Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
HOPE CHARTER SCHOOL
SCIENCE FAIR INFORMATION PACKET
Grades 5th and 6th
2014-2015
DUE DATE: May 5th, 2015
SCIENCE FAIR: May 12th, 2015
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
March, 2015
Dear Hope Charter Families,
Your child is about to begin his/her science fair project! Fifth and sixth graders are required to
complete individual projects at home, with minor parental assistance. It should be a fun learning
opportunity for your child. Review this guide as it may be helpful during the next several weeks.
Display boards will be given to each student to bring home to prepare their project.
Projects are due in class, ready to be presented, Wednesday, May 5th for fifth and sixth graders. We
invite the parents to view the projects on the evening of May 12th. (This evening replaces the regular
monthly parent meeting.)
Students will be given grades in the following areas:
Grades 5 – 6:
1. Display board (Science)
2. Experiment logbook – grade 6 only (Science)
3. Summary/Written report (Language Arts)
4. Turning in components on due dates (Science)
Please continue to read all information in this packet:
1. Letter to Parents
2. Parent Acknowledgement Form
3. Components of a Science Fair Project
4. Science Fair Project Forms: Scientific Method
5. Components of the Display Board
6. Rubric for the Display Board
7. Logbook template and rubric (grade 6 only)
8. Summary/Report guidelines and rubric
We hope your child enjoys this project while gaining science content knowledge, and practicing the
process skills of science. All students will receive a participation ribbon.
Please refer questions to your child’s homeroom teacher.
This packet will be posted for download on your homeroom teacher’s Hope Homepage.
HOPE TEACHERS
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
Parent Acknowledgement Form – Grades 5 & 6
1. I understand that my child must complete a Science Fair Project and that failure to do so will affect
his/her Science grade in the 4th quarter.
2. As a parent, I understand my job is only to assist. This is an opportunity for my child to think and
act like a scientist, and to create and discover his or her very own science project!
3. I also understand that it is very important that my child turns in each part of the project on its due
date. Points will be deducted for lateness.
Due Dates for 5th and 6th graders:
March 13th
Parent Acknowledgement Form
Topic
March 16th
Title, Purpose/Question, Hypothesis
10 points
March 18th
List of Materials
List of Procedures
20 points
April 22nd
Results
Data
Conclusions
30 points
May 1st
Written/Typed Lab Report
20 points
MAY 5TH
PROJECTS DUE IN CLASS
(INCLUDING LOGBOOK- GR.6)
10 points
100 points total
10 points
PLEASE CLIP AND RETURN THIS SECTION BY MARCH 13, 2015
I have received information on the Hope Science Fair.
STUDENT NAME
HOMEROOM TEACHER NAME
My Topic
___________________________________
PARENT SIGNATURE
_______________
DATE
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
COMPONENTS OF A SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT
A.
Conduct an experiment using the Scientific Method:
1.
Choose a topic – based on an observation about the world.
2. Ask a scientific question:: What do I want to know?
3. Research your topic.
4. Form a Hypothesis (an educated guess): What do I think will happen when I investigate this
question? This should be based on your research and prior knowledge.
5. Materials: What materials do I need to answer my question? Make a list of everything you will
use. Don’t forget the tools you use for measuring. Include specific details, such as size and
quantity. (Ex: 100mL of water, 2 cups, etc.)
6. Plan a step-by-step procedure: What steps do I take to answer my question? Write this out.
7. Choose the variable. What am I going to change in the experiment? Choose the controls. What is
going to remain the same each time – so that you have a fair test!
8. Conduct the experiment. There should be at least 3 trials of the experiment to show that your
result is real and not just chance.
9. Gather data and record results: What happened each time? This should include a data table or a
graph to show what happened. Photos will enhance your project.
10. Conclusions: Was your hypothesis supported or not supported? State data that supports your
conclusion. What happened in the experiment? What would you do differently next time to
improve the experiment?
B.
LOGBOOK (grade 6): Keep a journal from day one when you begin planning your project and ideas are
being generated. Each entry is dated. There is a template included in this information packet.
Keep detailed notes of what you do. Include observations using the senses: What does it look like?
C.
Display Board: The purpose is to show what the student has done. It should be visually appealing,
using color and photos, drawings, or pictures from the internet, as well as graphs or charts.
The display board is supplied by the school.
D.
Report/Summary: This neatly handwritten or typed paper summarizes what you did and what you
learned. It should include the purpose of the project and the hypothesis, a summary of the
procedures, description of the results, analysis of the data, and also states if your hypothesis was
supported or not supported. The last paragraph explains your conclusions and applications—why the
experiment is important and how it connects to the real world. (Example: The results of this
experiment would be useful to anyone who uses paper towels to absorb liquids.) It should be around
100 words long.
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
Science Fair – Scientific Method
Title: Make it catchy  Reading the title should give others an overall sense of what
your experiment is about, and draw them into wanting to know more about the project.
Topic: The overall topic of your experiment.
Question: What do you want to find out/test? This should be a well thought out
scientific question that is able to be tested.
Hypothesis: An educated guess…. “If I test this, then this will happen, because….”
Materials: List every material someone would need to be able to do your experiment. Be
as specific as possible. Example: 100mL of water, 2 cups, etc. This will be in bulleted, list
form.
Procedure: Write out, step by step how you will test your hypothesis and answer the
question. Be specific enough that another scientist could follow your instructions and
repeat the experiment successfully. Example: Pour 100mL of cold water into cup A.
Data: What actually happened? Recorded data should be presented in tables, charts, or
graphs to show exactly what happened when you did your experiment. You can take
pictures while you work.
Results: Summarize and explain your data.
