science fair project checklist
TRANSCRIPT
Roosevelt Middle School
Science Department
Grade 6-8 Science Fair Project
DEAR PARENT/GUARDIAN
The Roosevelt Middle School Science Department is notifying you that your child will be responsible for
completing a Science Fair Project during the first nine weeks of school. Specific requirements regarding
procedures and expectations have been explained in class by your child’s teacher.
We need each Parent/Guardian to please assist their child in this process. Please be advised that it is our
utmost goal to see every child successfully and safely complete a project. To assist in this process, we ask
that each child get approval for their topic from the teacher before he or she begins the project. Each child
should provide a list of topics to their teacher before experimentation begins. I strongly advise students,
pick areas of interest. All Science Fair topics must be approved before the student can begin. If there are
any safety concerns, the project will not be approved.
We are asking for your support in assisting us by monitoring your child’s progress and helping them to
stay on top of their assignment and meet the required deadlines. There will be afterschool help available
on Tuesdays for students that may need additional assistance. The specific start date will be announced
during class and a notice will be sent home to parents. Please encourage your child to stay after and get
any additional support that they may need to get off to a great start. We will meet in room 5-107 at 2:45
pm and I will dismiss them at 5:00 pm. Please arrange for your child to be picked up by 5:00 pm in the
back bus loop. Parents, please stay tuned for any additional information that we will be posting on Edline
with regards to our RMS School Science Fair.
Please note that students that are selected to go on to compete at the District level will have some
additional requirements to complete.
Due Dates:
Completed Science Fair Project due Monday 10/15/18
RMS School Science Fair for Judging Wednesday 10/17/18
RMS Science Fair Parent Night Thursday 10/25/18 in the Media Center 4-6pm
Students going to PBC Regional Science Fair Thursday 12/13/18
**Please note, Science Fair is counted as a Project grade worth 20% of the total student grade for the
1st nine weeks. Late Projects will be dropped one-half of a letter grade (5%) for each class not
submitted, as stated in the Syllabus. **
The Science teachers at Roosevelt Middle would like to thank you in advance for your support in helping
your sons and daughters to be successful in this endeavor.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Leiba-Fletcher, Coordinator
Parent Signature: ____________________________ Date: ________
Student Signature: ___________________________ Date: ________
SCIENCE FAIR TIMELINE 2018
Thursday 8/30 and Friday 8/31 Science Fair Packets are handed out
Tuesday, September 4-Friday September 7 Topic Selection is due!!! Research possible science topics on the Internet and other library resources and decide on a topic that you are interested in enough to move forward. Show up for help on
Tuesdays afterschool if you are having trouble. All topics must be approved by child’s classroom
teacher!!!!!!!
After Topic Approved by Teacher Spend time researching your topic, taking notes, reading and checking information. Look on the Internet, at the library and use other resources to find information about your topic. You will need
to use this information in the research portion of your project. Your research plan must be written in your own words.
** Rough Drafts allow you to get feedback without losing points. You will have the opportunity
to correct your work before the final project is due enabling you to maximize your points.**
Monday, September 17 Turn in a “rough draft” portion, which will include: Research Plan and Initial Reference List.
(Example of Research plan is attached) Reference list should include at least 3 references and one must be from another source than the internet.
Monday, September 24 Turn in a “rough draft” portion, which will include:
A research plan, Introduction, Hypothesis, Identified variables.
Monday, October 1 Turn in a “rough draft” portion, which will include:
Data, Discussion, and Conclusion.
Monday, October 8
Turn in a “rough draft” portion, which will include:
Title Page, Table of Contents, and Abstract.
***Finalize your project and type the project report. Finalize all data. Check project report for errors, neatness, and the, organization of the content. **
Ask Questions if you are unsure of what is expected!!!!!!!!! Due dates may be subject to change if
other unforeseen circumstances and events arise.
Monday 10/15/18 Finalized project DUE!!!!!! This includes your research report and science fair board. Turn in all parts of the checklist in finalized form. EVERYTHING!!!!! No missing items!!!!
Your project report should be typed and in order. Following the checklist will ensure that you receive a satisfactory grade.
Boards will be judged on Wednesday 10/17/18
Open House for Parents and students Thursday 10/25/18
SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT CHECKLIST Title Page 5 pts. Is the title in the Middle?
Is the student’s name, school, and grade on the bottom right?
Table of Contents 5 pts. Are all sections in order?
Are page numbers listed correctly?
Abstract 15 pts. Is it in the proper format?
Are all parts summarized?
