Hi Parents,

I wanted to thank you  for putting up with the science fair process.  I know it was a long four months of helping and reminding the kids every week and I really appreciate everything.  In class the kids seem cool and collected, always asking questions and feeling confident, but I am sure there were times when they were tired, frustrated, or grumpy with their projects.  And, I know that a grumpy 11/12 year old isn't exactly a picnic!    ;) 
So, I thank you for being patient and supportive the whole way through.  
Thank you,
Mrs. Salvatto  :)

Congratulations!

Out of the 10 students that were sent to the San Mateo County Science Fair, we walked away with 7 awards.  What an awesome job!  I am very proud of our students and how hard they work to represent St. Matthew.
6th Grade
Jenna McCormick - 4th Place (Physical)
Colin Feeney - 1st Place (Engineering)
Chris Ansay - 4th Place (Behavioral)
Maria Healy - Special Award Winner - from San Mateo County Office of Education

7th Grade
Christian Villanueva - 4th Place (Health)
Julia Villanueva - 3rd Place (Biology)
Giana Ludovico - 3rd Place (Physical)

Now we wish Colin the very best of luck as he represents us at the California State Science Fair!

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Congratulations!!

We have going to have 10 students represent St. Matthew at the San Mateo County Fair on February 4th from 7pm to 8pm at the Hiller Aviation Museum.  The students are:

6th Grade
1st Place - Jenna McCormick
2nd Place - Colin Feeney
3rd Place - Chris Ansay
Honorable Mention - Alex Esclamado
Honorable Mention - Maria Healy

7th Grade
1st Place - Christian Villanueva
2nd Place - Julia Villanueva
3rd Place - Sami Fell
Honorable Mention - Megan Dickerson 
Honorable Mention - Giana Ludivico


Display Board

Requirements 
  • Title
    • Nice and big as if you were across the room
  • Abstract
  • Procedure
    • Question
    • Hypothesis
    • Materials
  • Research        
    • With citations
    • You can put the whole introduction or cut it down
  • Results
  • Conclusion
    • Application
  • Graph(s)
  • Pictures
  • Decorations!
    • Be creative
Remember, you are allowed to keep items like your procedure all on one page as it is in your report or you can break it up for your board.  Also, your font needs to be bigger so people can see it on the big board.  

Your name: It should NOT be on your board!  Instead, you may put your number and grade on the back.  The number arrangement should go as follows: grade - number.  Here is an example: Conor McCann is in 7th grade and his number 21, so his number arrangement for the science fair would be 7-21.  This number would go on the back of his board.  

Your display science fair report: You will print two final copies of your report.  One will go to me, so I can grade it and another will go in front of your board at the science fair with NO NAME on it.  Instead of your name, you will put your number arrangement.  Here is another example: When Kevin Afiesh was in 6th grade, his number was 37, so on his report and display for the science fair he put 6-37.  

Here are some other helpful websites:
Helpful Hints
No No's for Display Boards
Science Fair Display Board Do's and Don'ts

These assignments are due Tuesday, Jan. 27 right away in the morning to the gym.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #11

3rd Draft: After our peer editing session on Wednesday 1/7, you are to take your peer's corrections, make them and reprint your report.  Here is the peer editing sheet for your own reference: Peer editing.

You do not have to reprint the graphs though because they can eat up your ink.  If nothing is wrong with them, I would not print them again.  For the final draft, you should be printing out a nice copy.

This assignment is due Friday, Jan. 9

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #10

2nd Draft: Since we finished editing on Wednesday, now you need to take all of the suggestions your peers gave you and create a second draft.  

Remember, you need to put all of the pages together nicely with your name on the title page only.  Here is the peer editing sheet for your own reference: Peer editing.

How to get an A on your science fair report = all you need to do is  complete everything on the peer editing sheet.  If you do that you can ensure yourself an A!  :)

This assignment is due Wednesday, Jan. 7

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #9

Results, Conclusion, Bibliography = 1st Draft: This is the easiest assignment ever!  All you have to do is reprint out these assignments.  Bring in these three papers and then I will give you back assignments 7 and 8.  We will then staple all of these together to create your first draft.  

Don't worry about putting your name on these 3 papers, as we will staple them together with the assignments that already have your name.

Remember, if you were docked points on your results, conclusion, or bibliography, this is your time to make those changes so you can get full credit.  

