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Y7

The Spectacularly Scientific

Science Fair Planner

Group Members: _____________________________________________________________

Date Started: ______________________ Date Completed: ______________________

Do not lose this planner as it tracks your progress!

This year’s topic: CHEMISTRY

[ ] BRAINSTORMING:

Research! Research!! Research!!!

Discover what you can about the assigned topic!

Physics is more than just sound, heat, and magnets!

Write down three (3) Physics topics that you found interesting!

1. ________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________

[ ] NARROWING DOWN YOUR CHOICES…

Discover more about your top three (3) choices. How? Research! Research!! Research!!!

Write down what you discovered!

TOPIC #1:

What I /we discovered…

TOPIC #2:


TOPIC #3:


[ ] CHOOSING YOUR TOPIC:

Examine your choices. Answer the following questions.

Which one interests you/your group the most?

Why?

[ ] TESTABLE QUESTION (TQ) vs. BROAD QUESTION (BQ):

What is the difference between a TQ and a BQ?

Simple. TQs lead to science investigations/experiments while BQs lead to science reports.

How do you tell the difference?

BQs are answerable by either “yes” or “no” OR by a list OR by explaining a process.

For example:

· Does water help plants grow? (answerable by “yes” or “no” based on your research report)

· What makes plants grow? (answerable by a list based on your research report)

· How do plants make food? ((answerable by explaining a process based on your research report)

TQs, on the other hand, are answerable by examining the results of your science investigations/experiments. The question itself tells you what your INDEPENDENT and DEPENDENT VARIABLES* will be.

For example:

· What type of music stimulates plant growth?

· What is the independent variable? _____________________

· What is the dependent variable? _______________________

· What is the effect of light color on plant growth?



· Does the amount of caffeine in a person’s system affect finger dexterity?



· Which type of fuel can efficiently raise the temperature of water by 40oC?



[ ] Create a TESTABLE QUESTION based on your chosen Physics topic.

[ ] Identify your variables. (see additional resources on pages 8-9)

Testable Question:

Independent Variable:

Dependent Variable:

*INDEPENDENT VARIABLES are things that you can change. In an investigation/experiment, there are many things that you can change. To make your investigation/experiment accurate and valid, it is best to focus on only ONE independent variable.

DEPENDENT VARIABLES are things that can be measured or observed based on your independent variable.

Think of it this way:

If I change this __________________________, this is what happens ___________________________.

(INDEPENDENT VARIABLE) (DEPENDENT VARIABLE)

[ ] RESOURCES: RESEARCH! RESEARCH!! RESEARCH!!! And MORE RESEARCH!!!!

Before you can make a HYPOTHESIS, you need to do more research on your chosen topic. This way, you can make a good extended hypothesis – that is a hypothesis backed by research.

Some pointers:

· Know your vocabulary!

· Know your topic! Do background research.

· Use proper search word when using “Mr. Google”

· Look at the first 15 hits – not just the first three hits, which will probably be Wikipedia.

· What’s wrong with Wikipedia?

· Credibility – you don’t really know if the authors are experts or hacks!

· Words used – not for KS3 level…

· Go to sites that are managed by:

· Universities

· Government institutions

· Other educational institutions – there are a lot!

· If unsure, ask your teacher

· CITE YOUR SOURCES! This is your way of saying “thank you” to the person who wrote the article that you used. These sites will help you format your citations.

· If you don’t cite your sources, you are guilty of PLAGIARISM.

· Useful cites:

· plagiarism.org

· easybib.com

· citationmachine.net

· zotero.org

· What other studies/investigations/experiments have been conducted on your chosen topic?

· What were the results and conclusions?

YOU NEED TO HAVE FOUR OR MORE sources of information. This constitutes your background knowledge.

Resources can be written material or interviews with experts.

TITLE OF ARTICLE, BOOK, MAGAZINE used

Information about the book, article, or magazine

RELEVANT information

(make a list – DO NOT COPY AND PASTE WHOLE PARAGRAPHS!)

Author(s): ___________________

Publisher: ___________________

Date published: ______________

Pages: _____________________

URL: _______________________

· ________________________

· ________________________

· ________________________

· ________________________

· ________________________

(SAMPLE)

Title of Magazine:

Science Digest

Author(s): Billy Boy and Curly Carl

Publisher: Science World, Inc.

