Get Ready for a Winning Science Project (3 page)
Read Get Ready for a Winning Science Project Online
Authors: Sandra Buczynski
Don't ask questions that
â¢Â   you already know the answer to
â¢Â   can be answered with opinions, memories, or impressions (these answers are not factual)
â¢Â   would require a dangerous experiment to answer
If you can answer yes to these five questions, you probably have a good research question:
â¢Â   Is the question testable?
â¢Â   Is the question clear and straightforward?
â¢Â   Will the question produce data needed to answer it?
â¢Â   Can you answer this question in a reasonable period of time?
â¢Â   Is the question safe to answer?
Tools can help you take a closer look at something. Tools used by scientists to observe more closely include magnifying lenses, microscopes, and telescopes.
In 1948, George de Mestral, a swiss mountaineer, took his dog for a walk. As the dog ran and played, plant seeds stuck to his fur. When he got home, Mestral used a microscope to look at these seeds. He found that they had sharp little hooks. This gave him an idea to create a fastener with hooks like these. Look around. You will probably see this invention on your shoes, backpack, or lunch bag. It is Velcro! It was invented because of one man's curiosity and careful observations.
Demo version limitation
Communicate Your Results
Scientists are picky about what they write in their science reports. Only the most important information gets in! Organize the information that you have gathered by grouping related facts together. These groupings become the main headings as you outline your paper.
Writing a science project report is like drawing in the basic features of a treasure map. You fill in your map with details from the explorations of others. This gives you the best idea of the route to follow for your own science research project.
Start the paper with the
purpose
of your project. What is the mystery that you are going to try to solve? If you are planning an invention, explain why you think your invention would be useful.
Explain any science terms you use. Describe the different parts of the project. For example, if you will be experimenting with fireflies, describe what a firefly is and explain how it lights up. If you are planning to invent a new version of something that already exists, describe the existing product.
It is important to cite, or record, all the places where you obtained information. You include a citation if you:
â¢Â   use another person's idea or opinion
â¢Â   quote someone's spoken or written words
â¢Â   use any facts, graphs, or drawings that are not common knowledge
Sometimes you want to go back and reread an article or recheck a Web site. Be sure to write where you found your information in your notebook, or bookmark the Web page on your computer.
If you write exactly what someone else has said or written, then you put those words in quotation marks. Immediately after the quote, write the last name of the author and the date (Goodlife, 2011).
Your background research report leads you to your
hypothesis
. What did you learn during your research that could answer your project question? You can pick from these possible answers to form your hypothesis. A hypothesis is a prediction that can be tested. A prediction is what you think is going to happen, but it is not the same thing as guessing! You don't just pluck the prediction out of thin air. Something that you have read or observed guides you to make this prediction.
An “if” / “then” sentence starter can be used for your hypothesis statement.
If the
temperature is high
, then
fireflies will blink faster
.
If your background research report is a sketch of a treasure map, then your hypothesis is your prediction for where the treasure lies. In the end, it doesn't matter if your hypothesis is correct or not. What matters is that it sets you in the direction of discovery. You are now ready to begin experimenting or inventing. Good luck!
At the end of your paper, you need to list all of the references that you cited. Here is how they should look:
â¢Â   BOOK: Name of author, date. name of book, city, state, publishing company.
â¢Â   JOURNAL ARTICLE: Name of author, date. name of article, name of journal, volume number, issue number, page number.
â¢Â   INTERNET REFERENCE: Name of author, title of Web page, date you looked at Web site, URL of Web page.
â¢Â   PERSONAL CONTACT: Name of expert, date of contact, type of communication, for example: e-mail, phone conversation, letter.
Remember, always list authors with their last names first!
collaborate
(kuh-LAB-uh-rate)
to work with others to do something
data
(DAY-tuh)
a collection of facts or evidence
databases
(DAY-tuh-base-ehz)
sets of collected information that are organized and stored on a computer
experiment
(ik-SPER-uh-ment)
an investigation conducted to test a hypothesis
hypothesis
(hye-PAH-thi-sis)
a prediction about how something works that can be tested with an experiment
invention
(in-VEN-shuhn)
a new device that is created after being tested through experimentation
keywords
(KEE-wurds)
words that can be used to find books, Web sites, or computer files
observation
(ahb-zur-VAY-shuhn)
the act of watching something carefully
phenomenon
(fuh-NAH-muh-nahn)
an event, action, experience, or fact that scientists study
purpose
(PUR-puhs)
the reason why something is done; a goal
references
(REF-ur-uhns-ehz)
books, articles, or Web sites from which you get information to use in a project
search engines
(SURCH EN-jinz)
computer programs that search the World Wide Web for the words you input
BOOKS
Truesdell, Ann.
Super Smart Information Strategies: Find the Right Site.
Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Publishing, 2010.
VanCleave, Janice Pratt.
Engineering for Every Kid: Easy
Activities That Make Learning Science Fun.
San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, 2007.
WEB SITES
Cool Science Projects
www.cool-science-projects.com/
This site provides resources, helpful tips, and examples to make your project fun.
Kid Science Link
www.kidsciencelink.com/scifairs/index.html
Find links to many science project and science fair sites.
Science Buddies
Visit this site to use the Topic Selection Wizard and the Ask an Expert online bulletin board.
astronomy,
7
biology,
7
blogs,
21
botany,
7
call numbers,
23
chemistry,
7
Earth science,
7
ecology,
7
entomology,
7
experiments,
4
,
5
,
6
,
13
,
16
,
25
,
27
,
29
food science,
7
Internet,
8
,
12
,
18
â
21
,
22
,
25
,
27
,
29
inventions,
4
,
5
,
6
,
9
,
13
,
16
,
21
,
25
,
27
microbiology,
7
models,
5
physics,
7
primary sources,
24
purpose,
27
