Assignments for Google Science Fair

Below is the Assignments that you need to visit once a week to update yourself. if this is your first ever Virtual Science Event, and there might be some changes and modifications in assignments from time to time. KEEP THE CONTACT WITH YOUR TEACHER .

For the Google Science Fair event, students who meet the following criteria will be preferred:

1. Student has already been studying within a university institution.

2. Student was successful in previous school-wide science fairs.

3. Student participated in a previous I-SWEEEP event.

4. If the student’s teacher recommends student based on his or her knowledge of scientific process skills and conceptual skills (i.e., the student’s EOC science test results are satisfactory).

5. Students who take the course Research and Design

if you don`t have internet access at home;

Computer lab will be open for science event students at a certain time. But you need to add your name to the computer lab list which will be prepared by your science teacher.
You may also use the science laptops after school if they are available.

SCIENCE FAIR TEAM (a suggestion to the teacher and students)

It is strongly recommended that students participate on the team with science fair students in order to solve their problems, receive feedback from their teacher, and also to work together to complete the necessary registrations/paperwork/applications if students are interested in participating in city-wide, national and international science fair project competitions.

Google Science Fair

At the end of 4th marking period , students will submit their finalized science fair project to GOOGLE Science Fair 2013 simply by copying the materials from their initial science fair website from their work throughout their entire year;

1ST MARKING PERIOD:

STEP 1: Sign up for a Gmail account

ASSIGNMENT 1:

Student’s Gmail account must follow certain format: firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com.
Student Gmail account and related services that are associated with this account are to be used only for school related assignments.
Student is responsible to provide his/her Gmail account information to the parents.

STEP 2: Choose to the one of the related STEM Event.

It is strongly recommended to discuss with the teacher to decide the most suitable one for you.The Google Science Fair projects that are successfully completed by students satisfy two out of four requirements to graduate from the Distinguished Achievement Plan, which is the top diploma program in Texas high schools.

- Experiment
- Demonstration
- Google Science Fair

STEP 3: Send your STEM Project choice (from step 2 above) by your Google email to your teacher and wait for approval

- - Your teacher may advice you a different option,
  - If you don't send email until the end of 2nd week your teacher has right to choose any of the option for you.

ASSIGNMENT 2:

STEP 1: Select science fair topic.

If you haven't decided your Science Fair Topic yet, you can check out www.ScienceBuddies.org's The Topic Selection Wizard. You may also choose to browse hundreds of project ideas at Science Fair Project Ideas as well. Please do not restrict yourself with these websites. You don't have to use these websites to find your project idea. You can get the idea of your project from anywhere you want as long as you refrain from plagiarism.
You are expected to work on an experimental investigation that is appropriate to your age and grade level.
You are expected to design an experiment to test your hypothesis.
Experimental Investigation as it is described by Texas Education Agency: The variables are measured in an effort to gather evidence to support or not support a causal relationship. This is often called a ―controlled experiment.

PROJECT IDEAS that are NOT allowed:

To learn more on what type of project ideas you should be avoiding because they are not approved by school and the reason behind it, please use this link from Science Buddies: Project Ideas to AVOID.

After you click on the link, scroll down on the opened new page to see the table with heading "Science Project Topics to Avoid".

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS (under construction)

STEP 2: Email your topic for approval

Send your topic and wait for approval.If it is approved you may schedule a time with the teacher for help about your topic.

ASSIGNMENT 3: Create your site, and share.

STEP1:Create your BLANK Google site

Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account
Click "create a site"
Name your site and choose BLANK Template.
- Name your site in the following format: hsa-2012-firstname-2digitnumber .SAMPLE; http://sites.google.com/site/hsa2012tony02
Type the code at the end of page and click on "create page"

STEP2: Share your site.

Share your website with hsa.virtual.sci@gmail.com and your science teacher email. Make them “owner”.
"Share" button is on the right up corner. Your site will be public view.
Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account
Click on your site that you have just created
click "share" on the right up corner.
Add the your teacher(s) email , choose the option “owner” but not “can edit”
Add the email hsa.virtual.sci@gmail.com , choose the option “owner” but not “can edit”
Click “share and save”.
Attention sharing doesnt mean emailing the link !
Do not use Google plus !

But if you want to use your work gmail (like yourname@harmonytx.org) , in order to edit student website or write a comment as a feedback ,YOU SHOULD FIRST CLICK ON "SITES" BUTTON AT THE TOP OF YOUR WORK GMAIL AND THEN GO TO STUDENT WEBSITE.

