How many hours or how many percent of your dc's end of year science project or any project are you involved in?

[JadeOrchidSong]

I have seen on Facebook posts of PS children's end of year science project pictures. Today I saw a first grader's impressive display of a science experiment in French including question, procedure, materials used, conclusion, and several observations made and photos. It looks so elaborate for a first grader that I can't help thinking how much work was done by the boy and how much was done by mom or dad.

[Lieutenant Stranger]

My kids go to a regional science fair every year. I've spoken to the people in charge of the fair, and our own science fair leader regarding this. 

 

Basically, their rule of thumb- if you can teach your child something and they can UNDERSTAND it (say, you need to teach them how to interpret their results), then it is fine. If your 6-year-old is "doing" complicated equations, uh...no. The director of the regional fair also said this to me- you wouldn't expect for your child to go to a soccer game without someone taking the time to teach/coach him on soccer skills, but people will throw said child into a science fair without any teaching/coaching. 

 

I'm involved with my kids' projects. They will pick their ideas (which can take awhile to discuss) and then we work on getting a good question, etc. We might have to go over conclusion, etc a MILLION times, and I'll read them examples, but their work is their work.

 

They design their boards, pick colors, everything. We help with the layout of the board (don't put the conclusion at the beginning, etc). Granted, I've seen projects where the parents obviously did everything (a complicated project for a 3-YEAR-OLD comes to mind-- this mother absolutely HATES to lose and will make sure her children "win" at all costs- and they always do), and then those where I doubt the parent even knew the topic. There's definitely a happy medium in between. 

[Arcadia]

The only thing me and my hubby did was to drive them around to buy and pay for any supplies my boys need for their science project.  There are templates issued by schools for science fair projects so "question, procedure, materials used, conclusion, and several observations made and photos." would be standard here.  My boys were given guidelines by their school which they have to follow for their science project to get credit for the lab portion of their science. 

My younger boy did an impressive (to me) display when he was 6 years old just because he loves doing impressive displays and he is a perfectionist. He even did a PowerPoint slide show for the fun of it.  I have seen 6 year olds of friends do impressive work on their own. Most 6 year olds around here are expert at taking photos using their parents smartphones or tablets.

[Dmmetler]

My DD does quite a lot of science research, mostly projects at a local university and is working on her own field research project. I'm involved in that I usually am required to be there due to her age, so I end up learning a lot. I'll also sometimes serve as her assistant-she'll call out to me what to record and I'll write it down. I'm her "coach", especially on the writing, because academic writing and documentation is still something she's learning. For her, the goal isn't winning a ribbon at a local homeschool science fair, but in coming up with something that is potentially publishable in peer reviewed journals, and that could be presented at conferences.

 

 

[raptor_dad]

 For her, the goal isn't winning a ribbon at a local homeschool science fair, but in coming up with something that is potentially publishable in peer reviewed journals, and that could be presented at conferences.

 

I think this is an important point. Before highschool, or similar levels, it really is all about the journey. Yes, a ribbon may be highly motivating or validating for your kid but frankly noone important cares. There is no reason to get stressed out about what other parents may be doing... build up your kid's skills... slow and steady wins the race. Once your kid is in highschool, fairs like ISEF or Westinghouse aren't fakable anyway.

 

[Lieutenant Stranger]

I think this is an important point. Before highschool, or similar levels, it really is all about the journey. Yes, a ribbon may be highly motivating or validating for your kid but frankly noone important cares. There is no reason to get stressed out about what other parents may be doing... build up your kid's skills... slow and steady wins the race. Once your kid is in highschool, fairs like ISEF or Westinghouse aren't fakable anyway.

 

 

I tell my kids that they can never do something to "win," because it just might not happen. I ask that they do their BEST-- that whether or not they get that prize, they can honestly tell themselves "I did my best, and I learned something interesting." 

[lewelma]

IMHO, there is a difference between an investigation and a unit study. An investigation is child led. The methods are unknown by both the child and the teacher, and the goal is to help *the child* come up with a way (typically quite juvenile) of answering the question.  A unit study is teacher led. The teacher *teaches* the child *how* to answer the question using methods known by the teacher.  A unit study is about learning about the topic with someone teaching you the material, and in science it then can have a hands-on element.  Both child-led investigations and teacher-led unit studies are very effective learning tools, but they teach different things, and most parents don't like a unit study being called an investigation because it implies that the kids were working independently.

