FAITH LUTHERAN SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR 2018 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TELSS SCIENCE FAIR

Science is our human understanding of how the world that God created works. As students explore the

many wonders of God’s creation they receive a deeper understanding of how great our God truly is. The

science fair project also allows students to improve their thinking processes as they ponder, question,

explore, research and analyze different areas of science. These important skills will guide them as they

strive to make the best use of the different abilities and resources that God has given them.

For students to accomplish these different tasks, they are asked to develop and build a science fair project.

Here are some helpful tips and guidelines to direct the students in their quest to dive deeper into the amazing

world that we have been blessed to be a part of.

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February 1, 2018

Dear Parents,

This school year TELSS schools will be hosting a Science Fair as part of the Academic Bowl on Friday, April 13, 2018. Each

school will be entering three science projects for 5th-6th grade and three science fair projects for 7th-8th grade. Faith Lutheran

will be holding our own Science Fair ahead of time. The date for the Science Fair at Faith is Wednesday, March 28. All

projects must be set up in the church during the school day. Each student in grades 4-8 will submit an individual project that

they will present to a panel of judges. The top three projects from 5th-6th and the top three projects from 7th-8th will then be

entered into the TELSS Science Fair on Friday, April 13. This information packet is intended to assist you in helping your

child prepare a project. We are looking forward to this type of fair! It gives the children the opportunity to display their God

given talents in a variety of ways.

Students should plan on the project taking about two months. This will give them time to plan the experiment, gather data, and

interpret their data in order to do an adequate job on the display. The students can choose from a list of experiments or choose

one of their own. You are not limited to the suggested list, however, the project should be something that can scientifically

be tested. Mr. Leifer or Mrs. Getka will be able to tell your child if it is an appropriate experiment when the student submits

the science fair project application form.

We will be spending some class time on this (planning the experiment, writing the report, planning the display), but much of

the work will need to be completed at home. Parents, thank you for helping your child meet the due dates on the following

page. A helpful online resource is: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_guide_index.shtml

We wish you the Lord’s blessings on your work. We feel it will be an educational experience for everyone involved. Please

feel free to ask questions. We will do everything we can to make this a pleasant experience for you and your child. Please see

the following specifics regarding this year’s Science Fair.

Yours in Christ,

Mr. Leifer and Mrs. Getka

Science Fair Objectives:

Gain an appreciation of how intricately God’s hand is involved in making our universe work.

Use the Scientific Method to develop an understanding of controls and variables.

Take an open and creative approach to problem solving.

Sharpen students’ writing skills.

Develop skills in library use and Internet research.

Recognize that a successful outcome is based not on personal opinion but on scientific fact.

Develop time management skills.

Develop public speaking skills as students present projects to their classmates, teachers, and judges.

Develop poise and thinking on their feet in responding to questions presented to them

about their project.

Gain recognition for academic achievement and pride in the effort used to complete

their project.

Science Fair Categories:

Engineering

Defining a need and building/improving a prototype to meet that need.

Earth and Space Sciences

Any of various sciences, such as geography, geology, or meteorology, that deal with the earth, its

composition, structure, origin, or any of its changing aspects.

Physical Sciences

Any of the sciences, such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and geology, which analyzes the nature and

properties of energy and nonliving matter.

Life Sciences

Any of several branches of science, such as biology, medicine, anthropology, or ecology, which deals with

living organisms and their organization, life processes, and relationships to each other and their

environment.

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Grading Criteria:

The students will be evaluated on their projects in two different ways. The presentation will be evaluated by the

judges of the Faith Science Fair using the TELSS rubric on page 17 of this packet. These results will determine which

students move on to the TELSS Science Fair. The project and report will be graded by the classroom teacher using the

rubric on page 18 of this packet for a Science grade and a Writing grade.

