Chateau Estates Elementary
2014
Annual Science Fair
Science Fair Packet
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Principal: Mrs. Colleen Winkler
Science Fair Coordinator: Ms. Durant
Science Department: Mrs. Hayden, Mrs. Beetle
English Department: Mrs. Oubre, Ms. Schmitt, Ms.
Kesila, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Moser
Dear Families,
The Science Fair is right around the corner. We have compiled a packet of
information and support worksheets for your child. Your child will need a workbook
style journal (Composition Notebook) to turn in their work and a Manila folder for
the bibliography and background information. It is imperative that your child meet
the deadlines so that we can return corrected work back to them. Students are
more than welcome to work ahead and turn things in earlier.
This is a major project! Students will receive grades in Science and English. The
primary objective of this project is to have students approach a problem
scientifically. This includes:
1. Asking questions and forming a hypothesis
2. Creating experiments to test those hypotheses
3. Organizing data and drawing conclusions
4. Writing about scientific research
The project must be experimental in nature as opposed to research oriented. In
other words, students must do a test, survey, or experiment to determine the
answer to their question instead of simply looking up information in a book. We
encourage students to pick topics that they are genuinely interested in, since they
will be working on these projects for the next several months. Topics must also be
“original”, something students do not already know.
We are going to have a Science Fair workshop on March 12, 2014 from 8:306:00pm in the Computer Lab. During this meeting we will be there to answer any
questions that happen to come up. Please return the bottom portion of this sheet
so that we can be sure you have received the information.
With thanks,
Science and English Departments for 4th and 6th Grade
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I have read the information in the packet and I’m aware of the project timeline.
Parent Signature
__________________
Student Signature
___________________
Record of Students Project Timeline
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Name:_____________________________________________________
Student Record of Science Project Progress
Activity
Date
Due
If any student or parent would like
more guidance please attend the
help session. It will be ALL day
Turn in topic using 4 question
Strategy
(see sample)
Teacher /Parent and Child Meeting
(See packet to schedule time)
Bibliography folder(see sample)
8 note cards
3 references
Problem and Hypothesis (see
sample)
Experimental Design
3/12/2014
8:30-6:00
Research Paper Rough Draft with
Bibliography (Only a check over
( English Grade) (See Rubric)
Research Paper Final Draft with
Bibliography ( English Grade (see
sample) Pick up after fair
Lab Sheet (rough draft )
Collect data and record results.
Turn in data table(s), graph(s), and
conclusion
Picture of the Project boards and
Oral Presentation (Photo story or
PowerPoint) 6th grade only
Project Board due for set -up
Value
02/17/2014
25%
By:
3/10/2014
3/10/2014
25%
3/14/2014
25%
3/17/2014
25%
3/1/2014
25%
4/25/2014
75%
3/1//2014
75%
4/14- 4/18
75%
4/25
75%
Oral Presentation(Photo Story or PowerPoint)
(6th grade honors only)
Set –Up (All boards, papers, visuals due)
School Science Fair and Judging (wear
regular uniforms during the school day)
Awards Night (All students are to wear
Sunday best)
Parent Help:
Set up for Science Fair
Work during school hours the day of Science
Fair
Work at home to get complete student tags
Students Parent
Initial
Initial
Grade
75%
4/14-4/18
4/24/2014 (3:30 -6:00)
4/25/2014 during the school day
4/25/2014
6:30 At night
Please contact me if you are available to help
with Science Fair. Thank you in advance.
Phone: 464-5662
Email: Stephanie.durant@jppss.k12.la.us
Amber.Hayden@jppss.k12.la.us
Donate snacks( cookies, Caprisuns etc
Work during Awards night

Kendra.Beetle@jppss.k12.la.us
Skype: sdurant1
Students will need to purchase a composition notebook to log all information for the
Science fair. The notebook will help students to maintain a record of information
that can be checked by the teacher. After assignments have been graded,
students may begin typing their papers. This notebook will be graded.
Boards for Science Fair must be purchased from school!!
