1. Doing it all in one semester (almost)!
Science Fair
Doing it all in one semester (almost)!
Nancy Brim Lakeside High School

2. MY SCHOOL SITUATION WHAT STUDENTS ARE TOLD 7 period day
50 minute classes
Gifted chemistry students
Collaboration with gifted English teachers
WHAT STUDENTS ARE TOLD
Ninth grade year
Difference between accelerated and gifted chemistry
Single science/English paper

3. COLLABORATION In Science: In English: Library visit to choose topic
All drafts and paperwork handled
In English:
MLA and writing style explanation
Thesis explanation

4. TIMELINE/DEADLINES
August 16 - Explanation of project, receive paperwork
August 20 - Media Center visit to investigate possible topics
August 24 - Project Ideas form due with signed parent acknowledgment; Go over logbook protocol; (10 pts)
September 6 - Science Fair Project Plan due (10 pts)
September 10 - Discussion of the filling out of GSEF paperwork
September 26 - Turn in completed GSEF Paperwork. (15 pts)
October 10 - First Draft / Logbook due (10 pts)
October 16 - Deadline for all Human Subjects/Prior Approval Paperwork
October 17 - Revised Science Fair Project Plan due (10 pts)

5. TIMELINE/DEADLINES
October 31 - Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts)
November 14 - Third Draft / Old Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts)
December 3 - FINAL RESEARCH REPORT DUE – Old Third Draft / Old Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts)
January 11 - Display board due
January 16 - Abstract due
January 24 - school fair
February 6 - county fair
April state fair

6. STUDENT FOLDER

7. STUDENT FOLDER

8. STUDENT FOLDER

9. STUDENT FOLDER

10. STUDENT FOLDER

11. STUDENT FOLDER

12. STUDENT FOLDER

13. STUDENT FOLDER

14. ASSESSING THE PROJECT Points awarded for paper deadlines
October Summary
Final draft gets a number grade
Drafts are read by teacher and/or peers and editing sheets filled out

15. October Summary
This form helps with managing the ISEF/GSEF paperwork

16. EDITING DRAFTS First Draft Second Draft Third Draft
edited by science teacher
edited by peers
Second Draft
edited by English teacher
Third Draft

17. TEACHER EDITING

18. PEER EDITING

19. FINAL PAPER RUBRIC SCIENTIFIC METHOD 45% Title Page (5)
Table of Contents (5)
Introductory paragraph, thesis (5)
Hypothesis in summary par. (5)
Ind/Dep. Variables identifiable (5)
All brand names listed (2)
Materials written in paragraph form (2)
Methods: control evident and necessary (3)
Methods: limited independent variable (3)
Methods: experiment can be replicated exactly (3)
Methods: all metric measurements (3)
Methods: adequate sample size (3)
Methods: written in layman’s terms (3)
Methods: sound experimental design (3)
Data table and paragraph summary of
data (5)
Statistical analysis used (5)
Hypothesis proved/disproved (5)
Results discussed (5)
Discussion of possible error in
experiment (5)
Correct MLA citation form used for all
(10)
Alphabetical, no numbers, hanging
indent; double spaced (3)
Variety of sources, not website heavy (4)
Minimum of five sources (4)
Only .gov, .edu, or teacher approved
sites (4)

20. FINAL PAPER RUBRIC SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT 20%
Parenthetical citations used (15)
Noun-verb agreement (4)
Pronoun (indefinite, reference,
ambiguous) (4)
Sentences clear, clear diction (4)
No fragments or run-on sentences (4)
Present tense – research/bkgrnd (4)
Past tense – rest of paper (4)
Active voice – research/bkgrnd (4)
Passive voice – experiment (4)
Written in third person (4)
Correct spelling (5)
Correct punctuation (5)
Correct Capitalization (5)
No start with ‘and’, ‘but’, #s, etc. (4)
First/last sentence own words (4)
No contractions (4)
Spell out numbers 1-10 (4)
SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT 20%
Project applicability in the real world (10)
Sound scientific thought – background research -clear support of hypothesis (25)
Innovative hypothesis (10)
Sound data collection method and presentation (15)
Valid conclusion drawn (15)
Future applicability proposed/What next? (15)
Responsiveness to changes made in past drafts (10)
PAPER FORMAT 25%
12 pt Times New Roman, double spaced, 1” margins (6)
Logical writing with transitions (15)

21. FINAL PAPER RUBRIC TOTAL POINTS – EACH SECTION DUE DATES 10%
Project Ideas Project Plan – revised
Project Plan nd draft/1st /logbook
Fair Paperwork Third draft/2nd/1st
1st draft/logbook Final paper
TOTAL POINTS – EACH SECTION
Scientific Method – 45%
Scientific Thought – 20%
Paper Format – 25%
Due Dates – 10%
Each teacher that grades your paper will fill out a rubric gradesheet. The scores will be averages for your final project grade in all classes.

22. FINAL PAPER SECOND SEMESTER
Science and English teacher grade, separately
Two grades are averaged; count for both classes
County Mandate, 10% (science)
SECOND SEMESTER
Display Board due first week in January.
Abstract due second week in January.
Fair is third week in January.

23. CONCLUSION Collaboration leads to:
better writing
High overall grades
Choosing the topic is the hardest part
May try using web quest to help with this
Paperwork organization is second hardest
All forms can be found at

24. IMPORTANT ADDRESSES
All forms can be found at
GSEF Information at
ISEF information at
Webquest can be found at