Project Timeline:

Step # 1 February 2 Information sent home

Step # 2 February 9 Application for Science Fair Project Form due

Step # 3 February 16 Project Progress Check Forms

• Statement of Purpose

• Sources for Research

• Identification of Variables and Procedure of Experiment Form

Step #4 March 13 Experiment Progress Check

• Collection and Interpretation of Data Form

• Rough Draft of Written Report

Step #5 March 20 Written Report Due

• Experiment Conclusion and Parental Involvement Form

• Final Draft of Written Report

Step # 6 March 28 Project/Display Due

• Students bring final Science Fair projects to school for a 2-4

minute oral presentation of their project to the judges. Projects

will be sent home with that same day.

Step #7 April 13 Top three projects from 5th-6th and 7th-8th grade compete at the TELSS

Academic Fair

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Project Ideas

Remember, your science fair project should start with a question. What topic interests you most? What

have you always wondered about that topic? Once you’ve decided the question you want to answer,

everything from the hypothesis to the procedure will flow from there.

Step 1: Think of a few possible topics, in case materials or time required limit your first choice. Here are

some topics that might interest you:

1. Test any responses to real and artificial sweeteners.

2. How do temperature changes affect a fish?

3. Do preservatives stop bread mold from growing?

4. How leaves lose water.

5. The effect of sunlight on plants.

6. The effect of crowding on plants.

7. How changing the fulcrum affects a level.

8. What fabrics make good insulators?

9. How do charged objects act toward each other?

10. Materials that are the best conductors of electricity.

11. The effect of the height of a swinging mass on its

energy.

12. How are crystals formed?

13. Removing salt from water.

14. Which foods contain starch?

15. Which sense organ can detect the greatest variety of

sensory information?

16. How water rises in different kinds of plant stems.

17. Does a temperature change in water affect a fish’s rate

of breathing?

18. Is air matter?

19. Forming compounds.

20. How heating water affects the rate at which materials

dissolve.

21. Factors affecting how fast liquids will mix.

22. Boiling points of liquid substances.

23. In which liquids will an ice cube float?

24. Freezing points of different liquid substances.

25. What effect does size of particles have on how fast a

solute dissolves?

26. How to make water wetter.

27. What metals and/or materials will rust?

28. Good and poor conductors.

29. The effect of type of circuit used on the brightness of

light bulbs.

30. How does the color of an object affect how warm it

gets?

31. Where is the best place to position solar heating units?

32. Can the wind be used to make electricity in the area

where we live?

33. Is a solar collector a feasible way to heat water?

34. Are there solid particles in the air we breathe?

35. The effect of dilution on reducing water pollution.

36. What materials are biodegradable?

37. What effect does the color of an item have on the

amount of solar energy it absorbs?

38. Observe cloud patterns for several weeks and try to

predict the weather. How accurate are your

predictions?

39. Controlling eye blinking.

40. The effect of removing minerals from bones.

41. The effect of different kinds of physical activity on

pulse rates.

42. Factors affecting condensation.

43. Can nonliving things grow?

44. The effect of light on plants.

45. How does root position affect plant growth?

46. Factors affecting germination.

47. Will bean stems grow downward if the only light

source comes from below?

48. Testing acids and bases to determine their pH.

49. Use red-cabbage juice to determine whether materials

are acids or bases.

50. Factors that affect leaf decay.

51. The effect of colored light bulbs on the growth of

plants.

52. Factors affecting wave frequency.

53. The composition of soils in your area.

54. Ways to desalinate salt water.

55. At what temperature does condensation start?

56. The relationship of relative humidity and barometric

readings to changes in weather.

57. The effect of repetition on reaction times of different

animals.

58. Factors affecting the ability to memorize.

59. How does heat affect sugar?

60. The effect of light sources in producing shadows.

61. How colored filters affect fading.

62. The effects of different types of fertilizer (artificial

and natural) on plant growth.

63. What effect does the depth of a planted seed have on

the plant’s growth?

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64. How water can be purified at home.

