CALLING ALL RIEKE/MARKHAM ROCKET SCIENTISTS!
WHERE:
Rieke Elementary: covered play area (outside), library (Reptile Man!), classrooms (activities/demos!)
WHEN:
Thursday, May 2, 2024 6:00–8:00 pm
K–2: 6:00–7:00 pm (depending on number of projects)
3–5: 7:00–8:00 pm (depending on number of projects)
WHO:
ALL Rieke/Markham K–5 students (reminder: this is an optional event)
Parental help is encouraged
Student are encouraged to present and explain their project
Students are welcome to work in teams (teams of 2 seem to work best)
WHAT:
All topics are welcome!
See below for ideas/resources... It is common to present your findings visually on a 3-panel display board. Provide a demonstration, if you’d like.
HOW:
Use the Scientific Method:
Make an observation and propose a question
Do some research!
Form a hypothesis
Perform an experiment
Analyze your results
Provide a conclusion
Engineering projects too:
Define the problem
Do some research!
Specify requirements
Imagine, brainstorm, collaborate
Plan, create, develop prototype solution
Test solution
Does solution meet requirements?
Provide a conclusion
ENTRY:
Due to planning purposes, please submit your intent to participate before April 28, by using our online entry . Late entries will, of course, be accommodated.
JUDGING:
Be prepared to explain your project to a science fair judge (adult project evaluator). Judge will provide feedback on clarity, concepts, creativity, and conclusions.
Each presenter will receive a certificate of recognition and a ribbon.
VOLUNTEERS:
Help with setup, judging, facilitating, and cleanup are greatly appreciated. If you are interested, please contact Bryan Danforth.
SPECIAL INFO:
It is our main goal to provide a safe, comfortable, and welcoming venue for Rieke/Markham students to present their science projects to peers, judges, and Rieke/Markham community. This year we will once again be welcoming back The Oregon Reptile Man. In addition, we will have a few classrooms with science demonstrations for students and families. So, come one, come all, invite your friends and family to attend the 2024 Rieke Science Fair!
Each student will have a tabletop to display their presentation materials. A cardboard, tri-fold project display board works well for providing the audience with a visual display of pictures, drawings, and text relevant to the student’s science project. These can be found at Fred Meyer, Hobby Lobby, Office Depot, Michael’s etc.
This year the PTA will also be hosting a pizza fundraiser during the Science Fair. They will be collecting a suggested donation, and all proceeds will go to PTA projects that give back to the students and school community.
In addition, 5th grade bake sale will be going on to raise funds for our graduating 5th grade festivities and gift back to Rieke.
EVENT DETAILS:
The event will be held on the evening of Thursday, May 2, 2024. The event will be located at Rieke Elementary. Science project presentations will be located at the undercover play area. Oregon Reptile Man presentations will be in the library. Science demonstrations will be in the first grade classrooms.
Setup will take place from 5:00 – 6:00 pm with volunteer help. For science projects, the undercover play area will be configured with cafeteria tables for presentation spaces. In general, we try to do grades K–2 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm and grades 3–5 from 7:00 – 8:00 pm. But, it is important to the students that we try to balance equal numbers of projects between the two sessions, so stay tuned for an email from Science Fair Coordinator Bryan Danforth for confirmation of presentation time.
Session 1 presenters will check in from 6:00 – 6:15 pm. Presenters and family will check in with the registration desk upon arrival. There, each presenter will be assigned a presentation space number and will fill out their project information on their certificate. Presenters will then proceed to their assigned space and set up their presentation materials.
Then, from 6:15 – 6:45 pm, presenters will have an opportunity to interact with audience members (other students, Rieke families/staff, science fair judges, etc.) about their project. The judges are adult volunteers who ensure that each student gets an opportunity to explain in detail what they have worked on. To be clear, there are no winners – each judge will present each presenter with a completed review certificate and a ribbon. If students would prefer NOT to interact with others, that’s fine, too. But we would encourage all students to seize this unique opportunity to speak and interact with an interested audience about what they’ve worked so hard on. There won’t be any individual presentations in front of the entire group. Rather, it will be small, informal interactions as the audience circulates from project to project.
Then, at 6:45 pm, we’ll close Session 1 and ask presenters to pack up their projects to take home. And we’ll do it all again from 7:00 – 8:00 pm with Session 2 presenters.
In order to give both Session 1 and Session 2 students a chance to visit The Oregon Reptile Man show and the classrooms for science demos, there will be two sessions for those activities, as well.
Science Fair Project Ideas & Resources
Use the Scientific Method to perform an experiment (see above).
Use the Engineering Method to create a solution to a problem (see above).
Design & Build Contests:
Paper Rieke Rocket Launch
Design, build, optimize a paper rocket. How far can you launch it?
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/make-a-straw-rocket/
Milk Boat Carton Race
Design, build, optimize a milk carton boat. What propulsion works best?
Foil Penny Boats
Design, build, optimize a foil boat. How many pennies can your boat hold?
https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/design-a-penny-boat
Spaghetti Tower of Power
Design, build, optimize the tallest tower you can build with noodles & marshmallows.
https://pacificsciencecenter.org/resources/spaghetti-towers/
Research projects are great for scientists of all ages! Think of a science-related topic and learn all that you can about it to share with others by consulting books, online sources, and interviewing experts. Make something or take something apart to figure out how it works. Create a visual explanation of your findings: a model, drawings, demonstration, etc.
Survey and document the world around you. Observe, gather, and collect information about your surroundings, such as a plant inventory at your favorite park or animal inventory around your neighborhood, clouds or stars in the sky, or tiny things in the soil. What do those observations mean, what conclusions can you draw?
Additional Resources for Reference and Ideas:
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
