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Lowell Elementary

Science Fair

Tuesday, May 31, 2016 Friday, April 29: Science Fair packets distributed to

students. Timelines discussed in class.

Week of May 23-26: Completed display boards due in

class. Students present projects to classmates.

Tuesday, May 31, 6:00-7:30pm: Families and guests

are invited to attend the Lowell Science Fair.

Wednesday, June 1: All-School Fair. Classroom tours of

displays throughout the day.

Thursday, April 30, 2020 Monday, March 30: Science Fair packets distributed to

Thursday, April 30, 6:00-7:30pm

Friday, May 1st : All-School Fair. Classroom tours of

Week of April 28-29

: Families and guests

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Table of Contents

The Scientific Project Flowchart…………………………………… 3

Project Timeline & Checklist………………………………………… 4

Give Credit Where Credit is Due………………………………….. 7

How to Make a Data Table………………………………………….. 8

How to Make a Bar Graph…………………………………………… 9

How to Make a Line Graph………………………………………… 10

Writing a Conclusion in Science…………………………………. 11

Science Fair Student Project Packet…………………………… 12

Display Board Rubric………………………………………………… 19

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Lowell Elementary Science Fair

Project Timeline & Checklist

Due Date

________

Share this packet with your family. Have a parent or guardian sign the cover.

Due Date

________

Choose a topic.

Pick something that you are interested in.

Ask your family or classmates for ideas.

Think about something that you already know a little about.

Consider the types of materials you already have at your home, at school,

or that you will be able to find or purchase.

Think about the questions you have about the world around you. What

are you wondering about?

Is there something that you have studied in school that you would like to

explore further?

You may use books or websites to help you decide on a topic. A list of both is

available at the back of this packet.

Due Date

________

Form a question.

You must come up with a question that can be made into a testable and

measurable investigation. The Science Fair is not the place for displays or

demonstrations (i.e., no volcano demonstrations). Remember that you will be

following the steps of the scientific method. Also, keep in mind that your project

should:

Follow common safety procedures

Have the approval of your teacher and parents

Use materials that are readily available

Avoid flames, live animals, and dangerous chemicals

Due Date

________

Share your question with your teacher.

Together you will discuss the feasibility of your project idea. Be ready to adjust

and refine your question.

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Due Date

________

Conduct background research.

Use books and websites to develop a clear understanding of your topic. Keep of

list of your sources for the bibliography.

Due Date

________

Construct a hypothesis /prediction.

Your hypothesis should take the following “cause and effect” form:

I believe that if (manipulated variable)_____________then (responding

variable)______________because________________.

Due Date

________

Create a list of materials.

Your list should include any equipment you will need, as well as the “ingredients” of your project. Plan to review this list with your parents or guardians to

determine whether you will need to purchase or borrow any materials. Although

you do not need to include the decorative materials for your display board in

your list of materials, it is a good idea to create a separate list of these items so

that you will have them available when it is time to create your display. Set a

date to go shopping with your family.

Due Date

________

Define the variables.

1) Controlled Variable: this is what will be kept the same. For example, if

someone is testing the effect of light on plant growth, the controlled variables

would be the soil, the seeds, the amount of water, and the temperature of the

environment. These would remain the same for all test subjects.

2) Manipulated Variable: this is what will be changed during the experiment. In

the above example, only the amount of light would vary among the test subjects.

3) Responding Variable: this is what is measured. The amount of growth of each

of the test plants would be measured in the above experiment.

Due Date

Develop your procedure (steps for testing).

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________ Your written procedure should be a detailed, sequential list of the steps you will

take to test your hypothesis. Write it so that another student could recreate your

experiment and obtain the same results, just by following your procedure and

using the list of materials.

Your procedure should also make reference to safety precautions and concerns.

Due Date

________

Perform your experiment!

Have your parents’/guardians’ permission before you begin. Make multiple trials or have several test subjects.

Be ready to record observations and data.

Measure your results.

If possible, document your progress with photographs.

Due Date

________

Results/Data Analysis

This is your record of what actually happened in your experiment. Your results

should be displayed on a table and graph. You should also write a paragraph or

two to provide a narrative account of your work. Drawings or photographs that

illustrate the progress of your experiments should be included in this section.

