APPENDIX G: Procedures for the Computer Lab
MATERIALS
Recommended Hardware
- Macintosh or Windows 95 Computer
Lab
- Minimum computer to student ratio
1:2
- 1 Scanner
Minimum Computer Requirements
- MAC OS 7.6.1 or higher or Windows
95 OS or higher
- 100 Mhz Processor with 64Mb RAM or
higher
- Internet access for each computer
(56K Modem or better)
Recommended Software for Each Computer
- Microsoft Office (Word and Excel)
for each computer
- Claris HomePage (or similar Web
page editor) for each computer
- Web browser such as Netscape
Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer
Miscellaneous
1 Graphics editing software such as
Adobe Photoshop on the computer connected to the scanner
1 Graphic converting software such as
Graphic Converter (shareware) on computer connected to scanner
Internet Service Provider to upload and
publish students' work (approximately 1 Mb per student)
PROCEDURE
- Give students a science fair packet
which contains a calendar with due dates, introduction to
what a virtual science fair is about, web site (directory
flowchart--see below) so they know what web pages they
will have to make as well as what directories to put them
in, County Science Fair Application, a list of project
categories and description of topics, rules for safety,
judging standards, statistical summary of project
categories, judges score sheet, a description of what
makes a good science fair project, a guide to writing the
literature review as well as the project report write up
and MLA style documentation guide. Begin the project by
having students pick a topic. At the same time, prepare a
resource Web page that outlines the assignments (in the
form of a calendar) as well as links to as many resources
as you have time to find! Following this procedure is a
sample calendar and an example resource Web page. The
source code for the resource page is included.
- Introduce students to the use of
Internet search engines such as Altavista
(http://www.altavista.com)
- Begin the literature review by
introducing students to the use of a Web browser and a
word processor. Show them how to work between the Web
browser and the word processor. Explain how to copy and
paste and the importance of copyright, quoting and
paraphrasing, and citing references. It's OK for students
to use whatever they find as long as they cite Internet
sources. Make sure students write down each URL from
which they take information. They should also record
authors titles and dates--as they go. This is very
important otherwise students will have to go back and
find everything over again in order to complete their
reference page. Refer to a writing manual for correct
reference format--usually MLA. Advise students to make
bibliography cards for all sources. You may also wish to
have students create their own bookmark file for the
browser. This way, students can insert a floppy and
import and use their own bookmarks regardless of which
machine they use or regardless of the bookmarks which
have already been created on that particular machine.
- Any images students wish to use
from the Internet should be saved separately as GIF
formatted files. JPEG files usually work, but GIF
files always work well with the editors. All
images the students use must also be cited and
referenced. It is important for students to realize that
they cannot “paste” images into the Web editor.
So any image that is “pasted” into a text file
(word processor) must also be saved separately as a
graphic file so that it can used for the Web page editor
when they make their Web pages. In other words,
“pasted” graphics usually do not convert well
from a text file to an html file. Graphics are
“placed” into Web pages--not pasted!
- Introduce students to the use of
email. Unless the school has an “intranet”
where students have their own email accounts, use the Web
browser's email features. Of course, students will have
to set the mail preferences for their own accounts each
time they get their mail--tell them not to “delete
mail from the server.” This way, all their mail is
available from home. Students who do not have email
accounts can get free “Web based” email from
Yahoo.com.
- Students should also be searching
for science mentors who are working in the same field as
the topic they are researching. Students can find mentors
at educational Web sites, universities, government
laboratories and businesses. Mentors are an excellent
source for the literature review; they may also be able
to recommend other sources for the student's search. You
should actively help your students find mentors. Search
the Internet yourself for sources of mentors and add it
to your resource page.
- Introduce how to use email at this
time so that students may correspond with the mentors.
Require students to CC and forward all correspondence to
you so that you can monitor the correspondence.
- Once the students have done enough
research to decide on a research question, have students
write up a proposal. Make sure you review the science
fair requirements (see appendix G). Students should also
have copies of any forms which must be completed before
experimentation begins.
- At this point, students should
begin to make Web pages (for their literature review).