65. Expansion rates of different metals.

66. How sound is transmitted.

67. Growth of rats in a vitamin-deficient environment.

68. How copper plating takes place.

69. Reaction of protozoa to different chemicals.

70. Developing photographic film.

71. Photosynthesis in lower species of plants.

72. How gerbils learn their way through a maze.

73. The growth of bacteria in different commercial

disinfectants.

74. Chick hatching rates at different levels of humidity.

75. Mold growth on different types of bread (wheat,

white, rye).

76. Growth patterns of yeast.

77. The growth of grasses in different soils.

78. How does acid rain affect seed germination?

79. How we see colors.

80. Reactions of seeds to different chemicals.

81. The effects of salt versus sugar on plant or animal

growth.

82. How much water do different soils hold?

83. Which type of insulation holds in heat the best?

84. Does affection influence the growth rate of hamsters?

85. Effects on germination rates of seeds exposed to

ultraviolet light.

86. Phototropism and its effect in different plants.

87. The effects of light direction on plant growth.

88. How does electricity affect the growth of plants?

89. Effects of aspirin on the growth of selected plants.

90. Do different types of music affect individuals’

learning power?

91. Effects of car exhaust on different plants.

92. Ways to slow down plan growth.

93. Effects of different colors on the eating habits of

chicks.

94. Effects of toothpaste on bacteria growth.

95. Effects of noise on the growth of plants.

Helpful Websites for even MORE IDEAS

www.all-science-fair-projects.com

www.education.com/science-fair

www.sciencebuddies.org

Step 2: Now go through the list of topics and ask this question: What could I do to scientifically explore

this topic more?

After a topic is decided please think about the following ideas:

1. How hard will this topic be for me to understand and present findings? Is the topic

too easy for my grade level?

2. How much time will be needed to research the topic and gather and collect

materials and data?

3. What kind of materials will I need to accomplish my goal? Are they available?

4. How much help will I need in this project?

5. What safety issues may be involved with the project?

Choosing a topic can be one of the hardest parts of a project. The time you spend asking questions and

thinking of ways to make the project have a personal meaning, will greatly benefit the entire process.

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Follow the Scientific Method from February 16-March 13, 2018

The scientific method consists of a series of steps that must be followed to ensure an effectively designed

experiment. Note that the steps allow some leeway, offering students many ways to examine and explore

an area of interest. Nevertheless, if the project is to yield scientific data that will expand the student’s

understanding, each of the following steps is essential.

STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

1. Identify the problem

2. Refer to authoritative sources

3. Ask an appropriate question

4. Develop a hypothesis

5. Conduct experiments

6. Keep detailed records of methods and results

7. Report the experiments

8. Analyze the results

9. Develop a conclusion

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

With so many potential topics from which to choose, students must narrow their choices to a specific one.

Students should ask questions that will assist them in defining a specific problem. This is a process

scientists go through regularly and one that is essential to a well-designed, successful experiment.

REFERRING TO AUTHORITY

Students should be prepared to conduct some investigative research before initiating an experiment. This

means reading books, magazine articles, pamphlets, brochures, or any other printed information

concerning their topic. These discoveries can yield a significant amount of valuable data that sharpens a

student’s understanding of a selected field.

ASKING AN APPROPRIATE QUESTION

To develop an effective science experiment, students need to formulate a very specific question about the

chosen area of interest. Parents and teachers can help. Being specific and identifying variables is

important in helping the student sharpen his or her focus and carefully define the area to be investigated.

DEVELOPING A HYPOTHESIS

After students have designed an appropriate question, they must turn that question into a hypothesis. A

hypothesis is an educated guess, a statement of how the scientist thinks the experiment will turn out. It is

a prediction, based on the best available information, of what the scientist believes will happen at the

conclusion of the experiment. A well-constructed hypothesis identifies:

• the subjects of the experiment (plants, mice)

• what is being measured (rate of growth, weight)

• the condition of the experiment (different-colored light sources, junk food versus regular food)

• the results expected (light colors produce faster growth rates than dark colors; a nutritious diet

produce higher weights than a junk food diet). Thus a student’s question about a specific area of

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interest can be developed into a hypothesis that forms the foundation of the student’s

investigation.

