Junior Science Research Projects
(SD5R)
Overview
- The first goal of this class is to help students find volunteer positions in academic, government, non-profit or commercial labs where they will participate in scientific, technological, engineering, or mathematical research with a mentor. Projects typically take from 5 to 15 months to complete and end over the summer or during the first two months of senior year.
- The second goal of this class is to help students acquire the skills needed to be successful in the scientific competitions that occur in senior year. Students will be given assignments that align with the requirements of the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS), New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF), Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, Google Science Fair, and others.
- SUNY Albany will award 4 credits for work done during the regular academic year to anyone who registers in October and pays the very reasonable fee in December. The grade you receive in this class will be enetered into the official SUNY record system as if you were a college student attending an undergraduate class at the Albany campus. For more info, see Mr. Rosenfeld in room A200.
- Students enrolled in this class commit to the entire academic year whether or not they ever find work in a lab or intend to continue working over the summer and on into senior year. The work load in this class are identical for all students.
- Grades are based partly on how much you do (the more things you try, the better your grade will be) and partly how well you do them (the better your work is, the better your grade will be) Every month spent working in a lab is worth one point toward your final grade. Important dates are in red. There are many extra credit opportunities. See grades-sd5r.pdf and grades-sd6r.pdf for more information.
Faculty
| name |
|
office |
|
em |
ail |
(718) 724–8500 |
| Mr. Elert |
|
A214 |
|
elert@ |
midwoodscience.org |
ext. 2141 |
| Mr. McDonnell |
|
A300 |
|
mmcdonn2@ |
schools.nyc.gov |
ext. 3003 |
| Mr. Rosenfeld |
|
A200 |
|
trosenf@ |
schools.nyc.gov |
ext. 2003 |
| Ms. Sullivan |
|
A214 |
|
jsulliv11@ |
gmail.com |
ext. 2141 |
Fall Semester (SD5R)
Fall Meetings for Juniors
Check the calendar on midwoodscience.org often. Individual, team, or small group meetings are the way business gets done. (Large group meetings are rare.) Keep your supervising teacher up to date on your progress. Do not hesitate to tell us of problems. Above all, do not miss your appointments. They count significantly toward your grade.
- September
- Large group meetings in September in room A318
- Entrance meeting on the first day of the semester. Everyone attends.
- Students in SD5R-01 meet on Monday and Wednesday (and possibly one Friday).
- Students in SD5R-02 meet on Tuesday and Thursday (and possibly one Friday).
- Students in SD5R-03 join one of the two groups listed above.
- October
- First Meeting
- Resume: First Draft
- Hubble: First Draft
- June/July/August Lab Log
- September Lab Log
- Second Meeting
- Resume: Second Draft
- Hubble: Second Draft
- November
- First Meeting
- Resume: Final Draft
- Hubble: Final Draft
- October Lab Log
- Second Meeting
- Meet New Teacher
- Intel Essay: First Draft
- Classic Paper: Discuss Options
- December
- First Meeting
- Intel Essay: Second Draft
- Classic Paper: Approved
- November Lab Log
- Second Meeting
- Intel Essay: Final Draft
- Classic Paper: First Draft
- January
- First Meeting
- Classic Paper: Second Draft
- December Lab Log
- Second Meeting
- Classic Paper: Final Draft
- Expectations for spring semester
Preliminaries
Assignment 0: Official Documents
- You will give me …
- your email address (so we can contact you and so that email from you does not wind up in anyone's spam mailbox).
- a signed …
- proof of lab assignment when you find a place to work (so that you are eligible for 1.1 weighting on your class rank, SUNY Albany credit, and student MetroCards).
- I will give you a …
- letter of introduction (for any work site that asks for one)
- Brooklyn College Library Card (for everybody)
- MetroCard (for students working in a lab)
Getting Into a Lab
Assignment 1: Scientific Interests
Identify 3 possible work sites and provide the following information for each work site.
- Find a researcher in the NYC area and report their …
- Name
- Department
- Institution
- URL
- What do they work on? (Do not copy any text from their webpage to answer this question.)
- Why might you want to work there?
Email your answers to your supervising teacher within 2 business days after the assignment is announced (plain text with no attachments). Put SD5R HW1 in the subject line.
Assignment 2: Cover Letter
Answer the following questions in a "cover letter".
- Who are you?
- What do you want
Email your cover letter to your supervising teacher within 2 business days after the assignment is announced (plain text with no attachments). Put SD5R HW2 in the subject line.
Assignment 3: Resume
- Write your resume.
- Get it perfect.
Print your resume on paper and bring it to your next meeting. You will write and rewite this assignment several times.
Reading Scientific and Technical Papers
Assignment 4: Watson & Crick
Assignment 5: Hubble
- Apply this method for analyzing a scientific paper to the cosmic expansion paper written by Edwin Hubble in 1929. Bring your response to this assignment typed on a single piece of paper to your next class meeting. Be prepared to discuss your answers at your first small group meeting in October.