Due Date

________

Conclusion

Analyze your data and make a conclusion.

Your conclusion should provide a statement regarding whether or not you accept

or reject your hypothesis and explain why this is so. Remember that many

scientists wind up disproving their hypothesis.

Due Date

________

Create your display

Use the information in this packet to design your display. Each student will need

one cardboard tri-fold display board. Make sure your display has all of the

required elements and is colorful and neatly constructed.

May 31 Lowell Elementary Science Fair 2016

6:00 – 7:30pm

Lowell Elementary Science Fair 2020April 30th

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Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Before starting your science experiment, you’ll need to do some research to learn more about your project idea. For this you can go to the library, search the Internet, or even interview an expert. No matter where you go to gather information, you’ll need to keep track of your sources and take good notes. Below are some rules to giving credit to your sources.

If you get information from:

1. a Website, write down the author or editor of the source (if given), title of the

document or posting, name of the institution sponsoring the Web site, date

when you visited the Web site, and the URL. (Note: If the URL is very long, list

the URL of the Web site’s search page.) For example: Amusement Park

Physics. Annenberg Media. 18 December 2006.

<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/index.html>

2. a CD-ROM encyclopedia, write down the subject, the name of the program,

the name of the supplier, and the year of publication. For example: “Plant Distribution.” Encarta. Microsoft, 1999.

3. a book, write down the author’s name, book title, place of publication, copyright date, pages that you read. For example: Berger, Melvin and Gilda.

Why Don’t Haircuts Hurt? New York: Scholastic, 1998: 4–6

4. a magazine, write down the author’s name, title of the article, title of the magazine, issue date, the volume and issue number, and page numbers. For

example: Bryner, Jeanna. “Catch the Wave.” SuperScience. May 2006,

Vol.17, Iss.8: 6–9

5. a newspaper, write down the author’s name, title of the article, title of the newspaper, edition date, and page numbers. For example: Hellmich, Nanci.

“Study Suggests Eating Slowly Translates to Eating Less.” USA Today,

11/16/2006, D.5

6. an encyclopedia, author (if given), the subject, name of encyclopedia, date

of publication. For example: Adams, Clark E. “Hamster.” The World Book

Encyclopedia, 2001.

7. an interview, name of the person interviewed, kind of interview (for example,

in person, phone interview, e-mail interview), and the date. For example:

Stephen Hawking, e-mail interview, 11/3/06

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TABLES, GRAPHS, AND CHARTS

How to Make a Data Table

Data tables keep your experiment results organized. Here are the steps to making a data table:

1 On a plain sheet of paper, use a ruler to draw a data table like the one shown

below.

2 Give your table a title that describes your variables (“The Effect of Different Types of Movies on Heart Rate”).

3 Label the column on the left as the independent variable (Type of Movie).

Underneath, list each type of movie you used for the independent variable (Drama,

Comedy, Horror).

4 Label the columns to the right as the dependent variable (Heart Rate [beats per

minute]). Draw boxes under these columns in which you can record the result of each trial

for each independent variable.

5 Include a column to record the average result for each independent variable. To

calculate the average result for each independent variable, just add the results of all trials

for a particular independent variable. Then divide the total by the number of trials. Repeat

this for the remaining independent variables.

The Effect of Different Types of Movies on Heart Rate

Type of Movie Heart Rate (beats per minute)

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Drama 89

90 91 90

Comedy 92

92 95 93

Horror 104

99 100 101

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Writing a Conclusion in Science

3 parts to a science conclusion (3CPAS)

Prediction

Restate your prediction

Example:

According to my results the prediction I made was… __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Assess your data

Study your data chart or table.

You will want to explain which pieces of information told you that your prediction was right or wrong.

Compare the high and the low numbers from the data chart.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Summary

Include the important information (numbers) from your data table by comparing those numbers.

One way to do this is to find the difference between the numbers.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Combine all parts for you completed conclusion

Do the math

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Student Name: _____________________________________________

Project Title: _______________________________________________

Lowell Science Fair 2016

Project Packet

Lowell Science Fair 2020

Project Packet

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Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Project topic: _________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Project title: __________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

1) Question: I plan to answer the following question with the results of my experiment. This

question will be testable and measurable.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2) Research: I used the following sources (books, magazines, encyclopedias, websites) to find out

more information about my topic. I will use “Give Credit Where Credit is Due” on page 7 to

properly record my sources for a bibliography.

