Science fair question

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Bureau on December 9, 2009 at 9:07pm

For the past three years I have done a science fair for my entire middle school. It's a small school and I am the only middle school science teacher. Any way I teach the scientific method over the course of the year and I use the science fair as their final exam. We start in earnest working on it full time in May. I like the science buddies web site and use their materials for the most part. Each student chooses their own question, for the past two years we have concentrated on environmental themes. They read the literature, develop the hypothesis and research method then conduct it and present the results at the fair. I give them a grade and then I have science people come in from the community to judge. The PTSO donated trophies and savings bonds for winners.

I think this it is incredibly worthwhile. Since we do it at the end of the year as a summative assessment of their understanding of science, oh yes, I work with the English teacher too so kids are assessed in public speaking, presentation and writing, we generate a list of questions as we complete material through out the year. The students usually use these questions as the basis for their research. So we end up with real experimental investigations. This year my 7th and 8th graders added some statistical analysis to evaluate whether their were truly differences between controls and experimental results. It was great!

Now here's the rub. All this scientific method stuff is in the NYS Learning Standards for middle school but the exit assessment in 8th grade doesn't really test for this, really much more content laden. Anyway, my students do just fine on the exam. Maybe its because they learned some of that content in such a real and engaging way?

Permalink Reply by Mary Henton on December 10, 2009 at 9:47am

Wonderful ideas, Sandra! Using the science fair as a final exam is a great "capstone." Also like the fact that you collaborate with the English teacher, so you provide content and skills linkages for your students. You're also modeling teamwork and collaboration for your students.

I wouldn't be surprised that the reason your students do well on the assessment exams is exactly for the reason you mention: they've learned content in substantive, engaging, meaningful ways. They have build concrete scaffolds of understanding upon which they are able to "hang" the new learning. Also, through the process you've described, students are creating knowledge.

Permalink Reply by Mary Henton on December 17, 2009 at 8:46am

Hello,
Here is the link to discussion here on MSP2 about science fairs. This discussion is occurring in the Forum section of MSP2.
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