1. Timeline First Assignment How to Choose a Topic
Science Fair
Timeline
First Assignment
How to Choose a Topic

2. Science Fair Timeline Project Activity Due Date
* Laboratory Planning Sheet Draft
* Background Information Draft
Tuesday, Sept. 6
* Laboratory Planning Sheet FINAL
* Project Endorsements (if applicable)
* Mini-Grant Materials (if applicable)
* Safety Sheet
Tuesday, Sept. 20
* Complete Review of Literature
* Complete Detailed Bibliography (Reference List) with five different valid sources
* Final Science Fair Paper
* Class Fair (5 minute maximum presentation)

3. Get Your Parents Involved!
Please take home the “Parent’s Guide to Science Projects” handout so your parent(s) know what they can do to help you with your project. Keep in mind that this is YOUR project, so you choose the topic, conduct the experiment, analyze your data, and create your board. Your parents can be really helpful with getting resources for you and being an audience, but this is YOUR project.

4. First Project Assignment
Choose a topic!
Complete Laboratory Planning Sheet
Find resources (you will need at least 5 for the final paper)
Complete a 1-2 page double spaced Background Information paper with your sources on an attached sheet

5. Laboratory Planning Format
Name:________ ______________ __________Date:_____ ____Per.___________
Laboratory Planning Format
Due September 6th (Draft) and September 20th for resubmission (final)
Problem/Purpose
*Why are you doing the experiment?
*What question are you trying to answer?
Hypothesis—based on your research
*To be completed BEFORE you do the experiment
Materials
*List all materials you need and safety precautions
(list those that do not fit on back)
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Controlled Variables
Procedure—list in steps
(only basic here, more detailed in official lab report)
Data Table/ Collection
*How are you going to organize and present your data?
Note: after Data collection is complete, you should transform your data into a graph or chart if possible
Analysis and Conclusion
*Explanation of data; what does the data mean?
*Write in complete sentences
*Did you accomplish the purpose of the experiment?
*Does your data support your hypothesis?
To Be Completed AFTER Data Collection!

6. IV/DV Refresher…
In your Laboratory Planning Sheet, you will need to list your independent variable & dependent variable. Remember, your Independent Variable (IV) is the variable you are testing and changing in the experiment. It is the cause of whatever changes you measure. Your Dependent Variable (DV) is the responding variable that you are measuring. It is the effect of whatever IV changes you make.

7. Background Information Paper
Your draft of this paper is due at the same time as your Laboratory Planning sheet, Tuesday September 6 in class. Make sure to include a sheet with the sources you used, which may include professional references (nurses, doctors, scientists, etc).

8. How to Choose a Topic…
At , fill out the Topic Selection Wizard for recommendations based on your preferences. Or use the following guide/breakdown by subject area to help you out. Write down the ideas that seem most interesting to you right now, and make sure to ask me questions if you have them…

9. Topics in Physics Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics
Surface area of parachute and hang time
Shape of an object and its drag in water
Wind turbine blade shape and energy produced
Fluid and viscosity (marble sinking)
Wind velocity and air pressure
Physics: Mechanics
Temperature and heat loss of an orange
Length of lever arm/mass of projectile/angle of release and projectile max. height or range
Ball/surface/temperature and bouncy ball rebound ratio
Drop height and liquid spatter radius
Transparent material and index of refraction
Sense (sight, sound, touch)/gender/age and reaction time
# of rubber bands in a chain and rebound height of dropped object
Rubber band stretch distance & launch distance
Material and coefficient of friction
Physics: Electricity and Light
Distance from light source and light intensity
# of coils in electromagnet or supplied voltage and magnet strength
Water samples and conductance (water quality)
Cell phone type and microwave radiation
Current in a circuit and LED brightness
Materials and current/voltage relationship to determine which Ohmic devices
Temperature and magnet strength

10. Topics in Chemistry Substance and pos./neg. result on blood test
Water/borax solution concentration and crystal size
Colored ink and pigments (chromatography)
Temperature or tablet size on Alka-Seltzer & water reaction time
Substance dissolved in water and boiling point
pH and copper corrosion on pennies
Temperature of a balloon with gas and balloon volume
Sand/salt on ice and melting time
Soap concentration in water and surface tension (drops on a penny)
Baking soda + vinegar ratio and height of rocket launch
Orange juice vs. sports drink and electrolyte concentration
Sunscreen SPF and UV rays getting through
Iodine concentration and iodine clock reaction time
Orange juice type and amount of vitamin C present

11. Topics in Engineering Build your own crystal radio
Build your own electric motor
Build your own dance pad
Design your own roller coaster (marble coaster) and determine what height you need to release from in order to loop the loop
Test the bearing capacity of different types of soil

12. Topics in Life Science Time of day and UV index
Time of day and reaction time
Time of day and body temperature
Time of day and heart rate
Orientation of plant (stem up vs. stem down) and growth

13. Topics in Behavioral and Social Science
Lying and physical signs (do as a double-blind experiment)
Mnemonics and memory
Chromatic adaptation
Photo lineup bias

14. Other Topics Tube length and pitch (like a flute)
String length and pitch