Dear Parents,
Your child has been invited to take part in a science fair, an exciting event that encourages students to think like young scientists. During the next few weeks your child will be designing a science project that uses the scientific method to solve a problem. We hope you agree that the educational benefits are numerous, as students develop skills in writing, oral presentation, creative thinking, and problem solving.
Each student will be given instructions and handouts during class for the various steps of his or her project. Most of the work will be completed at home, and students will receive a monthly calendar noting due dates for each part of the project. For suggestions on helping your child through this process — from choosing a topic to the final report — see the Web site "Surviving Science Fair" at http://discoveryschool.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/.
I ask that you encourage your child and monitor his or her progress along the way. Your support is key to a successful project, but please do not allow your involvement to extend any further in order to assure equity and promote student learning! It is important that your child wrestle with problems and try to solve them. Guide your child whenever and wherever you can, but let the final project reflect your child's individual effort and design. Also, keep in mind that a successful project can be completed for under $10.
Please let me know if you'd like more information on creating a successful science fair project. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to watching your child enjoy this unique opportunity for scientific discovery!
Sincerely,
