Adopted from Los Alamitos Elementary School Science-O-Rama Journal

WILLIAMS SCIENCE FAIR 2014

SCIENCE-O-RAMA Wednesday, March 26, 7:00-8:30 PM

JOURNAL

Project Title:

Name _____________________________

Teacher _____________________________

Date _____________________________

The Williams Science Fair will help 4th and 5

th grade students learn more about science and how scientists use the

Scientific Method to make discoveries. Science is more than a subject taught in the classroom; it is a search for

answers to questions and solutions to problems. This is an opportunity for your child to explore a topic that is of

interest to them. The Science Fair will be a fun and educational experience for your child.

The project is to be your child's work, but we encourage you to help and guide your child through the entire project.

Please supervise your child closely during any stages involving such potentially hazardous materials as chemicals,

electricity, moving parts, and animals or biological materials.

Science Fair Committee members will spend 2-3 minutes during the science fair with each student to find out

about the project the student did, and to provide feedback to the student. Science projects are not being judged.

Each student will receive a participation ribbon.

Important Dates and Deadlines

The Deadline to submit your student’s name and project name in i-volunteer in order to participate in the

Science Fair is February 14, 2014. Please use the following link to enroll your student:

http://williamscommunity.ivolunteer.com/event_429

Participating students will need to purchase a display poster board for their project. The board display

should be 36” high and 48” wide, and should have a center panel and left and right side panels to sit easily

on the tables. The boards can be purchased at Office Depot, Office Max or Staples.

Participating students will need to set-up their display boards and projects on their assigned table space in

either the cafeteria or J-1 between 3:00-4:30 on the date of the Science Fair, March 26th.

Items to Complete and/or Bring to the Science Fair:

1) Completed Project (if applicable) or other Appropriate Display Pieces

2) Display Board

3) Completed Journal-Please download and print the journal located on the home page at

www.williamscommunity.com

4) Brief Presentation for Science Fair Committee Members

During the Science Fair

Participating students will need to attend the Science Fair from 7:00-8:30 on March 26th

, and prepare a 2-3

minute presentation that will be given to one of the science fair project reviewers. The presentation should

briefly explain the project the student worked on. The completed journal should also be displayed with the

project.

Projects must be picked up at the end of the Science Fair. You must make arrangements to pick up project

boards at 8:30 pm or they will be discarded.

HELPFUL HINTS FOR SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT PROCESS

#1 A successful Science Exploration begins with the simplest of tasks:

#2Ask a question that begins with How? What? or Which? (Make sure that the answer can

be measured in some way.) #3 Now you will need to gather some information on the question you have chosen. Search in several places: the library, the internet, ask parents, teachers, grandparents. This is your research.

#4 Make a guess about the answer to your question. This is your hypothesis.

#5 Decide on your most important task of all:

how can you investigate your question? Is there a way to prove your hypothesis? Can you set up an experiment that will give you an unbiased answer that is clear and simple? This is the procedure.

#6 Collect all of the items you needed for your investigation or experiment. (Be sure to ask an adult for help with chemicals, sharp edges or electricity if you need these things.) These are your materials. #7 Do your experiment or investigation. Do it two more times to be sure

#8 What happened? Take pictures, draw drawings or diagrams. Keep the results for proof. Use these in your #9 Were you right or wrong? project presentation Based on the results of your #10 do you have experiment or research, what more questions? is the answer to your question? Write them down for This is your conclusion. Follow up. Now put your whole story onto a display board to share with you classmates and School at the Science-o-Rama.

Congratulations!

You have completed your science project!!

Scientific Method Explained

A science project is an attempt to answer a question of interest to you. The scientific method

makes it easier to get clear and understandable results from your efforts. It provides a structure

for doing your project and presenting results. Scientists and engineers use this method when

making new discoveries. Focus on the scientific method rather than the complexity of your

experiment or display. There are five main steps to the scientific method:

Question/Inquiry/Problem

H y p o t h e s i s

Procedure (Research & Materials) R e s u l t s

Conclusions (and further question)

Students should use the following approach, which incorporates these main parts:

1. Topic or Title Select a topic of real interest to you.

2. Question/Inquiry/Problem

Narrow your topic to one project question. The question should be specific and should identify

the variable to be studied. Narrow down the question to ONE variable. This will help make

your Procedure & Conclusions clear. The answer to the question should be measurable.

3. Research Collect information about your topic by reading books at the library, articles on the computer,

and/or talking with experts. Write what you learn in this journal in the research section and state

where you got your information (bibliography). All of your ideas, research, changes in project

idea or direction and actual procedures should be logged into this Journal.

4. Hypothesis

The hypothesis is an educated guess about the answer to the question or problem (or an

evaluation of your invention). It takes into account the research you have done and reflects your

opinion of what will happen.

