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1. How do I help my child pick a topic?
The next time your child notices something and says, "I wonder how that works?" or even "How cool is that!" seize the moment! You may have found a great idea for a fun science project. Keep a list of your child's ideas as they come up. You can use the list to spark ideas for fun, or for when it's time to do a science project for school.
You can also brainstorm a project idea by talking about what's in the news or what you see in TV commercials. (Advertisers' claims about product performance can often be tested at home, for example.) Explore online or in the encyclopedias, magazines and books from the science section of your local library. Above all, make sure it's a topic that your child likes, and that your child's teacher can approve.
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2. How do I help my child figure out a question to investigate?
Once your child has a topic, help them narrow the scope of the investigation by asking, "What is it about your topic that makes you curious?" The best questions require more explanation than a "yes" or "no." For example:
What is the effect of ____________ on _______________?
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(detergent) |
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(how seeds sprout) |
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(temperature) |
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(how high a ball bounces) |
Which/what __________________ [verb] __________________?
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(foods) |
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(do) |
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(gerbils prefer) |
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(detergent) |
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(makes) |
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(the most bubbles) |
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3. How do I know if my child's question will make a good project?
Every question a child asks is worth investigating, but you will want to steer your child toward a question that leads to an age-appropriate experiment. Ask yourself, "Is this something my child can actually test or prove?" If you are unsure, feel free to share the idea with someone you think might know more about it: your child's teacher, a librarian, or someone who works in the field your child is interested in, for example.
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4. What kind of help should I give as my child designs the investigation?
Relax and remind yourself that your job as a parent is to encourage rather than instruct. Encourage your child to consult books, magazines, online searches and interviews, as well as friends or acquaintances familiar with the topic, for helpful clues as to what kind of experiment will work best. Try not to direct the experiment yourself; instead, invite your child to use you as a sounding board. Consider asking questions, like "What do you suppose will happen if you do that?" and "What kind of measurements could you take to test that prediction?" but avoid making statements that deny your child the opportunity to discover something independently. By listening to ideas and frustrations, you can be supportive and reward your child's hard work.
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5. What kind of help should I give as my child collects data?
Invite your child to share favorite discoveries with you. You can ask, "What did you learn (about your topic) that you didn't know before?" Make sure your child has a way to keep track of new information. Taking pictures, for example, is a wonderful way to record what is happening. (See My Notebook, Page 1, Page 2, and Page 3 in the kids' section for more.)
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6. How can I help my child stay on track?
Every so often, encourage your child to think about the original plan. Ask, "Are you still trying to find the same answer as when you started?" If your child has taken a detour in the investigation but is enjoying it, encourage a switch in plans. Or, help refocus on the original plan by listening as your child talks through the work to discover which step of the original plan needs to be revisited to get back on track.
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7. How can I help if my child's investigation doesn't work?
If things don't go according to plan, ask questions such as: "What part of the investigation didn't work the way you thought it would?" and "What change could you make to fix the problem?" It may help to invite your child to repeat the investigation so you can observe what happens together, and brainstorm ways to try something in a different way. Always keep in mind that an investigation never fails. When it's time to present, encourage your child to share the conclusions based on what the investigation showed along with what may have caused these unexpected results.
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8. How can I help with my child's presentation?
Remind your child to go back and reread any project requirements given by the teacher or science fair committee. Help your child use notes collected during the process to create the presentation. Don't forget that labeled pictures, charts and graphs can tell a better story that text alone.
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9. How do I help my child with science fair guidelines?
If the project is for a science fair, check with your child's teacher about special guidelines to be followed. You can also visit Web sites specifically developed for this purpose, such as http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/projectguide.
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10. What other Web sites do you recommend we check out?
Here are some of our favorites:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/
Science Buddies offers a large library of free science fair project ideas including dozens of math-themed projects, an advice forum, a step-by-step project guide, and a Topic Selection Wizard tool.
http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scifair/index.html
Give the DragonflyTV Super Science Spinner a whirl! Spin until you find an idea you like.
http://www.nyelabs.com
Bill Nye the Science Guy's Home demos can give you some good project ideas and experiment suggestions.
http://www.rossarts.org/naples/ideas.htm
You could help your child build a project based on these ideas from Betsy Ross Middle School.
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
The National Center for Education Statistics offers an explanation of various types of charts and graphs, and allows users to create and print their own graphs.
http://www.rossarts.org/naples/examples.htm
See a sample trifold poster display from Betsy Ross Middle School
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/ScienceInternet/
GetStarted.html
Twin Groves Middle School provides more general information about getting started.
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