STEP3: Adjust your site for mobile phones.

Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account
click on your site that you have just created
Open "more" action menu on the right corner.
choose "manage site" from the menu
Write your site description - what is the purpose of this site.Mention about your projects and school
Check the box near " Automatically adjust site to mobile phones"
Click “save”.

Mobile

Automatically adjust site to mobile phones

STEM 4: Email the link

Email the link of your site to your science teacher (the one who is grading your assignment)
- Use your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account , because your teacher will grade and record your STEM PROJECTS EMAIL ,too.
Your Google site link sample :http://sites.google.com/site/hsa2012tony02

YOU HAVE DONE ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE THIS MARKING PERIOD (6 WEEKS PERIOD).

Before you start your Science Fair Project, it might be good to see the big picture and refresh your information on The Scientific Method.

This part is not an assignment, just for a review. But if you skip this page, you may end up having many mistakes in your future assignments.

If you are working on Engineering projects, please check Science Buddies' related parts here:Engineering Design Process.

2ND MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 4; Constructing your ABOUT ME or My School page.

Here starts the fun part ! We are ready to start constructing our Google Site . Your Google site construction will finish at the end of 4th period. Then we will make a big website contest among all campuses. 5 different categories with great awards.If you make your teacher happy with your beautiful design and scientific content , your teacher will register your website to the contest. Details are coming soon ! Do not regret when it is too late ...Here is link of contest from last in year , it was held on last year only in HSA Houston High as a pilot school for stem project.

STEP 1:

Click on new page button at the right-top corner of your blank website.
Give a name to your page about me OR my school
Select a template to use ; Web Page (default option)
Select a location: Put page at the top level
Click on CREATE button at the top
you can start editing your ABOUT ME page , each time you edit do not forget to click on save button on the top-right corner.
Attention ! You will keep your home page for 4th period , there is nothing to do with home page now ! So do not delete home page , keep it blank !

STEP 2:

You may start to write about yourself , never give private information ! Do not write your full name ! OR You may directly start with "I am student in ....school"
Give general information about school and also science education or stem activities in your school
Add these links of your school by using the LINK button at the top; School web address , School YouTube channel , school Facebook page
Also add the these links;
1. http://harmonytx.org/ ,
2. http://www.facebook.com/HarmonyPublicSchools ,
3. http://www.youtube.com/harmonyschools

- PLEASE DO NOT COPY THE URL ADDRESS ONLY , I hate it ! Such as , this is bad format: http://harmonytx.org/ but this is good; Harmony Public Schools
- always check/click this option ( Open this link in a new window ) when you are using LINK button.

Here is sample from last year how the links are entered to the page ; https://sites.google.com/site/hsa2011wahab14/home/my-school
Use banners , logos or small photos for links like the sample above.You may use banners or photos like "watch us on YouTube" and " like us on Facebook"
You can insert any photo , banner , or logo by using INSERT from the top-left corner menu.

STEP 3:

- Insert one or two YouTube movie about your school to your page by using the INSERT from the top-left corner menu.Here are same sample movies that can be inserted;

Change the layout by using LAYOUT menu at the top-left side.
Click SAVE button on the top-right button

STEP 4: (optional) You have done all with about me page. Please support your school by subscribing these YouTube channels

http://www.youtube.com/hsahoustonhigh
http://www.youtube.com/harmonyschools
You school channel
Your friends' youtube channels for STEM project (if you know any)

You may also give a support , if you have a Facebook account. Please LIKE these;

http://www.facebook.com/HarmonyPublicSchools
http://www.facebook.com/HarmonySTEM
Your school Facebook Page

Thanks for your kind support !

In addition with content of your page , the design is also very important. Make sure your site is tidy , organized well , doesn't look empty nor crowded.

If you want to make your site more beautiful ;Save your site and change theme by using "more" action menu on the right corner.Choose manage site option from "more" action menu on the right corner. Then change your site theme , color and fonts by using the options:Site layout ,Colors and Fonts, Themes

Assignment for extra credit (optional);

Construct one more page about :

1- Texas High School Projects

2- T-STEM

3- I-SWEEEP and I sweep stem expo public day

Find and add related links , movies and photo albums of previous years

If you have some technical problems about any steps below , you can work after school with your friends who are good at editing Google site.