CONDUCTING THE EXPERIMENT

Testing one’s hypothesis is at the heart of the scientific method. It is here that the student will organize

and conduct an investigation examining the effects of changes in certain experimental condition or

experimental factors. In short, the student will learn what happens when a condition is created or altered.

In addition, the implications of that change are also explored. It is important that the student test or

examine one idea at a time. It is easy for students to expand their experiments far beyond the limits

established with the original hypothesis; however, for any results to be valid students must adhere to the

original design. Often, this means a process of trial and error in which a problem is approached from

many angles before a hypothesis can be confirmed. It is also at this stage that students must decide how

many times they will conduct their experiment, the number of subjects or items being subjected to the

test, how long it will last, and what special materials they will need. Students also must decide how they

will be measuring the effects of the experiment. The conditions under which the experiment will be

carried out must be clarified prior to as well as during the entire experiment.

KEEPING RECORDS

Students should keep a log or record book of what they do and observe during the course of the

investigation. Such record keeping permits the student to keep track of the individual events of the

experiment and it provides a reference for identifying any errors that may creep into the experiment.

Others should be able to duplicate the experiment simply by following the student’s record.

REPEATING THE EXPERIMENT

Conducting an experiment once usually does not provide a student with sufficient data upon which to

base a decision or conclusion. It is important that the student plan adequate time to conduct the

experiment more than once. Such a practice ensures that the results obtained the first time are accurate

and precise. It also guarantees that any conclusions drawn from the results of the experiment are based on

a wealth of information and not just a few isolated details.

ANALYZING THE RESULTS

After the experiment has been conducted and all the necessary data collected, it is time to analyze that

information. The collection of this information and its analysis are vitally important parts of the entire

project. It is here that the student assembles and looks over the available results in order to begin

formulating a conclusion. It is important to point out to the student that the data gathered may not confirm

the original hypothesis. It is possible that the results will not confirm that hypothesis but rather refute it.

This happens to scientists all the time and is a natural and normal part of the scientific method. In an

experiment, success is neither a positive nor a negative finding but any clearly substantiated, repeatable

result.

DEVELOPING A CONCLUSION

Now that the student has conducted the experiment, collected the necessary data, and analyzed the results,

it is time to formulate a conclusion. The conclusion should provide some answer to the original question

(see above), although it is entirely possible that the experiment was unsuccessful in proving the

hypothesis. There is certainly nothing wrong with a conclusion indicating that the question still remains

unanswered. The importance of the experience lies in the student’s having an opportunity to investigate

and learn about an area of interest by means of the scientific method. Arriving at an ideal conclusion is

not the goal—wrestling with a problem is.

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Application for Science Fair Project Due: February 9, 2018

Student Name: _______________________________________ Date: _______________________

Teacher’s Name: _____________________________________ Grade Level: _________________

Project Title: __________________________________________________________________________________

Project Area: (Circle one)

Engineering Earth Sciences Physical Sciences Life Sciences

State the Problem: What do I want to find out?

The problem is the question you want to answer when you set out to do your experiment. The problem of the

experiment should be stated as a question. The question could be: What if…?,

How come…?, Why does it…?, How could…?, Would this affect this…?, Does this really happen? The problem of

your experiment could also be a statement: I wanted to see if… I think that when I do this… Allow yourself to be

creative to come up with other possibilities.

Example Problem: Which will heat up faster, sand or water?

State the Problem of Your Experiment: _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Formulate Your Hypothesis – This is what I think the answer to my problem will be:

Your hypothesis is a possible answer to the problem of the experiment that you stated above. Make sure that your

hypothesis is something that can be tested and scientifically measured. A hypothesis is usually an educated guess as

to how you believe the experiment will turn out before you actually conduct the experiment itself.

