What is the CCE Science Fair?
What are the important dates for Science Fair?
Is there a limit to the number of projects in the Science Fair?
What is the parent volunteer requirement?
How do I prepare a Science Fair project?
New! How do I turn my child's hobbies/interests into a Science Fair project?
What do I bring to the Science Fair at check-in time?
Should I label my project in any way?
What are the guidelines for project boards?
How can I get a discounted project board?
What are the guidelines for photographs?
What items are not allowed in a project display?
Are there any special considerations for Kindergarteners?
Are there any special rules for grades K-3?
Are there any special rules for grades 4 and 5?
What are the different categories of projects?
What is the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival?
How should parents help with projects?
How are projects judged?
New! Where can I find the judging rubrics?
What types of ribbons will be given at the CCE Science Fair?
Each year the CCE PTA sponsors a Science Fair on campus. The Science Fair gives students an opportunity to explore a science topic of their choice, and present the results on a project board for judging and award.
What are the important dates for Science Fair?
The Science Fair will be held at CCE on Thursday, January 31st and Friday, February 1st. If your child's project is one of the 15 projects selected to proceed to the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival, this will take place on Saturday, February 23rd.
Registration for the Science Fair at CCE will take place in mid-November, prior to the Thanksgiving break. We will have an electronic registration this year. A notice will be placed in the on-line CCE Chronicle when registration is open. Also, look for notices on the school doors.
An optional parents' meeting will be held on Thursday, December 6th at 7:45am in the library. There will be an open question and answer format. If you are in need of a translator for the parents' meeting, please contact Mary Anne Hettenhaus at MaryAnne_Hettenhaus@roundrockisd.org.
Is there a limit to the number of projects in the Science Fair?
We are limited by space and by manpower. This year, the first 100 projects registered will be accepted. Those registering after the first 100 projects will be placed on a waiting list. Past experience indicates that there will probably be room for those on the waiting list to participate, due to a certain percentage of registered projects dropping-out before the Science Fair. We will do our best to keep tabs on drop-outs and move projects off the waiting list as space permits.
What is the parent volunteer requirement?
One parent volunteer shift will be required for each project registered for the CCE Science Fair. Volunteer shifts will all be about 2-hours in duration, with options to work either in the evening or during the day, depending on your availability. When you register your child's project, your volunteer preference will be requested. Please keep in mind that your volunteer shift may be filled by a grandparent, neighbor or other adult friend.
How do I prepare a Science Fair project?
There are many
excellent web resources to help you select a topic and prepare a
project board. A few are listed here. Please remember that it is
your responsibility to ensure that Austin Regional Science Festival
guidelines/rules are followed in the presentation of your child's
project.
New! How do I turn my child's hobbies/interests into a Science Fair project?
Depending on the topic, it can be hard to come up with an experiment, which
asks a question and finds its answer. Sometimes measuring results and correctly attributing
them to a factor can be difficult. But, the "exhibit" category of projects could be a
solution. For an exhibit, you need to find something interesting
about the subject and explain it. If you child loves music, perhaps you could explain how
sound is created by a piano. If your child loves jumping rope, perhaps you could explain
why holding your arms still while turning the rope with only the wrist causes the rope to rotate faster.
Utilize the websites listed above to adapt ideas to your child's interests. Try the "Science Buddies"
website, which provides a "Topic Selection Wizard" to help you find a science project which suits
your interests.
What do I bring to the Science Fair at check-in time?
The only thing you need to bring is your project. The
registration forms included in the Austin Energy Regional Science
Festival packet are NOT required for the CCE Science Fair.
Should I label my project in any way?
No. For the CCE Science Fair, please do not put your
name on your project. When you check-in, you will be assigned a
project number which will be marked on the back of your project. This
number and your name will be logged at check-in. These randomly
assigned project numbers will allow us to maintain project anonymity.
What are the guidelines for project boards? Project displays should
be on sturdy 36” x 48” tri-fold boards available at local
craft and office supply stores. Written material, drawings and
pictures should be securely attached to the display board. The size
of display boards may not exceed 30” deep, 48” wide, and
72” high.
How can I get a discounted project board? Discounted white
project boards will be available again this year at a cost of about
$2. When you register your child's project for the CCE Science Fair,
you will be given an opportunity to pre-order a discounted project
board. We hope to have these project boards available for pick-up at
the parents' meeting in early December and the week thereafter.
What are the guidelines for photographs? Photographs are an
excellent way to demonstrate what your child has learned in his/her
Science Fair project. Please remember that photographs should not
include any images of your child or other distinguishing content,
since Science Fair projects need to be judged anonymously. Any such
content will be taped over prior to judging.
What items are not allowed in a project display? No
human/animal parts or body fluids No
human or animal food No
bacteria or mold cultures No
liquids of any sort, including water No
sharp items No
glass or glass objects No
pressurized tanks or containers No
batteries with open cell tops exposing battery acid No
project which includes discharging a firearm; discharging an air
pressure canister device; contains chemicals deemed hazardous to
student health; is radioactive and/or any other activity that
presents a danger to the student No
photographs or pictures of animals or people in surgical techniques,
dissections, or necropsies No
projects which involved stress or injury to any animals.
Are there any special considerations for Kindergarteners? Kindergarteners may
enter a project into the CCE Science Fair, but are NOT eligible to
move on to the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival. Otherwise,
Kindergarteners should follow the same rules as grades 1-3, listed
below.
