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Preparing for the Science Fair
Mrs. Zimmerman
11/10/10
How do I choose a good project?
 Focus on investigative questions.
 Why? How? What is the cause?
 Example:
 Which brand of diapers absorbs
more liquid?
 What causes Huggies to absorb
more liquid than Pampers?
How do I choose a good project?
 Topic/Question:
 Is it original and creative?
 Is it testable?
 Does it isolate ONE factor?
How do I choose a good project?
 Think about your project in terms of:
 Time – will the project take too much time?
 Materials – can you get the materials?
 Safety – will the project be safe for you to do?
 Appropriateness – can you understand the topic?
 Animal care* – will they be kept safe?
How do I get started?
 Research the topic
How do I get started?
 Research the topic
 Use information to formulate a hypothesis
 What you think will happen
 Why you think so
How do I get started?
 Research the topic
 Use information to formulate a hypothesis
 What you think will happen
 Why you think so
 Identify the variables you will test
What are variables?
 Independent: What you change
 Controlled: What stays the same
 Dependent: What will be measured
Yeast + C6H12O6  6 CO2 + energy
How do I get started?
 Design a “fair test”
 Determine if the changed factor has an
impact on the end result
Yeast +
 6 CO2 + energy
How do I get started?
 Design a “fair test”
Yeast +
 6 CO2 + energy
A. 10 grams + 10 grams glucose
B. 10 grams + 8 grams maltose
C. 5 grams + 10 grams fructose
Where do I get materials & supplies?
 Your home, school, grocery or hardware store
 Acorn Naturalists (Tustin)
 Online sources:
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American Science & Surplus
Flinn Scientific
Science Kit
Carolina Biological Supply
Fisher Science Education
What is the most difficult part?
 Planning ahead and managing your time!
What is the finished product?
Questions?