1. IDENTIFY A PROBLEM or QUESTION The juice in my lunchbox gets warm The batteries in my game always run out There are more birds at my neighbor’s bird feeder than at ours. What takes stains out of clothes? Are more expensive brands really worth the money? My grandmom’s cookies taste better than my mom’s.

2. Change your problem or observation into a TESTABLE QUESTION PROBLEMS/OBSERVATIONS 1.My juice gets warm 2.My batteries run out 3.No birds at our bird feeder 4.My clothes have stains 5.Grandmom’s cookies taste better 6.Should I buy the most expensive brand? TESTABLE QUESTIONS 1.What is the best insulator to keep liquid cold? 2.Which type of battery lasts the longest? 3.What is the best kind of food to attract the most birds? 4.What detergent removes stains the best? 5.What ingredient makes cookies have the largest volume? 6.Which type of brand is strongest, last the longest, most absorbant?

3. Approximate Timeline 1.December – Select a topic. 2.February/March – Research question and design experiment. 3.April – Conduct experiment. 4.May – Conclude, make display board, and present projects. 5.June – “Science Night”

4. ASK YOURSELF: WILL THIS PROJECT BE… ABLE TO BE DONE IN TIME WITH ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS MY FAMILY DOES? TOO EXPENSIVE? CAN WE AFFORD TO GET ALL OF THE MATERIALS? DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THE MATERIALS. SAFE? ARE THE TOOLS AND OTHER MATERIALS SAFE TO USE? WILL AN ADULT BE ABLE TO HELP ME? ARE THERE ALLERGIES? SOMETHING I CAN UNDERSTAND? WILL THE RESEARCH BE TOO HARD? SAFE FOR ALL ANIMALS OR PEOPLE? WILL I NEED A DOCTOR OR VET PERMISSION? A TESTABLE INVESTIGATION?