Science Projects

Access Databases from Home

To access these resources from HOME, you must go to the APS Library Resources in Canvas. Choose Middle School Databases. The databases Explora Secondary, Science in Context, and Opposing Viewpoints in Context are best for this research and are circled on the image below. If you have any trouble accessing these databases through Canvas, please let me know. And remember, it’s better to go through the browser rather than the app.

Developing an idea

• ULM School of Sciences Science Fair ideas page – scroll down to find project focused links
• Science Fair Central – Project ideas grouped by categories
• Thought.co Middle School Science Projects
• Education.com Middle School Science Fair Project Ideas – Grade level filters in the left side menu

Science Project Brainstorming presentation

Database Resources for Research (Access through Canvas from home – see above)

• These first three databases are General Information databases/encyclopedias.
• Use these databases to find general information, especially if you need to know definitions.
• For instance, if you are trying to answer the question “What is solar energy?”

Britannica

World Book

Pebble Go

• The following three databases contain reference information and articles from reference books, newspapers, magazines, etc.
• Some of the information you find here will be news (just the facts) and other information will be opinion.
• Use these to answer questions like “Why should I care about solar energy?” “How has renewable energy impacted climate change?”
• You must read articles carefully to know if you are reading facts or opinions. (Opinions aren’t “bad,” they just aren’t facts.)

Explora

Science in Context

Opposing Viewpoints in Context

• keep track of your keywords – what works? what doesn’t?
• look at the article’s date – this science is moving fast – make sure you are not using out-of-date information
• determine if you are reading a fact-based article or an opinion article based on facts. An opinion article may be presenting only one side of the story.

Internet Searches

DRAMA – a Google slideshow

DRAMA – a video explanation

Lateral reading is when you have multiple tabs open about the same topic. You read and compare the info on all the pages to get the full picture.

Lateral Reading – video by University of Louisville Research & Assistance Dept.

Searching Google and Databases

Searching Databases takes Resilience and Creativity

Note-taking

Notetaking presentation

• always put quotes around phrases you copy exactly from the article
• your ability to paraphrase is a good measure of whether you understand what you are reading
  • look up words you don’t know
  • ask for help to figure out difficult concepts
• gather as much information/evidence as you can. You may not use it all in your final product. (In other words, don’t second guess yourself as you take notes wondering if you will need that info. Get the info and decide later.)

Citing Your Sources using NoodleTools

NoodleTools Help Guide – Mrs. Yu, APS Librarian – a slideshow overview

A World Geo video example of citing websites and databases in APA format

Step by step slideshows:

• Create Your Noodletools Project
• Citing Databases using NoodleTools
• Citing Websites using NoodleTools
• Export Your References from NoodleTools

MLA vs APA: Works Cited vs References