Register
Your Project Here (SCIENCE
FAIR 2009)
Science Fair
Requirements
ALL
projects should demonstrate a scientific principle or solve a problem
using the scientific method. The project should include the following elements:
Problem
Hypothesis
Research
Experimentation
Conclusion
Once you have written or typed up all of the above sections, be sure you have
TITLES for each section that are large and legible (I’d suggest 24 point or so
on the computer). That way if people have questions about some part of your
project, they can go right to the section they need to answer their question.
Arrange the sections of the report on the board in a way that is attractive and
also logical. The problem and hypothesis should be easy to see right away. Use
paper of different colors to draw attention to parts of the report and make it
look terrific!
Prediction or Hypothesis
As soon as you come up with a testable question, you will probably instantly
have a hypothesis (prediction) about what the results will be from your
testing. (Isn’t the human brain an amazing thing?!) It’s a good idea to write
this down before starting, because it may change as you go about your
experimenting.
Materials and Methods
Once
you have come up with a question that you can actually test with materials at
your disposal, you need to figure out how to set up the tests. If you will have
a survey for your participants to fill out, get that written up and duplicated.
If you will. need a chart to
write down your test results, get it made. If you take the time to make it look
nice with a straight-edge, you can include the actual chart or survey
instrument in your project write-up. This really impresses the judges! If you
are really doing science, you will probably find that some things don’t go
quite as you had predicted they would. You will have to modify your research
methods or even your original question. You may have to add more materials to
your list. Students often get discouraged by this, but actually it is a good
thing. This is how science really works! Keep good notes of the things you have
tried and plan to include even the “didn’t-works” and “mess-ups” in your
project report. Be sure to try your experiment several times to be sure you
have enough data to make a logical conclusion. If you tell me that one brand of
cereal gets soggier in milk but you’ve only tried each cereal in one cup of
milk once, I would suspect that maybe it was a fluke; you need lots of “trials”
(generally at least 3; the more, the better) for believable data. Remember,
too, that you want to keep all of the experimental factors (variables) the same
except the one you are testing. In the cereal experiment, it wouldn’t be fair
to all of the cereals if you left one brand in milk for one minute and tried
the others after two minutes or something like that. In science fair projects
as in life, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Plan to take pictures of the
materials you used and of the experiment as it is being carried out. If you get
started early, you will have time to have the pictures developed and include
them as part of your report.
Data
The results section is where you tell your reader the actual numbers (or other
data) that you got as you were doing the experiment. (In the tennis ball
experiment, this would be a table with the different brands of balls and the
actual heights each of them bounced on each trial) You might also include a
graph, if your
data lends itself to it. But you do not tell your interpretation of the data - that’s for the
last section.
Conclusion
In the conclusion you finally get to tell your readers what you found out from
the experiment, or how you interpret your data. Students often like to use this
section to expand upon how much they liked doing the experiment (and how wise
the teacher was to require such a good assignment!) or how much they learned
from it ...
DON’T!
This section should be focused on what you learned about your original question
and hypothesis. For example, DID cheaper cereals get soggier in milk faster?
Judging Information
Most fairs have similar point systems for judging a science fair project, but
you may be better prepared by understanding that judges generally start by
thinking that each student’s project is average. Then, he or she adds or
subtracts points from that. A student should receive more points for
accomplishing the following:
1. Project Objectives
Presenting original ideas
Stating the problem clearly
Defining the variables and using controls
Relating background reading to the problem
2. Project Skills
Being knowledgeable about equipment used
Demonstrating
the skills required to do all the work necessary to obtain the data reported
3. Data Collection
• Using a journal to collect data and research
• Repeating the experiment to verify the results
Spending an appropriate amount of time to complete the project
Having measurable results
4. Data Interpretation
• Using tables, graphs, and illustrations in interpreting data
• Using research to interpret data collected
• Collecting enough data to make a conclusion
Using only data collected to make a conclusion
5• Project Presentation (Written
Materials, Interviews, Displays)
- >>Having a complete and
comprehensive report
- > Answering questions accurately
- > Using the display during oral
presentation
- > Justifying conclusions on the basis of
experimental data
- Summarizing what was learned
- Presenting a display that shows
creative ability and originality
-
Presenting an attractive and interesting display
Practicing an oral presentation will also be helpful for the science fair
itself. The judges give points for how clearly you are able to discuss the
project and explain its purpose, procedure, results, and conclusion. The
display should be organized so that it explains everything, but your ability to
discuss your project and answer the questions of the judges convinces them that
you did the work and understand what you have done. Practice a speech in front
of friends, and invite them to ask questions. If you do not know the answer to
a question, never guess or makeup Ian answer or just say, “I don’t know”
Instead, say that you did not discover that answer during your research, and
then offer other information that you found of interest about the project. Be
proud of the project, and approach the judges with enthusiasm about your work.
DISPLAY
You will only have the tabletop for your space. You should not try to create
some heavy or bulky display. The three-sided cardboard units that can fold to
travel are the best for this. Get all of you information (above) together,
thought out and typed up before you think about creating your display. If you
have an eye catching display without the content of the test, you will have
wasted your time.
SCIENCE FAIR RUBRIC
|
Creativity |
‘ Above Average- |
Fair-Needs |
||||
|
Demonstration of skills (use of the scientific method) |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Originality in approach |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Originality in design of project or use of equipment |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
I |
|
Effectiveness |
Above Average- |
Fair-Needs |
||||
|
Accompanying literature is easy to understand |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Explanation of project was clear and concise |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Project display attractive |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Sequencing of display was logical |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Was prepared to be presented |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Scientific Content |
Above
Average- |
Fair-Needs |
||||
|
Adequate sample size used |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Conclusions accurately based on data |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Demonstrates comprehension of content material |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Evidence of scientific literature citing |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Limitations of data discussed |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
I |
|
Measurements/Observations are accurate |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
I |
|
Study is thorough |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
OVERALL
GRADE FOR SCIENCE |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Comments: |
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