Science Fair Project
Tri- Fold Presentation Boards-Please leave these blank. Ms. Springer will assist students with setting them up.
Science Fair: Open to all fifth grade students
All Science Projects will need the following:
Question/ Hypothesis
Background Research
Materials
Directions/ Procedure
Results
Conclusion
Bibliography
*Display Board*- Only needed if you are entering the science fair (Science Fair is extra credit). Ms. Springer will help students prepare their board.
Students will work in their science notebooks for the duration of their project. They will create a final copy of their work with Ms. Springer in class.
Question/ Hypothesis
A good topic can be found in 2 basic ways!
1. You can research topics using the library and internet. There are also many
good books available at the school and public libraries as well as websites
found on the web.
2. You can brainstorm a topic by asking yourself these questions:
a. What do I already know about the topic?
b. What do I need to know to better understand about the topic?
c. What possible questions could I explore about the topic?
d. Example:
i. I already know: Vitamin C is good for you. Some people take
Vitamin C when they are sick. You can buy Vitamin C in a
tablet. Orange juice has Vitamin C. There are other vitamins
besides Vitamin C.
ii. I need to understand more: What is a vitamin? What is
Vitamin C really? How do I test for Vitamin C?
iii. Questions do I want to explore: Which fruit juice has the most
Vitamin C? Does fruit juice from concentrate have more or
less Vitamin C? Do any vegetables have Vitamin C? Does
freezing change the amount of Vitamin C? Do all citrus fruits
have the same amount of Vitamin C?
Selecting a Question/Problem
The Question is also called the Problem or the Purpose.
A good question is the KEY to a Good science fair project. Scientists ask questions and do experiments to find the answer. Therefore, the question asked should only be answered by performing an experiment, not by looking in a book.
▪ Be SPECIFIC when writing a question
Example:
● DO NOT: “How do bean plants grow?”
● DO: “Does the amount of water affect how tall a bean plant will
Grow?”
A HYPOTHESIS is an educated guess about the outcome or results of the experiment and must be based on facts found in research.
Example: “I believe that bread mold does not need light for reproduction on white bread. I base my hypothesis on the fact that organisms with chlorophyll need light to survive. Molds do not have chlorophyll.”
Researching Your Topic
Research is important for a good science fair project. It helps you to choose a topic and then learn more about the topic. A research report is mandatory.
Go to the library and use the internet to answer questions on your topic.
Use the books in the library and Internet to find out interesting and relevant information about your topic. Rewrite the information you find in your own words. Do NOT copy from the book or print out pages from the Internet, this is considered PLAGIARISM and it is illegal. If you are having difficulty putting ideas in your own words, try saying aloud a small section that you have just read without looking, chances are you will put it in your own words or ask an adult to help you. Keep track of school books or websites you used to get your information so you can list your sources in a bibliography.
List of Materials List
All the materials used for your experiment.
Procedures/Directions of your Experiment
Write a STEP BY STEP detailed explanation of how to do the experiment. If drawings will make it clearer, draw each step AND write an explanation of what is happening.
Results/ Data
Over several days, complete the experiment with multiple trials. Then, write what you observed. Show your data. This could be in the form of a graph, chart, or table.
Conclusion
This should be very detailed! Refer back to your original problem or question. Was your hypothesis right or wrong? Why do you think it turned out this way, based on your research? Remember, your final conclusion might not agree with your original hypothesis. Your experiment might not have turned out the way you thought it would! Don’t be afraid to say that you made a mistake or were wrong! Great discoveries come from what we learn from mistakes. Tell about what future research you might do on this same topic and why. If your hypothesis was incorrect, what might you do differently if you performed the experiment again? If it was correct, what other research and experimentation might you do on this same topic?
If you copy something from the book without putting it into your own words, you MUST put
quotation marks around those words. If you do not, it is plagiarism and it is illegal.
Bibliography
While you research your project, you will write down the books and internet websites you used to answer your Science Fair questions.
Display Board
If your child is going to be entering their project in the Science Fair they will need a tri-fold display board. If you cannot get a tri-fold board please let Ms. Springer know in writing or through parent square.