Conclusion: The conclusion is the answer to your scientific question. Was your
hypothesis correct or incorrect, and why? Were there any problems or unusual events
that occurred during your investigation? What would you do differently if you repeated
this experiment? How does this investigation benefit people in the real-world?
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
SCIENCE PROJECT FORM – SCIENTIFIC METHOD
FORM DUE DATE: March 16th
Topic:
Title:
(It can be the question you are trying to prove or simply an interesting or “catchy” title for your project
Purpose/Question: What do I want to find out?
Hypothesis: What do I think I will find out? Be specific. It does not have to be correct. You are doing
the experiment to see if you are correct.
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
SCIENCE PROJECT FORM – SCIENTIFIC METHOD
FORM DUE DATE: March 18th
You can write on this form or type a list on the computer or write a list on notebook paper.
1.
Materials: List all of your materials. Be specific. Give the number, amount needed, and size, if
applicable.
2. Procedure: How will I find out? (Number all your steps, including how many times you repeat the
experiment.) Each step should begin with a verb, such as “cut”, “measure”, “pour”.
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
SCIENCE PROJECT FORM – SCIENTIFIC METHOD
FORM DUE DATE: April 22nd
You may use this form to answer the questions, or type it on the computer, or write on notebook paper.
3. Data: What actually happened? You need charts, tables, or graphs to show exactly what happened
when you did your experiment. You can take pictures while you work.
4. Results: Summarize and explain your data.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion is the answer to your question. Did I prove my hypothesis? Were there any
problems or unusual events that occurred during your investigation?
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
THE DISPLAY BOARD
DUE DATE: May 5th
The display board should tell about the project in a neat, well-organized, and appealing manner. It should
include the steps of the scientific method. A display board will be given to you by your teacher at the
beginning of this project (grades 5-6).
1. Title: (may be computer generated)
2. The mandatory subtitles are:
1.
Question
2. Hypothesis
3. Materials
4. Procedures
5. Data
6. Results/Analysis
7. Conclusions
8. Summary or Report (Optional on display board: Can be put in front of display board)
3. Illustrations, photos, and graphs and/or charts: colorful. Labeled. Photos should be dated.
This is one example of a display. You can find many more examples on the internet. Make it
interesting!
TITLE
MATERIALS
PROCEDURES
RESULTS
QUESTION
HYPOTHESIS
SUMMARY/
REPORT
DATA /CHARTS/
GRAPHS
PHOTO
illustration
GRAP
DATA /CHARTS/
GRAPHS
PHOTO
illustration
PHOTO or
illustration
GRAP
illustration
Does not have to
be on the display –
can be in front of
display
illustration
LOGBOOK
(GRADE 6)
OR
CAN BE PUT IN
A “POCKET” ON
THE DISPLAY
CONCLUSIONS
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
RUBRIC for SCIENCE PROJECT DISPLAY BOARD
DUE DATE: May 5th
Student:
Grade:
Teacher:
Possible Points
Each step is presented in
the proper order
All steps of the Scientific
Method are included with
appropriate heading
Thorough materials list
Procedures are presented in
a step-by-step outline that
could be followed without
additional explanation
Data is presented in graphs,
tables, and/or charts; data
shows three trials
Photos, illustrations,
drawings are labeled; photos
are dated
Presentation:
Display is colorful and neat;
lettering is clear
Conventions:
Correct Spelling, Grammar,
Punctuation;
no pronouns in Procedure
TOTALS
Points Received
10
15
10
10
20
10
10
15
100
90 – 100 points: Awesome
80 - 89 points: Very Good
70 – 79 points:
Good
Below 70 points: Needs More Work
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
LOGBOOK (Grade 6 only)
DUE DATE: May 5th
Directions: The logbook can be a spiral notebook; notepaper stapled together, note cards on a ring, binder,
or 3 –prong folder.
All scientists keep a logbook of data and observations. It begins on day one when you begin
trying to decide what experiment you will do. Each entry is dated. Write down how you
chose your topic and hypothesis. Make notes of any research you do – where did you find
information for your project? As you begin your experiment, note anything unexpected that
happened, problems you had with your experiment, things you observe, and other information
you get from your senses: smell, touch, hearing. This journal will show all the time and effort
that went into the project.
TEMPLATE for Logbook
DAY:
Notes - What I did:
TRIAL #:
Measurements (if this data collection was done today):
Observations (if this data collection was done today):
Smell:
Touch:
Hear:
See:
Any other observations or problems that might affect my outcome:
RUBRIC
Possible Points
At least 10 dated entries
70
Organized and legible
(not graded: grammar,
spelling, punctuation)
15
Notes about research: where
was information found
15
TOTALS
100
Points Received
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Class: __________________________
SUMMARY/REPORT (Grades 5 & 6)
DUE DATE: May 1st
Report/Summary: This neatly handwritten or typed paper summarizes what you did and what you learned.
It should include the purpose of the project and the hypothesis, a summary of the procedures,
description of the results, analysis of the data, and also states if your hypothesis was supported or not
supported. The last paragraph explains your conclusions and applications—why the experiment is
important and how it connects to the real world. (Example: The results of this experiment would be useful
to anyone who uses paper towels to absorb liquids.) It should be around 100 words long and is written
after the experiment is completed. Make it interesting!
RUBRIC
Possible Points
States problem/question.
Explain why you are
interested in solving it.
10
States Hypothesis. Explain
why you expect this/these
outcome(s).
15
Mention most important
materials.
10
Give steps to the procedure:
describe like a recipe.
10
Give a brief description of
what your data tells you
about your hypothesis.
20
State what you learned while
carrying out this project.
Explain how the information
could be used in real life.
10
Conventions:
Correct Spelling, Grammar,
Punctuation; write in past
tense
15
TOTALS
100
Points Received