Organizers Manual
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3 Organisers' Manual Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual PREFACE For the past 5 years, we conducted the Young Scientific Explorers (YSE) which involved 360 students in 2004, 2005 (1120), 2006 (2094), 2007 (2000) and 2008 (2500). YSE was developed to introduce science to young people in a fun manner using everyday items. It was conducted by visiting the participating schools and exhibiting 8 simple experiments, followed by a visit to the National Science Centre. As a follow-up to this project, we successfully conducted the Science Fair for Young Children 2007. This project was a collaborative effort between The Centre for Community Initiatives (CCI) and Tamil Foundation, Malaysian Indian Science Intellectuals Association (MISI), Education, Welfare and Research Foundation (EWRF) and the Head Masters Council (Selangor). To take-off this pilot project, the Science Fair 2007 was held in Dewan Tunku Cancelor (DTC), University of Malaya. Forty Nine teams from 44 schools from Wilayah Persekutuan and Selangor participated in this fair. We were surprised to see how the participating students brought science to life as they tackled investigative questions through hands-on experiments, helping them develop and demonstrate their interests and strengths in science. We also noticed an increase in confidence by the participating students. In 2008, we conducted the Fair at a national level in 6 zones across Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 180 schools and 197 teams participated in 6 fairs across the country, as per below: 1. Zone 1: KEDAH, PENANG & PERLIS = 31 teams from 28 schools 2. Zone 2: PERAK – 21 teams from 18 schools 3. Zone 3: SELANGOR, WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN - 58 Schools/ teams 4. Zone 4: MELAKA, NEGERI SEMBILAN - 4 Schools/ teams 5. Zone 5: JOHOR – 64 teams from 57 schools 6. Zone 6: PAHANG & KELANTAN – 19 teams from 15 Schools From the 180 schools, 57 schools (60 teams) were selected to participate at the National Science Fair. The fair was a success with most of our objectives met. Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual In 2009, we conducted the Fair on a national level in 6 zones across Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 190 schools and 207 teams participated in 6 fairs across the country, as per below: 1. Zone 1: KEDAH, PENANG, PERLIS - 30 Schools with 32 teams 2. Zone 2: PERAK - 15 Schools with 18 teams 3. Zone 3: SELANGOR, WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN - 74 Schools/ teams 4. Zone 4: MELAKA, NEGERI SEMBILAN - 3 Schools/ teams 5. Zone 5: JOHOR - 54 Schools 63 teams 6. Zone 6: PAHANG , KELANTAN – 14 Schools with 17 teams From the 190 schools, 57 schools (60 teams) were selected for the National Science Fair. The fair was a success with most of our objectives met. In 2010, we conducted the Fair on a national level in 9 zones across Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 263 schools and 285 teams participated in 9 fairs across the country, as per below: 1. Zone 1: KEDAH, PERLIS – 20 teams from 17 Schools 2. Zone 2: PENANG – 16 teams from 16 schools 3. Zone 3: PERAK- 53 teams from 50 schools 4. Zone 4: SELANGOR - 54 Schools/ teams 5. Zone 5: W.PERSEKUTUAN - 14 Schools/ teams 6. Zone 6: NEGERI SEMBILAN – 22 teams from 18 schools 7. Zone 7: MELAKA – 21 Schools/teams 8. Zone 8: JOHOR – 68 teams from 59 schools 9. Zone 9: PAHANG & KELANTAN – 17 teams from 14 schools In 2011, we conducted the fair on a national level in 9 zones across Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 274 schools and 274 teams participated in 9 fairs across the country, as per below: 1. Zone 1: KEDAH, PERLIS – 41 Schools/ teams 2. Zone 2: PENANG – 16 Schools/ teams 3. Zone 3: PERAK- 47 Schools/ teams 4. Zone 4: SELANGOR - 56 Schools/ teams 5. Zone 5: W.PERSEKUTUAN - 13 Schools/ teams 6. Zone 6: NEGERI SEMBILAN – 18 Schools/ teams 7. Zone 7: MELAKA – 21 Schools/teams 8. Zone 8: JOHOR – 45 Schools/ teams 9. Zone 9: PAHANG & KELANTAN – 17 Schools/ teams Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual 1.0 INTRODUCTION Science is the systematic study of nature and the knowledge gained. While scientific facts are important, facts alone, divorced from methods employed to discover or learn them are incomplete, could in fact hamper scientific progress. Students will learn science and its methods better if science is hands-on or experimental experience, whereby students are led on a path of discovering scientific truths. Young students will learn science as they seek to satisfy their curiosity. A Science Fair can be an exciting component for the mid-school science curriculum. Students bring science to life as they deal with investigative questions through hands-on experiments, helping them develop and demonstrate their interests and strengths in science. Among