You should review several Web page editors--not just
Claris HomePage--so that you find one that you like. For
example, Claris HomePage is very intuitive but can not
open text files. This means the student must copy from a
word processor and then paste into the Web editor. There
are Web page editors which can directly open text files
thus automatically converting the text files as html
files. Better yet, modern versions of Microsoft Word
allow you to save text files to html files. It is
paramount to the success of the project to figure out
what works best for the software you own. Experiment
until you are comfortable with the software and the
procedure to make Web pages from text--then teach it to
your students! It is important to have students convert
their literature review text to Web pages as soon as
possible so that they get motivated early.
- It will be necessary to organize
the students files. Here is an easy method which works
well regardless whether the students store files on
floppies or in their own directories on a classroom or
school network
- Put all html files in one
folder titled the student's last name.
- Put all GIF graphics in one
folder titled graphics.
- Put the graphics folder
inside the folder with the html files.
- You will want to upload all of the
files exactly the way the students have saved theirs.
Below is a directory flowchart of how you can organize
all of the students' files on a Web server.
- It is very important to have
students create all of their web pages before
they create the links for their files. Students must also
end every filename with .htm (Windows) or .html (MAC),
and any changes they make to the files must be saved with
the exact filename they originally chose if all of the
links are to work correctly. Notice that the flowchart
uses long filenames (example:
discussion_of_results.html). If files are to be exchanged
between Windows and MAC operating systems, it is
recommended to make all filenames eight characters or
less (“eight-dot-three”). In other words,
Windows machines are limited to a filename of eight
characters plus the three letter extension (example:
discussi.htm, not discussion_of_results.html). An
alternative solution to long filenames between Windows
and MAC operating systems is utility software for the
Windows machines such as “MACOpener” by
DataVis. Do not rely on the MAC's ability
to open IBM formatted floppies--it will not work
correctly. What happens is the MAC operating system will
only read the first eight letters of the filenames. Thus
none of the links will work!
- Once the students' html files have
been completed, upload the files to the Web server--in
the same directories (folders) the students saved their
own files. In other words, you are creating an exact
duplicate of all the students' directories and files.
After the directories have been uploaded, you can create
links from the school's Web site to the index file of
each student (see flowchart).
- Students should be allowed to
update their files as long as they do not change the
names of the files themselves. It is then a simple matter
of uploading the updated files into the student's
directory in the Web server--the new file automatically
replaces the old one.
Example Flowchart for Saving Files
Example Calendar
SCIENCE FAIR CALENDAR (grades 8, 11
& 12)
| WEEK OF |
|
| 9/15 |
Introduction to
the 1998 Science Fair / Pick topics (due 9/22). |
| 9/22 |
Begin searching
Internet and library resources. Record bibliographical
information--see MLA and ACW style examples. /BEGIN
CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSAL, LITERATURE REVIEW AND
REFERENCES WEB PAGES. |
| 9/29 |
Find mentor (due
10/13). / Literature review notes from sources 1 and 2
due this week. / CONSTRUCTION OF LITERATURE REVIEW AND
REFERENCES WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 10/13 |
Literature review
notes from sources 3 and 4 due this week. / CONSTRUCTION
OF LITERATURE REVIEW AND REFERENCES WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 10/20 |
Literature review
notes from sources 5 and 6 due this week. / List of
“promising” research (experimental) problems
due this week. / CONSTRUCTION OF LITERATURE REVIEW AND
REFERENCES WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 10/27 |
Literature review
notes from sources 7 and 8 due this week. / Narrow list
of promising research problems. / CONSTRUCTION OF
LITERATURE REVIEW AND REFERENCES WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 11/3 |
Research
(experimental) question due 11/7. / CONSTRUCTION OF
LITERATURE REVIEW AND REFERENCES WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 11/10 |
Rough draft of
literature review due. / CONSTRUCTION OF LITERATURE
REVIEW AND REFERENCES WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 11/17 |
Hypothesis and
outline of experimental procedure due. / Begin
experimentation. / CONSTRUCTION OF INTRODUCTION AND
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE WEB PAGES. |
| 12/1 |
Final draft of
literature review due. / CONSTRUCTION OF INTRODUCTION
AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE WEB PAGES CONTINUES. |
| 12/8 |
First review of
experimental notes. / Construction of Introduction and
Experimental Procedure Web pages continues. / begin
Construction of results web page. |
| 12/15 |
Second review of
experimental notes. / Construction of Introduction,
Experimental Procedure and Results Web pages continues. |
| 1/19 |
Third review of
experimental notes. / Construction of Introduction,
Experimental Procedure and Results Web pages continues.
