THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS



THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS

I. State the problem in the form of a question.

Choose a subject in which you are interested.

II. Conduct preliminary research.

Research, read, watch science videos, use the internet, and contact resource people who may be able to help. Incorporate prior knowledge.

III. Form a hypothesis.

An educated guess (based on your preliminary research) that answers the problem.

IV. Design experiment

A. Materials: Plan, collect, and list the materials needed for your experiment. It is best to borrow, make or use inexpensive materials.

B. Procedure: Plan the steps of your experiment carefully.

C. Observe and record data:

Observe and record what happens during your experiment.

D. Results: Summarize findings in the form of data tables, graphs, and drawings. Write an explanation of your findings.

V. Write conclusion

Refute or support your hypothesis based on your findings. |SUPPLIES & MATERIALS NEEDED

• Display Board

• ½-inch ring binder

• Glue

• Construction paper (3 colors)

• Experiment materials

Dear Parent(s) or Guardian:

The science fair project is an activity that draws upon basic and advanced skills that have been taught and emphasized in your child’s science program. Students generate a science fair project and apply the scientific method to solve the problem. Your help may be needed throughout your student’s project. For example, your child may for your assistance in the following ways:

• Conducting research vie libraries or internet.

• Typing presentation materials for display.

• Retrieving necessary materials needed for their experiment.

Please go over the information presented in this student information folder and discuss it with your child. Some of the details not in the folder have been or will be discussed in class. Contact me at school with any concerns or questions.

Sincerely,

Your Child’s Science Teacher

* * * * *

I have read the Science Fair Parent Letter.

Date: ___________

Parent Signature: ____________________

Student Name: _____________________

(Please Print)

|SCIENCE FAIR

MATERIAL RESOURCES

Aaron Brothers

13455 Maxella Ave # 250, Marina Del Rey, CA‎ 90292, (310) 577-1040‎

Best Buy

10799 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 204-2147

Graphaids Inc.

7280 W Manchester Ave, Los Angeles, CA‎ 90045, (310) 216-6300‎

Hobby People

16725 Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale, CA 90260, (310) 214-0244

Home Depot

8801 S La Cienega Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301, (310) 417-9051

J & D Party Supplies

514 W Arbor Vitae, Inglewood, CA 90301, (310) 330-0044‎

Lakeshore Teacher Supply

8888 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034, (310) 559-9630

Michael’s Crafts

14370 Ocean Gate Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250, (310) 676-2064

3340 W Century Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90303, (310) 677-1531

Office Depot

8900 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, (310) 568-0660

Office Max

8985 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034, (310) 836-5520

Party Mart

820 N La Brea Ave # B, Inglewood, CA 90302, (310) 412-0777‎

Radio Shack

8907 S Sepulveda Blvd, Westchester, CA 90045, (310) 670-6675

Staples

8704 South Sepulveda Blvd, Westchester, CA 90045, (310) 342-5113 | |

|SOURCES FOR RESEARCH |Botanical Gardens | |

|Botanical Gardens |Parks | |

|Industries |Airports | |

|Nature Centers |Commercial Nurseries | |

|Public Libraries |Colleges and Universities (including libraries) | |

|Marine Reserves |Zoos, Aquariums, or Wildlife Rescue Centers | |

|Animal Hospitals |Local hospitals, including research facilities and libraries | |

|Natural Museums |Medical, Dental, or Veterinary Offices | |

|Telephone Book |Scientific Websites | |

|Government Agencies (e.g. Government Printing Office,| | |

|Dept of Fish and Game) | | |

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STUDENT SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT TIMELINE

|TASK |Date |Teacher Initials|Parent Initials |

| |Due | | |

|Choose and submit a problem to investigate for teacher approval. |5/11 | | |

|Conduct preliminary research. |5/18 | | |

| Develop a hypothesis based on your preliminary research. |5/18 | | |

|Decide on a procedure that you will use to test your hypothesis. |5/28 5/29 | | |

|Make a list of your materials. Gather your materials. |5/28 5/29 | | |

| Conduct your experiment. Collect and record data. |6/2 6/3 | | |

| Organize your data and results. |6/2 6/3 | | |

|Write your conclusion based on the results of your experiment. |6/4 6/5 | | |

|Write a draft of your science fair report. Make copies for teacher. |6/4 6/5 | | |

|Proofread your draft. Type or write a final copy of your report. | 6/8 6/9 | | |

|Complete your science fair backboard and model. |6/10 6/11 | | |

|Turn in your science fair project (report, model, and backboard). |6/10 6/11 | | |

|Take backboard and model home. |6/12 | | |

Note: The student must keep his/her research, update sheets, letters home to parents, and other information in this folder. This folder should be kept with the student unless otherwise instructed.

