Science project success guide: designing and conducting experiments

Science World, Sept 20, 2004

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SCIENCE FAIR RESOURCES

Were your students inspired by the young scientists featured in this issue? Encourage them to enter these two national awards programs:

* Christopher Columbus Awards This program challenges teams of middle-school students to discover opportunities for positive change in their communities using science and technology. www.christophercolumbusawards.com

* The Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge Leadership, teamwork, scientific problem solving; and the ability to be an effective science communicator-these are the qualities honored by this awards program. Open to students in grades 5 through 8. http://school.discovery.com/ sciencefaircentral/dysc/

Recommended Reading

* Science Fairs Plus: Reinventing an Old Favorite This book from the National Science Teachers Association is perfect for teachers of grades K-8 and offers many practical solutions to energize science fairs. To order, visit http://store.nsta,org or call 1.800.277-5300 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET weekdays. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 301-638-0200. (Product Number: PB173X, ISBN: 0873552199)

* Sure-to-Win Science Fair Projects by Joe Rhatigan and Heather Smith, Lark Books, 2001.

* The Sky's the Limit: Stories of Discovery by Women and Girls by Catherine Thimmesh and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002,

Internet Resources

* The Ultimate Science Fair Resource www.scifair.org

* For an entertaining and simple introduction to the scientific method, have students watch the animated movie at: www.brainpop.com/science/matter/scientificmethod/ index.weml

* Science Fair Source from the PBS science-education series, Dragonfly TV: http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/ sciencefair.html