Are there any special rules for grades K-3? Students in 1st-3rd
grades may have properly sealed specimens (dead or preserved plant or
mineral materials) as part of their project display. However, no
human or animal food is permitted. Properly sealed means that items
cannot leak odor, liquid or particles out of their container. Items
must be double bagged in sturdy (freezer) bags OR they must be placed
in clear, plastic containers with the lid sealed using clear book
tape. All items (shells, rocks, leaves, soil, eggshells, etc.) must
be dried before sealing. We suggest that bags be attached to the
project board with clear book tape for safe and neat display.
If photographs can be taken of items or plastic items used instead, this is
preferable for the display, e.g., plastic flowers instead of dried ones.
Are there any special rules for grades 4 and 5? Projects fall into one
of the following categories: experiments,
demonstrations/models/displays and collections. Collections are
not recommended for children in grades 4 and 5. Projects entered by
4th/5th grade children may NOT include any
specimens of any sort, sealed or otherwise. 4th/5th
grade projects are only allowed to have photographs of specimens.
What are the different categories of projects? There are three
categories of projects: Collection
with classification (NOT recommended for 4th/5th
graders)
Experiment – an experiment follows the scientific
method. It clearly asks a question to which you do not already know
the answer without testing.
Exhibit: Demonstration, Model or Display – an
exhibit is an explanation of how or why something works. It reveals
details about the topic. An exhibit is an explanation, not a
question.
What is the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival? The Austin Energy
Regional Science Festival is the follow-on to our CCE Science Fair.
Fifteen children from among the 1st place winners will be
selected to represent CCE at the Austin Energy Science Festival.
Kindergarteners are NOT eligible to move on to the Austin Energy
Science Festival. The Austin Energy Regional Science Festival is
the final contest for elementary division projects.
How should parents help with projects? Parents are encouraged
to limit their help to the following things: read
and discuss the Science Festival rules with your child help
select a project which is age/grade-appropriate for your child plan
and manage project work times and clean-up times take
your child to the library or other places for research help
draw straight lines for a young child listen
to your child's oral explanation of the project ensure
your child's safety Parents should refrain
from physically helping to prepare the project board, except in the
case of Kindergarten and 1st graders. Children in grades 2
and higher are capable of preparing their project board independently
with some simple parental guidance. It is very important to
remember that projects are judged on content, not beauty. A
scrapbook perfect project is no more likely to win a prize than a
very crooked project obviously put together by a young child.
Content/scientific discovery is what is important and judged. The criteria for
judging may be found in the Austin Regional Science Festival
elementary handbook. The criteria are broken down by each category of
project. Please note that there are no points given for the
appearance or beauty of a project.
New! Where can I find the judging rubrics? The rubrics for each category of project
are available on the CCE PTA website.
Collection with classification:
www.CanyonCreekPTA.com/2008CCERubricCollection.pdf
Experiment:
www.CanyonCreekPTA.com/2008CCERubricExperiment.pdf
Exhibit: Demonstration, Model or Display:
www.CanyonCreekPTA.com/2008CCERubricDemonstration.pdf
What types of ribbons will be given at the CCE Science Fair? All children at the CCE
Science Fair will be awarded one of the following ribbons: Blue
Rosette – a first place winner selected to proceed to the
Austin Energy Regional Science Festival. Fifteen of these ribbons
will be awarded. Blue
Ribbon – a first place winner Red
Ribbon – a second place winner White
Ribbon – a third place winner It is important to
realize that at the elementary level, projects are strictly judged
against the category criteria. If your child fulfills all the
criteria for his/her category, then s/he will be awarded a first
place ribbon. There are no pre-set limits to the numbers of 1st,
2nd, and 3rd place ribbons. It is theoretically
possible, for example, that every project in the CCE Science Fair
might receive a 1st place ribbon. It is like getting an
“A” on schoolwork. The same holds true in the elementary
division of the Austin Regional Science Festival. The only element of the
CCE Science Fair which is competitive is the selection of the 15
projects who receive the honor of representing CCE at the Austin
Regional Science Festival. These winners will receive a blue rosette,
indicating a first place project proceeding to regionals. At the Austin Energy
Regional Science Festival, additional special awards are available.
You may find an explanation of these awards at
www.sciencefest.org/pdfs/elemDivSpecialAwards2007.pdf
www.sciencefest.org/pdfs/HowToDoElemScienceFairProjects.pdf
– this is a step-by-step guide provided by Austin Energy. It is
a simple and easy “how-to” guide.
www.thesciencefair.com/guidelines.html
– this is a good step-by-step for doing an experiment
www.sciencebuddies.org
– this website has wonderful science fair project ideas, as
well as how-to information.
www.sciencefest.org/pdfs/elemenaryHandbook.pdf
- this handbook is the complete listing of rules and procedures for
the Austin Regional Science Festival. It is an important resource for
ensuring that your child's project will be in compliance with
regional rules if your child wins a regional entry.
www.super-science-fair-projects.com
www.all-science-fair-projects.com
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/
www.sciencenewsforkids.org
www.ipl.org/kidspace/browse/mas6000
www.scifair.org
http://encarta.msn.com/webcenter_0.9.8/Science_Fair_Projects
tryscience.org/experiments/experiments_home
www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/steps.html