/ Begin construction of remaining Web pages (Abstract,
Discussion of Results, Source of Error and ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of Assistance). |
| 1/26 |
Fourth review of
experimental notes. / Second-to-last week to finish
construction of all Web pages. |
| 2/2 |
Fifth review of
experimental notes. / Last week to finish construction
of all Web pages. |
| 2/9 |
Rough draft of
report due. / WEB PAGES CRITIQUED. / IMPROVE
WEB PAGES BASED UPON SUGGESTIONS. |
| 2/16 |
Panic Week. / BEGIN
UPLOADING WEB PAGES. |
| 2/23 |
Final draft of
report due. / Displays and WEB PAGES due. /
Presentations begin. |
Example Resource Web Page
(Example Source Code for Resource Web Page)
<!--This file created 3/26/98 12:53
AM by Claris Home Page version 2.0-->
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>resources</TITLE>
<META NAME=GENERATOR
CONTENT="Claris Home Page 2.0">
<X-SAS-WINDOW TOP=49 BOTTOM=484
LEFT=19 RIGHT=549>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<CENTER>If you find a good Web
site that you think could be added
to this list, send the URL with a
description to the Science Fair
Conference Folder. You will get 5 x.c.
points if I use it!!!
</CENTER></P>
<CENTER><FONT
SIZE="+4"
COLOR="#00AF00">Resources</FONT>
</CENTER></P>
<CENTER><B><FONT
SIZE="+2"
COLOR="#000000"><A
HREF="calendar.html">Los Angeles County Science
Fair
Calendar</A></FONT></B></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/SEP/SEP.html">Frank
Potter's Science
Gems</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.usc.edu/CMSI/CalifSF/">California
State Science
Fair</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.westinghouse.com/cmty/h_sci.htm">Westinghouse
Science Talent
Search</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.halcyon.com/sciclub/">Science
Club</A>
</CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.halcyon.com/sciclub/cgi-pvt/scifair/guestbook.html">Science
Fair Idea
Exchange</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.ipl.org/youth/DrInternet/">Dr.
Internet Science Fair
Ideas</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://calvertnet.k12.md.us/events/fairs/scifair/scifair.html">Calvert
County Science
Fair</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.eduzone.com/tips/science/gauga.htm">Books
for Science
Fairs</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.xc.org/echo/frssfair.htm">More
Science
Fair Ideas
(ECHO)</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.technoteen.com/zine/sciencelinks.htm">TechnoTeen
(Science Fair
Links)</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><FONT
SIZE="+4" COLOR="#00AF00">Regional and
State Science
Fairs</FONT></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://physics1.usc.edu/~gould/ScienceFairs/">Virtual
Library: Science
Fairs</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><FONT
SIZE="+4" COLOR="#00AF00">Mentors via
Email </FONT>
</CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://njnie.dl.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/aska/science.html">Ask
an Expert: Science and
Technology</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://njnie.dl.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/aska/medicine.html">Ask
an Expert: Medicine and
Health</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://njnie.dl.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/aska/profess.html">Ask
an Expert:
Professionals</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.askanexpert.com/askanexpert/cat/scitec.html">PITSCO's
Ask An
Expert</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.usc.edu/CMSI/CalifSF/Advisor_Program/">California
State Science Fair Advisor
Program</A></CENTER></P>
<CENTER><A
HREF="http://www.halcyon.com/sciclub/kidquest.html">The
Science
Club</A></CENTER></P>
</BODY>
</HTML>