Date published: January 2000

Pages: 15 to 17

URL: (no need, since it is not from the internet!)

· plants respond to classical music more than rock music

· of classical music, plants respond more to baroque music than romantic music

· the regular beat of baroque music is one explanation

[ ] EXPANDED HYPOTHESIS (see additional resources on page 10)

Not that you have chosen your topic, have written your TQ, and done your background research, write your expanded hypothesis.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[ ] EXPERIMENT DESIGN

How will you test your hypothesis? You need to design your experiment.

Complete the table below:

Materials and Apparatus:

Procedure:

Expected Outcome: (If your hypothesis is correct, this is what you expect to happen.)

Variables:

Independent: _______________________________

Dependent: ________________________________

Relevant controlled variables (at least 5): ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Results: (How will you record your results?)

See additional resources on pages 11 – 12. You need to include a Result Table and photos.

How will your Results Table look like?

Graph your results: See additional resources on pages 11 – 12. Use graph paper on the next page.

Conclusion: See additional resources on page 13.

Approved by:

Include: title, x-axis label, y-axis label, plotted points, proper intervals

You determine what type of graph you need (Line? Line of best fit? Bar chart?)

Scientific Investigation Brainstorming Section

Place sticky notes in the boxes below. If you are using full-size sticky notes, cut them in half through the sticky part and use them to cover each shaded box.

Things I could change or vary (Variables):

Things I could measure or observe:

Choosing Variables:

I will change (Independent Variable):

I will measure (Dependent Variable):

I will control the things below by keeping them the same (Controlled Variables):

Aim: What are you trying to do?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Background: What do you already know about the topic?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Making a Hypothesis (Prediction):

If I change…

what I change

Then what will happen to…

what I measure

Put it into a sentence:

If _____________________________________________________________________________, then ___________________________________________________________________________ because ________________________________________________________________________.

Data Chart:

what I changedwhat I measured

Record Data in the Table Below:

When this was changed—as noted below…

I measured this as a result

Additional Observations:

Graph your Results:

what I measured

DEPENDent Variable

Independent Variable

what I changed

Writing your conclusion:

Look for patterns and make sense of them.

Now, consider:

What happened to…when I changed…

what I changed?

what I measured

Conclusion:

· Use complete sentences

· Explain what happened in your experiment

· Explain if your results supported your hypothesis; say why / why not

· Summarize what the results tell you about what you are studying

· Explain any unexpected results

· Explain if your results are reliable and why

· What have you learned?

· How can other people learn from your experiment?

· How can you use your experiment results in real life situations?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next thing I want to know is…

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[ ] Materials List

Now that your Experiment Design is approved, complete the materials and apparatus order form, which will be given to the lab technician.

[ ] Experiment Date:

We will conduct our experiment on: _________________________________________________________.

[ ] Display board request

Board received: ___________________________ Date: ________________________________________

CREATING YOUR DISPLAY

Section 1

Problem

Statement

Project title

Section 4

Variables

Section 2

Hypothesis

Section 3

Resources

Section 5

Procedure

Materials

safety

Section 6

Data

Pictures

Analysis

Section 7

Conclusion

& summary

JUDGING CRITERIA

1. QUESTION

a. Does the question show originality and seek new ideas?

b. Is the question designed well enough to be answered with an experiment?

2. HYPOTHESIS

a. Does the hypothesis indicate a high level of research?

b. Is the hypothesis clearly stated?

3. RESOURCES

a. Is there a variety of resources used in research and in the experiment?

b. Are all the sources of information clearly cited?

4. VARIABLES

a. Are there clear independent and dependent variables?

b. Are all other variables adequately controlled?

5. PROCEDURE

a. Does the procedure test the hypothesis?

b. Is the procedure clear and step by step, written so anyone could repeat it?

6. DATA

a. Is the data collected analyzed clearly by including charts and graphs?

b. Is the analysis organized clearly so it is easy to understand?

7. CONCLUSION

a. Does the conclusion relate to the original hypothesis?

b. Is the conclusion backed up with scientific terminology?

8. DISPLAY

a. Has time and effort been put into the display?

b. Is the information engaging , easy to read and understand?

Each item is worth 4 marks, total of 64 marks.

4 = Excellent

3 = Very Good

2 = Satisfactory

1 = Needs Work

0 = No Attempt

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