the many benefits of a Science Fair are: • Students approach of solving a problem of their choice using a scientific method. • Students ask questions, form hypothesis and create experiments to test their hypothesis. • Students observe records, organise relevant data and draw conclusions. • Students communicate their scientific research. • Students work in a 5- member Science Fair team. • Students budget their time, organise their work into manageable chunks, prepare a schedule and delegate work accordingly. • Students use reading, writing, research data and computer skills for their presentation. A Science Fair is a long term project, which spans several months. Students conduct most of the Science Fair work on their own, outside the classroom with periodic scheduled discussions with their science teacher. This format allows science teachers to continue their regular classroom curriculum, while having students engaged and working on the Science Fair project. Through the judging process, a Science Fair gives students feedback from many people, not just science teachers. Judges can be administrators, other academicians, school teachers, members of the community, parents, volunteers, etc. Students become excited and interested in participating in the Zone Level Science Fair, especially when there is an opportunity to participate in Science Fair competitions at the National level. Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual 1.1 The Purpose This project aims to improve on the concept, supporting structure and implementation tools of Science Fair and help organise science fairs primarily in Tamil Schools nationwide and create a greater awareness about science and scientific methods. It also aims to help motivate the students with the drive for achievement in their quest for knowledge. 1.2 Objectives 1. To review and improve resource materials in the teachers training materials, sample projects and guidelines for students on science projects. 2. To train all interested science teachers in Tamil Schools on the aspects of a good science project. 3. The State Level Science Fair would be divided into 9 zones by training local organising committees in their respective zones. 4. The National Level Science Fair would be conducted for the winners of the zone level Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual 2.0 ORGANIZATION 2.1 Organization Structure pg2.pdf 1 2/8/2012 5:44:20 PM In order to implement the Science Fair for Young Children, CCI works in partnership with the Malaysian Indian Science Intellectuals (MISI), Putra MIC, DHRAA Malaysia, ASTRO, various state Headmasters Councils other interested NGO’s and interested parties. Some of these organisations are already conducting science related programmes for Tamil students and have strong links with the Tamil school community. Media Partners: Advisory Group Astro and Others Funding Group: MCEF and Others Judging Committee Working Group HM Council Rep Internal Group/ Secretariat State Organizing Other Orgn. Rep Orgn. / Secretariat Training Committee Facilitators Research and Develoment Event Committee* PR and Funds The SFYC organization structure (You can use a similar structure for your Science Fair team) Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual 2.2 JOB FUNCTIONS Groups Members Job Function Central Working Project Director, - Policy making Committee (CWC) Rep. from all - Decision making organizations involved, - Financial approval - Delegating and monitoring of the project - Chaired by PD. - Assisting the Internal Group - Meetings every fortnight Internal Group (IG) Project Director - Implementation of the project - Monitor each group’s progress - Report to Working - Prepare progress report for the WG meeting Committee - Meeting every week Judging Committee Only judges Central - Meeting with all judges regularly (JC) Committee - Review the judging manual - Project Director - Upgrade the marking sheets - R & Q Committee - Train and provide judges for state & national fairs Facilitators Group, Teachers, Volunteers - Prepare new sample projects/experiments Various (College Students & to be added in the Students Quest Implementation University students ) (Student’s Guide) Committees - Report to PD - Review the facilitator’s guide and upgrade it - Act as main mediators between the teams and organizing committee - Assess the Student’s Guide and upgrade it continuously - Assist teams that are participating in the competition SFYC and Main St and Project - Make arrangement for meetings Secretariat - Coordinate with State Coordinators, facilitators & judging committee - Update information at the Internal Group meeting - Prepare minutes & report - Report to Project Director - Core coordinator in the implementation of the project Science Fair for Young Children Organizer Manual Groups Members Job Function State Level Working State level Coordinators, - Implementation of the