1. What you should be doing NOW
Science Fair
What you should be doing NOW

2. Start making OBSERVATIONS
Science Fair has OFFICIALLY begun. So what does your teacher expect you to do now?
Start making
OBSERVATIONS

3. Observations will help you to find a TOPIC for your project

4. Look around you – maybe you see something that looks cool and you want to learn more about it.

5. Maybe you have a hobby or interest or even play a sport.
These are great places to start your project.

6. Your Project will be more FUN if you care about what you’re doing.

7. Most of what you find on ScienceBuddies is NOT a good topic for Science Fair.

8. So, this week you need to choose your TOPIC and tell your teacher what it is. They can help you.

9. Any
Questions?

10. Let’s see how Bob is doing on his Science Fair project.

11. I want to see what is the effect of air pressure on how high a ball can bounce.
Bob likes to play Basketball. He has an idea for his Science Fair TOPIC
Very Good Bob !

12. Bob will inflate a ball to 8 psi of air pressure
Bob will inflate a ball to 8 psi of air pressure. This is his CONTROL Group.
NBA balls are inflated to 8 psi

13. He will measure how high the control ball bounces
He will measure how high the control ball bounces. This measurement is what he will compare other measurements against.

14. Then he will change the pressure to 6 psi and measure how high the ball bounces.

15. The amount of air pressure is his INDEPENDENT Variable

16. Bob always drops the ball from the same height
Bob always drops the ball from the same height. This is a CONTROLLED Variable
(or CONSTANT)

17. Bob measures how high the ball will bounce
Bob measures how high the ball will bounce. This is his DEPENDENT Variable

18. For Bob’s experiment, he will try 4 psi, 6 psi, 10 psi, and 12 psi
For Bob’s experiment, he will try 4 psi, 6 psi, 10 psi, and 12 psi. Bob will record the heights in his Data Journal.

19. Since Bob is recording numbers, this is called Quantitative Data.

20. Bob will also record observations he makes
Bob will also record observations he makes. Sometimes, this is called Qualitative Data.

21. How did your experiment go?
GREAT! I did it 3 times and I looked at my Data and all the measurements proved that air pressure really affects how high a basketball can bounce.
So Bob,
How did your experiment go?
Very Good Bob !

22. I wonder if it is the same with other types of balls?
I did hear that air pressure can be very important in professional sports.
I wonder if it is the same with other types of balls?