What is a Science Fair Project? (Note – Some information in this handout comes, from So You Have to do a Science Fair Project by Joyce Hendersen and Heather Tomasello and Science Fair Success Secrets by Bill Haduch) What it isn’t

• A report • An experiment • A demonstration

What it is (it has the following parts):

• A question or problem • A hypothesis • Two experiments – an experiment that tests your question and a control

experiment.

Steps in a Science Fair Project Step #1 – You must have a question or problem you are going to solve. Step #2 – Research your question or problem to find out what information is available. Step #3 – Develop a hypothesis (the hypothesis is what you believe is the answer to your question.) Step #4 – Experiment. You design two experiments. The first experiment is designed to test your hypothesis. The second experiment is the control experiment. The control experiment is done under different conditions than the experiment. You also record your data (observations and results) while doing your experiments. Step #5 – Analyzing your results. You look at the results from your experiments and come to a conclusion. Step #6 – Conclusion. This is the step where you decide: “My hypothesis is correct because …” or “My hypothesis is incorrect because …”

Things to Consider When Doing a Science Fair Project Consider the following:

• Is it interesting to you? • Do you have enough time? • Can you do this by yourself? • Can you really do it? • Is it safe?

Keep a Logbook! (What is a Logbook?) A logbook is where you record everything that happened when you did your project.

As you research, consider the following: • Where do you look for information? Internet (make sure it is from a reliable source.) Ask an expert.

The best sources of information are:

• Up-to-date • Not all from one source (use two or more different sources for information) • The information is easy to understand.

Examine your experiments:

• Have a clear, written procedure for how you are going to do your experiment. • Make sure your experiment and control experiment do what you want them to

do. • Be sure to identify all variables (variables are things you can change) • Is it safe? • What materials do you need? • Identify problems early.

How do you present your data?

• Tables • Charts • Graphs • Photographs

Putting it Together!

• Your problem or question. • Your hypothesis • Experiment Procedure Sheet (how did you do your experiment. It should be

clear enough for anyone to read it and do your experiment.) • The results of your experiment • Your conclusions

Always check your work! Preparing your display

• Well-organized • Colorful and attractive • Easy to read • Enough space for pictures, drawings, and papers. • Free of spelling and grammatical errors. • Three-fold foam or cardboard display board (may be plain or have color).

PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST HAVE A DISPLAY BOARD TO RECEIVE FULL POINTS!

Tips for preparing your display: • Have an extra display board as a back-up • Lay things out before gluing them on the board • When you have to write on the display board, use a pencil and write very

lightly. Sample Display Board Layout

Finishing Touches

• Tablecloth • Photographs • Drawings • Logbook • Models

Project Ideas Biological Science Projects

• How do plants get nitrogen? • How does water move through a plant? • How do changes in the length of the day affect plan growth? • What is the effect of organic matter on the growth of plants? • What is the effect of temperature on the germination of seeds? • What is the effect of microwave radiation on the germination of seeds? • Does presoaking seeds affect the germination and growth of plants? • What is the effect of electric current on plants? • What is the effect of second hand smoke on plants?

• Do vegetables grown in lead-contaminated solid contain lead? • Do hamsters (mice, gerbils) need vitamins? • Under what conditions to butterflies hatch faster? • How do earthworms affect the soil they live in? • Can flatworms (planaria) regrow heads or tails? • Whose mouth has the most bacteria, humans’ or dogs? • Which soap kills the most germs? • Which kind of bread grows the most mold, white or wheat? • Can bacteria be found in canned baby formula? • Can Lysosome kill bacteria? • Do marine sponges kill bacteria? • Who remembers dreams more often, boys or girls? • Do girls or boys my age have better short-term memory? • How does listening to different kinds of music affect a person’s heart rate? • Do babies prefer certain colors? • Do certain colors affect people’s moods? • What are the effects of video games on a person’s heart rate? • How does music affect short-term memory? • Is brain dominance inherited? • How does eating different sweeteners affect a person’s weight? • How do different foods affect tooth decay? • How safe are soda cans? • Are homes cleaner eating-places than public places? • Are there really psychic powers?

Physical Science Projects

• How is electrical current affected by the type of conductor (temperature, filament)?

• Can a potato generate electricity? • What is the effect of salt on the freezing point of water and other liquids? • Does temperature affect solubility? • Are some substances more soluble than others? • What is the effect of temperature on the solubility of a gas in a liquid? • How is light affected by passing through water? • Which gas is most dense? • What gas is produced when seltzer reacts with water? • Can I blow square bubbles? • What is an anti-bubble? • How can the oxidation of fruits be prevented? • What is the tensile strength of fibers exposed to water (salt, bleach, soil,

flames)? • Can the thickness of ice at the center of a lake be determined by measuring

the ice at the shore?

• What is the effect of inflation pressure on the distance a soccer ball can be kicked?

• Which rocket fin design is the most aerodynamically stable? • Does wing shape affect velocity? • What is the best wing shape for an airplane? • What limits the speed of a boat (truck)? • How accurate are homemade weather-detecting devices? • How does baseball filler (cork, sawdust, rubber) affect the distance a ball

travels? • Can I hit a baseball with an aluminum bat better than with a wooden one? • What kinds of structures hold the most weight? • Which magnet is the strongest? • How do metals compare in density and buoyancy? • How does gravity affect weight? • Can a model train be run by a computer? • What is the relationship between the size of kernels and the size of popcorn

popping? • How does temperature affect the rate of popcorn popping? • Which method pops popcorn faster, oil or air?

Environmental Projects

• How can pests be controlled naturally? • What can be learned from tree rings? • Do vegetables frown using pesticides differ in flavor from those grown

organically? • Which fruits (vegetables) produce the best natural dyes? • Does noise pollution affect the growth of plants? • How does acid rain affect plants? • How does overcrowding affect plant growth? • How are lichens (mosses, ferns) affect by acid rain? • Do some plants absorb more carbon dioxide than others? • Are some plants more resistant to air pollution than others? • Paper or plastic bags – which are better for the environment? • Under which conditions will plastic bags biodegrade the best? • How much trash does the average household in my community create per

week? How does this compare with the national average? • What is the most common roadside litter in my community? • Which commercial water purifier works the best? • Can acid rain be detected in my community? If so, what can be done about

it? • How does acid rain affect buildings (statues)? • Can fertilizer runoff be found in my community’s river? IF so, what can be

done about it? • How can a pollutant such as phosphate be removed from water?

• What is the best way to soak up oil from oil spills? • Can salt be removed from seawater by freezing the water? • What introduced species of plants (or animals) can be found in my

community? How do they impact its native species? • Does noise pollution affect mental concentration? • Is it more cost-efficient to recycle glass, aluminum, paper, or plastic? • What does the greenhouse effect do to the surface temperature of the earth?

Websites For a list of Science Fair website links, visit: http://mrscienceut.net/sciencefair.html