recognition for participation in the event. Therefore, all information provided in this document is suggested and recommended, but not required. Adjustments may be made and creativity is encouraged. After all, science is often a creative, non-linear process of exploration. It does not always follow a “method” but does involve processes such as observation, questioning, manipulating, etc.. For example, the investigation may not involve forming a “hypothesis” but may still be defined as a science project. In any case, choose a way to communicate your project in the way that makes most sense to you. If you need any assistance, please contact [email protected]