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The Scientific Method

Step 1: Observation

What do you notice in the world around you? What do you wonder about? What do you want to find out? (Hint: You will enjoy doing a science fair project more if you are interested in the topic!)

Step 2: Ask a Question

You may have a lot of questions - but not all of them can be answered by a science fair project. Some questions are so big that they take years and years of research to answer! (And maybe someday you will answer those questions.). For now, pick a question that you can answer with the time and materials that you have. Tip: The best questions allow you to change one variable and measure the impact of that change. For example, how does [changing something] affect [what you're measuring]?

Step 3: Think of a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is an educated guess. What do you think the answer to your question might be? Can you do an experiment to test if your hypothesis is correct? If you can't test the hypothesis, go back to Step 2 - you probably need a different question.

Step 4: Do an Experiment and Collect Data

An experiment tests your hypothesis to see if it is the right answer to your question.

Step 5: Analyze Your Data

What did you find in your experiment? What does it mean?

Step 6: What did you Learn?

You draw a conclusion from the data about whether your hypothesis was correct, and maybe...

You ask another question that is raised by the data from your experiment...and the process starts all over again!

Ideas: Questions you can test

How do different types of insulation affect temperature change?
How much water do different types of soil hold?
Which brand/type of glue holds the most weight?
What brand/type of cleanser cleans with the fewest scrubs?
How does water temperature affect the activity level of microscopic organisms?
What type of Frisbee flies the farthest?
What effect does light have on seed germination?
How do different colors of light affect mold growth?
How does the depth of planting a seed affect its growth?
Which kind of boat will support the most weight?
Which kinds of bridges hold the most weight?
What design of paper airplane flies the farthest?
How does the type of material used to make a kite affect its ability to fly? What about its shape?
Does warm water or cold water freeze faster?
Do bananas turn brown faster in the refrigerator or on the counter?
Do all objects fall to the ground at the same speed?
How does sugar affect the life of cut flowers?
How does temperature affect the growth of plants?
Do different types of cheese (or fruit) grow mold at different rates?
Does a baseball go farther when hit with a wooden or a metal bat?
How is heart rate affected by sound volume?
How does the color of material affect its absorption of heat?
How does gender or age affect resting heart rates?
Does a certain material make a better (worse) conductor or insulator than other materials?
What colors of light have the longest/shortest wavelengths?
How does omitting an ingredient affect the taste of a cookie (or other food)?
How does the type of surface affect the function of suction cups?
How germy is your water bottle?

More ideas: Online lists

Here are some websites that can give you lots of ideas about projects.

Google Sites

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