i hate science fair projects!!!

pamplemoose77 · 05-06-2008

ok, seriously, what is the point of first graders doing science fair projects???

she's handwriting it all, but i'm doing EVERYTHING else! they even sent home notes at the beginning warning parents to not do too much... and trust me, i'd be doing WAY less if it was possible... but how on earth is my 7yo supposed to come up with the hypothesis, procedure, bar graph, and results of a project that she didn't even get to choose?!?!

i'd be less bitter if they'd let us do the experiment that she came up with.. she wanted to see if cats or dogs could smell better.. we were going to hide food in the room and time each pet to see who smelled it the fastest... but NOOOOO.. no animal experiments

so she came home with the thrilling question of "does chalk dissolve?" or something like that. are you kidding me?!? i understand the marble/acid rain connection, but i hardly feel that we are accomplishing anything here

i'd be even less bitter if the freaking thing was working like we'd hoped.

Mamacita · 05-06-2008

Yeah, my second grader had to do a diorama showing a plant in 4 stages of it's life. I would have been happy to let her color the whole thing with crayons, but no such luck with DH. (he's an artist and perfectionist) Out comes the foam-core board, the exacto knife, the sharpies, and the hot glue gun. Puh-leeeze.

One project she had that was really fun was "Flat Stanley". I'm sure you know those books. Anyways, they made a little "Flat Me" and mailed it to someone far away to have adventures and journal about it, then send it back. She sent hers to my mom in California who then took it on a trip to the California Gold Country. It was really fun to make a big poster of the adventures it had!

pamplemoose77 · 05-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mamacita

One project she had that was really fun was "Flat Stanley". I'm sure you know those books. Anyways, they made a little "Flat Me" and mailed it to someone far away to have adventures and journal about it, then send it back. She sent hers to my mom in California who then took it on a trip to the California Gold Country. It was really fun to make a big poster of the adventures it had!

yes, that one is fun! although our school did it differently.. they people all mailed it back to the school, so i didn't get to see any of it until the project was done and she brought it home...

but some FANTASTIC peeps on this board made isabel's a roaring success!

Kellyk · 05-06-2008

In the second grade I did a science fair project that was a plaster cast (the size of a shoebox) of "dinosaure tracks".
I won a second place ribbon

Science fairs have come a long way

Good luck C!!!

pamplemoose77 · 05-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kellyk

Science fairs have come a long way

Good luck C!!!

i dunno bout that! but they've definitely gotten more irritating!

thanks! for the well wishes.. we need it! can't get the dang chalk to dry

Buggirl · 05-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamplemoose77

ok, seriously, what is the point of first graders doing science fair projects???

she's handwriting it all, but i'm doing EVERYTHING else! they even sent home notes at the beginning warning parents to not do too much... and trust me, i'd be doing WAY less if it was possible... but how on earth is my 7yo supposed to come up with the hypothesis, procedure, bar graph, and results of a project that she didn't even get to choose?!?!

i'd be less bitter if they'd let us do the experiment that she came up with.. she wanted to see if cats or dogs could smell better.. we were going to hide food in the room and time each pet to see who smelled it the fastest... but NOOOOO.. no animal experiments

so she came home with the thrilling question of "does chalk dissolve?" or something like that. are you kidding me?!? i understand the marble/acid rain connection, but i hardly feel that we are accomplishing anything here

i'd be even less bitter if the freaking thing was working like we'd hoped.

What's the point if she can't even choose a question she's interested in??? I mean, really- who wants to watch chalk dissolve (or not)

pamplemoose77 · 05-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buggirl

What's the point if she can't even choose a question she's interested in??? I mean, really- who wants to watch chalk dissolve (or not)

THANK YOU! exactly! UGH!

Rissask · 05-06-2008

I sure don't recall doing stuff like that in grade one.... they sure seem to have more homework these days in even the younger grades, and so much of it is poor quality and busywork.

Like my GF's son having to write out all the numbers from one to 1000, in grade two.

He sat there for 2 hours, she said.

