Tuscarora High School Academic School Year Science Research Project

Tuscarora Science Tracks… Earth Science – 9 th Grade 9 th grade: Honors Earth Science 10 th grade: Biology 11 th grade: Chemistry, Environmental, Physics, AP Biology (w/Chem), GIS 12 th grade: AP level courses, environmental, GIS or ISR Honors Biology – 9 th Grade 9 th grade: Honors Biology 10 th grade: Chemistry 11 th grade: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Physics, Environmental, GIS 12 th grade: AP level courses, Environmental, GIS or ISR

Scientific Research is about studying the natural phenomenon that occurs on Earth & how we can better improve our world. Problem Solving Skills Apply mathematical skills Analysis/Data Skills Present their findings to scientists in the greater DC metropolitan area.

Click on academics Scroll to “Science” Click on LCPS Regional Science and Engineering Fair Click on 2011 Student Abstracts

Honors Earth Science: (25% of your grade each quarter) Completion of 8 SRP assignments: Researching previous science research projects, discovering a research topic that can be measurable, researching their idea/problem, drafting their proposal for approval, literature review of previous work completed on their topic and rough draft of materials/procedures Honors Biology: (25% of your grade each quarter) Completion of the project Re-submitting their previous SRP work for review and modifications, finalizing their materials/procedures, running the experiment, collecting data, performing statistical analysis, final paper including results and conclusions

On top of school work, seeks helps and asks questions! Organized Time management skills Passionate about science Passionate about math analysis Loves to experiment Takes responsibility, completes assignments on time Ability to write a research paper, cite a paper, create bibliography in APA format Student should want to be here!!!

You will complete the first 8 assignments over the summer: SRP A: Preparing your SRP Performance Portfolio & Student Interest Survey SRP B: How to Read a Scientific Paper SRP C: Evaluating Experimental Design SRP D: 4 Ideas Worksheet SRP #1: Science Research Project Proposal TAF: Tuscarora Approval Form SRP #2: 10 sources on Previous Research SRP #3: Literature Review

Download all documents and save them to your home computer: Tuscarora homepage Click on academics and scroll to science department Click on Science Research Project Print out all SRP assignments and rubrics (all documents are through Microsoft Office) READ RUBRICS THOROUGHLY! Ask questions if you do not understand the assignment When completed, SELF GRADE!!!! GET A FLASH DRIVE (BACK UP ALL YOUR WORK!) Place all your work in your binder in the section: “SRP WORK IN PROGRESS” (SRP A: taps are for final products only everything goes in order in the back)

Portfolio White 2 inch binder with clear jacket Create a cover page Place 10 dividers in binder The last divider “SRP Work In Progress” is where all assignments are placed in order until they are finalized. Student Interest Survey: use the word template to type in your answers..this will help you lead to ideas/projects that interest you! Your finalized binder will be seen by teachers, students and scientists from the greater DC area at the Tuscarora Science and Engineering Fair in April!

A 3 part assignment to help you gain understanding on how to read scientific papers: A scavenger hunt on how to find scientific papers and the information they contain. Using a scientific journal article and analyzing the parts of the scientific inquiry (hypothesis, IV, DV, control, constants, results, analysis and conclusion) Using Ted Talks – “Bio-mimicry in Action” and analyzing the scientist’s findings

Part 1: Compare and Contrast two abstracts Part 2: Find 3 scientific articles on your own and identify the major parts of the experiment (Hypothesis, IV, DV, control, constants, results, analysis and conclusion) Scientific search engines (Pubmed.gov, ebsco, access science..) Pick articles that interest you!!!!

Submit your 4 different project ideas to your assigned biology teacher over the summer. Your ideas will include: Proposed problem and purpose Hypothesis Independent and dependent variables Control and constants How you will measure

Choose something you are interested in!..you are committing to this project for a year and its important you enjoy it! Sports (physics or kinesiology) Health and wellness (microbiology, animal sciences, behavioral psychology etc.) Chemistry Engineering Physics and astronomy Mathematical sciences Environmental sciences Humans, vertebrates, and plants are highly discouraged because they will require 100 subjects due to many variables that are incontrollable. PURPOSE!!!!!!!!!!!! – why are you doing this? Why is it important? More tips found on the Science Department Website!!!!

Your proposal is an outline of the major components of your project: Problem you are trying to solve Purpose!!!! Hypothesis IV DV – has to be measurable and testable! Control Constants Procedures/Materials The background topics you need to explore

Form that will require your parent/guardian signature and science chair signature (Amanda Smith) to be attached/ ed along with Project Proposal to your assigned biology teacher over the summer.

Collect 10 sources/informational notes on previous research that pertains to your topic area. Credible vs. non-credible Examples: Bacterial growth with different types of pimple creams: how bacteria respond to different chemicals, tests that were previously done on the products, the differences in pimple creams on the market. How age affects ability to read and comprehend volume and numbers: aging effects on brain development, how much a person can memorize in a given amount of time.

Student will organize their 10 sources into a well written paper with an introduction to their topic and a conclusion based on what has been discovered about their topic, what needs to be improved, and where scientists can go from here. Roughly 1000 word paper Use APA format for in text citations and your bibliography

By July 15 th : Communicate with your assigned biology teacher SRP D (4 ideas) to help you get started on SRP #1 By August 1 st : SRP #1 and the TAF should be reviewed by your assigned biology teacher and they will send to Mrs. Amanda Smith, science chair. You will receive feedback on your Tuscarora Approval Form from Mrs. Smith during August 1 st -5 th so you can begin to work on SRP #2 and SRP #3 due by the start of school (TBA). SRP A-SRP #3 will be submitted to your honors biology teacher during the second week of school and improvements can be made before submission.

Mrs. Amanda Smith – Teachers will your TAF and SRP #1 to me and I will respond back to you no later than August 5 th. Dr. Benjamin Kagan – Last Name A-L Ms. Samantha Smingler – Last Name M-Z