Science First Quarter Project
Fall 2015
Parent Notification Due: ___________
Research Days: _________ & ____________
Outline/Invention Log Due: __________
Final Completed Project Due: ______________
For this project, you must select from ONE of the following THREE choices.
1. On your own, research a debunked scientific idea from the past, outline
your research, and share your final results in the format of your choice
(Nature of Science).
2. Enter any ONE INDIVIDUAL contest: Earth Science Week Essay Contest,
the DuPont Challenge (essay contest), or the Rubber Band Contest for
Young Inventors.
3. Enter a GROUP CONTEST: Exploravision (2-4 people) OR the
eCybermission (3-4 people).These are substantially more work, and the
final project has 90 points possible out of 70 (20 points extra credit).
Requirement
Date
 Parent Notification (all choices)
 Research/Work Day
 Inventors Log (Rubber Band only)
OR
 Outline (all other choices)
 Completed Project with bibliography
Contests must include proof of entry
Points Possible
5
10/day = 20
20
Due
9/18
9/21 and 9/22
9/25
70
10/8
(90 for group projects)
_
TOTAL POINTS FOR 1ST QUARTER PROJECT: 115 points
NOTIFICATION OF PROJECT
Student Name (print) ______________________________
I have seen the project descriptions. I will help my son/daughter choose a project
and work to complete all the portions of the project by the deadlines above.
At this time, my child chooses (mark one)
 ____ to do a research project on_________________________________
(topic)
and has chosen to present their knowledge via __________________________.
(format)
OR
 _______ to enter the ________________________ competition ALONE.
OR
 _______ to enter the ________________________ competition with
(partners)
__________________________________________
Parent Signature
_______________
__________________________________________
Student Signature
_______________
Date
Date
The Nature of Scientific Discovery
Background: Unlike many subjects, when new information is discovered in science,
if it can be verified we have to change even very established ideas. Throughout
history, many once widely held ideas about how the physical world works have
been changed dramatically or even completely debunked as we learned new
information.
Assignment: Research one outdated or debunked scientific idea, explain how the
idea was overturned, any historically significant experiments, and the modern
understanding of how your topic works. A list of possible topics is included, but you
are not limited to these. Bear in mind that some topics are much easier to research
than others. Then select a format to share what you learned. This can take many
different forms: a poster, a Powerpoint/Prezis presentation, a speech, a written
paper, a children’s story, a video – the choice is yours. Not all topics will be well
suited to all formats – choose a format that interest you and that makes it easy to
communicate what you learned. Please note – papers are limited to 500 words,
and all speeches, videos and presentations must be 3 minutes or less.
Possible Topics for Research. This is a list of possible topics; there are many
more. ANY OTHER TOPIC NEEDS PRIOR APPROVAL.
 Aristotle’s Dynamics of Motion: natural objects seek their “proper” place and
come to rest there.
 Miasma Theory - Bad smells carry disease, one of many ideas on how diseases
spread.
 California Island – California is an island, not connected to North America
 Canals on Mars – evidence of civilization on Mars
 Cold Fusion – hydrogen atoms can be fused into heavier elements at room
temperature
 Corpuscular Theory of Light – light is a stream of particles
 Dalton’s/Democritus’ model of the atom – atoms are small, uniform spheres with
no parts
 Ether – Mystery substance that light waves travelled through
 Expanding Earth – The Earth grows over time
 Flat Earth – earth is flat, and has edges
 Four humors – the human body has 4 “humors” that cause illness when out of
balance
 Geocentric Universe – everything goes around the earth
 Maternal Impression – what a woman thinks/feels while pregnant can influence
the baby or even cause birth defects.
 Phlogiston – substance once thought to be in anything flammable
 Phrenology – you can determine someone’s personality by feeling the shape of
their skull
 Plum Pudding (Thompson) model of the atom – atoms are a diffuse, positive sea of
mass with electrons stuck in place at random
 Rain follows the Plow – human cultivation causes more rainfall.
 Spontaneous Generation – life comes from inanimate materials (abiogenesis)
 Static Universe – the universe is as it has always been (same size)
 Vulcan – planet thought to be between Mercury and the Sun
Exploravision
Groups of 2 – 4 to simulate real research and development. Students pick a current
technology, research it, envision what it might look like in 20 years, and describe the
development steps, pros & cons, and obstacles. Past winners have envisioned
technologies ranging from a hand-held food allergen detector to a new device to
help people who have lost limbs regain movement in real time.
http://www.exploravision.org/
eCybermission
Groups of 3-4 use Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to solve a real
problem in your community. Your team will research and conduct experiments to
find a solution. You must complete a Mission Folder. Your team can choose one of
the following Mission Challenges:
 Alternative Sources of Energy
 National Security & Safety
 Environment
 Robotics
 Food, Health & Fitness
 Technology
 Forces & Motion
https://www.ecybermission.com/
DuPont Challenge
Write an essay to share your ideas for how science can help keep our global
population supplied with food, safety, and clean energy. Essays must be between
700 to 1,000 words in length, include a list of research sources, and fall under one of
these four categories:
 Together, we can feed the world.
 Together, we can build a secure energy future.
 Together, we can protect people and the environment.
 Together, we can be innovative anywhere.
http://thechallenge.dupont.com/essay/
Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors
Design and create a working invention that incorporates at least 1 rubber band.
Entrants choose to compete in one of two divisions: 1) Arts & Leisure Division; or 2)
Science & Engineering Division. All inventions must be original. Group inventions
will not be accepted.
http://rubberbandcontest.org/
Earth Science Week Essay Contest
Since the earliest hand-drawn maps and diagrams, “visualization” has been an
important way of explaining and understanding the interactions of land, water, air,
and living things. Earth scientists today use more sophisticated technology to
monitor and represent these Earth systems — the geosphere, hydrosphere,
atmosphere, and biosphere. What contemporary means of geoscience visualization
do you use in your daily life? What types are being used in areas such as agriculture,
construction, energy, disaster preparedness, and climate science? Explain one way
that geoscientists’ use of cutting-edge visualization is advancing Earth science today
in a brief essay (300 words).
http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/essay/