Blue Ribbon Science Fair Projects - Softcover

Grade 6-9–In the hands of motivated and experienced science students, this book will be the springboard to successful and original projects. For others, it will calm last-minute nerves. Although the author urges readers to use the ideas as a beginning point, the projects are completely outlined from start to finish with explanations and definitions. Background information, materials, hypothesis, and results and conclusions are included. The volume opens with Tips from a Science Fair Judge. The following 100 projects range from model building to analyzing data and are grouped into nine categories such as Magnet Madness and Amusing Math. Reading through the Background and Results and Conclusion sections provides plenty of fodder for the scientifically ungrounded. Unfortunately, without some knowledge of the basic concepts, students may not understand how all the conclusions are reached. Safety warnings and a measurement conversion chart are included. A limited number of black-and-white illustrations clarify the steps. For a beginner's introduction to the science-fair experience, try Joe Rhatigan and Heather Smith's Sure-to-Win Science Fair Projects (Sterling, 2001).–Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI
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Gr. 6-9. After an introduction to the process of creating science-fair projects and a summary of tips from an experienced science-fair judge, Vecchione gets down to business, presenting project ideas within the following subject areas: animals, the human body, magnetism, botany, equipment, chemistry, astronomy, physics, and math. Although not as brightly illustrated as some books on the topic, this large-format volume lays out each project clearly and takes students through every step. Each presentation includes a list of materials, a little background information on the subject, a description of the procedure, a clearly defined hypothesis, the steps to follow, and a discussion of the results and conclusion. Illustrated with small line drawings, the projects range from memory tests conducted before and after the subjects smelled the herb rosemary to the smelting and refining of a heavy metal, bismuth ("Adult Help Required"). Students planning science-fair projects will find this a solid resource. Carolyn Phelan
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