Table of Contents - Frederick County Public Schools | … Due Date _____ UMS Science Fair Exhibit Date _____ Frederick County Science Fair Date _____ Table of Contents: Part 1: Doing

Project Due

Date ___________

UMS Science Fair Exhibit Date __________

Frederick County Science Fair Date ____________

Table of Contents: Part 1: Doing A Science Fair Project -------------------------- Page 1

Part 2: Presenting & Displaying Your Project -------------------- Page 5

Part 3: If You’re Going to the County Science Fair --------------- Page 10

Appendix 1: Science Fair Flow Chart Worksheet & Due Dates ------- Page 12

Appendix 2: Research Paper Organizer ------------------------- Page 14

Appendix 3: Science Conclusion Guide ------------------------- Page 17

Appendix 4: Display Checklist --------------------------------- Page 19

Appendix 5: Display Grading Rubric ---------------------------- Page 20

TBA TBA March 20/21, 2015

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Part One: Doing A Science Fair Project STEP 1: PROBLEM, PURPOSE OR QUESTION

Your project should answer a question or help solve a problem in

which you are interested. You should try and design a question:

that is specific,

for which you can find adequate information,

that lends itself to experimentation and

whose answer or solution can be applied to a real-world

application.

STEP 2: DO SOME INITIAL RESEARCH

A good scientist always does some initial research to help narrow down the focus of his

or her question and to help create a good hypothesis. Initial research might consist of

using library resources or discussions with experts to:

investigate terms that are necessary to understand your topic area.

determine what others have already learned about your question.

find experimental methods that might help answer your question.

better understand how the solution of your problem or question might be applied

or used in a real-world setting.

You must have AT LEAST five major references (such as

science journal articles, books, reliable internet sites) to

support your research. Be sure to keep track of of the

proper citations for these references. You will need

them to write your research paper. To assist in taking

notes and keeping track of sources, you may use the

Research Paper Organizer (Appendix 2) of the Electronic Notecards available here. If

you plan to use vertebrate animals, human subjects or potentially hazardous

substances, you must fill out additional information forms. They are available here.

STEP 3: FORM A HYPOTHESIS

A hypothesis is a statement of what you think will happen. It is an

educated prediction based on prior knowledge. It should follow

the format of IF….THEN….BECAUSE….. You must be able to test

your hypothesis & evaluate your data to show whether is supported

or not supported.

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STEP 4: WRITE A RESEARCH PAPER ABOUT YOUR TOPIC This portion of the project deals with interesting facts and ideas you found while researching the topic being investigated. It will be taped on the back of your board for the classroom presentation or placed in a folder in front of the display board for the school or county science fair. The paper should consist of 5 paragraphs. Use your research organizer as guide

Paragraph 1: (Introduction) General statements and facts about

the topic. Explain why you are interested in the

topic.

Paragraph 2: (Justification) Why is this topic important? How

does the experiment contribute to our

understanding of the real world? Why does it

matter?

Paragraph 3: (History) What has already been done in this area or

how or when have some of the concepts involved in

your experiment already been used or illustrated.

Paragraph 4: (Science Theory) Explain the basic science involved in

your experiment. Be sure to use scientific

terminology and use it correctly.

Paragraph 5: (Conclusion) Conclude with your hypothesis which

draws on the information from the above

paragraphs. Use the IF..THEN.. BECAUSE.. format. MLA style citations are required for this paper. It is essential that you keep track of your references as you take notes.

STEP 5: DESIGN & PERFORM AN EXPERIMENT

Here are some tips to make this part of your project be more successful!

Get permission from parents/guardians AND your teacher before you start.

Make sure you allow enough time!

o Ask permission to borrow the materials you will need.

o If you must purchase test kits, make sure to do so in

time.

o Allow time to complete the experiment (growing plants

can take a while!)

Make sure that you clearly define the variables that

you are going to study before you start & plan your experiment accordingly.

o The independent (or manipulated) variable is the “situation” that you

change during an experiment.

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o The dependent (or responding) variable is what happens because of the

change you made.

o Design your project to limit the effects of other variables when possible

(that is, make sure you have considered what elements of your experiment

need to be controlled.)

