I appreciate your assistance, and look forward to a rewarding school year. Mr. Barnes I have read and understand the preceding letter and the attached information concerning the Science Fair Project. Please sign below and return. __________________________________________________ _________________ Parent signature Date ____________________________________________________ __________________ Student signature Date International Science and Engineering Fair The science fair project is mandatory for all students enrolled in the honors science program. It is one component in a rigorous course study designed to prepare the student for Advanced Placement (AP) science courses in high school, as well as college and workforce positions after graduation. The science fair is operated under the guidelines of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Their website can be accessed by the link below. From this website you can access the official guidelines, rules, and documents that your student will be completing as he/she proceeds through the project. I encourage you to visit this site for more information about the science fair process and ideas for projects. Throughout this semester your child will bring home forms from this site that will need to be completed before he/she can continue with the project. If your student loses a form or this science fair package of information, a link to all this information can be accessed at the RCPS science website by visiting- on Science Fair, click on Science Fair Forms, Science Fair Project Timeline Name: ________________________ Block_____ Parent signature verifies you have seen this form and understand that a project is required for honors students. Turn this form in by September 27th. Points will be deducted for late work (3/4 credit for one day late; 1/2 credit for second day late, no credit third day late). The final paper and experiment project are not accepted late and will receive a zero if late.
___________________________________________ _____________________ Parent Signature Date Task to be completed What is due Due Date Date In Grade Parent Signature of Timeline Signed Timeline Friday September 18 Topic Due Project Approval Form DUE Friday October 2 Research Paper Due 2-3 page paper based on background research of your topic – typed and printed Friday October 9 Forms 1 and 1B Must have forms 1 and 1B Friday October 9 Form 1A and Research Plan Research Plan – typed and printed Friday October 16 Experiment begins Experiments should begin no later than this date Monday, November 14 EDD Experimental Design Diagram – typed and printed Wednesday November 26 Research Paper Due 1-3 page paper based on background research of your topic – typed and printed Wednesday, December 3 Results in a graph format and Conclusions – typed and printed Data tables, graphs and conclusions Friday, December 5 Science Fair board Science fair board must be completed Friday, December 12 Fixes Any changes to the science fair Thursday, January 14 Science Fair Student must be present after school for judging Wednesday, January 21
Choosing a Project Your project CAN NOT involve animals with a backbone or mold. Your project must be approved by your teacher before you begin work Human projects require additional approval. Your project should have relevance to the around us (i.e. water quality) and/or be something that interests you. Places to look for a project idea: Science books Science Magazines Internet sources (google science fair projects) Library A good project will allow for experimentation NOT demonstration. For example a project on “How Volcanoes Erupt” does not allow the student to experiment; he is just doing a demonstration on how a volcano erupts. A topic such as: “The Effect of Chemical Fertilizers on Bean Plants” allows the student to experiment with different amounts of fertilizer on the growth of plants. Project has a Problem The problem of the project is what you are going to experiment on. For example: The problem of this project is to determine if fertilizer makes a difference in plant growth. Every Project has a Purpose The purpose of the project will explain what you tried to discover in your experiment. For example: The purpose of this project is to determine if fertilizer makes plants grow taller. Hypothesis: is a possible explanation as to what will happen in an experiment. Your experiment does not have to prove your hypothesis correct. Remember Thomas Edison experimented nearly 2000 times before discovering what would work in a light bulb. The hypothesis will be stated in an “if”, “then” statement. For example: If chemical fertilizer is to a bean plant then the plant will grow taller.
** On the following pages are several forms that a judge may use when evaluating your project. These forms are included to give you an idea of questions the judge may ask and what items the judge will be looking for when he/she is evaluating your project. Science Fair Grading Rubric Category: ____________________________ Project# ___________________ Project Title: _____________________________________ 0 1 2 3 Score Scientific Title No title Incomplete title: does not include “The Effect of..” Complete, but does not correctly list the variables in the Complete and includes correct variables in title Problem None present Incomplete problem Problem not clearly stated Problem clearly stated Research Question stated in purpose None present Incomplete research question Research question not clearly stated Complete research question clearly stated Hypothesis None present Incomplete hypothesis; no if /then Hypothesis present, uses if/then Well written, testable hypothesis Independent variable (IV) No IV present Incomplete IV Complete IV, but units of measure are not included Complete IV, includes units of measure Dependent Variable (DV) None present Incomplete DV Complete DV, but method of measurement and not included Complete DV, including method of measurement and Constants None present List of constants lacking factors that should be constant List of constants lacking minor factors that should be constant Complete list of factors that should be constant Procedures None listed List of procedures lacking major steps List of procedures lacking minor steps or not listed step by step Complete list of procedures, listed step by step Materials None listed List of materials lacking many items needed to complete the experiment List of materials lacking 3 or less items, needs amounts and quantities such as mass, volume, etc. Metric units not used Complete list of materials needed to complete the experiment, includes amounts and quantities in metric units Data Tables None present Data tables incomplete or insufficient data collect, does not Sufficient data collected, has trials but data tables do not include averages or metric units Sufficient data collected, has trials, data tables contain averages and metric units
include minimum of 5 trials Charts and Graphs None present Charts/graphs not clearly presented Charts/graphs present, but missing title and / or axes titles. One or more not computer generated. Charts/graphs present, contain all necessary titles and all are computer generated. Conclusions None present Incomplete conclusions, results not stated or not related to the hypothesis Conclusions present, states whether or not the hypothesis is supported by the results Conclusions and summary remarks were clearly justified by the experimental data 0 1 2 3 Score Discussion: (may be with conclusion) None present Incomplete discussion- no application of ides, no suggestions for improvement, and no ideas for future research Conclusions present but does not address one or more of the following: application of suggestions for improvement, or ideas for future research Conclusion addresses all of the following: application of ideas, suggestions for improvement, and ideas for future research Log Book None present Log book incomplete. Research data not recorded. Log book present, data collection can be noted, but units missing or incomplete. Excellent log book. Data collection easily interpreted. Data collection is dated, units and observations present. Project Notebook None present Incomplete book Notebook is complete but not organized well. Notebook is complete and well organized. Copy of research paper is included. Bibliography None present Bibliography incomplete; 5 sources not present Bibliography complete (5 sources: one encyclopedia, book, internet and 2 or choice) but formatting incorrect Bibliography complete (all 5 sources) and format correct Visual Display Poor display: lacking pictures drawing tables graphs Fair display lacking 2 of the following: pictures, color, computer generated tables and graphs Good display lacking 1 of the following: pictures, color, computer generated tables and graphs Exemplary display that includes pictures, computer generated tables and graphs Practical Application None present A practical application can be inferred but it is not clearly stated in the discussion. A practical application is stated but not explained. A practical application for this project is clearly stated and explained how this experiment can help. TOTAL SCORE Judges comments and suggestions for improvement.