At least it's boring but still not overly complicated to write up, I guess. but sheesh!

pamplemoose77 · 05-06-2008

writing 1 to 1000? are you kidding me? that sounds more like a punishment than a project! that's awful!

although, part of me would have preferred that.. at least i wouldn't be involved!

pamplemoose77 · 05-06-2008

omg this dumb chalk is going to be the end of me. i've baked it for over an hour and it's still not dried out. whatever. i'm going to bed. this crucial 3 points of the project that we needed to finish tonight will have to take a deduction

dudeadam · 05-06-2008

Good luck with all of that! Make it fun is all I can think of.

Buggirl · 05-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamplemoose77

writing 1 to 1000? are you kidding me? that sounds more like a punishment than a project! that's awful!

although, part of me would have preferred that.. at least i wouldn't be involved!

uh- yeah.

Who comes up with these educational standards, anyways

Well, my kid doesn't know the middle east from east LA- but his penmanship of numbers is impeccable. And he knows how to melt chalk.

BonnyW · 05-06-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamplemoose77

omg this dumb chalk is going to be the end of me. i've baked it for over an hour and it's still not dried out. whatever. i'm going to bed. this crucial 3 points of the project that we needed to finish tonight will have to take a deduction

It won't dry out...ever.
If you want to do a cool experiment, try adding things like pickle juice, water, lemon juice, or something, etc...and time how long it takes to dissolve.

I enjoy watch it bubble with the pickle juice (vinegar)

but then again, I am a science geek.

FrankRN · 05-07-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mamacita

One project she had that was really fun was "Flat Stanley". I'm sure you know those books. Anyways, they made a little "Flat Me" and mailed it to someone far away to have adventures and journal about it, then send it back. She sent hers to my mom in California who then took it on a trip to the California Gold Country. It was really fun to make a big poster of the adventures it had!

My daughter Kayla with Flat Stanley on a hiking trip circa 2002.

FrankRN · 05-07-2008

Ok, now that I have softened you all up with a picture of my darling daughter, who by the way has all of her teeth now, I guess I can go ahead and irritate the crap out of you.

I realize your posting out of frustration and what you believe are unreasonale expectations of a 1st grader. But now that my children are in middle and high school, I have come to appreciate all of the seemingly ridiculous projects I had to go through to get them to where they are now. I will say that I resented having to go through primary school for the second and third times. I often felt what was asked of the kids was out of control and almost impossible for them to accomplish on their own.

But now I have ended up with 6th and 10th graders who almost never have to ask me for help with their home work, My 10th grader is an A/B student and she does it with very little help from me (now). She goes to one of the top 5 high schools in Massachusetts and the expectations are very high. Some of the projects they have to do are quite advanced especially in math and science. Yet she does well on her own and balances her work load with a full schedule of sports.

When I became frustrated and complained about the workload they were getting, they told me to relax. It is not about being perfect, or getting it right, or even understanding the science. All of the kids were praised for whatever they brought in. All of the projects got proudly displayed. Grades are no given out in the primary grades.

What they wanted was to get the kids used to managing and completing a project. No one expects a 1st grader to fully understand what a hypothesis is or the science behind chalk melting. What is important is that they begin to understand that there are steps to follow and a certain way to approach a problem. And if they can get that, then high school chemistry and physics will be a breeze.

And I learned early on to put a smile on my face and make it fun because it is about my childs future ... it is already too late for me.

05-06-2008	#1 (permalink)
pamplemoose77 añejo Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: dallas - kinda, tx Posts: 9,497	i hate science fair projects!!! ok, seriously, what is the point of first graders doing science fair projects??? she's handwriting it all, but i'm doing EVERYTHING else! they even sent home notes at the beginning warning parents to not do too much... and trust me, i'd be doing WAY less if it was possible... but how on earth is my 7yo supposed to come up with the hypothesis, procedure, bar graph, and results of a project that she didn't even get to choose?!?! i'd be less bitter if they'd let us do the experiment that she came up with.. she wanted to see if cats or dogs could smell better.. we were going to hide food in the room and time each pet to see who smelled it the fastest... but NOOOOO.. no animal experiments so she came home with the thrilling question of "does chalk dissolve?" or something like that. are you kidding me?!? i understand the marble/acid rain connection, but i hardly feel that we are accomplishing anything here i'd be even less bitter if the freaking thing was working like we'd hoped.