Research/References 10 pts. Are there three or more paragraphs?
Is it in the student’s own words?
Are there at least 3 references and one is not an internet reference?
Introduction 10 pts. Does it state the question being tested?
Does it include why the project was chosen?
Does it include the hypothesis?
Is the hypothesis testable and stated as an IF…THEN…statement?
Variables 10 pts. Is the independent variable stated and correct?
Is the dependent variable stated and correct?
Are the constants stated and correct?
Was a control variable needed and used?
Procedures 10 pts. Is the material list complete and specific with amounts?
Are the procedures clearly explained and logical?
Could the experiment be done again following the procedures?
Data 10 pts. Is data included, clearly written, and in charts and graphs?
Discussion 10 pts. What observations did you make?
Did you identify any errors that could have occurred?
Are there other experiments that could be conducted from yours?
Conclusion 10 pts. Is the hypothesis restated?
Was your hypothesis proven or not proven? EXPLAIN!!!!
Is there a summary of your results?
Is your data interpreted?
Acknowledgements and References 5 pts. All references listed to include: title, author, and date of publication
All acknowledgements recognized (individuals who helped with your project)
Overall Presentation______________________________________________________15 pts. Neatness: Is the project typed, neatly organized, graphs or charts done neatly, etc.
Creativity/Originality: Is the project subject original, did the student use creativity in addressing
the project. Are graphs, charts, pictures, illustrations, or models included.
Science Board 10 pts.
Is the science board complete and in the right order?
RESEARCH PLAN (Note: This only a rough draft version; those who are going to the district science fair will
need to complete another form preferably online: Stay Tuned for more information.) The research plan will present your plan for finding information about your topic. It
will include a paragraph that explains your topic and states what you are using to
research this topic. You will then need 2 or 3 paragraphs that summarize
information that you have obtained from references. Place a parenthesis at the end of
each different source that indicates the author and the year. Also at the end of your
summary, make a reference list.
The question I will attempt to answer with my science fair experiment is; (Example: Which soda will dissolve an M&M faster?)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
I will research this topic by using (list source types likes magazines, journals,
newspapers, Internet articles, etc.).
_____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________.
The first goal of my research is to (you should be measuring or trying to determine
something) __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________. I will
rely on ____________________ (Title of book or article) (author
_______________, year___________) to achieve this goal. This article states that
(your own words) _____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
The second goal of my research is to _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________. To
accomplish this goal, I will rely on ____________________________
(__________________,__________), who states _____________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
(See the back.)
Reference List (include author, title and year). The references below (#6-8) are automatically
required as part of your reference list. Of the references you choose, 3 out of the 5 need to come
from a source that is not strictly Internet-based. For example, a journal that appears online, but
most likely has a hard copy somewhere in the libraries would qualify as one of these 3, but an
article that one can only find on the Internet is not (it would be one of those remaining 2). The
references needed to be cited (listed next to the relevant information) in the research paper next to
any part in the introduction or body that gives factual information.
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________
6. Intel Society for Science and the Public (2014). Available on:
https://www.societyforscience.org/ or
https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef
7. Secondary Education Department (2014). Palm Beach Regional
Science and Engineering Fair Handbook. Can be found at:
http://www.palmbeachschools.org/sc/SciFair2010/documents/201
4_Sci_Coord_Handbook.pdf
8. State Science Fair and Engineering Fair of Florida (2014). Retrieved
on September 14, 2013 from:
http://www.floridassef.net/student/student-forms/
Grade:_______________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract………………………………………………………………….Page______
Introduction……………………………………………………………...Page______
Variables………………………………………………………………...Page______
Procedures………………………………………………………………Page______
Data……………………………………………………………………..Page______
Discussion………………………………………………………………Page______
Conclusion………………………………………………………………Page______
Acknowledgements and References…………………………………….Page______
Research Plan……………………………………………………………Page______
THE ABSTRACT
The abstract is a summary of your ENTIRE project. It must be less than 250 words. The
abstract is completed last because it summarizes all of your data. You will need to
summarize each part. Fill in each section of this worksheet and you will be on your way to
an “A” abstract!!! This paper is DUE ON:_________________
PURPOSE:
What question are you trying to answer?
HYPOTHESIS:
State your hypothesis as an IF…THEN…statement.
PROCEDURE:
Briefly describe your materials and how you did your experiment.
This packet is to help you organize your information so that your
report can be turned in complete and accurate.
You are not permitted to turn in this packet as your report.
This packet is your rough draft only.