NOTE TO THE TEACHER , if you subscribe to student page or site form the MORE menu on the top-right corner , you will receive email each time the student updates the page or site.

ASSIGNMENT 5; Constructing a new page called "My Question & Hypothesis"

This page will have 2 main titles;

1. The Question: A good question is fundamental. This is the reason for your investigation. What will you have discovered by the end of the process? Your choice of question will probably stem from an initial observation that you've made.An excellent question will be interesting, creative, worded scientifically and relevant to the world today.

Add your "Question" or "Problem" statement in 50-250 words.

This part explains to what problem you try to find a solution or to what question you try to find an answer.

For more information about the question visit here

2. Hypothesis: This is an educated guess/answer to your question based only upon your prior knowledge and completed research.An excellent hypothesis will lead on from the question, be tightly focused and build on existing knowledge.

For more information about writing your hypothesis , use the links below

ASSIGNMENT 6; Constructing a new page called "Background Research"

STEP 1: Gather basic background information related to your question. You’ll find relevant scholarly articles using Google Search, Google Scholar, Google Trends, etc. Make sure you’re confident that your sources are reliable ones.Excellent students will undertake research to help them shape their question and hypothesis and to put their work into a relevant, real-world context.

For more information about writing your background research , use the links below

STEP 2: Sign up here to get notified when the Google Science Fair 2013 launches.

3RD MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 7; Constructing a new page called "Experimental Procedure"

Excellent students will demonstrate that they have used good experimental techniques and describe their experiment clearly and in detail.

The heart of good scientific method is your experiment. You’ll need to record what you do, including a list of materials, diagrams of experimental set-up, and step-by-step instructions/procedure on how the experiment will be conducted.
Another scientist should be able to follow your methodology based on your records.
For more information aboutTesting Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment

ASSIGNMENT 8; Constructing a new page called "Data Collection"

Excellent data will be relevant, sufficient to support a conclusion and should be recorded accurately and precisely, and be presented clearly.

You may collect two types of information during an experiment:

• Qualitative (descriptive) observations (see assignment 9)

• Quantitative (measurements and values) observations

Visual representations (i.e. graphs) of the quantitative data should also be included.

ASSIGNMENT 9; Constructing a new page called "Observation"

Excellent observations will describe patterns or trends supported by the data.

These are descriptive, qualitative observations made before, during and at the conclusion of the experiment.
Include environmental factors, errors that occur, and any other information that could have affected the results.

More information about ;Data Analysis & Graphs

4th MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 10; Constructing a new page called "Conclusion"

Conclusions: After you've completed your experiment, write a conclusion in a narrative form, analyzing the data and observations and

using it to answer the original question. You should be able to verify or refute your original hypothesis.

How did your experiment support or contradict your original hypothesis? How could you improve your experiment? Did everything go as planned or were there unexpected results? Does what you learned lead to a new question to ask or experiment that would answer it? If so, why would it be important, interesting, or useful to do?

More information and samples for Conclusion

ASSIGNMENT 11 and ASSIGNMENT 12; Making the YouTube movie of your presentation.

These assignments are same with the 10th, 11th and 12th assignments of demonstration projects, so follow the steps from assignments of demonstrations

Google Science Fair Tips:

Add a short summary of your project to this page and embed either a 2 minute video overview using YouTube or a 20 slide presentation using Google Docs. Please note that the contents of the video you post, as with all other information posted to your Google Site, will be viewable by the public.

See the sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgOX8SxgVoY see also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN2R4wGHAao

5th MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 13, ASSIGNMENT 14 and ASSIGNMENT 15;

Start submitting your project in https://www.googlesciencefair.com/en/2013/

Before clicking the final submission for judging , show your work to your teacher. Once you made the submission nobody can see your project so make sure you showed everything to your teacher.

Extra credit ideas: Register your project to other virtual science fair contests and I-SWEEEP

NOTE TO THE TEACHER; never use your work email for stem projects , it will bring about technical problems for next weeks.Prefer to use a regular Gmail address like students.

Join the discussion

on Google+

6th MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 16, ASSIGNMENT 17 and ASSIGNMENT 18;

if you made the final submission to https://www.googlesciencefair.com/en/2013/ you will get full credit

Extra credit ideas: MAKE A POSTER of YOUR PROJECT AS A SOFTCOPY

You can you Microsoft Office Publisher

24” x 36” size

Save as “pdf” , “jpeg” and publisher format , then insert or upload to your site (can be in download page)

I-SWEEEP