Record what you actually do!

o Make an appropriate data chart before you

start! Think ahead about the data you

should record.

o Make note of anything that might affect

the outcome of the experiment.

o Make sketches or take pictures!

STEP 6: ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS

After you have completed your experiment you need to compile your data in a format

that helps you (and others) to notice a trend or an outcome that is directly related to

the variable you manipulated (that is, the independent variable). This may require re-

formatting your data table, doing appropriate calculations or making a graph.

STEP 7: STATE RESULTS

This section allows your reader to get the point of your project in a nutshell. Your

result should be stated in one or two sentences which describe (but do not explain)

what happened in the experiment.

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STEP 8: WRITE A CONCLUSION

Follow the Science Conclusion Guide (Appendix 3). Your writing should be in the third

person, passive voice. In addition, any part of the conclusion that describes what you

did or what happened should be written in the past tense (because it is already

completed). Some examples of these rules are given below:

Improper format: Proper format:

I predicted that ….. It was predicted that…..

I think this data shows ,…… The data shows that ……

I gave each plant …… Each plant was given ……

Another important point: Traditionally, it is best not to say that your hypothesis was

“right” or “wrong”. Instead, you should state that your hypothesis was supported or

was not supported by the data.

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Part Two: Presenting & Displaying a Science Fair Project The intention of this part of the Science Fair guide is to help you present & display the

findings of your research. A project which investigates the affect of potassium on the

growth of bean plants will be used to illustrate each section.

1. DISPLAY Once you have completed your investigation and have done your research, you are ready to set up your display. A three-way backboard works best for your display. It can be made from a variety of materials – cardboard, pegboard, plywood, tagboard, or you can purchase a board tri-fold board. (If you act early, these are available in the Hawk’s Nest School Store.) Keep it simple, inexpensive, neat, colorful, and interesting. The more creative you are in the use of materials, the more interesting your display will be. Choose two or three colors and limit yourself to this color scheme as you select your backing and lettering. The items that should be on your board are shown on the illustration below. A sample entry for each item follows the illustration. USE THE SCIENCE FAIR DISPLAY CHECKLIST (Appendix 4) TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE INCLUDED ALL THE NECESSARY ITEMS ON YOUR DISPLAY. Your Research Paper and Abstract do not need to be attached to the front of your board but they do need to be with your display. (Note: The Research Paper does not need to be displayed for 6th grade and the abstract is required only for 8th grade.) For classroom presentation day, these papers should be taped to the back of your board. For the school or county science fair, it is recommended that these two items be placed in a folder and positioned in front of your board.

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EXAMPLE DISPAY BOARD ENTRIES: TITLE (Can be stated as a question or a creative phrase that will grab the reader’s attention. The subtitle should clearly indicate what was studied – see example.)

PROBLEM/QUESTION

DO PLANTS HAVE FAVORITE FOODS?

(The Effect of Potassium on the Growth of Bean Plants.)

Even though plants can make their own food through photosynthesis, I was curious to find out if feeding them additional nutrients, such as potassium would help plants grow and if so, was it possible to feed them too much?

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HYPOTHESIS MATERIALS (Do not list items used to make your display board or common items such as paper, pencils, scissors, etc.) PROCEDURE (Make a list of steps. The purpose of this section is to provide enough information for another researcher to repeat your experiment.)

1. Fill 12 small containers with potting soil. Plant 3 bean seeds in each container. Water each with 50 mL of fresh water.

2. Place plants in sunny location and water with 30 mL of water every other day. 3. At the end of 2 weeks, cut off the two smallest seedlings in each container at

soil level. 4. Divide the cups into 4 groups. 5. Label 3 plants with a “C” for control, 3 with an “L” for low potassium, 3 with an

“M” for medium potassium, and 3 with an “H” for high potassium. 6. Position the plants in the sun or under a grow light so that all plants receive the

same amount of sunlight. 7. Dissolve 1 potassium capsule in 1 gallon of water. Set aside 2 quarts of this

solution and label it “H” for high potassium. 8. Add 2 quarts of fresh water to the remaining solution. Set aside 2 quarts of

this solution and label it “M” for medium potassium. 9. Add 2 quarts of fresh water to the remaining solution. Set aside 2 quarts of

this solution and label it “L” for low potassium. 10. Water each group with the 30 mL of appropriate solution every other day. The

control plants should be watered with fresh water. 11. Each week measure:

a. the distance from the soil to the base of the first leaf b. the number of leaves on the plant c. the average length of all the leaves on each plant

If bean plants are fed low, medium and high doses of potassium then the plants receiving the highest dose will have the greatest amount of overall growth because potassium helps to drive photosynthesis and therefore increases the ability of the plant to make its own natural food.