Example Hypothesis: I think the sand will heat up faster than water because when I go to the beach the sand is hot on

my feet and the water is cool.

State Your Hypothesis for Your Experiment: _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

This is the investigation I propose for the completion of my Science Fair Project.

Student Signature: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________________

The investigation proposed by this student meets the preliminary requirements for a Science Fair Project.

Teacher Signature: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________________

I approve of my child’s proposed Science Fair Project.

Parent Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: _______________________

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This portion of your packet contains the forms you will need to show your teacher as you

complete your project. Below you will find a list of the items that need to be completed

and turned in by:

March 28, 2018.

Work to Turn In:

1. Display Board/Digital Presentation (including “inner display” items too) –

Since these are going home the day of the fair, the teacher will take a digital

picture.

2. Written Report

3. Project Packet (pages 9-13)

Student Name: ______________________________

Parent Signature: _____________________________

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Purpose, Research, and Source List by February 16, 2018

Purpose Statement

Students should create a purpose for why they chose their topic and what they hope to learn from this

project.

The proper format for a purpose statement includes two elements. First is answering the question of why

they chose that topic. This answer should have a personal connection. The second part of the purpose

statement is to ask a question for what they hope to learn.

My purpose statement: ___________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Research

You will need to research this topic from a variety of sources. By using a variety of sources you will get a

clear understanding of what you are truly exploring in their project. Once research has been gathered a

report will be written.

The research should provide background information for the project. The research and report should

focus on understanding key words and ideas that apply to the project. This research should not provide an

answer to the question in the purpose statement, instead it should help you understand the topic at hand so

you can observe and explain the phenomenon they are exploring. When all the research has been

completed, the information will be written in a report (See p. 21 for rough draft and p. 12 for final draft).

I. Written Sources:

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

II. Other Sources:

Website 1: ________________________________________________________________________________

Website 2: ________________________________________________________________________________

Video: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Person: __________________________________________________________________________________

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Identify and Control the Variables and Procedure of Experiment by February 16, 2018

See appendix A for definition of independent and dependent variable.

State the Independent Variable for Your Experiment: __________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

State the Dependent Variable for Your Experiment: ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

I. Materials Needed:

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

II. Procedure:

Step 1: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 2: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 3: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 4: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 5: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 6: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 7: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 8: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 9: ________________________________________________________________________________

Step 10: _______________________________________________________________________________

Step 11: _______________________________________________________________________________

Step 12: _______________________________________________________________________________

Step 13: _______________________________________________________________________________

Step 14: _______________________________________________________________________________

Step 15: _______________________________________________________________________________

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Collect and Interpret Data by March 13, 2018

Collecting Data: Using a separate sheet of paper, create a chart or graph showing the data collected. These can be easily

created in Office 365 using Microsoft Excel.

Place your graph here.

Interpreting Data: What does the data collected in your experiment tell you?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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State Your Conclusion & Parental Involvement Documentation by March 13, 2018

State the Conclusion of Your Experiment: ___________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Documentation of Parental Involvement: ____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Prewriting and Rough Draft of the Written Report

Prewriting for the Written Report:

The experiment that you have conducted and the information you have gathered should be used to write a

report of the experiment for future scientists to read. Your report should follow this basic outline:

I. Introduction

A. State how you arrived at this topic and why you did this experiment.

B. Tell what you have learned about God’s creation from conducting the experiment.

II. Body of Paragraph 1: Topic

A. Discuss your prior knowledge about this experiment prior to researching it.

B. Provide scientific research about this experiment or the things involved with doing it.

III. Body of Paragraph 2: Hypothesis

A. State the hypothesis you arrived at prior to beginning the experiment.

B. Why do you believe that your hypothesis will happen?

IV. Body of Paragraph 3: Variables

A. Identify the variables in your experiment that you can control and how you controlled them.

B. Identify the variables in your experiment that you cannot control and how they affected the

experiment.

