We are about three and a half weeks until SRSEE Day!
I have been out with the flu, but I will be back on campus Monday January 28th.

This week, students should have completed assignment #8, the “Results and Discussion”.
Details and samples of how to do this are in the science buddies.org  science fair project guide “Data Analysis and Graphs” section. This assignment was due January 23rd.
Be sure to label each axis of your graph with what the variable is and give your graph a title.
Ideally graphs will be made using spreadsheet software and printed.
If you are able, please send your graph to me via email and I will check it over for you.
I will be available all next week to help students.

For next week students should complete assignment #9 Conclusions for their project. Details and a sample can be found on sciencebuddies at science buddies.org  science fair project guide “Conclusion” section

I will meet with each class next week to see how everyone is doing and answer questions.
You may also come by after school Monday or Tuesday to ask questions, get help or work with your partners. Make sure your parent knows if you are planning on staying after school.

Project  Assignments and Due Dates:

Assignment	Due
assignment #8 Results and Discussion (also known as Data Analysis and Graphs on sciencebuddies.org)	January 23rd
assignment #9 Conclusions	January 30th
assignment #10 Abstract and Draft Final Paper	February 5th
assignment #11 Final Research Paper	February 12th
assignment #12 Poster Presentation in class(also Known as Display Board and Science Fair Judging on science buddies.org)	February 13th

January 12th UPDATE FOR SCIENCE FAIR

At this point, you should be working on running your experiment to collect data, or building what you have engineered and running tests to see if it works.  The data collected should be recorded in your notebook.
You should take pictures of what you do for use on your display board.  
This is assignment #6 and should be completed by January 17th.  If you need more data collection time please notify Ms. Brunning.

We are not going to do assignment # 7.

The next assignment is #8 the “Results and Discussion”.  You can go to the science fair project guide “Data Analysis and Graphs” section on science buddies.org and it has lots of information on what to do with your data, including an example.  This assignment is due January 23rd.

Your goal is to look at your data and see if there is a pattern or trend. This is usually easier to see if you make a graph of your data.  You can use a spreadsheet program like EXCEL or do it on graph paper.  You will have your independent variable(what you changed) on the x axis and your dependent variable(what you measured) on the y axis.  

If you don’t understand how to graph your data, please let me know so I can help you learn.
I will meet with each class this week to see how everyone is doing and answer questions.  
You may also come by after school Monday or Tuesday to ask questions, get help or work with your partners.  Make sure your parent knows if you are planning on staying after school.

Future Assignments and Due Dates:

Assignment	Due
assignment #8 Results and Discussion (also known as Data Analysis and Graphs on sciencebuddies.org)	January 23rd
assignment #9 Conclusions	January 30th
assignment #10 Abstract and Draft Final Paper	February 5th
assignment #11 Final Research Paper	February 12th
assignment #12 Poster Presentation in class(also Known as Display Board and Science Fair Judging  on science buddies.org)	February 13th

January 6, 2013

Happy New Year!
Time for a Science Fair update.
I have entered 100 students online.  Each student or group now has a project number and a password which will be sent home by email Monday, January 7th.
Students can them go online to www.nwse.org and select "student login" on the right hand side to login. They can enter their project number and password to find their forms to edit. Those projects that involve humans, pathogens, hazardous materials/activities or vertebrates have additional forms to complete.
Forms should be completed by Thursday, January 10, 2013.
Data collection and photographs of projects should be completed as soon as possible.  Students may meet and run experiments in the Science Lab if needed.

Please email or stop by to ask any questions you may have.

EXAMPLE ANSWER FOR LAB REPORT

Seventh grade students, here is an example of the lab report answers for:  An investigation into the amount of sodium bicarbonate required for a complete reaction with acetic acid in vinegar.

December 12, 2012

LABWRITE

A great resource to use when writing lab reports or even science research project papers is LabWrite.  This site is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and maintained by North Carolina State University.  It can be used by students from middle school through college.

Guiding instructions are provided for different lab situations.  The writing process starts with the PRELAB.  On this page there are 3 lab types to choose from.  The "Standard Lab" is the typical type you will have in school science class.  The "Student Designed Lab" is basically how you write a report for a science research project.  If you select the "self-guide" option on the link it will take you to a page with guiding questions for each part of the research process.  On that page, select "See Examples"  and it will walk you through an example of the type of information to write for assignments #2, 3 and 4 of your science research project .

The site also has resources for how to prepare graphs and make citations.  It has an evaluation guide that can be used to check the thoroughness of a report before submitting.  I encourage students to use this as a guide to writing their reports.

December 10, 2012

Science Research Project Update:

• Classes in grade 4-8 will be meeting with Ms. Brunning at least once this week and once next week.
• The assignments will be reviewed with students and students will be directed to email Ms. Brunning with questions (g.brunning@chpcs.org) 
• The list of all the assignments and the guidelines for completing them are at the K-8 Science Research Project Assignments.
• Students should work to get through assignment #3 this week and #4 and #5 next week. 
• Assignment #5 requires a password from Ms. Brunning to access the online registration forms at www.nwse.org.
• Students should work to do their best, this project is a learning process and a demonstration of mastery. 
• Students will be allowed to revise every assignment so that the final product will be their best work.
•  Students may turn in assignments by email, if desired, to g.brunning@chpcs.org.  
• If assignments are missing, parents will be notified via the homework planner.

December 6, 2012

     The 7th grade conducted a lab activity today on Ocean Acidification. They investigated the conductivity, pH  and alkalinity of four types of water; ocean, distilled, tap and seltzer.
To complete the lab report for this investigation students need to open the Ocean Acidification in a Cup lab.  The instructions for what to write are in this document.  In class students completed all sections up to the Results section.  They should start with the four parts of the Results and then complete the Discussion, Conclusion and Sources of Uncertainty.  Please title each section.  The lab is due next Thursday.  If the directions in the document are confusing please email or see Ms. Brunning with questions.

     Fifth grade did a fingerprint activity today, making prints of their own fingers and attempting to identify the fingerprint type.

     On Tuesday, Mrs. Cantin brought the fourth grade in to do her lab activity on the water cycle.  Ms. Brunning helped out with the "Make an Instant Water Cycle" station.

     Third grade also came in Tuesday for an activity on the skeleton.  They contemplated what it takes for the body to be able to jump rope and then tried to figure out how many bones the human body has; 206.
They viewed the bones in x-rays and the classroom skeleton.

     Science Fair questions are everywhere.  The plan of meeting students at lunch is not working well.  Friday the process for connecting with students will be reviewed and revised.  Watch for an update by Sunday.  Thank you for your patience as we work to make this project meaningful and a success for each student.