2015 ITSATEACHERLIFE

SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET

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Due Date What To Do

Give your parent/guardian the parent letter and return to your

teacher signed.

Choose topic and propose question.

Get your project topic approved by teacher.

Research topic.

Write a hypothesis.

Design an experiment; list variables and write procedure.

List and gather your materials.

Conduct experiment and record data and observations. Take photos

if desired.

Create a table, chart, or graph of the data.

Draw conclusions.

Make the project display.

Write and print abstract.

Turn in planning packet to your teacher.

Present your project at the science fair.

 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
Student _______________________________
1 BRAINSTORM!
As you think of possible science fair project ideas, jot them down and write any important
information you may need for those ideas!

2 QUESTION: Your question is the focus of your project and is also the title that will be
displayed on your board. Your question should be able to be tested and measured. Helpful
hint: Any question that can have a yes or no answer is not a scientific question.

Project Question
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 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
3 RESEARCH: Learn as much as you can about your experiment and the materials you
are using! Use reliable Internet sources, library books, science books, and other resources.

Research
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 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
4 HYPOTHESIS: Decide what you think the outcome of the project is going to be. Make a
good, educated guess as to what you think that answer to your question will be. Explain
WHY you think that will be the outcome. There is no right or wrong hypothesis, so its okay
if your hypothesis does not prove to be correct! Be sure that your hypothesis is written in
a complete sentence.

Hypothesis
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5 DESIGN YOUR EXPERIMENT: Clearly write out the procedure you are going to follow.
Remember that your experiment needs to follow the scientific process and you need to
have one variable that you are going to change.

Variables

Variables to keep the same (dependent Variables to change (independent variables)

variables)
 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
Procedure
List your experiments steps below. Be sure to be as specific and clear as
possible so that any members of your audience would be able to replicate the
experiment exactly as you performed it.

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 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
5 GATHER MATERIALS: List all of the materials that you will need to complete your
experiment.

Materials

7 CONDUCT YOUR EXPERIMENT: As you complete your experiment, collect as much data
as possible and record all observations. Complete your observations in your Experiment
Log. As you complete the experiment, use your log to write down any data and record
your observations. . In your log, you will need to:
1. Collect Data: You will need to collect NUMERICAL data. That means your data
will include numbers and be measured using data such as temperature, height,
distance, time, etc.
2. Make Observations: Write down any observations you make during this
process.
3. Take Notes: What did you do in order to complete your project? Anything
worth noting?
You may also use the space provided to record additional data and observations.
Data
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 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
Observations
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8 DETERMINE THE RESULTS: Time to review your data and observations!

Create a table or graph to present your numerical data. This includes bar graphs, circle
graphs, pie graphs, line graphs, etc.
All other results, such as observations, should be written into a paragraph using
complete sentences.
You may use the space below to plan for how you would like to present the data you
have collected.
 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
Results (Paragraph Form)
Use this space to write your data into paragraph form. Paragraphs contain at
least 5-7 complete sentences.
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9 DRAW CONCLUSIONS What is the answer to the question you asked? Was your

hypothesis correct? If your hypothesis was incorrect, why do you think you were
incorrect? Use information from the experiment to answer both of these questions.

Conclusions
Answer to your original question:

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Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? If incorrect, why?

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 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
If you were to complete the experiment again, what changes would you make? How would
you improve this experiment?

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10 DISPLAY BOARD: Using all of the information you have collected, put your display

board together!
Font should be easy to read and at least 16pt or greater.
Photos should NOT include faces of students
Information on the board can be typed or written neatly by hand
Must be a tri-fold board

Hypothesis Question Results

Photos/Drawings

Research

Conclusion
Graphs/Tables/Etc
Procedure/Materials
 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNING PACKET
11 REFLECTION:. Most of the information in your reflection has already been written

in your report, so use the same information again. You must have the following five
components in your reflection:
1. Introduction Describe what your experiment was and the purpose for doing
it. Why should they be interested in your project? This is your opportunity to
gain the interest of your audience!
2. Project Question Tell your audience what your question was and the
reasoning for it. Why did you choose this question? What were you trying to
figure out?
3. Procedures Inform your audience of how they can replicate the
experiment. What do they need and what do they do with those materials? In
what order? Let them know the steps!
4. Results What happened? What were the results of your experiment?
Let them know how it worked out for you!
5. Conclusions What did you learn? Would you like to complete the experiment
again? If so, what is something you would do differently? What is something
that you really enjoyed about this experiment?
You may type your reflection and print it out. If you choose to type your reflection, it
must be a 12 point font. If you hand write your reflection, be sure to write neatly so that
your reflection can be read.

Reflection
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 SCIENCE FAIR PLANNER PACKET
Reflection Continued

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 SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT
Dear parents/guardians:

We have been talking about Science Fair Projects in class. We are reviewing the
Scientific Method and discussing ideas for the projects. The Science Fair is on
___________________________.. To be adequately prepared the day of the Science
Fair, projects must be completed and turned in on
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At least 90% of the project must be done at home. In class, we will only discuss
the projects and ensure we are mastering the Scientific Method through the
students project.

Students may complete their science fair project independently. Students are
also allowed to work in groups of 2.

If your child wants to work with another students, please record both student
names on a separate sheet of paper and return it to school. The request must
be given by both parties involved. Arrangements must be made for the two
students to complete the project outside of school. If we do not receive the
request, it will be assumed that your child is completing the project themselves.

GUIDELINES
1. Projects must be an experiment. This means that their project must be
testing a question (a hypothesis).
2. The final product must be on a tri-fold board (approximately 1 meter tall).
The project must include all steps of the Scientific Method.
3. If students are partnering, parents must make arrangements for them to
work together outside of school. All work should be equally shared.
4. ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. This project WILL be a
major science grade for each student.

Thank your for your support and assistance!

Parent Signature: _______________________________________________________________

 SCIENCE FAIR GRADE RUBRIC
Student _______________________________
Elements
Component Points Possible Points Received/Comments

Science Fair Project

20 points
Planning Packet
Display board with:
Question/Title
Hypothesis
Key Words
Research 2 points each
Procedure and Materials
Photos/Drawings Total of 20 points
Chart/Tables/Etc.
Results
Conclusion

Experiment Log 10 points

Reflection 10 points

Total 60 points

Content
Points
Content Points Received
Possible

Question: Relevant, testable 5 points 1 2 3 4 5

Hypothesis: Educated estimate, 1 2 3 4 5

reasonable 5 points
1 2 3 4 5 6
Research: Informative, applicable 6 points

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Procedure: Specific and clear 8 points

Results: Paragraph written clearly

8 points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
with supporting graphs/tables
Conclusion: Appropriate evaluation
of data and proves or disproves the 8 points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
hypothesis

Total 40 points
 SCIENCE FAIR EXPERIMENT LOG
Student _______________________________
Date Data Observations Notes
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