12 bean plants of the same approximate size potting soil 12 identical containers (8 oz cups) metric ruler potassium capsule

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DATA (Make a neat copy of the chart in which you collected your data. It should display the raw data obtained. Be sure to title the chart appropriately. Also remember to use labels & units. Graphs and pictures should also be included in this section. Remember to evaluate your efforts with TALKS to U.) RESULTS CONCLUSION (Follow the UMS Science Conclusion guide. Appendix 3)

CATEGORY:

Decide what category your project best fits into. Both UMS and Frederick County

Science Fairs are organized by the following categories. Select the one that best fits

your area of research. Our sample project best fits the “Plant Sciences” category.

(Your teacher & Mr. Adaimak will help you with this. If you are undecided, just leave a

space for it & they will help you with this part!)

According to the data, a medium amount of potassium best supports the growth of plants.

Comparison of Plants Given High, Medium and Low Amounts of Potassium

Date Amt of

Solution

(mL)

Stalk Height (cm): Plant Number

1C 2C 3C Av 1L 2L 3L Av 1M 2M 3M Av 1H 2H 3H Av

Date Amt of

Solution

(mL)

Number of Leaves: Plant Number

1C 2C 3C Av 1L 2L 3L Av 1M 2M 3M Av 1H 2H 3H Av

Date Amt of

Solution

(mL)

Average Length of All Leaves (cm): Plant Number

1C 2C 3C Av 1L 2L 3L Av 1M 2M 3M Av 1H 2H 3H Av

Our sample project best fits the “Plant Sciences” category.

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Category: Examples:

Animal Sciences animals, anatomy

Behavioral and Social Science human behavior & intelligence

Biochemistry pasteurization, yeast

Cellular and Molecular Biology DNA, heredity

Chemistry chemical reactions, acids, bases, alloys, compounds,

elements

Earth Science geology, plate tectonics, minerals, mineralogy

Energy and Transportation renewable sources, solar, wind, matter, heat,

sound, light, turbines

Engineering mechanics, simple machines, bridges, hover boards

Environmental Science ecology, resource management, water quality,

climate

Mathematical Sciences probability

Medicine and Health blood pressure, lung capacity

Microbiology bacteria, protozoa, fungi, antiseptics

Physics & Astronomy electricity, magnetism, optics, acceleration

Plant Sciences hydroponics, grasses, seed germination

UMS Science Fair Project Guide References: Adiamak, David. “Science Fair Project Guide.” Enrichment Specialist, Frederick County Public Schools. 2007 Intel ISEF, “Science Project Primer”. October 2009. http://www.societyforscience.org/ISEF/primer/index.asp FCPS Curriculum & Instruction Resources, “ County Science & Engineering for 2010” October 2009. http://www.fcpsteach.org/sci/ms/default.cfm KidSpace@the Internet Public Library. “Science Fair Project Resource Guide.” 2009 Drexel University. October, 2009. http://ipl.org/youth/projectguide/ UMS Science Staff. “Science Fair Project Guide”. Urbana Middle School, Frederick County Public Schools. 2009

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Part Three: If you plan to go to the County Science Fair…

1. UMS strongly encourages you to consider entering your project! The date for this year’s fair is March 20 & 21, 2015. You must have an entry form submitted to the FCPS science office by March 6th, 12 noon. All required paperwork must be submitted by this deadline. All paperwork and information can be found here.

