2012-2013 Middle School Science Project: Virtual Science Fair!
Introduction: Have you ever wondered why ocean water is saltier than tap water? Why Georgia has red clay and other states do not? Why the grass is greener on the front side of the house versus the back? Why some plants grow better in direct sunlight and others grow better in a shaded environment? Welcome to the wonderful world of Scientific Inquiry! Science is all around us; you cannot escape it! From the computer you are using, to the food you ate for lunch, science had something to do with it. By understanding the nature of Scientific Inquiry and using the process of the Scientific Method, this project will motivate you to look at the world around you in a whole new perspective. The Scientific Method: The Steps of the Scientific Method are to: Ask a Question Conduct Background Research Construct a Hypothesis Create and Conduct Your Experiment to Test Your Hypothesis Analyze Data/Draw Conclusions Communicate Results For more information on the Scientific Method Visit: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml ***You will also be learning these concepts during your Science Class Connect Sessions. The OLS also provides further information on these steps of the Scientific Process. (See OLS Correlation Chart on the last page). The Task: You will complete a traditional Science Fair Project with a “virtual twist.” Instead of displaying your science fair project components on a tri-fold poster board as you may have experienced in a brick and mortar school, you will create a power point presentation or a website as your final product. You will also write a research report to accompany your project. After submission to your homeroom teacher, your final graded project may be entered the GCA Virtual Science Fair in May! Where Do I Start?: Step 1—Choose Your Topic: There are many topics to choose from that may be of interest to you. (See website references on last page). Once you have selected a topic for the experiment, take a careful guess at what you expect to find from conducting the experiment. This guess is called a hypothesis. Often a hypothesis is formed after researching the subject, by talking to experts or reading about the topic. An example of a hypothesis might be, ‘Showers use less water than baths.’ A good hypothesis should clearly answer the question, be answerable by experiment, brief, and to the point. It’s okay if your hypothesis was incorrect! That is what experiments are all about – investigation to see what happens!***Your project may not include the use of animals. Step 2—Research Background Information: In order to gain a full understanding of what you will be investigating in your project, it is important to research the background information of the components in your experiment. For example, if you are using a detergent, you may want to research what chemicals are in the detergent, derivates, etc. That information may be relative to your own investigation! If you are testing the growth rate of a plant, you should research which environment that particular plant

grows the best in. It is important to research findings from other scientists or students who have conducted similar investigations so you can have an idea of what some possible outcomes may be during your own experiment. Step 3—Plan Experiment/Gather Supplies: As you develop your experiment please keep in mind these rules: no animals, no open flames, no toxic chemicals, no body fluids, and no electricity can be used. Create a list of all materials needed for your project. Include size and quantities of each item. (Home Improvement stores, thrift shops and discount value stores are great resources for finding inexpensive items). The next stage in planning your experiment is to write an experimental procedure, which is simply a list of steps you will follow when conducting your experiment. Directions should be detailed and in sequential order. To