Emerson s Science Fair Planning Packet

Transcription

1 Emerson s Science Fair Planning Packet Science Technology Engineering Math To get started on creating a fantastic award winning science or engineering project, just follow along these easy steps. Remember to be creative and have fun! From this point forward you are now a science or engineer explorer. Use this planner packet as a guide for developing a wonderful project. Now let s begin: Step 1: What types of project? Science Experiment Project: Science investigation using the scientific method where you test something several times (at least three times) and change one variable (thing) to see what will happen. You gather data, and then share these results in a conclusion. This planner will go over the scientific method. Engineering Design Project: Engineering designs follow steps to solve a problem where you make a plan, design something to solve the problem, test your model, and then make improvement(s) on the model and share your results after re-testing it.

2 Step 2: Knowing the steps using either the scientific method or the engineering design process. Here is a quick glance of the scientific method and the engineering design process. Scientific Method for a science experiment: Engineering Design Process for an engineering project: Design and create a prototype (model) to solve a problem

3 Step 3: Choosing a category that interests you Whether you are doing an experiment or designing something, you will need to first ask questions. All great projects begin with asking questions; however, you first need to pick a category for your project. Below are some different types of science and engineering topics: Earth & Space Topics: Science experiments about the weather or geology (Earth materials; for example, fossils, water, rocks, minerals, etc.) Science experiments about stars, our Sun, planets, moons, our Moon, etc. Engineers would think about how to construct technology to help solve problems or help scientists do their experiments. Life Science & Engineering Topics: This category deals with animals, plants, bacteria, viruses, & human body questions. Engineers create things to help living things. For example, an engineer may design a tool to help a hurt animal heal better. Engineers create machines to safely store bad bacterium, and viruses. They also design better ways to help us go from one place to the next (planes, cars, trains, etc.). Physical Science & Engineering Topics: This is the category which deals with how things work. It includes topics about matter and structure, as well as electricity, magnetism, sound, light, etc. You are probably thinking of a topic in this category if you are asking about, How does it work and what if I do this to it, will it still work? Chemical reactions showing how substances interact with each other are types of physical sciences (chemistry). Engineers use science findings to construct things to assist our world. Engineers use ways to control energy or power to allow for machines to work or for our lights to shine in a dark room. Now It s Your Turn: Write down your favorite category and what it is you want to learn more about: Chosen Category: I want to learn more about

4 Step 4: Creating a Good Question or Stating a Problem-- Now that you ve picked a topic that you like and that you are interested in, it is time to write a question or identify a problem within that topic. Scientists create questions using some of the following examples: Effect Question: What is the effect of on? sunlight the growth of plants temperature oil thickness Affect Question: How does the affect? color of light the growth of plants change of water temperature oil Verb Question: Which/What (verb)? foods do stick-bugs prefer paper towel is the most absorbent Engineers identify a problem that they would like to solve: They create a question that asks, How could I build or construct to improve or create? For example, how could I build a cheap water filter to take on an overnight hike? Or, how could I design a machine that would clean water safe enough to drink? Now it s your turn Create your question as a scientist or as an engineer:

5 Step 5: Time to do the research Read: All experts take time to read, discuss, and read some more about their topic. Best place to find information is the library and from the internet. READ magazines, books, and internet articles. Take notes on new science words you learn as well as key information you discover. Keep track of ALL articles and books you read for creating your resource list. Discuss: Take time to share your interests with your parents, teacher(s), and friends/family members. They may have knowledge about your topic or help you with obtaining space and materials. Finally, you may be able to talk with an expert about your topic like veterinarians, doctors, meteorologists, geologists, chemical engineer, civil engineer, mechanical engineer, etc. Research to a Solution Plan (Engineering Project) OR Prediction or Plan; Hypothesis (Science Project) As an engineer, you will brainstorm some ideas based from your research and interviews, and then you choose a plan that you feel will best solve what you want to achieve: Use a web like done in the pre-writing stage when writing a story. Remove fine dirt Inexpensive way to hold water Remove fine dirt inexpensive, combine with bottle to collect water Remove fine dirt

6 As a scientist, you will write a Hypothesis: A hypothesis is your Smart Guess or Prediction of what you think will happen if you test your problem based from your question. The hypothesis is written before you start your experiment. Example Problem based from your question: Which paper towel is more absorbent? Example Hypothesis: I think Brand X will be more absorbent because it is thicker and the people I interviewed shared that they prefer this brand even though it is more expensive. Now it s your turn Problem: I m going to research about my problem using this topic: Books I found: Title: Author: Internet sites I found: People I interviewed:

7 Notes of important ideas or key points that I learned about my topic: My choice for a solution (Engineer Project) or my hypothesis (Science Project): I think that (will be the best solution or will happen) because (my research shows ) Step 6: Planning Stage For both, an engineering project or a science project, you will need to make lists of materials you will need and steps you will take. If you are completing an engineering project, you will follow the engineering design process guideline pages (8-9), and if you are completing a science project, you will follow the scientific method guideline pages (10-11).

8 Engineering Design Process Guidelines-- 1. Restate Problem: 2. If you have completed all necessary research, place a smiley face in the box 3. In the space below share all your brainstorming ideas and possible solutions: 4. Draw and label your design 5. List all materials you will need to build your prototype (first working model that is based from the above ideas, solutions, and drawing). Think about where you may obtain these items.

9 6. List all steps you need to take in order to build your prototype. Will you need help or what tools will you need in order to build your prototype? 7. Build your prototype Keep notes that share how your building is going. If you can, take pictures of the building process. Notes: 8. Testing time: Test your prototype and share how all turned out. 9. Evaluate and Improve design: What worked and what did not work? How could you improve your prototype? Share pictures or drawings of how you improved your prototype

10 Science Project Guidelines-- 1. Restate your hypothesis: 2. If you have completed all necessary research, place a smiley face in the box 3. Materials: List the materials that you will need for your science experiment 2. Variables: List the variables that you will control (not change), the variable that you will change (only one manipulated variable), and the variables that you will measure or that will share results of your experiment: All controlled variables: My independent or manipulated variable that I change from one experiment to the next, it is what I am testing: My responding variables that will share the results of my experiment (the results of the experiment): 3. Procedures: List the steps that you will do in order to perform your experiment (Remember to test your experiment at least three times)

11 4. Design a table or chart here to collect your information and results: (pictures of you doing your experiment can be included too) **use graph paper to make a graph of your results from your table. 5. Conclusion: Now tell us what you learned from this experiment and if you were able to prove your hypothesis. Did it work? Why did it work or why didn t it work? What did the results tell you? Sometimes not being able to prove a hypothesis is important because you still proved something. What did you prove? What would you do differently next time? 6. Application: How does your experiment apply to real life? Why is it important to know about your experiment?

12 Make a Fantastically Awesome Display Below is an example of how you could organize your board for a science experiment: ***For an Engineering Project, the display board will have a similar set-up; except there will be a couple of different subheadings. Things to consider: Make sure that you have all the stuff you need to take accurate measurements like rulers, meter tapes, thermometers, measuring cups, etc. Tables, charts, and diagrams are the best way to keep track of your testing trials. Be accurate and neat when you are writing about your tests; and remember to record your data in the correct column or row. Sometimes diagrams with labels and a brief explanation can show what happened better than a table or chart. Use the right type of graph to show your results: o Pie graphs are good to use if you are showing percentages of groups. o Bar graphs are ideal to use if you are comparing amounts of things. o Line graphs are best to use if you are showing how changes occurred in your trials over a certain amount of time.