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Science Fair Project Hankins M.S. Science 6
You are required to do a science fair project for school. Your teacher has told you that she will not be accepting the "Volcano" or "How much popcorn do you really get from each bag?" projects this year. You have to become creative. Where do you start? What components make up a good science fair project? What resources are out there? How do you create your own project design to make it unique and inspiring? STIMULATE
STIMULATE Your project will consist of: • A visual display (tri-fold board) that you present to the class • A written report (250 words + works cited page) explaining the entire project • Rough draft – Question, Research, Hypothesis, Procedure • Final draft – Abstract (summary), Question, Research, Hypothesis, Procedure, Results, Conclusion, Works Cited
The first step to creating a science fair project is to develop a "testable" QUESTION. Remember, the best experimental question asks, "How does _____ affect _____?" Some websites that can help you come up with ideas include: http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/ http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/250projectideas.html http://chemistry.about.com/od/sciencefairprojects/a/scipromiddle.htm http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/ideas.html http://www.cdli.ca/sciencefairs/intermed.html INVESTIGATE
INVESTIGATE After deciding on a question for your experiment, you will need to RESEARCH the topic to form your HYPOTHESIS and find ways to test it (PROCEDURE). Some websites that provide helpful information on topics in science include: • http://www.chem4kids.com/ • http://www.tc.cornell.edu/Services/Education/Gateways/Math_and_Science.htm • http://www.scifair.org/research/index.shtml • http://www.loc.gov/homepage/lchp.html • http://www.ipl.org/youth/projectguide/ NO GOOGLE!!!!
Once you have your question in mind, it's time to perform the experiment. Your test should last no more than a week or so, so make sure you design the experiment so that it doesn't last more than a few days. Keep ACCURATE details of all data before, during, and after the test. FORMULATE
Once your experiment is completed, write a report on your experiment. The report should include the following sections: Abstract Question Research Hypothesis Procedure Results - Give the results from your experiment. You may want to put any data in a chart or graph. Conclusion - Was your hypothesis right or wrong? WHY was it right/wrong? Resources – Where did you find all of your information? (MUST HAVE AT LEAST 3 SOURCES!) EVALUATE
EVALUATE After you complete your paper, organize your data onto a tri-fold board for your presentation. Make sure your board includes the following: -Title and name -Question -Abstract -Hypothesis -Research -Materials -Procedure -Data/Results -Conclusion -Resources You can view tips and an example of a presentation here: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/displaytips.html
http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/ http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/250projectideas.html http://chemistry.about.com/od/sciencefairprojects/a/scipromiddle.htm http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources/cf/ideas.html http://www.cdli.ca/sciencefairs/intermed.html http://www.chem4kids.com/ http://www.tc.cornell.edu/Services/Education/Gateways/Math_and_Science.htm http://www.scifair.org/research/index.shtml http://www.loc.gov/homepage/lchp.html http://www.ipl.org/youth/projectguide/ http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/displaytips.html Course of Study Objectives: RESOURCES