Assignment #1
4 Question Strategy for determining Science Fair Topics
Example Using “Plants” as a topic that interests you:
1. What materials could you use to conduct an experiment on _ plants?
soil
light
fertilizer
temperature
water
container
2. How does/do ___plants act?
Plants grow, produce food/ sugar, plants make seeds, plants, absorb water
3. How can I change the ____plant _____ materials to affect the action?
type of plant
type or amount of light
type of soil
level of temperature
type or amount of fertilizer
type of container
type or amount or scheduling of water
4. How can I measure or describe the response of _____plants______ to the change?
Measure the height.
Count the number of leaves.
Determine the rate of growth.
Your Turn: What is a topic that interests you: _______________
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1. What materials are readily available for conducting experiments on _____________?
(topic)
2. How does/do ___________________ act?
(topic)
3. How can I change the set of ___________________ materials to affect the action?
(topic)
4. How can I measure or describe the response of ___________________ to the
change?
(topic)
Assignment #2
Teacher/Parent and Child Meeting
In order for both parents and students to understand the requirements for this
project, we have set up a time for you and your child to visit our school. You will
see sample projects, sample lab sheets, and sample research papers. The teachers
will be on hand to help alleviate any anxieties you might have regarding Science
fair. If you cannot meet on that night, we will arrange a time period that will be
convenient for you. Please remember that we service over 80 students. Please try
to make every effort to meet on that day. Ms Durant will also schedule one day
during the Christmas break at the public library to meet with any parent and
student that would like to get a head start on their project.
During the month of January, Ms Durant will meet with any parent and student at
the public library on two pre-selected Saturdays. If there are any students
without computer access, the computer lab will be opened to parents and students
to type their research and lab papers. Students must let us know ahead of time
that they will need to use the computer lab.
We do not want this to be a stressful project. Please be assured that we will
support you through this new experience. We look forward to working with you and
your child on this project.
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Science Fair Workshop Date: ________________________________
Time:
________________________________
Meeting Area:
________________________________
Assignment #3
Bibliography and Research Folder
Students will be given a manila folder to complete the bibliography and research
assignment.
Front cover: 1) Title in question format 2) picture
period
3) name, teacher, class
Does the Brand of Paper towels
Affect
how much Water it will Hold
Troy Comeaux
Ms. Durant
2nd Period
Inside Cover side 1: This side of the folder will contain 8 cards. Two cards will be used to
write information for each question. Color the bottom line for question 1 the same color for both
cards. Color the bottom line for question 2 the same color on both cards. Repeat steps for 3 and 4.
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Research Note Cards
Research information for question 1
Research information for question 2
Research information for question 3
Research information for question 4
Inside Cover Side 2: This side of the folder will contain the questions for research. You
must decide on 4 questions to research about your topic. Color circle 1 the same color as one above.
Color 2, 3, and 4 the same as above.
Your turn……
Can you think of another question?
How are
paper towels
made?
Does the Brand of
Paper Towels
Affect how much
Water it will Hold?
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What is the
history of
paper towels?
What is the
wicking?
Back cover of folder: This side of the folder will contain the bibliography cards. You will
have 4 cards on this side. One card will be used for each question. Color the bottom of card 1 the
same as the color for 1 on the research card. Do the same for 2, 3, and 4.
Bibliography card 1
Bibliography card 2
Bibliography card 3
Bibliography card 4
Assignment #4
Problem and Hypothesis
Problem
My mom complains all the time about how much paper towels we use. The price of
paper towels does not help the problem. If the right kind of paper towels is used
then they will last longer and my parents will spend less money.
Hypothesis
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If Bounty paper towels are used then it will hold a greater amount of water.
Assignment #5
Experimental Design
Sample:
Does the Brand of Paper Towels
Affect
How much Water it can hold?
Independent/Manipulated Variable:
The brand of paper towels
Dependent/Responding Variable:
How much water did each brand hold
Control Variable:
No name brand paper towels
Chart:
Independent/Manipulated Variable
Brand of paper Towels
Dependent/Responding Variable
How much water did each brand hold
Trial 1
Western Family(No name brand)
Bounty
Scott
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Sparkle
This is only a sample
Trial 2
Trial 3
Assignment #6
Research Paper
Hurst 1
Jarius Hurst
Ms. Durant
4th Grade Science
February 30, 2012
Does The Brand of Paper Towels Affect How much Water it can hold?
