Science Fair Projects

1. Science Fair Projects

2. Topic Select a topic that can be answered only by you experimenting Write your topic as a question to be investigated 1

3. Selecting a Topic • Help in finding a topic: • READ in books, magazines, newspapers • Talk to your teacher, family, friends • Visit professional people, museums, zoos, • Select a topic you know nothing about. • Select a topic that you know something about but want to investigate further • Select a topic that genuinely interests you. 2

4. Do different colored mints dissolve at the same rate? What surfaces do mealworms prefer? Do all brands of paper towels absorb water at the same rate? How volcanoes erupt. Microscopes do different brands of paper towels soak up different temperatures of water at the same rate? Good Topic Bad Topic 3

5. Purpose • One to three sentences that explains why you are doing this investigation. The purpose can be stated like this: • “The purpose of this project is …” • If your purpose is well worded, you will have little difficulty writing a title for your project. 4

6. Hypothesis • A hypothesis states what you think is going to happen when you investigate a question. • Question: Does light affect the way plants grow? • Hypothesis 1: Plants will grow toward the light • Hypothesis 2: Plants will grow away from the light. • Hypothesis 3: Light will make no difference in the way plants will grow. • Choose one hypothesis you believe will work for your tests. 5

7. Procedures • Materials • Variables • Step by Step directions 6

8. 3- 15x 15 cm sq each of: Brawney, Gala, Scott, Generic paper towels 250 ml graduated beaker 750 ml water at 20 0 C 1- 20x20 cm sq cake pan Celsius Thermometer Clock with second hand Paper towels measuring cup water container thermometer clock MaterialsGood Listing Poor Listing 7

9. VariablesThere are three types of variables • Independent Variable (Manipulated)- • What you change on purpose in an investigation • The factor being tested • Dependent Variable (Responding)- • What changes by itself because you changed something in your investigation • How you measure your results • Control Variables- • Everything else in your investigation must be held constant • Kept the same.

10. Examples of Variables • Question: Do all brands of paper towels absorb the same amount of water? • Independent Variable: Brands of paper towels • Dependent Variable: Amount of water that is absorbed by each towel. • Variables held Constant: • Size of paper towel, • Amount of water poured on each towel • Temperature of the water used • Container towels are placed in • Method of pouring

11. Step-by-Step Directions • Your step-by-step directions are like a recipe. Anyone who reads them will be able to duplicate your investigation and get the same results. • Example: Question: Do all brands of paper towels absorb the same amount of water? • 1. Cut 3- 15x15 cm sq from each brand of paper towels

12. Step-by-Step Directions • 2. Label each cut piece with brand name • 3. Pour 50 ml of 20 o C water into 20x20 cm sq pan • 4. Place 1 square of Generic brand paper towel into water and pan • 5. Leave for 30 seconds • 6. Remove paper towel • 7. Measure water remaining in pan and record • 8. Dry cake pan • 9. Repeat steps 4- 8 for each brand of paper towel • 10. Repeat entire process twice more for each brand of paper towels • note: minimum of 3 trials

13. Data/ Logbook • Data refers to information gathered during your investigation. Writing in a notebook is the most convenient way to keep a log.

14. Data cont. • 1. A list of all materials used • 2. Notes on all preparations you made prior to starting your investigation • 3. Information about the resources you use (books, people, libraries, museums, universities, on-line websites, etc.) • 4. Detailed day-by-day notes on the progress of your project

15. Data cont. • What you are actually doing • Problems you have with your investigation • Things you would change if you were doing this investigation again • 5. Any drawings that you feel might help explain your work • 6. Data that you gather from your investigation (notes, tables, charts, graphs) • Be sure that you date each entry in your log.

16. Science Fair Projects Part 2

17. Data/Log BookData refers to information gathered during your investigation. • List all materials used • Notes on all preparations you made prior to starting your investigation • Information about the resources you use (books, people, libraries,etc) • Detailed day by day notes on the progress of your project • Any drawings that you feel might explain your work • Data that you gather from your investigation (notes, tables, charts, graphs) • Be sure that you date each entry in your log

18. Labeling Experimental Group B Control Group A AVERAGING DATES DATES PLANTS/HEIGHT (cm) PLANTS/WEIGHT (cm)

19. GraphsThere are two main types of graphs. BAR GRAPH A BAR GRAPH IS USED TO DISPLAY DATA THAT DOES NOT OCCUR IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER LINE GRAPH A LINE GRAPH IS USED TO DISPLAY DATA THAT OCCURS IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER

20. MAKING A GRAPH TITLE Dependent variable Y (Vertical axis) Independent Variable X (Horizontal Axis) Title: the title is a short description of the data being displayed should include dependent and independent variables Horizontal Axis (x)- The Independent Variable (Manipulated Variable) what you changed on purpose is displayed on the horizontal axis Vertical Axis (y): The dependent variable ( Responding Variable) what happened as a result of what you changed is displayed on the vertical axis

21. Graph/Spacing • Plan your graph so that your data will be evenly distributed across the horizontal and vertical axes.

22. Conclusions • Your conclusions should include: • Statement of support or non-support of the original hypothesis • The results of this project ________ the original hypothesis. • Description of any problems or unusual events that occurred during your investigation. • What would you do differently next time. • Revised hypothesis (if data did not support your original hypothesis)

23. Writing a Conclusion • Before you write your conclusions, carefully examine all your data (graphs, charts, tables). • Ask yourself these questions: • Did you get the results you expected to get? If not, how were the results different? • Were there any unexpected problems or occurrences that may have affected the results of your investigation? • Do you think you collected sufficient data? (Were there enough trials? Samples?) • Do I need to revise my original hypothesis? (If you write a revised hypothesis, DO NOT use it to replace your original hypothesis for this project!)

24. Conclusions • Questions:Do all brands of paper towels absorb the same amount of water? • Hypothesis:The cheaper the paper towel the less water it will absorb. • Conclusion: The data collected does not support the original hypothesis. The cheapest paper towel (generic) did not absorb the least amount of water. The higher priced paper towel (Brawny) did not absorb the most. The revised hypothsis is the price of the paper towels does not affect the amount of water absorbed.

25. Absorbency of Paper Towels

26. PROJECT BOARD SET UP TITLE OF PROJECT ABSTRACT METHODS MATERIALS PROCEDURES DATA TABLE #1 INTRODUCTION RESULTS CONCLUSIONS PURPOSE