V. Body of Paragraph 4: Procedures

A. Discuss the materials that you used to conduct the experiment.

B. Specifically explain the steps you followed in your experiment.

C. Describe how you collected your information and what procedures you used to do so.

VI. Body of Paragraph 5: Results

A. Explain in words the information found on your charts and graphs.

B. Interpret the data you collected and how it either supports or negates your hypothesis.

VII. Closing Paragraph: Conclusion

A. Restate the conclusion that you arrived at upon completing your experiment.

B. Explain in greater detail why you think it supports or rejects your hypothesis.

C. Discuss other ways to test your hypothesis or obtain different results by slightly changing your

experiment.

Rough Draft of the Written Report (Due March 13):

The rough draft of the written report should be a work in progress. This is where you have taken the

prewriting outline and have begun to put it in the form of a written report. You should go through the

rough draft to make corrections to spelling and grammar as well as any major thoughts you would like to

cut or add to the paper. The teacher should be able to see these types of editing by clicking through

previous versions of the file you are typing or by reading through the typed comments.

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Final Draft of the Written Report Final Draft (Due March 20):

The final draft of the written report is the finished copy telling in words the research and the experiment you

conducted for your science project. The report informs the viewer as to whether you actually know what you are

doing, and what really happened. Use this report to explain in detail your experiment and its results.

Proper grammar and sentence structure should be used in the writing of the paper. (Times New Roman font size 12)

Plagiarism is illegal and is a serious issue. If sources and quotations are not documented correctly and plagiarism is

found in the project the student will receive an automatic fail.

Reports should be typed and neatly bound in an attractive folder or binder (available for FREE from Faith).

The final draft should include:

A. Title Page – title of the project, your name, school, grade, and date

B. Written Report (Final draft) should be 400 words minimum

C. Bibliography Page - This page lists in alphabetical order the sources that you used to

research your project.

D. Acknowledgements – This can be on the same page as your Bibliography, but the point is to thank all

the individuals who assisted in research or development of the project. You should briefly explain how

the help was given.

Bibliography Help:

For assistance with properly writing bibliographies, the student may go to a website that has many

bibliographies prewritten for books, websites, and other works. A few website are: www.easybib.com or

www.citationmachine.net

Author’s Last Name, First. Title of the Book. City Published: Publisher, Year.

Bright, Kristen L. 50 Science Experiments for Kids. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999.

Citing a Website:

Web Address

www.nasa.kennedyspacecenter.gov

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Project Set Up and Presentation Project Set Up (Due March 28):

The final step of your project is to put together a display. This is a very important part of your project and should be

done in an eye-pleasing and eye-catching manner, with a splash of showmanship. Your display should attract people

to it. Make it a colorful, artistic, and above all, neat and complete display. Preparation of your display will include an

outer display board or digital presentation (you are responsible for all electronics) and inner exhibit materials.

OUTER DISPLAY UNIT: The display unit forms the background for the project. It should be built of sturdy

materials to provide a structure for a vertical display of graphs, charts, photographs, and other printed information.

Usually three-sided, it includes the name of the project as well as other information that is vital to observers.

Information placed on the display boards should flow in a left to right manner. That is your problem, research,

hypothesis, etc. should be on the left panel as you face the display board. The middle panel then might contain your

procedure and observations – graphs, charts, etc. Finally on the right panel you could display conclusions, additional

real-life applications, or topics for further research/experimentation.

Don’t be afraid to spice up your display with flashy paper, fonts, etc. Be artistic, creative, and informative!

INNER EXHIBIT MATERIALS: The exhibit materials consist of items collected or demonstrated by the student, a

set of apparatus, or the experiment the student carried out during his or her investigation. Display materials give the

science project a three-dimensional effect and allow others to observe the actual materials involved in the student’s

investigation.

The Written Report should be displayed on the table in front of the display board with your Exhibit Materials.

Presentation:

Students will give a short presentation to a panel of judges to explain their project. The presentation will be a brief

summary of what the students did in their project and what they learned as they explored their topic. The presentation

should be about 3 min in length. Students will be judged using the rubric on p. 17. Please practice the presentation

before the presentation day.

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Science Fair Presentation Rubric (for Faith and TELSS) Grades 4-8

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Science Fair Project Grading Rubric Grades 4-8

Name: __________________________________________________ Grade: _______________

Project Title: __________________________________________________________________________________

Rubric Scale: 5 – Excellent, 4 – Good, 3 – Average, 2 – Below Average, 1 – Poor, 0 – Not Complete

I. Scientific Thought (50 Points)

A. Problem or Purpose _______/5 - Problem is clearly stated.

B. Hypothesis _______/5 - Hypothesis is clearly stated.

C. Procedure _______/5 - Procedure is thorough and organized.

- Independent and Dependent Variables are identified.

D. Results _______/5 - Collection of data is thorough.

- Interpretation of data through charts and graphs is evident.

E. Conclusion _______/5 - Conclusion points to an acceptance or rejection

of the original hypothesis.

Sub Total: ________ x2

II. Written Report (15 Points)

A. Organization _______/5 - The report is well organized

B. Clear and Concise _______/5 - The report is easy to follow and gets to the point.

C. Understanding _______/5 - The report demonstrates scientific accuracy, and a clear

understanding of the project in the student’s own words.

Sub Total: ________

III. Display (15 Points)

A. Layout _______/5 - The layout of the project is neat and well organized.

B. Neatness _______/5 - The display is attractive and easy to read.

C. Creativity and Originality _______/5

- The display exhibits creativity and imagination. Sub Total: ________

Teacher Comments & Questions: Total Points Earned: _______/80

Letter Grade Earned: _______

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Appendix A

Identify and Control the Variables

What parts of the experiment do I control?

In a science experiment there are some variables you can control or change. There are

some that you cannot control or change. The Independent Variable is the part of the experiment

that you can control or change. The Dependent Variable is the part of the experiment that you

observe as a result of changing the independent variable.

What is an independent variable?

The independent variable is the one you change. To make sure you have a fair test, you

will have only one independent variable. As you change the independent variable, you will

observe what happens.

What is a dependent variable?

You will focus your observations on the dependent variable to see how it responds to the

change made to the independent variable.

For example, if you open a faucet (independent variable), the amount of water flowing

(dependent variable) will change by increasing in flow. There are often more than one

dependent variable in an experiment.

What is a controlled variable?

Controlled variables are quantities that you want to remain constant. For example, if you

want to measure how much water flows, it is important to keep the water pressure the same.

What are some examples of these variables?

Question to answer Independent variable

(What I change)

Dependent variable

(What I observe)

Controlled variables

(What I keep the same) 1) How much water

flows through a

faucet at a different

openings?

Water faucet opening

(closed, half open, fully

open)

Amount of water flowing

measured in liters per

minute

• The faucet

• Water pressure

2) Does fertilizer make a

plant grow bigger?

Amount of fertilizer

measured in grams • Growth of the plant

measured by its height

• Growth of the plant

measured by the number

of leaves

• (Other measures to

observe)

• Same type of fertilizer

• Same size pot

• Same type of plant in

each pot

• Same type and amount of

soil in each pot

• Same amount of water

and light

• Make measurements of

growth for each plant at

the same time

20

Question to answer Independent variable

(What I change)

Dependent variable

(What I observe)

Controlled variables

(What I keep the same) 3) How fast does a candle

burn?

Time measured in minutes Height of candle measured

in centimeters at regular

intervals of time (i.e. every

5 minutes)

• Use same type of candle

for every test

• Wind – make sure there

is none

4) Who listens to music

the most: Teenagers or

Parents

The groups receiving the

survey: Teenagers or Parents

The amount of time that

each person listens to music

per day measured in hours

• Ask the question in

exactly the same way to

each individual

21

Appendix B

Procedure of the Experiment

How will we find out the answer to our problem?

In order to find out the problem of your experiment, you will need to make a list of everything

that you will need. It is important that you be very precise so that you have an exact plan for

your experiment.

The exact plan is called the procedure. Think about the procedure carefully and then write it

down. The procedure is something that you will also want to be a visible part of your display at

the science fair, both in your report and on your display board. This procedure is the set of

directions by which any one can do your experiment the same way under the same conditions.

Never assume that someone else will know what you are doing. So be specific in telling how to

do the experiment.

A good procedure brings up the topic of variables. Appendix A discusses what the independent

and dependent variables.

Everything else in your experiment is a constant. A constant means just that; things will remain

the same every time your experiment is done.

Example Procedure:

I. Materials Needed: 2 – 16 quart pie pans

1 – pie pan filled with 4 quarts of water

1 – pie pan filled with 4 quarts of sand

2 – thermometers which measure degrees Celsius

2 – desk lamps with 60-watt light bulbs

II. Procedure: Step 1: Fill 1st pie pan with 4 quarts of water.

Step 2: Fill 2ns pie pan with 4 quarts of sand

Step 3: Place 1 thermometer into the pie pan filled with water.

Step 4: Place 1 thermometer into the pie pan filled with sand.

Step 5: Place first desk lamp next to the pie pan filled with

sand and adjust the bulb to sit 7 inches away from the

level of the sand.

Step 6: Place second desk lamp next to the pie pan filled with

water and adjust the bulb to sit 7 inches away from the

level of the water.

Note: You could place the lamp at varying distances away to measure how

the distance affects how fast each substance heats up.

Step 7: Record measurements from each pie pan at 0 minutes,

1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, & 5 minutes.

Step 8: Adjust distances of desk lamp from the level of each

Substance and take recordings at the same intervals.

Step 9: Interpret data collected from readings on a graph

displaying how time affects temperature.

Step 10: State the conclusion of the experiment based on data

collected and interpreted.

22

Appendix C

Collect and Interpret Data

Collect and Interpret Data: What Actually Happened?

All of the information that you gain from your experiment is called data. This data is best

displayed in chart form, or graph form on your science fair display board. This gives people a

brief picture of what it is that you did, what it is that happened, and what it is that you learned.

Every scientist’s graphs and charts may be done differently. Display you information in your

own type of chart or graph that visually displays the data that you collected:

Example Charts for Collecting Data:

Temperature of Sand and Water Time (Min) 0 1 2 3 4 5

Water 22 24 25 27 28 29

Sand 22 25 27 29 31 33

40

35 (sand)

30

Temperature 25 (water)

(Degrees Celsius) 20

15

10

5

0

1 min. 2 min. 3 min. 4 min. 5 min.

Example of Interpreting Data:

Through the collection of my data it appears that sand heats up faster than water.

Collecting Data: Using a separate sheet of paper, create a chart or graph showing the data

collected.

Interpreting Data: What does the data collected in your experiment tell you?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

23

Appendix D

State Your Conclusion & Parental Involvement Documentation

State Your Conclusion:

When you experiment is complete and your data collected, then you are ready to write your

conclusion. The conclusion will tell in words what your graphs and charts show you. It will also

tell if your data supports or rejects the hypothesis that you stated prior to beginning the

experiment. If your original hypothesis has been rejected, write a revised hypothesis for your

conclusion. DO NOT go back and rewrite your original hypothesis.

Example Conclusion:

After completing my experiment of attempting to find out which substance heats up faster, sand

or water, I have come to the conclusion that indeed sand does heat up faster than water.

State the Conclusion of Your Experiment:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Parental Involvement:

Explain below the amount of help your parents provided you as you completed your project.

This could include suggestions on possible experiments, trips to the store to gather materials,

assistance with dangerous or volatile chemicals, proofreading your written report, or

documenting your experiment by taking pictures of the process.

Documentation of Parental Involvement:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________