Paper towels were invented by Arthur Scott in Philadelphia, USA,
in around 1900 and from humble beginnings have become a billion dollar
industry. In almost every shop there are many brands of paper towel,
each claiming to be the best, the most absorbent or the cheapest. How
do we prove or disprove these claims? How do we work out which
towels are truly great and which are almost entirely useless?
We have all seen adverts where somebody compares two brands by
sucking up some blue liquid or by wiping up some muddy footprints from
their kitchen floor.
Paper towels are often made from recycled paper, requiring
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fewer trees being cut down and using up to 50% less energy. In 1931,
Scott introduced the first paper towel for the kitchen and created a
Hurst 2
whole new grocery category. He made perforated rolls of "towels"
thirteen inches wide and eighteen inches long. That is how paper
towels were born. It was to take many years, however, before they
gained acceptance and replaced cloth towels for kitchen use
My project is about absorbency of paper towels. Paper towels are
interesting to learn about. You get to learn how they absorb water,
and how much water each brand of paper towel can or will absorb in a
certain amount of time. Paper towels absorb water when the water fills
up into tiny air pockets in the paper towel. Once you get one part of
the paper towel wet it absorb into the rest of the paper towel in
approximately 50 seconds or less.
Water absorbs into the paper towel by water being pulled into little
open spaces between the fiber, soaking the absorbing the water and
soaking the paper. Paper towels are one of many things that are
absorbent. Paper towels are one of the most used absorbent items
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used in households in the U.S.
Bibliography Page
Oscar, Proscer; Bounty, http://www.Bountyfamily.com 11/15/00
Sparkle, http://www.sparkepapertowels.com 11/18/00
Paper towels, papertowels.com 12/14/00
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Absorbency of, absorbency.com 12/21/00
Assignment #8
Lab Sheets
Materials
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Materials
Quantity
Water
600 milliliters
Bounty paper towels
3 sheets
No name brand
3 sheets
Scott paper towels
3 sheets
Sparkle paper towels
3 sheets
Graduated cylinder
1
Breaker
1
Procedures
1. First gather all of the materials that you need.
2. Then pour 200 milliliters of water in the beaker that you have.
3. Place a round funnel on top of the graduated cylinder.
4. Then take the first brand of paper towel on your list and place it in the beaker.
5. Time for 15 seconds.
6. After 15 seconds, take the paper towel out of the beaker.
7. Squeeze all the water out of the paper towel into the graduated cylinder.
8. Record how much water is in the graduated cylinder.
9. Take the amount of water that was poured into the graduated cylinder and
subtract that from 200 milliliters.
10. Next, try the test with 4 other brands of paper towels.
11. Each paper towel needs to be tested 4 times, but you need to record your data
for each paper towel on your data table.
12. Make sure that the water doesn’t spill in any of the tests or you will have to
restart the tests over.
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13. Record all data on your data sheet.
Results
The original purpose of this experiment was to see which paper towel brand would
be the most absorbent for consumers’ needs.
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The results of the experiment were that the Sparkle brand paper towels were the
most absorbent. It absorbed on average, 50ml of water, when the Bounty brand
paper towels absorbed only 44.75ml of water. Western Family brand paper towels
absorbed 34ml of water on average, and Scott brand paper towels only absorbed
33ml of water.
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Conclusion
My hypothesis was that Bounty paper towel would be the most absorbent.
The results indicate that my hypothesis should be rejected because sparkle paper
towel was the most absorbent out of the four test groups.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if next time that I do an
experiment that maybe I will need to do more test groups.
My findings should be useful to consumers because now they can use my
information to know which brand of paper towel can absorb the most of their
everyday skills.
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If I were to conduct this project again I would use more test groups and I would
use different test groups to see if there are paper towels that are more
absorbent than Sparkle paper towel.
Reflection
The reflection is one paragraph that contains the following information.
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1. What did you enjoy about the project?
2. What were some difficulties you encountered while working on your project?
3. Who help you with your project and what did they do to help?
4. Would you recommend this project to someone else and why?
5. Do you think you understand the Scientific Process and why?
Project Board
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This is a sample board. All boards are purchased from the school. We are
able to get the board, toppers, and title cards for about $11.00. Please see
Ms. Durant. Boards will be sold during Physical education or after school.