Recommended Web sites:

For more information about the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC) and what it takes to participate, see school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/dysc/index.html (Discovery Education).

To read about the 2006 DCYSC competition, go to http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20061115/Feature1.asp , and http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/pages/sciencefairzone/news.asp (Science News for Kids).

To learn more about Nolan Kamitaki, read the Discovery Channel's profile of him at school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/dysc/finalists/
profiles/kamitaki_nolan.html (Discovery Education).

To learn about the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and how to participate, visit http://www.sciserv.org/isef/ (Science Service), and http://www.intel.com/education/isef/ (Intel).

For more information about avian flu, check out www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/ (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

For information about arsenic, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic (Wikipedia).

ScienceFairZone
Arsenic in Soil
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20061115/ScienceFairZone.asp

Books recommended by SearchIt!Science:

[book]
Science Fair Success — Ruth J. Bombaugh

Published by Enslow Publishers, 1999.

It's science fair time and you don't know where to begin! The first step—choosing a topic—is sometimes the hardest. This practical guide gives step-by-step advice for creating a science fair project that will be interesting, fun, and wow the judges. The author, a science teacher who has helped many students through the science fair process, suggests different ways to pick a topic. Next are tips for using scientific methods, recording your results, writing a report of your findings, and designing an eye-catching display. Examples of prize-winning projects give you an idea of what teachers and judges are expecting. Black-and-white photos, sketches, a list of suppliers of scientific materials, a reading list, tips for teachers, and an index are included. This 1999 update features tips on using the Internet in science fair projects and helpful Web sites.

[book]
Prize-Winning Science Fair Projects for Curious Kids — Joe Rhatigan, Rain Newcomb

Published by Lark Books / Sterling, 2004.

It's science fair time again, and this year you've promised not to wait until the night before the fair to do your experiment. You're determined to pick a really interesting, exciting topic: But how do you decide? The first chapter of this book offers advice on picking a topic, turning the topic into a question, and following the scientific method. The next three chapters suggest projects in biology, physical science, and chemistry. These 50 science fair projects explore memory, gravity, skin sensitivity, light pollution, bug zappers, mummifying fishes, boosting slime, growing crystals, and many other topics. Illustrated with color photos and diagrams, each experiment lists materials, explains the procedure, and offers avenues for further investigations.

[book]
The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 (Great Disasters and Their Reforms) — Virginia Aronson

Published by Chelsea House, 2000.

Although the flu is never fun, you probably don't think of it as a deadly disease. But in 1918, it killed more than 40 million people. Usually the flu is not so dangerous, but since it mutates, or changes, very quickly, scientists and doctors can never be sure that next year's flu won't turn out to be a killer. This book traces the history of pandemics (worldwide disease outbreaks) as well as the scientific detective work that goes into preventing them. It includes many photographs, a table of contents, a time line, an index, and a list of further reading.

From The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary and The American Heritage® Children's Science Dictionary.

arsenic An element most commonly occurring as a gray crystal, but also found as a yellow crystal and in other forms. Arsenic and its compounds are highly poisonous and are used to make insecticides, weed killers, and various alloys (metallic substances).

pandemic An epidemic that spreads over a very wide area, such as a whole country or continent. An epidemic is an outbreak of a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and widely.

simulation An activity or process that is used to imitate something real. Simulations are often controlled by computers, which can be programmed to see what happens under different conditions.

toxic Poisonous.

vaccine A substance that prevents a person from getting a disease that is caused by a particular virus or other germ. Vaccines work by strengthening a person's immunity. Most vaccines are given by injection or are swallowed as liquids.