1. BEJ Science Night
Creating a Science Fair Project

2. What is a Science Fair Project?
“So what kind of a project is required?”
Allowable Projects: Experimental type projects that use the scientific method with a testable question.
Ex. How does caffeine affect the growth rate of pea plants?
Projects Not Allowed: Research projects (What is a hurricane?) or models (a paper mache' volcano). These do not involve testing.

3. The affect of caffeine on plant growth
Choose a Topic
Pick a topic that:
Will be interesting.
You will be able to complete in time.
( See handout for timeline.)
Example:
The affect of caffeine on plant growth

4. Example: How does caffeine affect the growth of a plant?
Title
Choose a title that reflects your topic and is in the form a question.
Example: How does caffeine affect the growth of a plant?

5. Research
Research should be designed to get background information about your topic before you begin your experiment.
Develop 3 questions that you want to answer about your topic.
Try to use various sources for your research.
Suggested sources:
Books
Magazines
Newspapers
Internet
Keep a record of all the places you find information.

6. Hypothesis Make your guess
Use your research to make an educated guess about how you think your experiment will turn out.
Use the “ If I ________ then I think _____”format
Example:
If I pour 100ml of coffee on four pea plants and pour 100ml of water in another four pea plants, then I think the plants with coffee will grow taller because caffeine will stimulate the plants.

7. Variables Ind. Dep. Cont. Ind. Dep. Cont.
Independent Variable The variable you are “messing with”.
Dependent Variable The variable that you will record and measure. Its changes “depend” on the independent variable.
Control Variable All aspects of this variable must remain constant.
“How Does Caffeine Affect the Growth Rate of Pea Plants?”
“What is the Effect of Coke on the Decay of Teeth?”
Ind.
Dep.
Cont.
Ind.
Dep.
Cont.

8. Procedure Design your experiment
Design your experiment so that they only test for one thing.
Make sure that you do the same things to all groups of objects being tested.
Example: If you are testing plants…
Use the same seeds.
Plant all of them with the same soil.
Put them all in the same amount of light for the same amount of time.
The only thing that should be different about the plants is that one received coffee and the other water.

9. Procedure To increase the validity of your experiment:
Make sure to keep a control group.
Keep in mind sample size.
The more objects in your sample the more valid your experiment.
Use multiple trials. (At least three.)
Write down step-by-step directions on how to do your experiment. Do not leave anything out!

10. Procedure Example: Get 8 pea plants (100 cm tall).
Place 4 pea plants on each tray.
Label one set of plants “Caffeine”.
Label the second set “Water”.
Pour 100ml of coffee (with caffeine) onto the soil of each plant twice a week.
Pour 100ml of water onto the soil of each plant twice a week.
Measure each plant with a metric ruler.
Record data in record book.

11. Materials
Make a complete list of everything you will use in your experiment.
Tell how many and how much of each object used.
Use metric measures only.

12. Materials Example: 8 pea plants (100cm tall)
800ml coffee with caffeine
800ml water
1 Metric ruler
1 record book

13. Do Your Experiment. Do not procrastinate!
Recording accurate data is the KEY to a successful project!
Write down everything you do.
Keep it all in the same notebook.
Take photographs of each step to use with the display.
Be sure to repeat the experiment in order to confirm the results.
Save information carefully and always have a written copy of the information in your computer files.
Keep you files and charts organized.
Sources need to be written down correctly from the start.
Make sure that you give others credit for helping you with your research.
Do not procrastinate!

14. Make Charts and Graphs Display data using charts, tables, and graphs.
Choose the correct graphs for your data.
Bar-comparison
Pie-percentage
Line-change/time

15. Results
Using your data, write a few sentences about how your experiment turned out.
Example:
From reading my charts and graphs, I know that Plant Group #1 grew an average of 40cm with 100ml of coffee. Plant Group #2 grew an average of 20cm with 100ml of water. The Plant Group that was given coffee grew 20cm more on average than the Plant Group that was given water.

16. Conclusion
Write down why you think your experiment turned out the way it did.
Include if your hypothesis was supported or not.
Be sure to use the term “ My hypothesis was/was not supported.”
Do not say I was right/wrong.
Even when your hypothesis was not supported, you gain information about your topic.
Use scientific reasoning for conclusion.

17. Conclusion
Example:
My hypothesis was supported. The plants that were watered with coffee (caffeine) grew taller than those that were given water. Therefore, caffeine has a positive effect on the growth of pea plants. This may be due the fact that caffeine is a stimulant. The caffeine could have stimulated the plant to grow.

18. Make Your Board
Start your information on the top left panel of the board, move down the left panel, across the middle panel, and from the top down on the right panel.
Place pictures of your experiment on your board.

19. Make your Board

20. Grading ALL Science Fair projects will be graded.
ALL projects will be entered into the BEJ Science Fair.

21. Helpful Resources Science Fair Web Pages
Site for help throughout project
Site explaining the parts of a science fair project
Site for children to use in setting up their science fair project
Site that has info for parents, teachers, and students
(project ideas, research tools, and tip sheets for all kinds of projects)

22. BEJ Resources Research:
The BEJ computer lab and media center will be open every Tuesday and Thursday night from 5 – 7 pm through Nov. 15th.
Supplies:
BEJ will supply each child with a display board.

23. Keys for success: Bringing It Together Stick to your timeline
Utilize parental and school support
Organize your project
The BEJ Science Fair is
Tuesday, November 27th

24. Any Questions