On the 17th we will work together to edit your first draft and make it better for the second draft due a week later.

For a sample, just look at assignments 3 and 6.

This assignment is due Wednesday, Dec. 17.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #8

Introduction, Procedure, and Data: I want you to again look at page 22 of your science fair packet

Page 27 is another page to go to for help writing this assignment.

Introduction: This page should be an introduction into your report.  The introduction is longer than the abstract and gives the reader a good start into your report.  It makes the reader want to learn more.  Here is a list of parts you should have in your introduction.

1st - Hypothesis (which is its own separate paragraph)
2nd - How you got the idea (could be multiple sentences here)
3rd - What you wanted to prove and/or why you chose that hypothesis
4th - The research that supports your hypothesis (you should cut and paste your research here in its own paragraph.
5th - How you controlled your experiment to make sure it was accurate
6th - What your independent was

Procedure: Cut and paste the procedure you already did on this page.  Make sure you take off the heading that was on it so it doesn't look silly.

However, make sure that if I suggested changes be made that you have made them.

Data: Cut and paste your data (graph/chart) on this page.  Also, make sure there is no heading on this paper so it doesn't look weird.

Make sure that if I suggested changes be made that you have made them.

Here is a sample!

This assignment is due Wednesday, Dec. 10.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #7

Title Page, Table of Contents, and Abstract: I want you to turn to page 22 of your science fair packet and make the first three pages of your science fair report look just like the sample.

Page 26 is another page to go to for help writing this assignment.

Title Page: Yes, you are allowed to use different font and color, but don't be too distracting to the reader.  You can also add cool pictures that can entice the reader to your report.  However, this is the only page where you can do this stuff, aside from the pictures which are okay anywhere.

Table of Contents: You can make your table of contents title in a bigger font, but not too much so that it is distracting.  The font you start your table of contents with should be the same font you use throughout your report.  After that put each page of your report with the corresponding page number, so the reader has a better view of what your report entails.  Make your table look exactly like the sample.

Abstract: This should be a very short and sweet way of giving the reader an overview of your entire report.  Here is a list of the sentences you should have in your abstract

1st - Purpose
2nd - Hypothesis
3rd - Hypothesis correct or not
4th - Results w/ numbers
5th - One more piece of info about your results
6th - Overall, what did your experiment prove

Remember, people can only take you seriously if you show them you are serious.  So, make sure to try and be as professional as possible with your report.

Here is a sample! :)

This assignment is due Wednesday, Dec. 3.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #6

The Results & Conclusion Worksheet: I want you to answer the questions on pages 19 & 20 of your science fair packet.

Here is a Sample

Make sure your results are just that, do not give any explanation.  Explanations should come in the conclusion.

For the conclusion paragraph (yes, it must be a paragraph) should be answer questions 1 - 7.  However, make sure your answers are configured into a paragraph and not just a list.  Your paragraph should have a good flow for the reader.

This assignment is due Wednesday, Nov. 19.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #5

Procedure & Graph/Chart Data from Experiment: I want you to first make a procedure exactly like the one on page 17 page of your science fair packet.

Here is a Sample Procedure

Make sure for your materials that you truly list everything.  Even if it seems like a given, just list it.  Think of it as a recipe, so if you leave out an ingredient, the end result may not taste right.

Then, for the procedure, make sure you are very specific when writing it out.  The goal is for someone to pick up your procedure, be able to read your directions, and conduct your experiment EXACTLY they way you did.

For your graph/chart, click on the following links and they will help you produce a good looking graph.

Create a Graph Website
Using Excel to Make a Graph
Create Custom Graph Paper

You are more than welcome to give as many charts and graphs as you want, but my minimum requirement is that you make one.  Not one of each, just one.

For your assignment, please put your procedure on a separate page from your graph or chart.  This is important for when we are compiling all our work together to make the full science fair report.

This assignment is due Wednesday, Nov. 12.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #4

Beginning Your Experiment Plan & Safely Perform a Few Trials of Experiment: I want you to answer the questions on page 13 of your science fair packet.  

Here is an example of the format I want you to use: 
Beginning Your Experiment Plan Sample

For your variables question, make a list of all the things that could effect your experiment.  

For your independent variable, tell the reader the one thing you are changing in your experiment.  This directly ties into the hypothesis you wrote.