1. __________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________________

6. __________________________________________________________________

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3) Variables:

a. Manipulated (independent) variable, or the thing I plan to change is:

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________

b. Responding (dependent) variable, or the thing I will be measuring is:

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________

c. Controlled variable, or what I will be keeping the same is/are:

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________

4) Hypothesis: My hypothesis, or prediction, will state what I believe will be the outcome of

my experiment. I will write it in an “If (manipulated variable)…then (responding

variable)….because….” form.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

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5) Materials: I will list all the supplies and equipment that are needed to perform my tests

and make notes about those which need to be purchased or borrowed. I have talked to my

family about setting aside time to gather/buy these materials. Parent’s initials

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________________________

6. _________________________________________________________________

7. _________________________________________________________________

8. _________________________________________________________________

9. _________________________________________________________________

10. _________________________________________________________________

11. _________________________________________________________________

12. _________________________________________________________________

13. _________________________________________________________________

14. _________________________________________________________________

15. _________________________________________________________________

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5) Procedure/Steps for testing: I will create a detailed, sequential list of the steps for

testing my hypothesis.

1. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

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8. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

9. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

10. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

11. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

12. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

13. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

14. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

15. ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

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16. Results/Data Analysis: I will use a table or graph to collect and record all of the

data from my experiment. My table or graph will reflect the fact that I have

performed several trials or have used several test subjects. My graphs will indicate

the system of measurement that I used to assess the responding variable. I will

attach the graph to this journal and have a duplicate graph on my display board.

17. Conclusion: Based on my observations and my analysis of the data I collected, I will

be able to come to a conclusion about my hypothesis. It will be possible to accept

or reject my hypothesis. I will also write a brief summary paragraph to describe my

findings. Use the guidelines on page 11 of the packet as you write your conclusion.

Statement:___________________________________________________________

____

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Display Board Rubric

Description of Standard Does Not Meet

Standard (1)

Meets some of the

standards (2)

Meets the Standard

(3)

Exceeds the Standard

(4)

Testable Question (Responding and Manipulated

variables needed)

The testable question is

not present OR the

question is not a

testable question

The testable question

does not include both

the manipulated and

responding variables

The testable question

includes both the

manipulated and

responding variables

Hypothesis/Prediction

The prediction for the

testable question is

missing

The prediction for the

testable question does

not include reasons for

the prediction or is

vague and unclear

The prediction for the

testable question

includes reasons for the

prediction

Variables: (Controlled Manipulated &

Responding)

All variables identified

incorrectly

One or two variables

are identified correctly

All three variables are

identified correctly Procedure No step by step

instructions are

included

Step by step questions

are included but are

incomplete or unclear

Step by step

instructions are

included and are clear

enough that others

could do the

investigation

Step by step instructions

are included; others could

complete the

investigation; extra details

are added

Materials Materials list is missing Material list is

incomplete

Material list is complete

and includes and

includes a list of tool

needed for gathering

data

Results (Communicating knowledge through

charts and graphs)

The data Or

observations are

missing

The data or

observations are

shown, but are not

clear or are incomplete

OR are not organized

in a table, graph, or

chart

The data or

observations are clearly

organized using table,

graphs, charts, or

illustrations

Trials Experiment was

performed only one

time

Experiment was

performed two times

Experiment was

performed three times

Experiment was

performed more than

three times

Conclusion

Conclusion is missing The conclusion is

stated but does not

include supporting

details from the

experiment

The conclusion is stated

and includes supporting

details from the

experiment

The conclusion is stated,

includes supporting details

and predicts what logically

might occur if an

investigation lasted longer

or was changed

Workmanship The project reflects

little time or effort

The project is

acceptable but reflects

little time or effort

The project has eye

appeal and quality;

Shows time and effort

The display is outstanding,

flawless and shows time

and effort

Scores 30-3127-2923-261-22

Project title________________________

Name(s)__________________________ Score: _____/31