It is very likely that this will change in 2020, but this was what we used in 2019. Look for an update closer to the time we are working on Science Fair experiments.
2019 Timeline for Personal Science Experiments
12/4 Step#5
on the One and Only Packet will be graded in class.Make sure you have it with
you when you come to class on Wednesday.
12/6 Your 2 page (or more) report (12 font double spaced) that includes background information related to your experimental topic must be turned in. Be sure your name is typed on it under the title, and please include your science class period.
12/10
Complete doing your experiment and the remaining steps in the One and Only Packet.
12/11
Complete your log book (mostly copying information from One and Only Packet
into log book and turn both items in on that date
12/11
YOU DO NOT NEED TO COMPETE IN THE SCIENCE FAIR THIS YEAR UNLESS YOU WANT TO. I WILL SUPPORT YOU IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, BUT I THINK IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO LEARN TO USE THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN A RIGOROUS WAY, AND ALSO TO HAVE FUN AS YOU DO AN ACTUAL EXPERIMENT. ALSO, THERE ARE MANY MORE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL COMPETITIONS THAT YOU CAN ENTER, AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER DOING THAT. You can find them by searching the internet with the key words science contests for middle school students. Or, just come talk to me if you are interested.
If you want to be considered for the Henderson Science Fair, you
will need to complete these additional items, and they are due turned in to me
on Thurs. 12/12 or before.
12/12 Only for students who want to be considered for the Science Fair: Turn in the tri board display, the typed full report about the experiment, the logbook, the abstract, and the research plan (I will help with that part at school or at home on the phone)
The exhibits will be set up that afternoon at 2:30 and will be judged on 6/13
12/13 Henderson Middle School Science Fair will be judged.
Students who enter the science fair may be called by the judges to
explain their experiment and their background information. I can give you a sample scoring sheet so you
will see what they are looking for. Judges are always very nice and they will
respect your work, but they will want to be sure you understand your topic.
Dec. 2-6, 2019
The requirements for the student assignment for the Science Fair Experiment have been shortened for students who are not wanting to enter the science fair. Those students only need to 1) complete the One and Only Science Fair Project Packet which acts as a guide and rough draft for the logbook 2) complete the experiment, 3) complete the logbook, and 4) complete the typed background information report. The students completed steps #1-4 of the One and Only Packet in class before the break, and I asked them to take notes on their background information over the break. Item #5 in the packet is due on 12/4, so they need to bring it to class that day so it can be graded. The typed background information report is due to me Friday 12/6. The experiment must be completed as well as the logbook by Wed. 12/11. Any student who would like to be considered for the Henderson Science Fair must bring the log book, display, complete report (typed) and required forms on Thursday, 12/12 and it will be judged Friday 12/13. I urge the students to do an experiment that is simple and straightforward but to follow the scientific method in doing it. There is no need to do a "fancy" experiment. This year we are focused on learning the steps of the scientific method. Sciencebuddies.org is a potential source of information about both the scientific method and the engineering method. Other sites include all_science_fair_projects.com and education.com.
Students who would like to be considered for the Henderson Middle School Science Fair should complete their experiment, will need to also make a tri-fold display and include all the parts of the experiment in their written report, and write an abstract and a research plan which will be turned in on 12/12. I would like for those students to send me an electronic copy of their report and a photograph of their triboard display so that I can evaluate those things before they are due. I will help students with the abstract and the research plan on Wednesday evening by phone if they don't have a parent to help. Those two things together should not take more than 30 minutes. The triboard does not need to be completed until Thursday, 12/12 at which time it must be turned in, and it will be judged on Friday, 12/13/19. I will help those students complete their abstracts if I have the reports before Thursday. If those students who want to enter the science fair need to keep their logbooks at home until Thursday, in order to complete the backboard, then that is fine, and there will be no deduction. All students who complete the backboard and are interested in competing in the science fair will get extra credit for the extra effort! However, it is not required for my class, and therefore there is no penalty if a student does not want to compete.
Please send me an email if you have any questions and include the best phone number to call you if you would like me to call. Ms. Burch
Here is the link to the One and Only Packet.
