Tools for Science Projects!

*Also check out my other posts on Science Project Tools:

1. Science Buddies = True Science Project Love
2. Using Google Docs in your Science Project Fair
3. Paperless Science Fairs
4. Memonic--your own Internet Research Secretary

We have our first big project of the year starting this month--the amazing 8th Year Expert Project!  This is the capstone project for our Montessori 8th graders at Fraser-Woods School in Newtown, CT.   Essentially a huge independent-study project, their job this month was to write the proposal for the project in a middle-school sized "thesis proposal" format.  Essentials for beginning a large scale project at the middle school level:

1. One of the most important tools I have is my Timeline.  It helps me organize myself with backwards-design principles...starting from the nights I know they have to present and having an idea of how long each stage will take, I design the timeline to fit the time we have.  My class webpage is on Google Sites, and Google Sites has a page template called a "List" that you can use to create your timeline.  
2. If you take a look at my timeline, you'll see that it is formatted like a checklist and has four columns, including one that is called "Related Documents".  This is my favorite column.  It allows me to attach a link to a template, related website, how-to video or google document that the students need to complete the assignment.  This relieves everyone of the "I lost my copy of the assignment" excuse and, frankly, the kids love this feature. **Note, if you put a link there to a google document, make sure you share the document publicly in GoogleDocs first.  
3. I ask that all of my students print out the list at the beginning of the project and tack it up somewhere at home where they can easily refer to it at any time.
4. You can update the list at any time.  I update due-dates regularly, because we are a Montessori school and our schedule is interrupted often with special events, trips, speakers and activities.  I always announce list updates clearly in class and I will often provide copies for major changes so the kids are aware of the changes.

• To create that type of page, click on the create page icon on the top right side of the homepage after you have signed in.  Then click on the drop-down menu under the heading Select a template to use.  Select List from the dropdown menu.
• Name the page.  Try a name that includes "Timeline", like "Science Fair Timeline".
• You can even customize the URL of the timeline page by clicking change URL.  This will only change the last part of the url to your desired characters.
• Select a location for the page.   If you have created the Google Site solely to create the timeline, then click Put page at the top level>Create and voila!  Your timeline page has been created.
• Now the page prompts you to choose a template for the list.  If you know you have specific column headings for the list you want, click Create your own>use template.
• A box entitled "Customize Your List" will pop up.  If you want your timeline to look like mine,  you will need four columns.  Type the column name "Completed?" into the box.  Click Type>Checkbox.
• Add New Column>"Assignment name" under column name.  Type>Text
• Add New Column>"Due Date" under column name.  Type>Date
• Add New Column>"Related Documents/Websites" under column name. Type>URL
• To sort your items by due date (which I recommend, but you can change this at any time by clicking Customize this list once you have created the list) click First Sort by> Due Date>Ascending>Save.  
• To add items to the list once it is created, click the Add Item button.  Don't check Completed? until the due date for the item has passed.  Enter the assignment name, the due date and any related documents that you'd like to attach.  
• There you go!  Project timeline Checklist!

Tools for Science Projects!

Google Docs Science Fair: Chapter One--Setting up your class documents

I did promise to give you lots of ideas for science fair projects.  My use of Google Docs for my students projects (along with ScienceBuddies) has REVOLUTIONIZED my science notebook grading (I do it all at home) and made it much easier for my students to work in groups equitably.  I say equitably, because everyone can stick their kids into groups, but it is much harder to ensure equity when it comes to grading a group project.

My students are working in groups voluntarily, which means some of my kids have gone solo.

All of my students are keeping a Science Fair Project Journal on Google Docs--digital science notebooks!

Some of the many advantages of using digital journals:

• students can use it independently of one another and at any time, regardless of their busy personal and family schedules. 
• It also is an extremely green option--no paper needed
• it can't be lost, which would be a disaster in a long-term project like this.

Click here for a document from ScienceBuddies that has the essentials for any science notebook.  (PDF)This is the basis for the Google Journal that I set up for my students.

Click here for a template for a Google Docs Journal Document that uses the same Table of Contents section headers as the PDF above.

Steps to use this Google Doc Template with your students:

1. Have all of your students who are 13 and older create Google Docs Accounts.
2. Save a copy of the above document to your Google Docs account. Click File>Make a Copy
3. Change the name of the document when the popup box shows to a name of your choice.  This will be your working template.  Leave it blank in case you need more copies in the future.
4. Make ANOTHER COPY.  Change the name again to something personalized for your students.  I used this naming protocol:  Google Journal--Janie & Max.
5. In the open copy of Janie & Max's journal, click Share>See who has access
6. Click the Advanced Permissions tab and uncheck both boxes--this is to prevent students from sharing the document with unauthorized users.
7. Click the Invite People tab and add Janie and Max's email addresses (the ones that are associated with their Google Docs accounts).  My students are required to use their district email accounts.
8. Add a message to your students in the box (or don't--I don't unless I have specific instructions for the students).
9. Click send.  An invitation to the document will be sent to those email addresses.  You DO NOT need to send these invitation emails for the document to be shared with your students.  As soon as you add their email addresses to the invitation box, the documents will show up in their Google Documents "All Items" list.
10. They are all set to go!  

***These posts assume a basic knowledge of Google Docs.  If you do not yet have an account and/or do not know how to use Google Docs, please refer to this earlier post.

Google Docs Science Fair: Chapter One--Setting up your class documents