SCIENCE FAIR WRITTEN REPORT

Scientists always report the results of their research and experimentation so that others may benefit from this new knowledge. Some work is reported through published papers and other scientists present their work at conventions, on TV, or through the internet. Your research will be presented through your written report, a project display, and an oral presentation.

|ABSTRACT |You will conduct research mainly at city|PROCEDURE |CONCLUSION |

|The abstract is a concise one-page summary|and college libraries. You should |The procedure is a detailed list of |State whether your hypothesis is valid or|

|of your whole project. Others can read |interview at least one expert in your |steps you used to conduct your |invalid. State your final conclusion. |

|your abstract if they do not have time to |field of study. You should keep a log |experiment. The steps must be |This statement should not add or take |

|read your paper. It includes your |of libraries visited, dates visited, and|detailed and thorough. |away from the problem or hypothesis. |

|problem, hypothesis, research, |sources researched. Information | | |

|experimentation, and conclusion. You must|received via the computer must also be |RAW DATA |APPLICATION/ |

|write the abstract after your report is |documented. The minimum number of |Raw data or observations collected |REFLECTION |

|complete. |typed, double-spaced pages in the |during your experiment should be |Explain how your project findings apply |

| |research section will be determined by |recorded in a log and kept in a |to you personally or to society in |

|TITLE PAGE |your teacher. Standard-sized letters |separate folder. This section should |general. Reflect and write about the |

|The title page belongs after the abstract.|and margins must be used. Type or write|be long, detailed, and stated in the |benefits to you doing a Science Fair |

|The project title must be centered on the |on only one side of the paper. The |present tense. Dates, times, names, |project. |

|page, and include the name, grade level, |ability to take a large amount of |responses, measurements, locations, | |

|and school of the participant. |information, organize, summarize, and |and problem you had need to be |BIBLIOGRAPHY |

| |blend it together, and then write it out|recorded. The raw data must be |List all books, articles, and other |

|PURPOSE |in a coherent manner is certainly a |submitted in its original form in a |communications or sources that you used |

|In one short paragraph, tell why you did |skill needed during the research phase |separate data folder. Check with your|for writing your preliminary research |

|your project on the topic you chose. |of the report and life in general. |teacher about the number of trials you|section. You must have at least five |

| | |should perform. Diagrams and/or |sources; only one may be an encyclopedia.|

|ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |HYPOTHESIS |photographs are encouraged in this |College libraries and public libraries |

|A “Thank You” to all the people who help |This is an educated guess (based on |section. |should be used. Interviews with experts |

|you with your project, including family |preliminary research) which answers the | |in your field of study are encouraged. |

|members, teachers, or experts who provided|problem. The hypothesis is a statement |RESULTS | |

|you with assistance or participated in |that is generally one sentence long. In|This section is a summary of your raw | |

|some way in your experiment or project. |the interest of time, the hypothesis may|data. The date should be compiled and| |

| |be formed before the research is |presented into colorful readable data |Points to Remember! |

|TABLE OF CONTENTS |completed so that testing the hypothesis|tables and/or graphs since some data | |

|Divide your Table of Contents into |(experimentation) may begin. |are measurable. Graphing is a means |Type or write on one side of paper. |

|sections. Type in the actual page numbers| |of taking large amounts of data and |Do not put pages in plastic. |

|after you have finished the final copy of |EXPERIMENTATION |summarizing the data in a visual |Make two copies of your original report: |

|your report. |The experiment is used to test your |manner. All data tables and graphs |Original to teacher, one copy for the |

| |hypothesis. |must be labeled and titled. In |presentation board. |

|PROBLEM |MATERIALS |addition write your results in |Put report in a store-bought folder with |

|State the problem in the form of a |List the materials you used during your |narrative form. Summarize all data |3 brads. |

|question. (Example: “Can plants grow |experiment. Be very specific when |including the qualitative observations|Type or write your name and your school |

