The goal of the project is for you to learn to use the scientific method independently. The project is intended to be fun! It will be graded based solely on your ability to follow the scientific method using the rubric attached to the paperwork I will send home. We will will begin the project together in the classroom so you can see how it is done and I can answer any questions. There are some examples below to help you understand of how the presentation should look. The exact set-up of the presentation is up to you but be sure to include all the steps. I will be sending home a legal-sized file folder to use for the presentation.
Science Fair Project due: September 14
This is a minor project and the folder will be graded. The primary objective of this project is to approach a problem scientifically. The steps include:
Ask a question- The question must be testable. That means that you must create a question that compares at least two things (independent variable) and measures the results (dependent variable).
Research and form a hypothesis-Use your research to make an educated guess.
Creating an experiment to test the hypothesis or see if your educated guess is correct. Remember, you are not looking to prove you are right. You are looking for evidence of the truth.
Analyze the data-Make a chart or graph to display
Draw conclusions-Is my hypothesis correct?
The project must be experimental in nature as opposed to research oriented. In other words, you must do an experiment to determine the answer to the question instead of just looking it up in a book. I encourage you to pick a topic that you are genuinely interested in, since you will be working on these projects for the next several weeks. Please choose a simple topic as the project is graded on your ability to follow the steps of the Scientific Method, not on the complexity of the experiment and the presentations will not be judged.
I will be sending home a legal-size file folder for you to use for the presentation and a Science Fair Report paper for them to complete. You will be asked to briefly explain their project in class.
Sample Questions:
Does wearing a dark color shirt increase your body temperature more than wearing a light color shirt?
Does the height you drop a ball from affect the height it will bounce?
Does a skateboard travel further on grass, the sidewalk, or on the paved road?
Do all clear liquids freeze at the same temperature?
Which brand of paper towel absorbs the most liquid?
Does colored water evaporate faster than clear water?
Does temperature affect the rate at which mold grows?
Which material makes the best insulator: plastic, metal, or Styrofoam?
Does crushed salt or rock salt dissolve faster in water?
We have been working on creating experiments in class. It helps if you number the steps of the experiment.
Once the data has been collected you should put the information into a table or graph. This can be done on a piece of graph paper or you can use an online site to help you make the graph. If you haven't used an online graph making tool before, it may take a few tries to get it right.
Link to online graph making site: