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Results from the 2009 Science Fair 

Villa Walsh Academy SCIENCE FAIR GUIDE 


 VWA SCIENCE FAIR 2009-2010
Project Calendar

Please hand in all materials to your science teacher according to the following schedule.

Monday, Oct. 5, 2009   Deadline for project proposal, preliminary bibliography
                                           and proposed project title.

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009      Deadline for introduction and experiment sections of the
                                           project report.
                                           Click here for downloading the experiment rubric.
                                           It must be completed and handed in by this date.

Friday, Dec. 11, 2009       Deadline for preliminary data and finalized project title.
                                           Click here to download form for recording data

Friday, Jan.22, 2010       Deadline for final data and conclusion sections of the
                                           project report.

Wednesday, Jan.27, 2010  The date of the Science fair. The fair is held in the
                                           evening, at 6pm. The snow date will be the next day.
                                           Displays may be set up the day of the science fair.

Project Proposal:              Please submit your project proposal on the form provided.
                                           It should be brief, but should contain enough information
                                           so that your teacher understands what you plan to do
                                           and how you plan to do it.

Project Report:                  Please read the "Science Fair Guide" (below) for details
                                           on how to prepare the report. 


Forms:
Science Fair proposal
Science Fair - preliminary data sheet
Science Fair experiment rubric
Final Analysis & Presentation


SCIENCE FAIR GUIDE

This guide is adapted from "A Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects" by Janice VanCleave.  It was taken from the science fair central website http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral .

Scientific Method

A science project is an investigation using the scientific method to discover the answer to a scientific problem. Before starting your project, you need to understand the scientific method. This section uses examples to illustrate and explain the basic steps of the scientific method. The scientific method is the "tool" that scientists use to find the answers to questions. It is the process of thinking through the possible solutions to a problem and testing each possibility to find the best solution. The scientific method involves the following steps: doing research, identifying the problem, stating a hypothesis, conducting project experimentation, and reaching a conclusion.


Research
Research is the process of collecting information from your own experiences, knowledgeable sources, and data from exploratory experiments. Your first research is used to select a project topic. This is called topic research. For example, you observe a black growth on bread slices and wonder how it got there. Because of this experience, you decide to learn more about mold growth. Your topic will be about fungal reproduction.

After you have selected a topic, you begin what is called project research. This is research to help you understand the topic, express a problem, propose a hypothesis, and design one or more project experiments designed to test the hypothesis. The result of this experiment and other research give you the needed information for the next step of identifying the problem.

Do use many references from printed sources like books, journals, magazines, and newspaper, as well as electronic sources like computer software and online services.

Do gather information from professional instructors, librarians, and scientists, such as physicians and veterinarians.

Do perform other exploratory experiment related to your topic.

Problem
The problem is the scientific question to be solved. It is best expressed as an "open-ended" question, which is a question that is answered with a statement, not just a yes or a no.  For example, "How does light affect the reproduction of bread mold on white bread?"

Do limit your problem.

Do choose a problem that can be solved experimentally.


Hypothesis
A hypothesis is an idea about the solution to a problem, based on knowledge and research. While the hypothesis is a single statement, it is the key to a successful project. All of your project research is done with the goal of expressing a problem, proposing an answer to it (the hypothesis), and designing project experimentation. Then all of your project experimenting will be performed to test the hypothesis. The hypothesis should make a claim about how two factors relate.

Do state facts from past experiences or observations on which you base your hypothesis.

Do write down your hypothesis before beginning the project experimentation.

Don't change your hypothesis even if experimentation does not support it. If time permits, repeat or redesign the experiment to confirm your results.

Project Experimentation
Project experimentation is the process of testing a hypothesis. The things that have an effect on the experiment are called variables. There are three kinds of variables that you need to identify in your experiments: independent, dependent, and controlled.

The independent variable is the variable you purposely manipulate (change). The dependent variable is the variable that is being observed, which changes in response to the independent variable. The variables that are not changed are called controlled variables.

Do have only one independent variable during an experiment.

Do repeat the experiment more than once to verify your results.

Do have a control.

Do have more than one control, with each being identical.

Do organize data.


Project Conclusion
The project conclusion is a summary of the results of the project experimentation and a statement of how the results relate to the hypothesis. Reasons for experimental results that are contrary to the hypothesis are included. If applicable, the conclusion can end by giving ideas for further testing.

If your results do not support your hypothesis:

DON'T change your hypothesis.

DON'T leave out experimental results that do not support your hypothesis.

DO give possible reasons for the difference between your hypothesis and the experimental results.

DO give ways that you can experiment further to find a solution.

Topic Research

Keep a Journal
Purchase a bound notebook to serve as your journal. This notebook should contain topic and project research. It should contain not only your original ideas but also ideas you get from printed sources or from people. It should also include descriptions of your exploratory and project experiments as well as diagrams, graphs, and written observations of all your results.

Every entry should be as neat as possible and dated. A neat, orderly journal provides a complete and accurate record of your project from start to finish, and it can be used to write your project report. It is also proof of the time you spent searching out the answers to the scientific mystery you undertook to solve. You will want to display the journal with your completed project.

 

Selecting a Topic
Obviously you want to get an A+ on your project, win awards at the science fair, and learn many new things about science. Some or all of these goals are possible, but to reach them you will have to spend a lot of time working on your project, so choose a topic that interests you. It is best to pick a topic and stick with it, but if you find after some work that your topic is not as interesting as you originally thought, stop and select another one. Because it takes time to develop a good project, it is unwise to repeatedly jump from one topic to another. You may in fact decide to stick with your original idea even if it is not as exciting as you had expected. You might just uncover some very interesting facts that you didn't know.

Remember that the objective of a science project is to learn more about science. Your project doesn't have to be highly complex to be successful. You can develop an excellent project that answers very basic and fundamental questions about an event or situation encountered on a daily basis.

 

Three Steps to a Topic

So you've decided to enter the science fair, but you're not sure where to begin. The first step, coming up with your project idea, could be the most important. Just remember, you'll have a lot more fun (and probably learn more) if you start with a topic that interests you! Here are a few hints for coming up with a project idea:

1. Think of a topic you're interested in.

2. Of course, you could develop a hundred projects on any one of those topics. Now try to focus on one aspect of one topic in particular.

3. Now use this same idea, but be more specific. What would you really like to figure out or show? Think of the most exact information you can discover and be very specific. In science, information has to be exact if it's really going to matter.

 


 

Research a Topic

While you're choosing a topic, take advantage of all the resources around you. Here are just a few suggestions for finding the perfect project topic.

Look Closely at the World Around You
You can turn everyday experiences into a project topic by using the "exploring" question "I wonder...?"

There are an amazing number of comments stated and questions asked by you and those around you each day that could be used to develop science project topics.

Choose a Topic from Your Experience
Having a cold is not pleasant, but you could use this "distasteful" experience as a means of selecting a project topic.

Find a Topic in Science Magazines
Don't expect topic ideas in science magazines to include detailed instructions on how to perform experiments and design displays. What you can look for are facts that interest you and that lead you to ask exploring questions.

Select a Topic from a Book on Science Fair Projects or Science Experiments
Science fair project books can provide you with many different topics to choose from.

Topic Categories

Listed here are common science fair categories with a brief description of each. The categories are:

Astronomy:
The study of the solar system, stars, and the universe.

 

Biology:
The study of living things.

  1. Botany:The study of plants and plant life. Subtopics may include the following:
    • Anatomy:The study of the structure of plants, such as cells and seed structure.
    • Behaviorism:The study of actions that alter the relationship between a plant and its environment.
    • Physiology:The study of life processes of plants, such as propagation, germination, and transportation of nutrients.
  2. Zoology:The study of animals and animal life. Subtopics may include the following:
    • Anatomy:The study of the structure and use of animal body parts, including vision and hearing.
    • Behaviorism:The study of actions that alter the relationship between an animal and its environment.
    • Physiology:The study of life processes of animals, such as molting, metamorphosis, digestion, reproduction, and circulation.
  3. Ecology:The study of the relationships of living things to other living things and to their environment.
  4. Microbiology:The study of microscopic living things or parts of living things.

Earth science:
The study of the Earth.

  1. Geology:The study of the Earth, including the composition of its layers, its crust, and its history. Subtopics may include the following:
    • Fossils/Archeology:Remnants or traces of prehistoric life forms preserved in the Earth's crust.
    • Mineralogy:The study of the composition and formation of minerals.
    • Rocks:Solids made up of one or more minerals.
    • Seismology:The study of earthquakes.
    • Volcanology:The study of volcanoes.
  2. Meteorology:The study of weather, climate, and the Earth's atmosphere.
  3. Oceanography:The study of the oceans and marine organisms. 
  4. Paleontology:The study of prehistoric life forms.

Engineering:
The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.

 

Physical science:
The study of matter and energy.

  1. Chemistry:The study of the materials that substances are made of and how they change and combine.
  2. Physics:The study of forms of energy and the laws of motion. Subtopics include studies in the following areas:
    • Electricity:The form of energy associated with the presence and movement of electric charges.
    • Energy:The capacity to do work.
    • Gravity:The force that pulls celestial bodies, such as planets and moons, toward each other; the force that pulls things on or near a celestial body toward its center.
    • Magnetism:The force of attraction or repulsion between magnetic poles, and the attraction that magnets have for magnetic materials.

Mathematics:
The use of numbers and symbols to study amounts and forms.

 


 

Project Research

After you have completed the topic research and selected a topic, you are ready to begin your project research. This research is generally more thorough than topic research. Project research is the process of collecting information from knowledgeable sources, such as books, magazines, software, librarians, teachers, parents, scientists, or other professionals. It is also data collected from exploratory experimentation. Read widely on the topic you selected so that you understand it and know about the findings of others. Be sure to give credit where credit is due and record all information and data in your journal.

How successful you are with your project will depend largely on how well you understand your topic. The more you read and question people who know something about your topic, the broader your understanding will be. As a result, it will be easier for you to explain your project to other people, especially a science fair judge.

Use Your Research
After you have completed your project research, you are ready to use the information and data collected to express the problem, propose a hypothesis, and design and perform one or more project experiments. The project research will also be useful in writing the project report.

Project Report

Your report is the written record of your entire project from start to finish. When read by a person unfamiliar with your project, the report should be clear and detailed enough for the reader to know exactly what you did, why you did it, what the results were, whether or not the experimental evidence supported your hypothesis, and where you got your research information. This written document is your spokesperson when you are not present to explain your project, but more than that, it documents all your work.

Much of the report will be copied from your journal. By recording everything in your journal as the project progresses, all you need to do in preparing the report is to organize and neatly copy the journal's contents. Neatly and colorfully prepare tables, graphs, and diagrams. If possible, use a computer to prepare some or all of these data displays.

Generally, a project report should be typewritten, double-spaced, and bound in a folder or notebook. It should contain a title page, a table of contents, an abstract, an introduction, an experiment section, a data section, a conclusion, a list of sources, and acknowledgments.

Title Page

The title should be attention-getting. It should capture the theme of the project but should not be the same as the problem question.


 

Table of Contents

The second page of your report is the table of contents. It should contain a list of everything in the report that follows the contents page.

Abstract

The abstract is a brief overview of the project. It should not be more than one page and should include the project title, a statement of the purpose, a hypothesis, a brief description of the procedure, and the results. There is no one way to write an abstract, but it should be brief. 

Introduction

The introduction is a statement of your purpose, along with background information that led you to make this study. It should contain a brief statement of your hypothesis based on your research. In other words, it should state what information or knowledge you had that led you to hypothesize the answer to the project's problem question. Make references to information or experiences that led you to choose the project's purpose.

Experiment

List each project experiment in the experiment section of the report. Experiments should include the problem of the experiment, followed first by a list of the materials used and the amount of each, then by the procedural steps in outline or paragraph form. Write the experiments so that anyone could follow them and expect to get the same results.

Data

Following each experiment, include all the measurements you took and all the observations you made during each experiment. Graphs, tables, and charts created from your data should be labeled and, if possible, colorful. If there is a large amount of data, you may choose to put most of it in an appendix, which can be placed in a separate binder or notebook. If you do separate the material, place a summary of the data in the data section of the report.

  Conclusion

The conclusion summarizes, in about one page or less, what you discovered based on your experimental results. The conclusion states the hypothesis and indicates whether the data supports it. The conclusion can also include a brief description of plans for exploring ideas for future experiments.

Sources

Sources are the places where you obtained information, including all of the written materials as well as the people you have interviewed.

For the written materials, write a bibliography. List people that you interviewed, separately, in alphabetical order by last name


Acknowledgments

Even though technically your project is to be your work alone, it is permissible to have some help. The acknowledgments is not a list of names, but a short paragraph stating the names of people who helped you and how.

Note that when listing family members or relatives, it is generally not necessary to include their names.

The Display

Your science fair display represents all the work that you have done. It should consist of a backboard, the project report, and anything that represents your project, such as models made, items studied, photographs, surveys, and the like. It must tell the story of the project in such a way that it attracts and holds the interest of the viewer. It has to be thorough, but not too crowded, so keep it simple.

A three-sided backboard is usually the best way to display your work. Sturdy cardboard or other heavy material is easier to work with and is less likely to be damaged during transportation to the fair. Wooden panels can be cut and hinged together. Some office supply stores sell inexpensive premade backboards. If these are not available in your area, you can order inexpensive premade backboards from science supply companies. Purchased backboards generally come in two colors, black and white. You can use a different color by covering the backboard with self-stick, colored shelving paper or cloth. For items placed on the backboard, select colors that stand out but don't distract the viewer from the material being presented. For example, if everything is in fluorescent colors, the bright colors, instead of your work, will be what catches the eye.

The title and other headings should be neat and large enough to be read at a distance of about 3 feet (1 m). A short title is often eye-catching. You can purchase, at office supply stores, self-sticking letters of various sizes and colors for the title and headings and stick them to the backboard. You can cut your own letters out of construction paper or stencil the letters for all the headings directly onto the backboard. You can also use a word processor to print the title and other headings.

Some teachers have set rules about the position of the information on the backboard. The following headings are examples: Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment (materials and procedure), Data, Results, Conclusion, and Next Time. The project title should go at the top of the center panel, and the remaining material needs to be placed neatly in some order. The figure below shows one way of placing the material. The heading "Next Time," though not always required, may be included if desired. It would follow the conclusion and contain a brief description of plans for future development of the project. You could include this information in the conclusion rather than under a separate heading.

You want a display that the judges will remember positively. So before you glue everything down, lay the board on a flat surface and arrange the materials a few different ways. This will help you decide on the most suitable and attractive presentation.

Do's and Don'ts

Do use computer-generated graphs.

Do display photos representing the procedure and the results.

Do use contrasting colors.

Do limit the number of colors used.

Do display models when applicable. If possible, make the models match the color scheme of the backboard.

Do attach charts neatly. If there are many, place them on top of each other so that the top chart can be lifted to reveal the ones below.

Do balance the arrangement of materials on the backboard. This means evenly distributing the materials on the board so that they cover about the same amount of space on each panel.

Do use rubber cement or double-sided tape to attach papers. White school glue causes the paper to wrinkle.

Don't leave large empty spaces on the backboard.

Don't leave the table in front of the backboard empty. Display your models (if any), report, copies of your abstract, and your journal here.

Don't hang electrical equipment on the backboard so that the electric cord runs down the front of the backboard.

Don't make the title or headings hard to read by using uneven lettering, words with letters of different colors, or disorganized placement of materials.

Don't hand-print the letters on the backboard.

Don't attach folders that fall open on the backboard.

Don't make mistakes in spelling words or writing formulas

Presentation and Evaluation

Practicing an oral presentation will be helpful for the science fair itself. The judges give points for how clearly you are able to discuss the project and explain its purpose, procedure, results, and conclusion. The display should be organized so that it explains everything, but your ability to discuss your project and answer the questions of the judges convinces them that you did the work and understand what you have done. Practice a speech in front of friends, and invite them to ask questions. If you do not know the answer to a question, never guess or make up an answer or just say "I don't know." Instead, say that you did not discover that answer during your research, and then offer other information that you found of interest about the project. Be proud of the project, and approach the judges with enthusiasm about your work.

Judging Information
Most fairs have similar point systems for judging a science fair project. A student should receive more points for accomplishing the following:

  1. Project Objectives
    • Presenting original ideas
    • Stating the problem clearly
    • Defining the variables and using controls
    • Relating background reading to the problem
  2. Project Skills
    • Being knowledgeable about equipment used
    • Performing the experiments with little or no assistance except as required for safety
    • Demonstrating the skills required to do all the work necessary to obtain the data reported
  3. Data Collection
    • Using a journal to collect data and research
    • Repeating the experiment to verify the results
    • Spending an appropriate amount of time to complete the project
    • Having measurable results
  4. Data Interpretation
    • Using tables, graphs, and illustrations in interpreting data
    • Using research to interpret data collected
    • Collecting enough data to make a conclusion
    • Using only data collected to make a conclusion
  5. Project Presentation (Written Materials, Interviews, Displays)
    • Having a complete and comprehensive report
    • Answering questions accurately
    • Using the display during oral presentation
    • Justifying conclusions on the basis of experimental data
    • Summarizing what was learned
    • Presenting a display that shows creative ability and originality
    • Presenting an attractive and interesting display