|upside down?”) Note: Your page numbering |listing the materials you used during |which could not be put in a data table|on the folder in upper right-hand corner.|

|begins here. |the experiment. If someone wanted to |or graph. Analyze why you think you |Center the page numbers of your report at|

| |duplicate your experiment, he or she |got the results you did. Discuss any |the bottom of each page. |

|PRELIMINARY RESEARCH |would know exactly what to use and how |errors that may have occurred and how |Rewrite your paper several times to |

|This section includes the history and |much is needed. |they affected your results. |correct errors. Have others proofread |

|general background needed by the reader to| | |your report before you make the final |

|understand your project. Also include any| | |copy. |

|previous research on your topic. Use | | | |

|notes from books, journals, the Internet, | | | |

|magazines, and interview to write this | | | |

|section of your report. | | | |

SCIENCE FAIR WRITTEN REPORT

BACKBOARD MATERIALS

The backboard must be sturdy and stand by itself on a table. Foam core-board and cardboard are the best materials. If you need to cut through the sides of your core board to make “wings,” do not cut all the way through.

|SCIENCE FAIR PROJET CHECKLIST |

|______ There are no tacks, pins, tape, or staples on the display—only strong glue. Make |

|sure everything is secure. |

|______ The student’s name and period are on the back of the display in the upper right hand|

|corner on the back of the board. |

|______ The report is in a folder with three brads. The folder is in a “pocket” on the |

|display board with the student’s name, subject, period, date, and teacher’s name in the |

|upper right hand corner on the outside of the folder. |

|______ The student has the original report in the folder and a copy at home. |

|______ Any models or items other than the display board and the report are in a paper bag |

|with the student’s name and period on the bag. Bring a UL approved extension cord for |

|displays requiring electricity. |

|______ Models with many pieces (i.e. crystals) should not be loose. They must be in a |

|display case or other “holder.” No harmful materials or substances are part of the model. |

|______ The project is completed before bringing it to school. |

COLORS

If you need to paint your backboard, enamel paint works best. Do not use water-based paint. Contact paper may also be used. Use a minimum of three contrasting colors on your board, not including white. Background color may NOT be white without permission.

LETTERING

Your title and subtitles may be computer-generated or cut from construction paper. Do not freehand the letters. The title letters should be 3 to 4 inches high. The subtitle letters should be 1 to 2 inches high. The subtitles which are mandatory on the display board are: Problem, Hypothesis, Procedure, Results, Conclusion, and Application (or Significance) of the Conclusion. All items on the display must be glued to the board. Do not use pins, tacks, staples, or tape.

DRAWINGS, PHOTOS, TABLES, AND GRAPHS

Drawings and photos are most useful on the display. Drawing should be drawn in pencil first and then retraced. Drawings should in color and outlined in thin black felt tip pen. Tables must be displayed in a clear, organized form. Several tables or graphs may be included on one page, as long as the format is clear and easy to read. Tables and graphs must be used in the results section. Drawings, tables, and graphs should be computer-generated. All tables and graphs must have explanatory titles. Graph axes must be labeled with a description of what each axis represents and the units being represented.

DISPLAY DIMENSIONS

1. When backboard (display portion) is flat, it should be 48 inches wide.

2. Side panels (“wing”) should be 12 to 18 inches.

3. Height should be no more than 48 inches.

REPORT POCKET

There must be a “pocket” on the display to hold your report.

DISPLAY MODELS

Models should be placed in front of or on the display board. Examples for display models include:

• Photos or videos

• Pieces of equipment or materials used in the project

• Artistic representations

There are endless possibilities for models. Be creative!

SAFETY CONSIDERATION WITH MODELS

No part of your model may pose a safety hazard. Do not include harmful chemicals, bacterial cultures, sharp objects, or any source of heat or flames. No live or preserved animals are allowed.

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GRADE LEVEL PROJECT FOCUS

Students are encouraged to reflect the state and district standards and grade level objectives in their science projects. As a result, students should choose projects that focus on the following categories:

|Biology |Biotechnology |Chemistry |Earth Science |

|Engineering |Environmental Science |Physics | |

36”-48”

32”-48”

12”-18”

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GREEN DOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SCIENCE FAIR INFORMATION

For Parents and Students

Secondary Level

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