 

I'm sure that the project you described was a teacher-led unit study.  Just think of it that way and you will feel better!

 

Ruth in NZ

[JanetC]

My DD did her 8th grade science fair project this year, and it was the least I have ever been involved.  I was involved in the beginning, helping her refine her topic (mostly googling for articles and names of scientists she might email, and encouraging her to send those emails even when she felt shy), and I was involved at the end (checking over the board for typos, getting the forms right, etc.)  The actual middle part of the project -- not so much anymore.  It's actually a bit sad for me how independent she's become.

 

As far as "do your best" goes -- since we've done science fairs for years now, I emphasize, "what can we improve on from last year?"  The science fair champion is a complete package -- great science, well presented both the board and the talk, and often there are intangibles that appeal to the judges as well (i.e. the boy who did a science fair project on cardiology because his little sister needs a heart transplant).  You can't grow that package overnight, or find those intangibles on demand, so, given your particular strengths and weaknesses, what do you want to improve on?  Looking back, did you do better science this year than last year?  Did you learn something new?  We have all her old science fair journals, and it's a hoot to go back and see how far she's come.

 

After three years of public speaking group at our homeschool co-op, this was the first year that the crit sheets did not say anything about speaking louder, making herself understood, etc.  This would have been a trophy moment for us, even if she hadn't won any other award.

 

We also try to avoid relearning things that are already working.  We have the same outline for the research plan write-up, the same font and layout choices on the board, etc.

 

[Acorn]

For our school district, parent involvement is expected k - 2. The judges only talk with the child at the event.

[...................]

I had started a recent thread on this....

 

My kids had their first Science Fair. I think in grades K-2 the moms need to oversee a lot more.  At our Science Fair I was IMPRESSED because these moms had their kids write, in their best handwriting, the entire poster. Most of them knew about the entire project and actually could explain it in great detail and really understtood what they were trying to test/experiment about.  Obviously, the moms walked them through a lot of it, but you can tell looking at the board, when the moms sat there and did just about every single detail.  The judges at our Science Fair straight up asked, "Who typed this?"  Who cut these backboard pieces?"  They asked even the little kids to really explain their projects. 

 

I am of the opinion that mom should explain, show pictures, and then get out of the way. My kids boards would have looked a lot better if I had been more involved, but they looked great, considering it was their first time.  At the fair, they saw other boards and got lots of ideas for next year.  They also were very proud to say that they did the entire things all by themselves.  My son forgot his project, and I reminded him 5 times to put it in the car, and he didn't do it.  So, as we drove away, halfway there I reaized he only had his board, and not his project.  Guess what? I did NOT turn back.  I gritted my teeth and kept driving. He won third place but the judges told him flat out, that if he had not forgotten to bring the actual project, he would have gotten first place.  We were still very proud of him and all his hard work, but it was nice for him to learn that life lesson now, instead of in high school or work place or college.

 

My daughter was very proud when people complimented her board, because she did it all by herself.  

 

I was dismayed that one boy's project who won 2nd place in the 4-6th grade division was obviously meticulously laid out using scrapbook paper and a ruler...I really think his mom did his board alongside him, which I think in 4th grade is not OK.  

 

But you have to decide.  One day your kids will be on their own.  They will learn more if you suggest, show pictures, watch a video about the Science fair, explain layout and coloring and then let them actually do it, and you pop in and help if they are really stuck.  But if you do the entire thing alongside or even FOR them, obviously they aren't going to learn as much or be as proud of their work.  Also be sure to purchase nice materials for your kids, such as scrapbook paper instead of construction paper which fades, and a colored board, instead ofa  white board.  The other kids will have those things, so it's only fair for your children to have nice materials to work with as well.

 

 

[Farrar]

Doing something like that at age 6 would have just made my kids hate the process and probably hate science.  So to me that's one of the benefits of homeschooling.  We just wouldn't do that.

 

Now they're older...  we still don't do a science fair, but we do do some other presentable project work.  I think learning should be heavy on process and light on that sort of final, presentation, product sort of thing, but I think it's important to do some.  I organize and make suggestions.  They do all the work.  What's the point otherwise?