5. Materials Make a list of the equipment, materials, and supplies you will need and then obtain them. If you

find you need additional items during your procedure, note this in the Journal and add the

items to your Materials List.

6. Procedure (What did I do?)

Design an experiment that will test your hypothesis. A procedure gives the step-by-step

directions that you used to do your experiment. Be very specific (how much, what brand, what

size), just like a recipe; someone else should be able to follow your procedure and get the same

results. Change only one variable. Be sure the results can be measured. Write all calculations

and notes on how you developed the procedure in this journal. Do your entire procedure at least

three times.

Note: You should plan to use a reasonable sample size for all subjects. For example, if you are

studying plants, you should use several for each condition (what if one dies?!)

7. Observations and Results (What happened during my experiment?)

Set up or perform your experiment and observe what happens. Make sure you are only

changing one variable; all other conditions must remain constant. Record all changes, events,

situations, growth or other results (all measurements and calculations for an experiment) in your

journal. Record all data neatly so you can read it later. Keep good notes and date each entry to

assist you with your final presentation.

8. Conclusion (What is the answer to my question and why did this happen?) The

conclusion is the answer to the question. Analyze the results of your experiment. Draw a

conclusion based on your results. Was your hypothesis supported? What was different? What

was the same? Your conclusion should tell what you learned and how it is important.

Remember, a project is not a failure if the hypothesis is not supported. The conclusions should

include a description of any problem or unusual events that occurred during your investigation,

and what you would do differently next time.

Some Project Ideas: Following is a list of science projects phrases as questions which can be answered by carrying

out experimental investigations.

Do plants grow better in sand or in clay?

Do pea plants grow better with tea or with water?

How much moisture do living plants give off?

Does heart rate increase with exercise?

How far away from the source can people detect a sound?

Does lung capacity depend on height? (Hint: Have people of different

heights blow once into the same type of balloon. Tie each balloon and then

measure its circumference.)

How does the growth of a plant provided with sunlight compare to the

growth of a plant kept in the dark?

How many people can tell the difference between a name brand and a generic

soda of the same type?

Does a flower seed grow better by using plain water or by using water with

sugar in it?

Does temperature affect the growth of plants?

How long will it take a teaspoon of food dye to color a glass of still water?

Are the results different for different colors?

• Which paper towel is the strongest?

Does baking soda lower the temperature of water?

In what types of materials do plants grow best?

Will water with salt evaporate faster than water without salt?

Does the color of light affect plant growth?

Which gets warmer sand or dirt?

What keeps things cold longer, plastic wrap or aluminum foil?

What materials dissolved in water? How fast?

What is the most acidic fruit? (Hint: Test various fruit juices with litmus

or pH paper.)

Is aluminum foil or cloth a better insulator?

What type of paper is best to make paper airplanes fly a long distance?

What type of wing design provides the greatest lift to an airplane?

What distance can an egg be dropped before it breaks?

(Hint: Design a protective container for the egg before

you try dropping it from various heights.)

What size marble will move fastest or slowest in vegetable oil?

How much mass can a sheet of paper hold before it rips?

Does a small ball roll a greater distance than a large ball?

Does temperature affect the amount of sugar that will dissolve in a cup of

water?

Which shape, a sphere, a hoop, or a disk, will roll down a hill the fastest?

The slowest?

How strong is air pressure?

Does salt water expand as much as fresh water?

Does Epsom salt make water colder?

How does temperature affect the volume of gases?

Does temperature affect the rate of chemical reaction?

Can you speed up a reaction?

Does age affect lung capacity?

Does exercise have an effect on lung capacity?

No models (example: baking soda and vinegar volcano) and no demonstrations will be

allowed.

Mold experiments are discouraged. The bread mold experiment referred to in this

document is only for the purpose of providing an example.

PURPOSE Date

The purpose of the experiment is where you explain in a short statement (1 to 3 sentences) why

you are doing this experiment.

EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM YOU WANT TO SOLVE OR THE QUESTION YOU WANT TO ANSWER.

Examples: I want to know how to keep mold from growing on my bread.

Will keeping it in the refrigerator prevent the mold from growing? I want to know if air is matter.

QUESTION Date

In this part of the journal, write down what question you are trying to answer in your experiment. (Use the

empty space on this page.) Look at the examples below and figure out which one works for your project.

1. H o w d o e s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ affect _______________________?

(Example: How does the type of insulation used affect the temperature of water?)

2. What is the effect of ____________________on ___________________ ?

(Example: What is the effect of glycerin on a bubble solution recipe?)

3. W h i c h _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is ________________________________?

(Example: Which brand of paper towel is the most absorbent?)

Now write your ONE question below.

Examples:

What is the effect of temperature on the growth of bread mold?

How does popping an inflated balloon affect the weight of the balloon?

