Grade 9

It's time for the Science EXPO!

Selecting Your Science Project Topic:

Begin by choosing a topic within the realm of science that genuinely interests you. It could be related to biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, space science, or any other scientific discipline.

Your topic should revolve around a question or problem that you'd like to investigate and learn more about. Think about what fascinates you in the world of science. Take a look at the Categories available for your project. Start by deciding which category/categories interest you. Use the planning guide to help you (a copy will be in Google Classroom)

Creating Your Research Question:

Once you've chosen a topic, formulate a clear and specific research question. This question should be something that can be explored through scientific investigation.

Your research question should aim to expand our understanding of the chosen topic or address a scientific curiosity. Ensure that it's something you can investigate with available resources and time. You will use your log book to help you.

Background Research:

Conduct thorough background research on your chosen topic. Utilize books, scientific journals, websites, and other credible sources to gather information.

Write a research paper that provides a comprehensive overview of your chosen topic. Include details about the scientific concepts, existing research, and any relevant data.

Cite your sources properly to give credit to the authors of the information you've used using MLA.

Creating Your Presentation and Display:

Develop a captivating presentation that highlights your research question, the methods you used to investigate it, and your findings. Use visual aids such as slides or posters to enhance your presentation.

Design a display that visually represents your project. This could include graphs, images, diagrams, and any physical components related to your research.  The form of the required display is up to the student. It can be a tri-fold type presentation board with the QUAD CHART (see below) or it can be something else that provides the same functionality and QUAD CHART. Digital displays with the QUAD CHART are acceptable. 

Presenting Your Project:

Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure you can convey your findings clearly and confidently to the judges and attendees. During the expo, be prepared to answer questions from judges and attendees about your project. Have a solid understanding of your research and its significance. Judges will be scoring your project based on the rubric for your category. 

Important Notes:

• Ensure that your project adheres to ethical guidelines and safety protocols, especially if it involves experiments or data collection.

• Make sure your project is visually appealing, well-organized, and easy to understand for those who visit your display.

• Emphasize the scientific process: hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusions in both your paper and presentation.

• Be creative, passionate, and enthusiastic about your project. The expo is an opportunity to showcase your scientific curiosity and knowledge.

• Have fun! Science expos are a chance to share your love of science and learn from others' projects as well.

Science Expo Due Dates 2023-2024

*dates may be subject to change

September 22nd: Category selected and Planning Document Completed - turn in on Classroom. 

October 6th: Project Proposal and Approval Form Due - turn in on Classroom. 

October 27th:  Background Research is due. (Logbook Part 1)- turn in on Classroom. 

November 8th: Draft 1 due; Title, research, IV, DV, hypothesis, procedure, control, constants  and materials are due. (Logbook Part 2) - turn in on Classroom. 

December 1st: ALL data collection needs to be done by this date. ALL items in your logbook should be completed.  (Logbook Part 3) - turn in on Classroom. 

December 15th: Draft 2 due; updated Title, research, IV, DV, hypothesis, procedure, control, constants  and materials are due. (Updated Logbook Part 2) - turn in on Classroom. 

December 21st: Describe Document due- turn in on Classroom. You will also need a printed copy for your judge on presentation day. 

January 17th: Completed display, printed copies of your logbook and descriptive document for the judge, presentation ready.  

The Science Expo presentations will be held in assigned classrooms and the Exhibits will be in the 68’ Gym on January 17th, 2024