Step 1: Choosing a topic
I purposely did not put a link here because you should try to come up with an idea, not "shop" for one. So often students google search for a topic that looks kind of interesting and easy. Our best projects come from kids that come up with their own idea. Some tips:
- Pick a topic that you are interested in, such as a specific sport or interest, such as music, soccer, swimming, dance, camping (fire), archery, gardening, biology, electricity, computer and behavior (people) science.
- The experimentation should be completed within 2-3 months. Note that it should also take much more than 2-3 hours. It needs to be creative and the difficulty should be challenging yet appropriate for 7th grade.
- It needs to be a cause an effect. It should fit the form: Does ______ effect _____? No research projects; actual experimentation needs to take place. (ie. no water cycle demos, solar system research projects, tornados with soda bottles)
- It needs to be beneficial to society. No mentos and coke experiments! :)
- Once you narrow down your ideas, you can search for similar experiments or talk to parents and your science teacher for ideas!
- See the Binder on the school page for more information.
Step 2: Research
- Find out all about your topic and what you think will happen in your experiment. Remember that you designed your experiment to fit Does ______ effect _____? You should be finding your hypothesis based on research and also WHY it is happening. If you can't find the WHY or don't understand it, you have to pick another topic. This part is essential to a science fair project and you will be docked considerably in your overall grade.
- You can use http://www.easybib.com/ to cite your RELIABLE sources. [Remember that these are sources for scientific information about your topic, not sources that helped you pick your science fair.]
- See the Binder on the school page for more information.
Step 3: Experimentation
- Make sure that you are using your science fair logbook to keep all information from the initial steps (research, gathering materials, etc) and data.
- Take pictures
- Give yourself time for mistakes and trouble-shooting. Science is not perfect and most people need to revisit procedures, research, materials, etc. The scientific is NOT linear.
- If things are not going well, you need to be responsible enough to say so and make a plan with your teacher to make changes. You need data for your project. Saying that it didn't work will not get you a grade. In addition, making up data is usually found out during the interview process. It makes students very upset when they are found to be fibbing about their data. The truth is always better. We highly encourage our students to use their challenges and failures as learning experiences!
- See the Binder on the school page for more information.
Step 4: Graphs, Charts, Data Tables, and Data Analysis
- You need at least one data table and one graph for each experiment, along with pictures. The data tables and graphs should show the average for the number of trials. In addition, your data table and graphs should answer your initial question, Does ______ effect _____?
- You can use Excel, another software program, or Create a Graph to help make your graphs
- See the Binder on the school page for more information
Step 5: Conclusion
- See the Binder on the school page for more information