Materials & Procedure STEM Fair 2015

Materials  Materials are anything that you use in your experiment.  Materials used in the experiment need to be listed in specific amounts and sizes.  Keep in mind, you need to write your materials in specific amounts and sizes so that anyone can replicate your experiment.

Materials- Amounts  Examples of specific amounts could be:  Numbers (Ex. 3 paperclips, 5 ice cubes, etc.)  Cups (Ex. 6 cups of water, 3 cups of orange juice, etc.)  Ounces (Ex. 7 oz. of water, 12 oz. club soda)  Pounds (Ex. 5 lbs. of chocolate, 1 ½ lb. of clay, etc.)  Tablespoons  Amounts are the weight of or number of each material in your experiment.

Materials- Sizes  Examples of specific sizes could be:  Large  Medium  Small

How would you improve this list of materials?  One empty plastic soda or water bottle  Vinegar  Balloon  Baking soda  Funnel or piece of paper  When writing your materials out, ask yourself… Would people be able to replicate my experiment?

By adding sizes and amounts!  One small empty plastic soda or water bottle  1/2 cup of vinegar  One small balloon  3 tablespoons of baking soda  One large funnel  Remember… Be as specific as you can!

Writing a Procedure  A procedure is a numbered list of the steps that you will follow to complete your experiment.  It should be detailed.  Remember, as with the materials, the procedure should be written so that any one can be able to try your experiment.  Think of it as a step by step recipe!

What makes this procedure a good procedure? 1. Gather all materials. 2. Measure 2 tablespoons of plain water, 2 tablespoons of saltwater, and 2 tablespoons of distilled water into each ice tray. 3. Place the ice trays in the freezer and allow water to freeze for 8 hours. 4. Line up three clear plastic cups on the table or counter. They should be in a place where you can observe them easily. 5. Remove the ice from the freezer and place each ice cube into a plastic cup. 6. Keep track of the ice in five minute increments. 7. In your science notebook, note the changes in each ice cube as it melts. 8. Write down the time it takes each ice cube to melt completely. 9. Repeat Steps 1-8 two more times.  Source:

 It’s detailed!  Anyone can follow it!  It’s organized!  Numbered! What made that procedure a good procedure?

Remember…  Your list of materials and your procedure should be detailed enough and well organized so anyone can follow it!