Preparing students to successfully complete a science fair project or a scientific study of their own design can be a lot of work. Wouldn’t it be great to have a group of scientists by your side to help students think through these steps?
You’re in luck! We’ve recently launched our “Designing Your Own Study” resource page. Browse through video playlists for ten different scientists and learn about how they approach scientific research.
Meet Dr. Keith Aubry, a wildlife biologist, as he describes how he and fellow researchers studied the elusive wolverine.
Listen to Dr. Sam Zelinka describe how he tackles a tricky engineering problem – how to make wood last forever – that requires him to study wood and water on such a microscopic level that direct observations are difficult.
Dr. Lindsay Rustad shares how she and fellow researchers devised a plan to test the impact of ice storms on forests by creating their own weather events.
Meet many other scientists from a range of natural resource disciplines!
In the videos, each scientist walks through their process – from developing a testable question and planning their experiment to collecting and analyzing their data to sharing their results. Along the way, they offer helpful insights and tips for students developing their own science fair projects or scientific studies.
There's a Card for That!
Each scientist featured in these videos also has a collector card where you can learn more about their research and how they got interested in their fields. Find a link to each scientist’s card on the “Designing Your Own Study” resource page.
Educator Resources
We’ve also created two educator resources to accompany the videos. Both resources are linked on the “Designing Your Own Study” page.
Use the graphic organizer to guide students through the scientist videos and to help them brainstorm the process of creating their own science fair project or scientific study. Download a printable copy or the fillable form version to use digitally.
Use the lesson plan to introduce a scientific inquiry unit. The lesson plan walks you through using the videos and graphic organizer to teach students about the scientific method and to help them plan their own projects. The lesson plan includes extension ideas, like teaching mini-lessons on scientific research topics, developing a science word wall, and creating their own scientist cards. We’ve also included a catalog of all scientist videos with key topics discussed in each to aid your planning. All materials are correlated to the NGSS.
