Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Good Morning-

My sixth grade son's teacher wants the children to state all their materials and methods in their presentation. My child has about 20+ materials and around 35 steps. Do most children memorize all of these steps or do they summarize? (or do they glance over to their board once in a while?) He has most of it "down," but just in case...Also, is the speech supposed to be memorized and practiced? My child feels confident that he knows everything and does not feel the need to run through it over and over again. How do you science buddies prepare for your presentation? As a parent of a child who is going to present his very first science fair project this week, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you (especially Terik) who have enlightened me with the science fair procedures, etc.

Chili wrote:Good Morning-

My sixth grade son's teacher wants the children to state all their materials and methods in their presentation. My child has about 20+ materials and around 35 steps. Do most children memorize all of these steps or do they summarize? (or do they glance over to their board once in a while?) He has most of it "down," but just in case...Also, is the speech supposed to be memorized and practiced? My child feels confident that he knows everything and does not feel the need to run through it over and over again. How do you science buddies prepare for your presentation? As a parent of a child who is going to present his very first science fair project this week, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you (especially Terik) who have enlightened me with the science fair procedures, etc.

I'll give you my two cents, thouugh it is a very long time since I've been in a science fair.

I think summarizing is okay if the procedure has 35 steps, since there is a limit on time, but he should be able to answer a question about the details if asked. I think glancing at the board is fine, and there isn't a need to memorize. If your child is confident, and understands the experiment, I'm sure he will do fine.

When I present my research, I generally have practiced my presentation a few times, but it isn't memorized. However, the one most useful tip I have heard about public speaking is to memorize your first few sentences. That way, you know how to get started without ums and oh and uhs...

Is this a formal presentation for the class (and if so, how long) or just the speach for the judges? If it is for the judges or a small group, I would point to the board a lot- walk them through the experiment panel by panel. If it is for a large group, then point at the board less often, and focus more on looking at the audience.


Louise