WINDSOR HILLS MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL



WINDSOR HILLS MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

5215 Overdale Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90043

(323) 293-6251

MATH-SCIENCE FAIR INVESTIGATION

Our Math-Science Fair will be held on May 29, 2011. Every student is REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. This guide outlines the necessary activities for you to prepare a good investigation. Read it carefully.

Doing a Math-Science Fair investigation is an exciting experience. With all the hard work you put into it, there is no doubt you want to do well.

BUT WHERE SHOULD YOU BEGIN?

The best place to start is with a very important tool called the scientific method. The scientific method is a set of ideas (a procedure) that scientists use to investigate things they want to understand. By using this method, you can be sure you are carrying out your investigation correctly.

WHAT ARE YOU ALREADY CURIOUS ABOUT?

The first thing you must do is to choose a topic. Find something you are curious about. All good investigations ask certain questions, which can only be answered with an investigation. One good way to choose a topic is to find something you are interested in. What do you already know about the topic? What things can you observe about it?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE TOPIC

Now ask some questions about your topic. What do you want to find out? In order to choose the right question, be sure it is one that can be answered with an investigation. This QUESTION becomes the starting point of your investigation.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WILL I LEARN

Next is the PREDICTION (hypothesis). You create your prediction by predicting what will occur when you conduct your investigation. This should not be a blind guess but rather a thoughtful prediction. You will write and display your prediction on your science investigation board.

HOW WILL YOU GO ABOUT FINDING THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION?

Now you will design your INVESTIGATION. Your investigation should be a controlled experiment. For example, you should set up your investigation to change only certain conditions and compare what happens when you don’t change those conditions. If you are testing plant growth in different amounts of light, then some plants must be grown in normal sunlight. All plants should be the same, in the same post, soil and receive the same amount of water. Only one variable should change, in this case the amount of light each plant receives.

HOW DO I PREPARE TO SET UP MY DISPLAY BOARDS?

For your final display, you will need to list the materials you used. Explain how you did your investigation. Show exact amounts and quantities. Do things in an orderly way.

• As you do your experiment keep track of your activities. Write down your observations in detail. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DEEP A JOURNAL AND PRESENT IT WITH YOUR DISPLAY BOARD!

• If possible take photographs. These always look excellent on your display panels. If you can’t take photos, draw illustrations showing what happened as time passed during the project.

• Start EARLY! Take plenty of time performing your investigation. Remember that some investigations take time to show results and sometimes scientists must start over if things don’t progress properly.

• If possible, do your experiment several times to be sure you are getting consistent results – do you get the same results every time? Also, use the largest sample of subjects possible. That is the way good scientists do experiments.

WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT?

When you have finished your investigation, you are ready to record your RESULTS. What happened? What changes did you observe? These results should be displayed on your final project. YOU MUST INCLUDE SOME KIND OF GRAPH OR CHART.

HOW DO YOUR RESULTS COMPARE WITH YOUR PREDICTION (Hypothesis)?

Now that your results are recorded, it is time to examine what you have proven. The CONCLUSION presents your interpretation of the results of your original prediction, and then they support your prediction. If not, you need to tell why you think your prediction differs from your results. Was there a problem in the way you did your experiment? Or do you need a new prediction to explain what you observed?

After you finish your investigation you need to prepare to present your project. No matter how well you have done the scientific method, you must present it neatly and clearly in order for your audience to understand what you have done.

REMEMBER

• Use clean, attractive boards for your display

• Use a ruler to lightly line the board to keep printing and display materials in a straight line

• Be sure to have and adult proofread your material for spelling and grammar BEFORE you write on your board. In fact, it is a good idea to do your writing on lined paper, or a computer, and glue it on to your board.

• Print your information NEATLY. It is a good idea to print first in pencil and then go over it with a thin, black pen. Another choice is to do your work on a computer.

• Be sure to include your name, room number, and the date that the project is due.

GOOD LUCK, AND HAVE FUN!

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