Assignment 7: Classic Paper
The purpose of this activity is to analyze an original and notable piece of science as reported in a scientific research journal using the following summary technique.
- The word "original" means that the concepts presented should be those of the author and not a summary or restatement of another scientist's work.
- A piece of science that is "notable" is one that is now so generally regarded as correct by the scientific establishment that is an indispensable part of contemporary scientific thought.
- By "piece of science" I mean an article, essay, paper, or report.
- By "scientific research journal" I mean a professional scientific, technical, engineering, or mathematical journal (Science, Nature, JAMA, PNAS, Annalen der Physik, etc.). Short, original pamphlets are also OK if that was how the author communicated with the public. No general interest science or technology magazines (Scientific American, New Scientist, Discover, Wired, Popular Science, etc.); no newspaper reports (New York Times, etc.); and no general interest magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.). Non professional journals, magazines, newspapers, television shows, and movies can always be used for inspiration, however.
Some examples: There is at least one original and notable paper associated with each of the following scientific theories …
| |
| Biology |
Chemistry |
Earth/Space Science |
Physics |
| Blood pressure |
Alpha helix & beta sheet |
Continental drift |
Charge of the electron |
| Germ theory of disease |
Discovery of the neutron |
Greenhouse effect |
Superconductivity |
| Miller-Urey experiment |
Electron spin |
Alvarez hypothesis |
X-ray diffraction |
| Structure of DNA |
Rutherford model |
Cosmic expansion |
Davisson-Germer experiment |
| |
Some additional bits of information.
- Any paper discussed extensively in class is off limits for this assignment (Rutherford's model of the atom, Watson and Crick's structure of DNA, Hubble's cosmic expansion), Follow up papers are OK if they have some historical significance.
- Since your analysis must be written according to the format described here, you should try to select a paper that can be analyzed easily using this method. Look for papers that take observations of events or objects and transform them into new scientific knowledge. Avoid purely theoretical speculation.
- Important scientific papers are sometimes considered "too short" by high school students. Don't let a page count be your guide. Consider the substance of the paper, not the amount of text.
- Try to find something interesting. What do you like about science? What field of science would you like to work in? What field of science are you currently working in? Don't select a paper that you are confused by or find boring. If you aren't interested in science, then perhaps you should consider enrolling in a different elective course next semester.
- One student per paper. Select a paper and then send an email to your supervising teacher with the bibliographic information and the url. Put SD5R HW6 in the subject line. If someone else has already laid claim to it, then you must find another.
- Make a hard copy of the paper after it has been approved. Write notes and comments on it to help you and your supervising teacher understand it.
Due dates will be announced when I get around to it. Keep an eye out for the dates to …
- Identify a paper …
- Write a rough draft …
- Submit the finished product …
Preparing for the Intel STS: Part I
Assignment 6: Write the first Intel personal essay: Your Promise as a Scientist, Mathematician or engineer
Address through specific and concrete examples what characteristics you have that best demonstrate your affinity and aptitude for being a good scientist. What have you done that illustrates scientific attitude, curiosity, inventiveness, initiative? How does your experience suggest future success as a scientist, mathematician or engineer? Please address this topic in 500 words or fewer. Provide a word count to confirm that you have not exceeded the limit.
Lab Logs
Lab logs are due at the first meeting of each month.
- June/July/August lab logs are due in September.
- September lab logs are due in October.
- October lab logs are due in November.
- November lab logs are due in December.
- December lab logs are due in January.
Extra Credit
STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
Public Lecture
Attend a STEM lecture
- Clear the lecture with your supervising teacher.
- Attend, listen, and take notes.
- Retain your admission ticket (or other proof of attendance)
- Complete this assignment while the lecture is still fresh in your mind. (Print the page before you go.)
- Bring the completed assignment to your supervising teacher with proof of attendance to your next one-on-one meeting. (Be prepared to answer additional questions.)
Possible Lectures
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Image of the Week (IOTW)
Create a blog entry around a set of scanning electron microscope images.
- Identify an object or set of objects that can be imaged under the SEM. (All objects must be solid and desiccated.) Clear it with Mr. Elert.
- Make an appointment to use the SEM period 10 and beyond.
- Make a series of images. Select the best (most artistic, most interesting, most informative).
- Write an essay of 100–500 words related to your best images. Essays should be written in a non-technical, entertaining style like that found in New Scientist, Scientific American, Discover, Wired, The Guardian, The New York Times, Seed, etc.
- Your images and text will be posted to the Midwood Science website.
Competitions and Events
Participate in STEM competitions or attend STEM special events.
- Tell your supervising teacher what you intend to do officially.
- Provide evidence of progress or participation for partial credit.
- Manage your time effectively. Anticipate Deadlines. (Items written in strikethrough are past deadline or possibly discontinued.)
- Provide evidence of completion for full credit.
Last Updated 30 January 2012. Expired items are written with a strikethrough. New items will be added as they come across my desk. Contact me if you find anything you think I should check out.
