1. Science Fair getting started…

2. Choose an exciting topic!
Choose a topic that will interest and challenge you.
Do not be afraid to try something new—you will learn about it along the way.

3. Can I have a partner?
The best answer to this question is, Do you think you can handle working with a partner? Will you stay focused? Can you depend on a partner to HELP not DO ALL THE WORK for your science fair project? They must also be in the same HR!
Choose wisely!!
Or…..work by yourself!

4. What Makes a Good Science Fair Topic?
Is my topic realistic? 
Is it something I can do?
Is my topic interesting to me?
Can I investigate my topic by experimenting and collecting data?
Can I afford what I will need to investigate my topic?
Do I have enough time to complete the experiment?

5. Be a true scientist!
Keep a detailed and up-to-date lab notebook with you regularly ( one will be given to you) not sure when, but until you get one you need to write it down in your science notebook
It will help you organize your thoughts and if you ever need to go back to see how you did something, you can find out

6. Most importantly!!!!!!
Write up an organized plan. What do you think you will do each day during the experiment? What do you plan on doing?
Try to think of all the possible problems you might run into during the experiment and rewrite your procedure to account for them. This includes possible errors in measurement, contamination, timing issues, etc.

7. Even more importantly!!!!!!
Do not cram your experiment into a short period of time unless your procedure calls for it.
Do a minimum of 3 trials
If you do 5, your data will be more credible

8. Time to analyze & organize your thoughts
Use Your Brain (it's not as hard as it seems!)
Look at your results and ask yourself why they do/do not make sense.
Apply your background research to your results to help you figure out what happened during the experiment.

9. Time, time, time
Science fair investigations require time management skills. Students must budget their time, space out the work in manageable chunks, keep to a schedule, and complete their experiment early enough to have ample time for making conclusions and retesting results if necessary for confirmation and confidence.

10. Project Ideas What metal is most affected by salt water?
Does water affect the aerodynamics of a paper airplane?
Can potatoes make electricity?
Does the color of light affect how well a plant grows?
Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
How can you protect a falling egg? (engineering)
Invent your own way of filtering water.
Can you keep cut flowers alive longer in something other than water?

11. Project Ideas Which food produces the most gas?
Do plants grow better with sand, soil, or pebbles?
Do plants grow at different rates when given plant foods?
What is the effect of music on human blood pressure?
How will temperature change the expansion and contraction of a balloon?
What are the effects of salt and other contaminants on the rates of rusting?
Will vitamins affect the growth of a plant?
How do acids affect the rate of erosion?
Create a biodegradable pop can holder. (engineering)

12. Project Ideas How can cabbage change colors of water?
Is it possible to turn a white flower into 2 different colors?
Jelly bean roots. Can a plant defy gravity and grow against its instincts?
Is it possible to make a solid substance disappear and then turn back into a solid? (use mothballs)

13. What do I do after I have my 3 topics?
Write out a question (look at the poster to see the correct format)
Write a hypothesis ( look at the poster to see the correct format)
Make a list of materials that you would need?
What are your variables for your experiment??
Independent variable:
Dependent variable:
Control variable:
Start writing a procedure for your experiment (the steps)

14. Question format How does ____________affect ___________? (IV) (DV)
If _____ then _____ because _______.