2. A RESEARCH PLAN is required for all projects going to the County Science Fair. The research plan for projects must include the following:

a. The Question being addressed. b. Hypothesis/Problem/Engineering Goals c. Description (in detail) of method or procedures

i. Procedures: Details of all procedures and the experimental design to be used for data collection.

ii. Data Analysis: Describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data and formulate an answer to the question and determine the validity of the hypothesis.

d. Attach a copy of the “References” at the end of the research plan. 3. An ABSTRACT is a one page summary (200 – 300 words) of your investigation

that others can read to get a clear understanding of your project and the results. It should include the

a. purpose of the experiment b. procedures used c. data and d. conclusions e. references

Only minimal reference to previous work should be included. The abstract must focus on work done in the current year and should not include acknowledgements of work or procedures done by a mentor. It should include a Reference List.

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Example:

ABSTRACT THE EFFECT OF POTASSIUM ON THE GROWTH OF BEAN PLANTS Hawk, Henry Urbana Middle School The purpose of this project was to determine the effect of potassium on the growth of bean plants. The hypothesis proposed was that the higher the dose of potassium, the more the bean plants would grow because potassium is known to increase the ability of plants to photosynthesize efficiently. Twelve small containers were filled with potting soil and divided into 4 groups. Three bean seeds were planted in each cup and each cup was given 60 mL of water. The cups were placed in a sunny location and watered with 30 mL of water every other day. When the plants were 2 weeks old, the two smallest seedlings in each cup were cut off at dirt level. Then one group began receiving 30 mL of low level potassium solution every other day. The second group received the same schedule of medium level potassium solution and a third group received the same schedule of high level potassium solution. The fourth group of plants (the control) received the same schedule of fresh water. The constant factors were the type of soil, type of plant used, the number of seeds per cup, the location of the cups, the amount of water given and the age of plants when the potassium solution was first applied. The variable factor was the concentration of the solution. To determine the effect of the potassium solution on the bean plants, stalk height measurements, leaf counts, and average leaf length were measured weekly. At the end of 12 weeks, the group of plants that received the medium concentration of potassium had grown 1.5 cm more than the control group and 0.5 cm more than the low potassium group. The high potassium group died. A similar pattern was seen with leaf counts (medium potassium plants had an average of 5 leaves, low had 4 leaves, controls had 3.6 leaves and the high level plants died.) These results seem to indicate that additional potassium supplements can encourage growth but that too much potassium has a negative effect.

REFERENCES "Fertilizer, synthetic." UXL Science. Online. ed. Detroit: UXL, 2008. Student Resource Center - Junior. Gale. Urbana Middle School. 17 Oct. 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com/gps/start.do?prodId=IPS>. "guano." The Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia University Press, 2000. 16378. Junior Edition. Gale. Urbana Middle School. 17 Oct. 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com/gps/start.do?prodId=IPS>. "fertilizer." The Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia University Press, 2000. 13560. Junior Edition. Gale. Urbana Middle School. 17 Oct. 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com/gps/start.do?prodId=IPS>.

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Appendix 1

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Science Fair Research Paper Organizer & Works Cited

Name__________________

Citations: Copy and paste all citations from sources (references) used in your research

here. Take notes in the space below. If hand-writing, leave the lines intact, if not,

highlight all the lines in one section (for instance “Justification”) and click merge under

the layout tab of the ‘table tools’ that will show up after you highlight the lines.

Question – Clearly state the question you want to answer while doing this project.

This question will guide your research.

Paragraph

1

Introduction: Tell your reader what your topic is about. Every

project seeks to answer a question. Inform your reader as to the

question you are trying to answer. Describe for your reader why you

are interested in the project. Show the personal connection you have

to this topic or question. (No research notes or sources are

required for this paragraph).

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Paragraph

2

Justification of experiment: Describe how the results of your

experiment could help explain a concept that is useful or applicable to

the population at large. In other words, why does it matter? (1 source

required.)

Notes Author’s last

name:

Paragraph

3

History: Science links all areas of society. Review examples (from

politics, war, geography, agriculture & the development of foods,

ancient societies & how they lived & explored new areas, management

of resources, development of mechanics & technology, astronomy or

health & medicine) that illustrate the basic science concept you are

exploring. ( 2 sources required)

Notes Author’s last

name:

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Paragraph 4

Science Theory: Research your general topic and then the specific

process you propose to do in your experiment. Find out some of the

basic science ideas that help explain what should happen in your

experiment. This will help you write the “because” part of your

hypothesis and also be able to explain your experiment to someone else.

