You and your
child are invited to participate in the Third Annual Parkmead
Science Fair! The objectives of the Fair are to:
Ø
Enrich your child’s
educational experience
Ø
Inspire a sense of
wonder
Ø
Strengthen skills in
critical thinking
Ø
Spark and expand creativity and interest
in science
Participation
in this extracurricular, parent-run activity is voluntary. The Fair
will be non-competitive, and students may work individually or in
collaborative groups. Each participant will receive a prize and a
certificate of recognition. The event is co-sponsored by the PCS PTA
and PALS PTO, and is open to all Parkmead students from kindergarten to
fifth grade.
Over the next
few months, each participant will prepare their project for display at
the Family Science Fair evening. Each student will be stationed with
their project for the first part of the Fair, to describe their work to
one of the Fair “Questioners”. Families are encouraged to view all the
projects.
Projects
can reflect any science-related question that fascinates your
child. Sample project ideas are provided on the back of this flyer.
Grade-level-appropriate projects can involve models, collections,
observations, demonstration of a scientific principle, or use of the
scientific method. Topic areas include: science and nature (forms,
patterns or behaviors of matter, energy, plants, or animals),
technology, engineering, and applied math. Parent volunteers will
be available to assist your child from project planning through
implementation.
Information
packets with registration forms will be available in the Science Fair
folder in the school office. A web site is under construction to
provide access to information, entry forms, and links to useful
resources. A second flyer with additional details will be distributed
in November. Please return your registration form no later than January
13, to reserve display space for your child’s project.
We have an
enthusiastic committee in place, dedicated to making the Parkmead
Family Science Fair successful and fun. If you have questions, or are
interested in volunteering for the event, please contact one of the
Science Fair Co-Chairs:
Peter Carroll (938-9918) pemscarr@msn.com
Tony Phillips (979 0145) a.n.phillips@att.net
Sample Project
Ideas
Kindergarten–Grade
3:
Observations:
fingerprints, inside the egg, roots of different plants, objects that
block light or let it pass through, and living things in my yard.
Collections:
rocks, seashells, seeds, pressed leaves, and bark rubbings.
Models and
Demonstrations: structures such as a skyscraper or bridge, our solar
system, mixing colors, how the ear works, and tree rings.
Experiments:
magnetic/nonmagnetic materials, testing a sundial with a clock, how
vinegar affects egg shells, what a plant needs to grow, and measuring
rainfall.
Grades 4 and 5:
Demonstrations:
an energy-efficient home, how a bird’s wings work, the pinhole camera,
pH and measuring it, and how yogurt is made.
Physical
Science Experiments: best metals for conducting heat, studies of splash
patterns, testing various orange drinks for vitamin C, materials that
absorb sound, and the velocity of different liquids through the
same-size tube.
Engineering
Experiments: paper airplane performance, robots, computer projects,
storing the sun’s energy, and power from rising air.
Earth Science
Experiments: composition of different sand samples, water retention of
different soils, using a computer for mineral identification, terracing
to prevent erosion, and wave barriers.
Consumer
Experiments: comparison of stain removers, performance of different
brands of batteries, cost of leaky faucets, accuracy of parking meters,
and comparison of water usage in showers vs. baths.
Life Science
Experiments: light and plant growth, effects of the environment on
popcorn, speed of snails on different surfaces, reading/remembering
with papers of various colors, and lung power of different age groups.
List adapted from Insights Visual Productions.