| Listed below is a guide to help you plan your science | | | | improve results. Remember, your science project still |
| fair project. | | | | produced useful information. |
| 1. Pick your project idea - First, choosing a good | | | | 5. Analyze your results - Once you have completed |
| project idea. You need to find a topic that you are | | | | your project, organize your data and notes. Look over |
| interested in, that you can understand and isn't too | | | | your notes, did you accomplish the results you were |
| complicated. | | | | expecting? Why or Why not? Analyze the data to |
| Once you have a topic, come up with a few different | | | | help others understand your project. Make charts and |
| ideas. Talk to your parents, and teachers to decide | | | | graphs to represent the data. Now summarize the |
| what idea would be best. Make sure your idea meets | | | | results and discuss how they relate to the hypothesis. |
| the list of requirements for your school's science fair | | | | 6. Write your report - Write a report detailing your |
| teacher. Then check out books, magazines and | | | | science project. Include what you did, how you did the |
| websites that will help you. | | | | project, and what you discovered. Be sure to write |
| 2. Science Fair Project Hypothesis - Your Science Fair | | | | about your plan and your experiment. Include your |
| Project Hypothesis will answer the question your | | | | data, using charts and graphs. |
| project is asking. To state the hypothesis, change the | | | | As you write your report, make sure it is legible and |
| question into a statement and include what you expect | | | | has correct spelling and grammar. Make it interesting |
| to happen as a result of your experiment or project. | | | | by writing it in your own words. Try to make it neat |
| Testing your hypothesis is at the heart of the | | | | with an interesting cover. |
| SCIENTIFIC METHOD. Accepting or rejecting your | | | | 7. Make your display - The display is crucial to your |
| hypothesis is the core of your Science Fair Project. | | | | success at the actual Fair. Your display must be neat |
| How you organize your work should revolve around | | | | and organized, but also needs to tell the story of your |
| the way you wrote the hypothesis. | | | | project in a concise. It should include: |
| 3. Make a Plan for your project - Some basic | | | | * Title |
| elements your plan should cover are: | | | | * Your Name |
| * State your question and hypothesis. | | | | * Hypothesis |
| * The purpose of your experiment. | | | | * Summary of information |
| * The variables you will change and measure. | | | | * Explanation of project |
| * Detailed procedure outlining what materials are | | | | * Display items |
| needed | | | | * Charts, diagrams, graphs, pictures, etc. |
| * How you will conduct the experiment or study. | | | | * Conclusion |
| Make sure you have allowed enough time for each | | | | * Application of what you learned. |
| task. Remember to add enough time for writing your | | | | * Written Report with data |
| report and preparing your display. Save the weekend | | | | You can find display boards at office supply stores. |
| before the Science Fair to handle last minute needs of | | | | The display is your chance to be creative. Present |
| your report and display. | | | | your work in a visually exciting way that clearly shows |
| 4. Do your project - The next step is to follow the plan | | | | your Science Fair Project. |
| you have written. Keep a journal or lab notebook to | | | | 8. Practice your presentation - When you make your |
| record your data and observations. Try to write | | | | presentation to the judges and others, it is important |
| detailed notes on everything you observe. You may | | | | that you are prepared. Know what you are going to |
| want to take pictures, videos or make sketches of | | | | say before you have to say it. By rehearsing your |
| your observations. These notes are important to your | | | | presentation, you become confident talking about your |
| project because they are needed when you write | | | | project. Start practicing by yourself, then find some |
| your report and make your display. | | | | adults to present to as judges. |
| Keep in mind that if your project does not work out as | | | | Practicing will make you calmer and more composed |
| expected, you should still use it. Many scientific | | | | on science fair day. If you are prepared and know |
| experiments do not produce the expected outcome, | | | | what you are going to say, you will do your best and |
| but still can be successful. Tell what you have learned | | | | make yourself proud. |
| from the results. Explain where the results differ from | | | | 9. Do not wait until the last moment - Plan ahead. Allow |
| what you expected. Examine what you learned and | | | | enough time to do your science project and you will |
| keep notes on what you might do differently to | | | | have fun learning about one of your interests. |