(2 sources required) Notes Author’s last

name:

Paragraph

5

Conclusion (Hypothesis): Conclude with your hypothesis which draws on

the information you have found out from your research. Your hypothesis

should be written in the “If…..then……because…….” format. Remember, it

is O.K. if your hypothesis turns out to be “not supported” by your actual

experiment as long as it is based on good preparation (research!) (This

section does not require any additional research notes or sources.)

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Science Conclusion Guide

Rough Draft (bullet points of ideas to include) Pa

ragr

aph

1

What was studied?

- State the problem & briefly

describe the lab activity.

- Make sure you

Define variables:

Independent

Dependent

Controlled factors

Para

graph

2 Was the hypothesis

supported?

- Summarize the hypothesis

and answer the question,

referring to data.

Para

graph

3

Explain scientific ideas

illustrated by this

experiment.

- Use data & information from

research paper to support.

- Why did you get these

results? Infer a scientific

basis for what happened.

(Infer means to come up with a

general explanation by

reasoning from researched

information and data.)

Para

graph

4 Discuss any problems.

- How would you change the

procedure to fix the problems

& make the experiment more

successful?

Para

graph

5

Relate the experiment &

findings to the real world.

- How could this information

be useful outside the science

classroom? How does your

project fit into the big picture

of the natural world?

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Science Fair Display Check List

On Display Board:

Title

Problem/Purpose – State the problem you were originally concerned with.

Explain why you selected the topic. The last sentence should end with a

question.

Hypothesis – If…then….because….

Materials – Make a list

Procedure – Numbered list of steps

Data Table (and Graph or Pictures if appropriate)

Results – One or two sentences to describe what happened

Conclusion

What was studied? State the problem and briefly describe lab activity.

Define variables: Independent (Manipulated); Dependent

(Responding) and Controlled

Was the hypothesis supported? Refer to data.

Explain scientific ideas learned. Use data and background information to

support. Why did you get these results? Infer a scientific basis for what

happened. (Infer means to come up with a general conclusion by reasoning

from facts, data, and/or observations).

Discuss any problems and how you would change the procedure to fix them

and make the experiment more successful.

Relate the experiment and findings to the real world. How could this

information be useful outside the science classroom?

Category

On table in front of display board:

Research Paper

Abstract (if required)

Appendix 4

Appendix 3

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Science Fair Project Rubric

Name___________________________ Project________________________

Section Comments

Title 4 3 2 1 0

Title should indicate problem investigated

Question (Include why you are interested in this question)

4 3 2 1 0

Clearly state problem or question investigated. Why interested?

Project creativity or uniqueness of approach 4 3 2 1 0

Hypothesis

If, then, because 4 3 2 1 0

Format problems “Because” section does not propose a scientific explanation.

Materials List 4 3 2 1 0

Procedure

Chronological

Details 4 3 2 1 0

List of steps

Pictures of experiment in progress 8 6 4 2 0

Experimenter not visible in picture Equipment not visible in picture

Data Table

Organized

Titles

Appropriate display

4 3 2 1 0

results of each trial not listed “levels” of investigation not clear

Graphs

Organized

TALKS to U

Appropriate display

4 3 2 1 0

T. A. L. K. S. to U. problems Use graph paper Type of graph used not appropriate for data

Results

One or two sentences 4 3 2 1 0 Interpret data – do not just summarize

Conclusion

Follows science conclusion guide

8 6 4 2 0

Describe what was studied & how Specify the variables in your experiment Specifically state if hypothesis is supported Explain scientific basis for results Discuss problems Give examples of real world application & explain connection to this experiment.

Display Aesthetics

Use of color

Neat handwriting

Ruled

8 6 4 2 0

Use a ruler to draw straight edges Too many or too few colors Typing/Writing too small Needs section headings

Appendix 5

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Total points earned AND corresponding letter grade

60-58 A+

57-56 A

55-50 B+

49-45 B

44-36 C+

35-28 C

27-19 C-

18-14 D+

13-9 D

8-0 F