CHOOSE A TITLE

THINK OF SOMETHING ORIGINAL. LIST SOME WORDS OR PHRASES YOU

MIGHT CONSIDER. THEN CHOOSE ONE.

RESEARCH In this part of your journal/project, you need to do some research to learn more about the topic

you are doing your experiment on. You can gather research from people knowledgeable about

your topic, from books or from the Internet. There are several Internet search engines that can

help you (Google.com and Nettrekker.com are good ones). To use Google, type in the topic of

your experiment and see what related web sites come up. To use Nettrekker, type in your

Username and password, then click on Science, next click on The Science Fair Projects.

Wikipedia is NOT a reliable source.

WHAT IS THE TOPIC OF THE EXPERIMENT THAT YOU WILL BASE YOUR

RESEARCH ON?

(For example, if your experiment is on what size ball rolls the farthest, your research will be

based on the concept of distance.)

Once you have gathered your research, take notes on the following pages and highlight the

information that is important from your article(s). Make sure to list the sources you have

used.

Once you have gathered your research, take notes on the following pages and highlight the

information that is important from your article(s). List the sources you have used.

Research Citation

Notes:

Research Citation

Notes:

Research Citation

Notes:

Hypothesis Date:

The hypothesis states your educated guess about the solution to the question or problem. It is

written as a short paragraph stating what you think will happen when you do the experiment and

why you think this. Your hypothesis should be based on the research you did on your topic (this

is a criteria listed on the evaluation sheet).

The hypothesis should not be a wild guess. The hypothesis should be based on your research

information, for example:

“I guess that you can smell pepper, garlic powder, vanilla, and cinnamon even when

you are blindfolded and cannot see them because you can smell what you cannot

see.”

The format is always an “I guess... because.....” statement. The “I guess” portion lists the

independent variables, of the experiment and the “because” part of the hypothesis lists the

dependent variables. This predicts what is going to happen as a result of the independent

variables. The constant variables should also be included in the hypothesis.

STATE YOUR HYPOTHESIS

I guess...

Because...

MATERIALS AND

PROCEDURE

LIST OF MATERIALS:

List the materials you will use to conduct your experiment. The materials can often be found around your home,

the grocery store, hardware store, or craft store. Control your spending; the cost of the project has no

relationship to the quality of the project.

Example:

3 pieces fresh white bread

1 piece aluminum foil 18” X 6”

3 teaspoons water Ruler

MATERIALS:

[Type text]

PROCEDURE:

The procedure is the step-by-step directions to do your experiment.

In order to test your hypothesis, you must design an experiment. Be very specific and give step-by-step

directions, just like a cooking recipe or assembly instructions. Be sure to measure accurately and record

everything. Make sure to include a consistent unit of measure (meter, centimeters, liters, milliliters, etc).

Remember to repeat the experiment at least 3 times. Someone else should be able to follow your

procedure and get the same results.

Example: 1. Take 3 pieces of aluminum foi l and fold into 6” X 6” squares.

2. P lace 1 p iece of f resh whi te bread on each foi l square.

3. Spr ink le each p iece o f bread wi th 1 teaspoon of water.

4. Put 1 piece of bread in the refrigerator, 1 piece in the freezer and 1 piece on the countertop.

5. Check on the bread in 5 days, 10 days and 15 days. Measure the size of the mold colony each time.

6. R e p e a t t h e e x p e r i me n t 2 m o r e t i me s .

PROCEDURE:

DO THE EXPERIMENT Now you are ready to perform the experiment. This is what is meant by “carrying out the experiment.” Before

beginning the experiment, a few decisions still have to be made. Identify your variables.

1. An independent variable is the variable that you will change. For example, John wonders if the amount of

sugar used in the recipe will affect the size of the bread loaf? The amount of sugar is his independent

variable.

Which is the variable you will change? _________________________________________________________

2. A Dependent variable is the variable that is being observed, which changes in response to the independent

variable listed above. For example, John’s dependant variable is the size of the loaf of bread.

List your dependant variables: _____________________________________________________________

3. Controlled variables, or constants, in an experiment are all the variables that the experimenter attempts

to keep the same. In John’s experiment some of his controlled variables would include brand of

ingredients, cooking time, type of pan used, air temperature, humidity, and oven temperature…

List your controlled variables or constants:

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Where to do the experiment?

Where is the best place to perform the experiment? Is it best to do outside, in the kitchen, etc.?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Perform the experiment at least 3 times.

The number of trials refers to how many times you will need to repeat the experiment. The results will be

better if you repeat the experiment several times. What problems are you having?

How did you solve the problems?

RESULTS COLLECT AND RECORD DATA

Record the results of your experiment in the Journal. Take notes, make observations, take measurements and record

them in a table or chart. Make sure to label everything and measure accurately. Include a consistent unit of measure.

After you have collected and recorded the data/results of your experiment, figure out how to put this information

into a chart or graph for your display board.

