September 26, 2017

Dear Families,

Laurel Meadow will be hosting its Annual STEAM Fair in December! STEAM stands for Science, Technology,
Engineering, Art & Math. Along with Science and Engineering Project presentations and judging, families can
participate together in science experiment tables, math games, technology stations and engineering challenges.

All students in grades three, four, and five are strongly encouraged to participate by completing a STEAM
fair project! In the classroom, students will discuss what it takes to complete a project for the STEAM Fair.
Over a three month period, your child will independently design or engineer, test, analyze, and present a
project that uses the scientific method or engineering design process to solve a problem. Remember, a
STEAM fair project is NOT a demonstration (a volcano, a model of the solar system, etc.). While
participation is optional, all work on this project must be completed at home. Parents are encouraged to offer
support and reminders, but please allow children to the projects by themselves.

Please think carefully about the project youd like to work on. Students will be given project guidelines and
timelines within an informational packet, which will be sent home once the back of this letter has been
thoughtfully completed by October 14th. Students may work in groups of 2 or 3 students as long as they are
on the SAME grade level, and each group member has a clear role in the project. Each group member
MUST turn in their own completed form.

For more information regarding the LMES STEAM Fair or to see example project ideas, please visit
mrsbroughton.weebly.com and click on the STEAM Fair link. Please feel free to call the school or
email with questions or concerns. As always, thanks for your support at Laurel Meadow!

Truly,
Alicia Broughton
abroughton@hcps.us

STEAM Fair Timeline

Action Due Date
Choose a topic. With your topic in mind, draft a purpose, hypothesis, materials list, and procedure This form due:
for your project. October 13th
Perform your revised experiment and collect/ record data. Take photographs! Make data tables Blue Form Due:
and graphs to organize your results, draw conclusions. November 10th
Construct a display. Build a background to mount graphs, charts, illustrations, photographs, signs, Projects Due:
etc Be neat! November 29th
Present your findings at the LMES STEAM Fair! See you at 5:45 PM! November 30th
 Due to Mrs. Broughton by Friday, October 13th

Name: ________________________________ Grade: _____ Homeroom Teacher: ____________________

Project Group Members & Teachers: _____________________________________________________________

Project Topic: _______________________________ Project Category: _________________________________

Earth Science: Earth science is the study of volcanoes, earthquakes, weathering, erosion, and deposition; soils, rocks, minerals, crystals; ocean
water, fresh water, the water cycle; weather, weather instruments, air, water, wind, clouds, humidity, cold, and heat.

Life Science: Life science is the study of human, animal, plant, insect, and microorganism behavior; forest, desert, tropical, grassland, wetland
and other environments; and food chains, plant cycles, life cycles, and ecosystems.

Chemical Science: Chemical science is the study of solids, liquids, gases, and the mixture and uses of chemicals.

Physical Science: Physical science is the study of simple machines, gravity, forces (push and pull), and weight, magnets, electricity, speed, flight
(lift), motion, heat, light, and sound.

Consumer Science: Consumer science is the study of testing new invented products, testing products we use and eat everyday-shampoo,
detergents, soaps, diapers, stain removers, popcorn, cereals, gum, soda pop, potato chips, paper towels, bandages, etc. This makes the public aware
of products that might not perform the way companies say they will perform.

*Engineering: Using this process you will: define a need for the product; connect the need to a design goal; establish the requirements needed
for product development; write up a procedure with preliminary designs; gather the materials needed; build a prototype (a model of the product)
according to the designs; test the prototype; redesign, if necessary, to meet the stated design goal; and connect or apply the value of the
prototype to real world situations. Do not complete the bottom portion of this form. You will need a separate form. Complete the top & email Mrs.
Broughton!

1. My Project Title: ____________________________________________________________________________

2. My Purpose: The purpose of my experiment is to:

______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Variables: The one thing I am changing (independent): ___________________________________________

The change I will measure is (dependent): _____________________________________________

The things I will keep the same are (constants): _________________________________________

4. My hypothesis: What is your educated guess about what is going to happen? (An If Then statement.
For example: If I built 3 types of paper airplanes, then the Bald Eagle airplane will fly the furthest.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Materials needed to complete my project: _______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

6. On a SEPARATE sheet of paper, list the steps you will take to complete your project. Staple it to this
paper when you turn it in. Dont forget, you may need to do some research on the computer to help you!