You might need to be log in to clever to see this link. You also might have to copy it and then paste it into a new window. If it doesn't work, please send me an email and include your phone number and the student's name and I will try to help you over the phone.
https://dcsd-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/e20053181_dekalbschoolsga_org/EXlagn4y3PpOo3psNFu4zR0B2P5VFjINQXi8AfdV8HWHVw?e=zxglXf
Entering the Science Fair
https://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/youth/academic-special-programs/georgia-science-and-engineering-fair
Links for experiment ideas can come from any source, but here are a couple of good ones. The first is from the 3M Challenge, and you don't need to compete in the challenge to use an idea generated by looking at their thought-starters.
https://www.youngscientistlab.com/challenge/create/entry-topics
Another good place to look is at http://www.ecybermission.com and then click on Learn More and then on mission challenges. You can also google ecybermission ideas which will give you a list of good project ideas.
Another place to find a project is
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/ and this one is great because it tells you exactly what to do and what materials are needed and the procedure. However, some of these projects do not meet the requirement for middle school that your project must involve a variable that you test in your experiment, so be sure that you get it approved. There are hundreds of science fair experiments and on so many topics.
In addition to the log book to enter the science fair you must
complete the following
1. Forms- On team 6D, you
will not provide forms until after our team science fair.
Go online to
https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef-forms
A checklist will popup. Everybody needs the following:
Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
Form 1A: Student Checklist and Research plan
Form 1B: Approval Form (you only need to fill out the top section)
Abstract Form
Depending on what you are doing, you may need additional forms.
Read over the list to see what you need.
Find all the forms you need, fill it out, and then print it.
Your teacher will be the adult sponsor and the start date for the
project is 10/16/18 and the end date is 12/02/18.
2. LOGBOOK
Setting up your science fair logbook:
What you need: New unused composition book and blue or black pen -erasable pen ok
General Guidelines— THESE RULES COME FROM THE STATE SCIENCE AND
ENGINERING FAIR AND MUST BE FOLLOWED!!
o Lab book must be a composition book-nothing spiral allowed!
o Number each page in the lower right hand corner
o Use only blue or black pen
o You may NOT use white out, simply neatly cross out your errors
and rewrite it
o Write only on the front of pages
o Follow all standard rules of writing, spelling, and punctuation
o Include a table of contents
The first page when you open the book should be a title page.
Include your name, project title, and teacher name. Do not add Project Title until you finish
experiment.
The 2nd page should be your Table of Contents. It should contain
the following:
Table of Contents
Page 3- Question
Page 4- Purpose
Page 5- Hypothesis
Page 6- Variables
Page 7- Research
Page 15- Materials
Page 16 - Procedures
Page 20- Data/Observations
Page 25- Graphs and Pictures
Page 30- Conclusion
Each section should be given either a title at the top of the
page.
Below is a description on what should then be on each of these pages. Only write the
green words at the present. The rest of
it is just information you will need later.
Page 1-Title page-title of project (do not add now) , student name at bottom of pg.
Page 2- Table
of Contents- Copy the
information above
Page 3- Question- the question you are attempting to
answer-in question format
Page 4- Purpose- 2-3 sentences about why you selected your
topic and what you hope to learn
Page 5- Hypothesis -A paragraph containing your educated guess at what will happen. The paragraph should explain the relationship between the manipulated and responding variables. It should explain why you think it will turn out that way. In the hypothesis use the words “if” and “then”.
Page 6- Variables- list the manipulated (changed) variable
and the responding variable (what you plan on measuring)-we’ve been over and
over these but if you need help stop on by.
Page 7- Research- This section should contain any research
relevant to your topic and that might help you better understand and explain
what happens in the experiment. Notes from at least 3 different sources, with
their correct citation, are required and may be in paragraph format or bullet
points. Help on siting your sources is below. Your resource list should include
any documents that is not your own. See an appropriate reference in your
discipline for formatting your source.
Page 15- Materials
Page 16 - Procedures- A list of all
materials you will need to complete the work. In this section you should also
include detailed, step by step direction of what you will do to conduct the
experiment.
Page 20- Data/Observations- any information gathered during the
experiment. Ideally data collected should be numerical. USE a chart to help
organize this section. Charts may be created on the computer and NEATLY pasted
in the section.