For your dependent variable, tell the reader what you are expecting to result from applying the independent variable.

For the control (remember, this may not apply to you) this is what you compare to the dependent variable when the independent variable is applied.

  Here is an example:

Hypothesis: If a bottle rocket is made with plastic fins, then it will fly farther than a bottle rocket made with cardboard fins.

Variables: Shape of bottle rocket, wind speed, time of day, fuel used, where the experiment takes place, and size of rockets.

Independent Variable: The different materials I use for the fins.

Dependent Variable: The length at which the bottle rockets travel.

Control: None

If I had another experiment, such as different types of fertilizer, here is how my experiment would go:

Hypothesis: If roses are planted in dirt and Miracle Grow, then they will grow the tallest in comparison to other leading fertilizer brands.

Variables: Same dirt, what I put the plants in, temperature, where the plants are located, how much sunlight each plant gets, what much water each plant gets, and using the same type of roses.

Independent Variable: Different types of fertilizer

Dependent Variable: The height each plants grows   

Control: A plant that grows without fertilizer, (plant in just dirt), so that you can compare the plants with fertilizer to.

People who are comparing one item against another probably do not have a control.  If you are wondering about your experiment or are confused at all, just ask me.  :)

Please use the format provided to make it easier for me to tell you whether or not you are on the right track.
Beginning Your Experiment Plan Sample

Remember you must perform your experiment a few times to make sure that you can as accurate a result as possible.  If you perform your experiment 3 times and you get the same result each time, then you know that is truly the result.  As opposed to doing your experiment only once and then not knowing if it would have been different if you did it again.  You want to rule out the "bad days" that arise when doing experiments.

This assignment is due Wednesday, Nov. 5.

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #3

Research hypothesis and Bibliography: I want you to form a hypothesis first.  A hypothesis is a statement answering the question you turned in with assignment #2.  

  1. For example: Question- Which material fins allows a bottle rocket to fly the farthest?  Hypothesis- Plastic fins will allow a bottle rocket to fly the farthest.  OR  If a bottle rocket is made with plastic fins, then it will fly farther than a bottle rocket made with cardboard fins.
  2. Note: The second type of hypothesis sounds more professional.

Once you create a hypothesis that is specific in addressing the focus of your project, then you need to research it.  It is very important to research your hypothesis so you can prove to the reader that you can back your hypothesis up with proven and researched material.  

Here are examples of science fair research:
Research Hypothesis & Bibliography Format Example
Research for project about batteries
Research for project about kidneys

Your research is going to help the reader take you more seriously.  The reader does not want to think that you just came up with this hypothesis from your rear...instead, you want to show the reader that you have done your homework and there are reasons behind why you have chosen this hypothesis.  Read page 6 of your science fair packet.

Items of interest that you could research: 
  • Difficult vocabulary words - find their definition and explain them well to the reader
  • Historical information about your topic that will help the reader understand your topic better
  • Anything that will help the reader understand your topic better
  • Anything that proves your hypothesis correct
When you do the research portion of your report, you must give credit to the ideas that were not your own.  This is perfectly okay to do.  The only issue to this is that you must give credit to those people who you borrowed any idea from. Giving credit is called in-text citations and they are not hard to do once you get the hang of it.   

Here is an example: Let's pretend I wrote a book in 2008 called The Importance of Student's Self Esteem and I wrote this sentence in my book - "Students who believe in themselves are ten times more likely  to do better in the academic world than students who don't."

Okay now, Joe Shmoe comes along and does a science fair report and reads my book.  He wants to use the research I did because my research supports his hypothesis.  When he writes his research for his science fair report he has three ways he can choose from to give me credit for my sentence. 

Pretend these three sentences are all ways he could write his own sentence referring to my research.

1. In researching student success, previous studies have shown that students who have a higher self esteem will do better in their academic studies (Salvatto 5).

2. In researching student success, it has been proven that "students who believe in themselves are ten times more likely to do better in the academic world than students who don't" (Salvatto 5).

3. In researching student success, Natalie Salvatto found in a study done in 2008 that "students who believe in themselves are ten times more likely to do better in the academic world than students who don't" (5).

You might be wondering what the differences are between #1, #2, and #3, but if you look closely you will see that #1 is in his own words (paraphrased), whereas #2 is an exact quotation from my book.  Then, #3 is where you use the researcher's name in the sentence so you don't have to use the last name in the in-text citation. 

