Science Research Project
Tuscarora High School
2011-2012 Academic School Year
Tuscarora Science Tracks…
Earth Science – 9th Grade
 9th grade: Honors Earth
Science
 10th grade: Biology
 11th grade: Chemistry,
Environmental, Physics, AP
Biology (w/Chem), GIS
 12th grade: AP level
courses, environmental,
GIS or ISR
Honors Biology – 9th Grade
 9th grade: Honors Biology
 10th grade: Chemistry
 11th grade: AP Biology, AP
Chemistry, Physics,
Environmental, GIS
 12th grade: AP level
courses, Environmental,
GIS or ISR
 Scientific Research is about studying the natural phenomenon
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that occurs on Earth & how we can better improve our
world.
Problem Solving Skills
Apply mathematical skills
Analysis/Data Skills
Present their findings to scientists in the greater DC
metropolitan area.
EXCELLENT AWARD WINNING PROJECTS
EXCELLENT AWARD WINNING PROJECTS
 www.lcps.org
 Click on academics
 Scroll to “Science”
 Click on LCPS Regional Science and
Engineering Fair
 Click on 2011 Student Abstracts
 Honors Earth Science: (25% of your grade each quarter)
 Completion of 8 SRP assignments:
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Researching previous science research projects, discovering a research
topic that can be measurable, researching their idea/problem, drafting
their proposal for approval, literature review of previous work completed
on their topic and rough draft of materials/procedures
 Honors Biology: (25% of your grade each quarter)
 Completion of the project
 Re-submitting their previous SRP work for review and modifications,
finalizing their materials/procedures, running the experiment, collecting
data, performing statistical analysis, final paper including results and
conclusions
 On top of school work, seeks helps and asks questions!
 Organized
 Time management skills
 Passionate about science
 Passionate about math analysis
 Loves to experiment
 Takes responsibility, completes assignments on time
 Ability to write a research paper, cite a paper, create
bibliography in APA format
 Student should want to be here!!!
 You will complete the first 8 assignments over the
summer:
 SRP A: Preparing your SRP Performance Portfolio
& Student Interest Survey
 SRP B: How to Read a Scientific Paper
 SRP C: Evaluating Experimental Design
 SRP D: 4 Ideas Worksheet
 SRP #1: Science Research Project Proposal
 TAF: Tuscarora Approval Form
 SRP #2: 10 sources on Previous Research
 SRP #3: Literature Review
 Download all documents and save them to your home
computer:
 Tuscarora homepage
 Click on academics and scroll to science department
 Click on Science Research Project
 Print out all SRP assignments and rubrics (all documents
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are through Microsoft Office)
READ RUBRICS THOROUGHLY!
Ask questions if you do not understand the assignment
When completed, SELF GRADE!!!!
GET A FLASH DRIVE (BACK UP ALL YOUR WORK!)
Place all your work in your binder in the section: “SRP
WORK IN PROGRESS” (SRP A: taps are for final products
only everything goes in order in the back)
 Portfolio
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White 2 inch binder with clear jacket
Create a cover page
Place 10 dividers in binder
The last divider “SRP Work In Progress” is where all assignments are
placed in order until they are finalized.
 Student Interest Survey: use the word template to type in
your answers..this will help you lead to ideas/projects that
interest you!
 Your finalized binder will be seen by teachers, students and
scientists from the greater DC area at the Tuscarora Science and
Engineering Fair in April!
 A 3 part assignment to help you gain
understanding on how to read scientific papers:
 A scavenger hunt on how to find scientific
papers and the information they contain.
 Using a scientific journal article and analyzing
the parts of the scientific inquiry (hypothesis,
IV, DV, control, constants, results, analysis and
conclusion)
 Using Ted Talks – “Bio-mimicry in Action” and
analyzing the scientist’s findings
 Part 1: Compare and Contrast two abstracts
 Part 2: Find 3 scientific articles on your own
and identify the major parts of the experiment
(Hypothesis, IV, DV, control, constants, results,
analysis and conclusion)
 Scientific search engines (Pubmed.gov, ebsco,
access science..)
 Pick articles that interest you!!!!
 Submit your 4 different project ideas to your
assigned biology teacher over the summer.
 Your ideas will include:
 Proposed problem and purpose
 Hypothesis
 Independent and dependent variables
 Control and constants
 How you will measure
 Choose something you are interested in!..you are committing to this
project for a year and its important you enjoy it!
 Sports (physics or kinesiology)
 Health and wellness (microbiology, animal sciences, behavioral
psychology etc.)
 Chemistry
 Engineering
 Physics and astronomy
 Mathematical sciences
 Environmental sciences
 Humans, vertebrates, and plants are highly discouraged because they
will require 100 subjects due to many variables that are incontrollable.
 PURPOSE!!!!!!!!!!!! – why are you doing this? Why is it important?
 More tips found on the Science Department Website!!!!
 Your proposal is an outline of the major components of your
project:
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Problem you are trying to solve
Purpose!!!!
Hypothesis
IV
DV – has to be measurable and testable!
Control
Constants
Procedures/Materials
The background topics you need to explore
 Form that will require your
parent/guardian signature and science chair
signature (Amanda Smith) to be
attached/emailed along with Project
Proposal to your assigned biology teacher
over the summer.
 Collect 10 sources/informational notes on previous research
that pertains to your topic area.
 Credible vs. non-credible
 Examples:
 Bacterial growth with different types of pimple creams: how
bacteria respond to different chemicals, tests that were
previously done on the products, the differences in pimple
creams on the market.
 How age affects ability to read and comprehend volume and
numbers: aging effects on brain development, how much a
person can memorize in a given amount of time.
 Student will organize their 10 sources into a
well written paper with an introduction to
their topic and a conclusion based on what
has been discovered about their topic, what
needs to be improved, and where scientists
can go from here.
 Roughly 1000 word paper
 Use APA format for in text citations and
your bibliography
 By July 15th: Communicate with your assigned biology teacher
SRP D (4 ideas) to help you get started on SRP #1
 By August 1st: SRP #1 and the TAF should be reviewed by your
assigned biology teacher and they will send to Mrs. Amanda
Smith, science chair.
 You will receive feedback on your Tuscarora Approval Form
from Mrs. Smith during August 1st-5th so you can begin to
work on SRP #2 and SRP #3 due by the start of school (TBA).
 SRP A-SRP #3 will be submitted to your honors biology teacher
during the second week of school and improvements can be made
before submission.
 Mrs. Amanda Smith – Amanda.Smith@lcps.org
 Teachers will email your TAF and SRP #1 to me and I will
respond back to you no later than August 5th.
 Dr. Benjamin Kagan – Benjamin.Kagan@lcps.org
 Last Name A-L
 Ms. Samantha Smingler – Samantha.Smingler@lcps.org
 Last Name M-Z