Science Fair Warm-Up: Learning the Practice of Scientists

To the teacher: Although this book is intended as a guide for your students, NSTA has you covered as well! Science Fair Warm-Up, Teachers Guide: Learning the Practice of Scientists provides all of the information you need to guide your students through the activities included in this book. To the student: If you have used Science Fair Warm-Up, Grades 5- 8, you already have a pretty good idea of what a science fair project or real scientific investigation is like; if not, don't worry. Science Fair Warm-Up, Grades 7- 10 provides you with the opportunity to choose a great project. For instance, you might carry out experiments that explore the mysteries of suffocating candles when they are deprived of air or the possibility of improving a water pump designed by the great Greek scientist Archimedes. If you prefer, you can select an inquiry of your own and even work with a partner. As you work on your project, your teacher will give you help along the way. Together you will explore some of the more difficult problems other students have encountered: problems of designing and carrying out experiments, collecting and making sense of your findings, and sharing and reporting on what you have learned. As you follow in the footsteps of scientists, you will learn about the ways in which scientists carry out scientific research and begin to understand how they have uncovered so much about how our universe works.