Rules for using in text citations: At the end of ANY sentence where you are using someone else's idea, you give them credit by putting their last name and page number where you found that idea.

What if I find something on the Internet that does not have an author?
Well, first you should be suspect of anything that does not have an author, but if you still think it is good and reliable, then you use the first one or two words from the title of the webpage instead of a last name.

Note about websites: Try to focus more on .org, .edu, & .gov sites because they have a tendency to be more genuine.  This is not always the case, but anything ending in .com is a website for profit, whereas .org's and .edu's are specifically non-profit websites.  Those sites are not gaining anything by posting their research.  Sometimes .com sites can have research or information on their website that benefits them.

Example: In researching student success, it has been proven that "students who believe in themselves are ten times more likely to do better in the academic world than students who don't" (The Importance).

Once you research your hypothesis, you must give further credit to any and all writers and researchers for the work they did, so this is where the bibliography comes in.  You MAY NOT just make a list of web sites you visited.  You must make a formal bibliography.  Look at pages 7-10 of your science fair packet for the rules on how to make one, but I will also provide you will a cool website where you can just plug in the important information and it will basically make the bibliography for you.

Easy Bibliography Making Website

Here is an example of how my book and website would be written in a bibliography:

Salvatto, Natalie.  The Importance of Student's Self Esteem.  San Mateo: Arnett Books, 2008. 

"The Important of Student's Self Esteem."  We Care about Kids.  San Mateo, CA.  www.importanceofstudentselfesteem.com 

For this assignment, you are expected to write AT LEAST a 6-8 sentence research paragraph about your topic, in addition to a bibliography with at least 3 sources.  Please put the research and bibliography on separate pages, staple them together and turn them in on Wednesday, Oct. 29 when it is due.  

For any other questions, just email me.

Science Fair Assignment #2

Choose a suitable topic for yourself & Turning a Topic into a Project Worksheet: I want you to turn to page 5 of your science fair packet.  Then, I need you to answer the 4 questions listed on the page.  Remember, everything must be typed, so open up a Word document on your computer and type out your answers.  It is best not to put it in paragraph from so that I can read it easier.  

Do not forget that your project must test something.  Although there are some real cool researchable ideas out there, if you are not testing something, then you are not doing a science fair project.  

For topic....think about making a title to your project.  For question....think about the question you would ask and answer with your project.  For how you want to study it...think about how you are going to do your project.  How are you going to test it?  Research you might need?  

Here is an example: Topic - Best Bottle Rocket Materials; Question- What materials are best for making bottle rockets?; Study-I would get three different materials to make the same size bottle rocket.  I would build the bottle rockets and use the same type of fuel.  I would then research bottle rockets and the materials I used to see if I find any interesting information.   

For the answers, just type those out for me so that I know you know that each question must be answered in order to go forward with your project.  For any other questions, just email me.

Here is a link where you can see a sample of this assignment

This assignment is due Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Science Fair Assignment #1

Brainstorm 5 Possible Topics: All I want you to do is to give me 5 ideas.  Just one sentence each is perfect.  

For example: 1) What materials work best for making bottle rockets?; 2) What tennis shoe is best for basketball practice..etc.  You need to have 5 total.  If you are dead set on an idea already then go ahead and give me that one.  Please do not just say: 1) Basketball; 2) Detergent...because I do not know what you are trying to say.  One sentence each is all you need.  For any other questions, just email me.

Here is a link where you can see a sample of this assignment.

This assignment is due Wednesday, Oct. 15.

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Important Note about Science Fair Packet

The science fair packet that is linked to this page was originally uploaded before the date of the science fair was changed.  The packet it still good, but just make a note that the due date is Tuesday, January Sept. 27.  The Science Fair will be displayed in the gym from then until Friday the 30th.  

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Science Fair Ideas

Science Fair Project Ideas
Science Fair Central
Science Buddies
Central Project Ideas
Science Project Topics
Project Ideas

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Rules for Admittance into the San Mateo County Fair
Students who place at the St. Matthew Science Fair will automatically be enrolled into the San Mateo County Fair.  There will be ten students total who will be admitted.  Five students from both 6th and 7th grades encompassing the first, second, third, and two honorable mention awardees.

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