All the information must be retyped and a printed version must be
submitted as your final project.
All reports should be done in
12 or 14 point Times New Roman Font or something similar.
RESULTS:
What were the results? Summarize the data you collected while doing the
experiment.
CONCLUSION:
How did what you learn from your experiment compare to your research? What
could you have changed or improved? Could you do a similar experiment using
different materials? Will your experiment help society?
INTRODUCTION
The introduction will state the predictions you are trying to make with your science
experiment. It will also include you hypothesis statement and why you are choosing
to do this particular science fair project.
The question I will attempt to answer with my science fair experiment is; (Example: Which soda will dissolve an M&M faster?)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
My hypothesis is: (Example: IF Sunkist has more sugar than the other two sodas, THEN it will dissolve the M&M
fastest) (State your hypothesis as an IF…THEN statement)
IF__________________________________________________________________
THEN______________________________________________________________
I chose this project because: (Write two questions you are trying to answer by completing this project.)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
VARIABLES
The independent variable is the variable that will be changed and tested. (Example: I will be
changing the type of soda being used.)
The independent variable in my experiment will be:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
I will use these different samples: _____________________________
(Use two or more samples to compare _____________________________
and contrast. Three is a good number _____________________________
of samples.)
The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured. (Example: I am measuring the
time it takes an M&M to dissolve completely in each sample of soda. Time will be measured in seconds.)
The dependent variable that I will be measuring in my subject is:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
The constants are what will stay the same throughout your experiment. (Example: The
amount of soda in each cup, the color and type of M&M, the temperature of each type of soda.)
The constants in my experiment are:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
PROCEDURES
The materials I used are: (Be sure to list each item used indicate how much of each are needed-
Include units like seconds, grams, liters).
* Amount used:
* Amount used:
* Amount used:
* Amount used:
* Amount used:
* Amount used:
* Amount used:
Be sure to list the correct amount used in each of your materials. Use exact
measurements. (For example, in the soda experiment I would say that each cup contained 10
mL of soda and that I used 9 M&M’s total. 1 M&M per cup for each trial).
The steps I took to do my experiment were:
1. (First)
2. (Second)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
You may have more steps than 10 steps. Please list all of the steps you took in
completing your experiment. Write the steps clearly so that other scientists would
be able to follow them and the experiment could be tested again if necessary.
DATA
This page should include any charts, graphs, pictures, or other forms of data
collected. You should log the information for each trial you conduct in your
experiment. Three trials is a sufficient amount when conducting an experiment. (For example, in the M&M experiment, I tested three samples of soda to see which soda will
dissolve the M&M fastest. This means I will conduct the same experiment three times and record
the results each time. These times should be written down and put into a graph or chart. See
Below)
LOG
PEPSI MOUNTAIN DEW SUNKIST
TRIAL 1 19 seconds 21 seconds 15 seconds
TRIAL 2 18 seconds 22 seconds 15 seconds
TRAIL 3 16 seconds 21 seconds 16 seconds
35%
27%
38%
PEPSI
MOUNTAIN DEW
SUNKIST
0
5
10
15
20
25
Seconds
PEPSI MOUNTAIN
DEW
SUNKIST
Types of Soda
TRIAL 1
TRIAL 2
TRIAL 3
DISCUSSION
This section is used to discuss any results you had. Scientists often share and
discuss their results with others. You may include your opinion of the project in this
section as well as explain things that you did not expect.
Fill in the following:
In this experiment I…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Some errors that could have occurred while conducting my experiment were…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
If another scientist were to conduct an experiment similar to mine, they might
change…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Another scientist could use my experiment to…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
Before writing your conclusion, carefully examine all your data (graphs, charts, tables).
This information will tell you whether your hypothesis was correct or not.
Answer these questions:
What were your results? (The results of my experiment were…)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Were the results what you expected, if not, how were the results different? (The results I received…)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Did you run into any problems that may have affected your results? (The problems I ran into while conducting my experiment were…)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How many trials did you do? (In my experiment I conducted...trials)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How many samples did you use? (In my experiment I used….samples)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you think your data was enough to conclude your project? (My data was….to conclude my project)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you need to revise of change your hypothesis to fit with the results of your data? (My hypothesis did not match my data, I would need to change my hypothesis-Write a new hypothesis if
needed) Note: Please make a note of the difference between a research plan and a
research paper as indicated from the county science fair coordinator handbook.
Both of them are required and both require similar parts but are written at
different times in relation to the experimentation. Please make sure that the
references are cited in the paper.