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05-06-2008	#2 (permalink)
Mamacita beachaholic Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 488	Yeah, my second grader had to do a diorama showing a plant in 4 stages of it's life. I would have been happy to let her color the whole thing with crayons, but no such luck with DH. (he's an artist and perfectionist) Out comes the foam-core board, the exacto knife, the sharpies, and the hot glue gun. Puh-leeeze. One project she had that was really fun was "Flat Stanley". I'm sure you know those books. Anyways, they made a little "Flat Me" and mailed it to someone far away to have adventures and journal about it, then send it back. She sent hers to my mom in California who then took it on a trip to the California Gold Country. It was really fun to make a big poster of the adventures it had!

05-06-2008	#4 (permalink)
Kellyk añejo Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dallas,TX Posts: 5,434	In the second grade I did a science fair project that was a plaster cast (the size of a shoebox) of "dinosaure tracks". I won a second place ribbon Science fairs have come a long way Good luck C!!!

05-06-2008	#8 (permalink)
Rissask Brit basher Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 16,737	I sure don't recall doing stuff like that in grade one.... they sure seem to have more homework these days in even the younger grades, and so much of it is poor quality and busywork. Like my GF's son having to write out all the numbers from one to 1000, in grade two. He sat there for 2 hours, she said. At least it's boring but still not overly complicated to write up, I guess. but sheesh!

05-06-2008	#9 (permalink)
pamplemoose77 añejo Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: dallas - kinda, tx Posts: 9,497	writing 1 to 1000? are you kidding me? that sounds more like a punishment than a project! that's awful! although, part of me would have preferred that.. at least i wouldn't be involved!

05-06-2008	#10 (permalink)
pamplemoose77 añejo Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: dallas - kinda, tx Posts: 9,497	omg this dumb chalk is going to be the end of me. i've baked it for over an hour and it's still not dried out. whatever. i'm going to bed. this crucial 3 points of the project that we needed to finish tonight will have to take a deduction

05-06-2008	#11 (permalink)
dudeadam añejo Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Gulfport, Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 1,531	Good luck with all of that! Make it fun is all I can think of.

05-07-2008	#15 (permalink)
FrankRN añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boston, MA USA Posts: 1,891	Ok, now that I have softened you all up with a picture of my darling daughter, who by the way has all of her teeth now, I guess I can go ahead and irritate the crap out of you. I realize your posting out of frustration and what you believe are unreasonale expectations of a 1st grader. But now that my children are in middle and high school, I have come to appreciate all of the seemingly ridiculous projects I had to go through to get them to where they are now. I will say that I resented having to go through primary school for the second and third times. I often felt what was asked of the kids was out of control and almost impossible for them to accomplish on their own. But now I have ended up with 6th and 10th graders who almost never have to ask me for help with their home work, My 10th grader is an A/B student and she does it with very little help from me (now). She goes to one of the top 5 high schools in Massachusetts and the expectations are very high. Some of the projects they have to do are quite advanced especially in math and science. Yet she does well on her own and balances her work load with a full schedule of sports. When I became frustrated and complained about the workload they were getting, they told me to relax. It is not about being perfect, or getting it right, or even understanding the science. All of the kids were praised for whatever they brought in. All of the projects got proudly displayed. Grades are no given out in the primary grades. What they wanted was to get the kids used to managing and completing a project. No one expects a 1st grader to fully understand what a hypothesis is or the science behind chalk melting. What is important is that they *begin* to understand that there are steps to follow and a certain way to approach a problem. And if they can get that, then high school chemistry and physics will be a breeze. And I learned early on to put a smile on my face and make it fun because it is about my childs future ... it is already too late for me.

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