Science Fair Planning Packet

Overview:

A science fair project involves conducting an experiment or doing research to answer a question or solve a problem. The key to a successful project is combining the correct use of scientific method with an original idea.

Have a purpose and hypothesis for your project; they must apply to a definite scientific question. The reason for doing a research project is to make a significant contribution to the body of scientific knowledge or to solve a problem.

We will use the design process to create a successful project. Design process steps: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Improve. Steps to a successful science fair project:

• ASK: Research Question

- Formulate a question that will help you gain background knowledge on your topic. The question that you select for your science fair project is the cornerstone of your work. The research and experiment you will be conducting all revolve around finding an answer to the question you are posing. It is important to select a question that is going to be interesting to work on for at least a month and a question that is specific enough to allow you to find the answer with a simple experiment. A scientific question usually starts with: How, What, When, Which, Why, or Where.

• IMAGINE: Background Research

* Background Research Plan Worksheet *

- Identify keywords in the question for your science fair project.

- Use a table with the “question words” (why, how, who, what, when, where) to generate research questions from your keywords. For example:

What is the difference between a series and parallel circuit? When does a plant grow the most, during the day or night? Does a truss make a bridge stronger? Why are moths attracted to light? Which cleaning products kill the most bacteria?

- Throw out irrelevant questions.

- Add to your background research plan a list of mathematical tools that you will need. For example:

“I’m going to use a scatter plot to compare”

“I’m going to subtract the heights each morning and night to find the growth”

- You should also plan to do background research on the history of similar experiments or inventions.

- Network with other people with more experience than yourself: your mentors, parents, and teachers. Ask them: "What science concepts should I study to better understand my science fair project?" and "What area of science covers my project?" Better yet, ask even more specific questions.

- Read and take notes from at least three different sources (e.g. science journal articles, books, internet sites) that will help inform your project.

• PLAN: Hypothesis (Experiment)/ Scientific Question (Research):

- Based on your research, make a claim that you can test either through an experiment or further research.

- Hypothesis: The hypothesis must be worded so that it can be tested in your experiment. Do this by expressing the hypothesis using your independent variable (the variable you change during your experiment) and your dependent variable (the variable you observe—changes in the dependent variable depend on changes in the independent variable). In fact, many hypotheses are stated exactly like this: "If a particular independent variable is changed, then there is also a change in a certain dependent variable."

- Scientific Question: A scientific question is an interesting question that can be answered through research. It can be something that scientists have figured out, but you are curious about or it can be something that there is debate about in the scientific community. It should be something you can figure out and then explain to your peers.

• Experimental Procedure/ Research Procedure

- Use the Experimental Procedure or Research Procedure sheet to outline your project.

• CREATE: Get approval for your procedure and begin your experiment!

• Lab notebook

- As soon as you have outlined your procedure and begun your project, you should start taking notes in your lab notebook. These notes can include measurements, observations, and other data. They should also include questions and responses that come up as you learn more about your project

• Experiment: Analyze your data and draw a conclusion: Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to see if your hypothesis is true or false. Write a conclusion based on your findings.

- Scientists often find that their hypothesis was false, and in such cases they will construct a new hypothesis starting the entire process of the scientific method over again. Even if they find that their hypothesis was true, they may want to test it again in a new way.

• Research: Analyze your research and draw a conclusion: Once you have gathered enough background information, use the data you have collected to make an argument. Your write-up should include an introduction, three pieces of information that lead you to your conclusion, and your argument/ answer to your scientific question.

• Rough draft of your experiment write-up/ research paper

• Graphs and visual representations of data

• Other visuals that support your project

• Outline of your display board

Your display board should have:

• Title

• Abstract

• Experiment Write-up/ Research Paper

• Conclusion

• Data

• Data Analysis/ Graphs

• Other Visuals

• Abstract

After you have completed your project, write an overview of what your project is about, and what someone will learn from reading it. Your abstract should be no longer than half a page. Include the following information and label each paragraph:

a) Purpose–what you set out to investigate

b) Procedure– how you did it.

c) Conclusion–based on your results.