Science Fair Project
Survival Guide For
Parents!
Staying on Schedule
•Try to check the manila folder once a week for
new due dates. Due dates are also entered into
your child’s agenda to help them remember.
•Help your child stay on schedule so it doesn’t
feel overwhelming. Data collection can be a one
day affair!
•Check the back of the manila folder and
returned assignments for revisions that need to
be done prior to the final draft.
Designing the Project
•Read the back of the manila folder for a description
of each assignment piece. These descriptions
match my gradesheet!
•Check the school website for the 6th Grade Science
Fair information page. Each assignment and
document will be posted. Look at the class sample
projects as well.
•Please refer to the information packet that was sent
home in September for tips and ideas. It should be
kept in the manila science fair conduit that was
given to each student.
Getting Help
 You may email me with questions or schedule
an appointment sshoemak@iusd.org
 I have office hours every Tues. and Friday
during lunch recess. I can also be available
after school on Tuesdays and Fridays if you
make an appointment through email.
6th Grade Science Fair
A Sample Notebook
(from a former student)
Cover Page
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Title
Picture(s)
Name
School
Science teacher
Classroom teacher
Date
Table of
Contents
• List all sections
and the starting
page of each
section
Investigative
Question
• How does ______
affect ________?
• What is the affect
of ____ on ____?
Introduction
• How did you
become interested
in this topic and
particular
question?
• What related
experiences have
you had?
Background
Research
• A summary of all
of the information
you found about
the science
behind your
question
Background
Research
• Make sure that
this section is in
your own words
and that you use
quotation marks
when you don’t
use your own
words.
Background
Research
• You can also
include
information you
found through
interviews with
scientists and
other experts of
your topic.
Hypothesis
• What do you predict
will happen? Be
specific.
• Include information
from your
background
research to explain
your prediction.
Materials
• List ALL materials
you used and
their quantities.
• Organize them in
a bullet point list.
Procedures
1. These are step-bystep directions
others can follow
to do the EXACT
same experiment.
2. Be detailed.
3. Number the steps.
Observations
• Quantitative observations:
measured with numbers
• Qualitative observations:
using the senses
Observations
• Note all
conditions or
observations
that could help
you interpret
your data later.
• Anything you
notice while
doing your
experiment can
go here.
Data Tables
• This is all the raw
data for Trial 1.
• It’s best to type up
a blank data table
before you do your
experiment to
record results, and
then type in the
results once you’re
done.
Data Tables
• This is all the raw
data for Trial 2.
Data Tables
• This is all the raw
data for Trial 3.
Data Tables
• Your project may
only have one
data table.
• This shows data
from each trial
and the AVERAGE
data for each
liquid.
Graph of Data: graph average data
Conclusion
• Refer to all handouts from lab to
be sure you
include all parts
of the conclusion.
Conclusion
• It tells the story
of your whole
project.
Future
Research
• What would you do
next time to make
your experiment
better?
• What can you or
other scientists do
to expand on this
research?
Applications
• How can your
results be used?
• Who would best
benefit from what
you found out?
Acknowledgments
• Thank everyone
who helped you.
• What did they
help you do?
Bibliography
• List all sources
you used in your
background
research or to
explain your
results in the
conclusion.
Appendices
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Raw data (handwritten)
Official forms, if needed
Signatures of participants, if needed
Anything else you want to include
that doesn’t fit into the main body of
the notebook.