Collecting Data

There are several different ways to collect data. The way we decide to collect data usually depends on the type of

information that we are seeking, and the type of project or investigation we are doing.

Observing:

We all know that the senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling) are used in making observations during

experimentation. In an experiment designed to find out which part of the tongue detects salt, touching and tasting are very

important types of observation to be recorded.

Classifying and Grouping: Many times our data collection involves classifying and grouping similar items together. This method of collecting data

helps us to see similarities and differences. For example, in studying the physical properties of rocks, one would group

rocks together by shape, color, and size.

Measuring:

Basic and very commonly used methods include: > Temperature by using a thermometer

> Distance by using a tape measure

> Time by using a stopwatch

> Weight by using a scale

Recording Data

As you carry out your investigation you will need to record or write down your data and observations. Charts and tables

are used for this purpose. Charts are used to record data such as outlines and diagrams. Tables are collections of related

numbers or items often arranged in parallel columns.

* Basic rules when making a graph: > If the experiment compares two or more items, make a bar graph.

> If the experiment takes place over time, make a line graph.

> The horizontal axis is the line going across, or from left to right, on the page. The horizontal axis is where the

independent variable should be placed.

> The vertical axis is the line going from the top to the bottom of the page. The vertical axis is where the dependent

variable should be placed. !

The graph should have a title. The title should connect the independent and dependent variables.

Use this table or one similar to this to record your results. Remember to record

your observations.

Result Table

Date Set 1

Start Date:

Set 2

Start Date:

Set 3

Start Date:

Observations

Below are some examples of the types of graphs and charts you can use to display your results.

Bar Graph

Line Graph

Pie Chart

CONCLUSION

Study your data on your “Results” page and think about what happened during your experiment.

The conclusion is an explanation of what happened in your experiment; it should relate directly to the

question or problem you described in your “Question” portion of this process. The conclusion should

be a statement that includes whether your Hypothesis was supported or not supported based on the

data collected during your experiment; the conclusion should not be your opinion. Your conclusion

may be that your results were inconclusive (you can't prove your hypothesis). The conclusion should

include a description of any problem or unusual events that occurred during your investigation. You should

also include what you would do differently next time.

If you results do not support your hypothesis:

DON'T change your hypothesis.

DON'T leave out experimental results that do not support your hypothesis

Do - give possible reasons for the difference between your hypothesis and the experimental results.

Do - give ways that you can experiment further to find a solution.

STATE YOUR CONCLUSION:

E x a m p l e : Bread mold grows more slowly in the refrigerator and freezer. Bread mold will grow

slower in low temperatures .

NEW QUESTIONS:

Finally, write about other questions that were raised during the experiment or other things you would like to

find out about after completing your science experiment. Use the space below to write down your new

questions.

E x a m p l e : Will different types of bread affect the rate of growth of bread mold?

PROJECT DISPLAY The project should be displayed in a neat, clearly visible, well organized, and concise

format. Use your creativity to design the display, with the following considerations:

Organize the information on your display board as it is shown below. Make sure your name and

teacher's name is on your board in the lower right hand corner.

The project title should be placed at the top of the center panel. The Purpose, Question ,

Research, & Hypothesis, can be under the title. The Materials & Procedure may be put on

the left panel and the Results & Conclusions on the right panel. Lettering should be clear and

large enough to be seen from a distance. Charts, graphs, photos, and drawings should be labeled.

Spelling and grammar DO count. Your project may require a slightly different layout - that's

ok.

Photographs can be used to illustrate your scientific process.

All parts of your presentation should be neatly and clearly displayed. The area in front of your

backdrop should be used for the Journal. Smaller items to be displayed must be adequately

secured to your board.

Do not display anything that could be hazardous to students, teachers, or judges, or to the

furniture in the Media Center or the Cafeteria. Use photos or drawings instead.

Do not display dangerous chemicals including caustics and acids, (all chemicals displayed

must have the contents clearly marked on the container.

No combustible solids, fluids or gases, no flames open or concealed.

No liquids, not even water, except those in a tightly sealed spill proof and unbreakable

container.

No live animals.

No Exceptions.

PRACTICE YOUR ORAL

PRESENTATION

On all fifth grade students will be presenting their projects to a committee member who will

provide feedback. Practice giving your presentation to an adult. Go through this journal page by

page and explain what you did and how you did it.

Follow these steps for a good presentation:

1. Tell how you came up with the idea.

2. Explain the purpose and question.

3. Explain your experiment; include the procedure, materials and data collection.

4. Summarize your conclusions.

5. Describe what you learned and how this information could be applied to future learning.

If you do not like to talk in front of people, practice your presentation in front of a mirror, or use

video.

Practice until you are ready for friends or family to listen.

Your presentation will be better if you are prepared.

Above all, be interested in your project.

Your enthusiasm will make others interested in your project.