Page 25- Graphs
and Pictures- Either a graph
of data collect should be used or you should include pictures of the data. Bar
graphs and line graphs are the most common types of graphs used.
Page 30- Conclusion- This section should be 2 paragraphs.
Paragraph 1 should describe what happened during the experiment. Briefly
summarize your results. State your findings in relationships of one variable
with the other. Support those statements with data. Be specific, do not
generalize. Attempt to explain why you think it happened. Use
vocabulary/scientific terms. Paragraph 2 should restate your hypothesis and
tell if you were right or wrong. Mention the flaws that might have effects the
results and tell a little about what you learned. In other words summarize the
project.
*** YOU MAY HAVE BLANK PAGES AT THE END OF SOME SECTIONS-THAT IS
OKAY! Or you can wait until you are finished, then go back to write the page
numbers on the table of contents.
3. Research/Scientific Paper
Papers must be typed, double spaced, and using a 12 pt. font. The
following areas must be in your paper and in the correct order.
Title page- Should include the title of your project and your name
and teacher name.
Table of contents- List of the sections in the paper and what page
to find them on.
Introduction – This section should include a brief summary of what
your entire project was about. It includes the problem
Hypothesis -- The hypothesis is written from past experiences or
observations and from research you have read. This section should include your
hypothesis and your explanation as to why you believe it will turn out this
way. It is written as a statement and should be written in measurable terms
whenever possible.
Purpose -- The purpose explains your goal and it may be one or
more sentences. It should tell what the objective of your experiment is and what
you are hoping to discover in your research. Explain why you decided to do this
particular science project and why this topic was of interest to you.
Background Research- This is the essence of your paper. Using several paragraphs summarize the things you have learned about your project topic, especially the scientific principles but also historical information and anything else you have learned from the internet and books. This section is like a mini essay. Later, you will use this information to compare your results with theoretical values, published data, commonly held beliefs, and/or expected results.
Materials and Procedures- Under Materials, list the items you will use. Write them as a list. Under Procedures, describe in detail the methods you used to collect data, make observations, design apparatus, etc. Number the steps you took in the order you did them. Your information should be detailed enough so that someone would be able to repeat the experiment from the information in your paper. Include detailed photographs or drawings of self-designed equipment.
Results- The results include data and analysis. This should
include statistics, graphs, and a written summary of the data you collected.
Conclusion --The conclusion is a summary of the results of the
science fair project. In the conclusion tell whether the results supported the
hypothesis. Tell exactly what happened during the experiment and why you think
it happened. Discuss any problems you encountered during your experimentation
and any discoveries you made during the process. What value do you think this
project has and what recommendations would you make if you were going to study
it further? This should be a brief summary of your results. State your findings
in relationships of one variable with the other. Support those statements with
empirical data. Be specific, do not generalize. Never introduce anything in the
conclusion that has not already been discussed. Also mention practical
applications.
Glossary-- The glossary section should include definitions for any
vocabulary words that you used in your paper that were new to you or that you
think might be confusing to anybody who would be reading your research paper?
Acknowledgments— You should always credit those who have assisted
you, including individuals, businesses and educational or research
institutions.
References/Bibliography-- The bibliography should be a complete
list of every source of information you used to complete this project. These
should be listed in alphabetical order and have complete bibliographical
information.
4. A visual display must accompany your written report. It must be
made of sturdy material that can stand by itself. It cannot be larger than the
following dimensions:
30 inches (76 cm) deep
48 inches (122cm) wide
108 inches (274cm) high from the floor to the top of the project
Make your display attractive and informative. Make it interesting
and eye catching – but don’t get too cutesy. It is a science fair project- not
a scrapbook project.
Make the most of your space. Use colors that are easy on the eyes
and choose a lettering style that is easy to read. Make sure that everything
you put on your display is spelled correctly. Note: Before attaching anything
to the backboard, place you board flat on the floor and lay out all the parts.
Make sure you have room for everything before you start permanently attaching
them. A diagram of a backboard is available on the HMS Science fair website on
the forms page. Please refer to this for the proper layout.
Drawings of the board will go here…you don’t need to know this right now,
and I can’t seem to upload it. It will
be here by the time you need it!