| The mark of a good science fair project is its | | | | period. |
| uniqueness. One way to develop a unique science fair | | | | The second experiment will take place during the |
| project is to pair two things together that do not | | | | same time periods as the control experiment. The |
| logically fit together. In this science fair project the two | | | | student will manipulate the test environment by |
| things are music and mice. | | | | introducing a piece of music that has a fast rhythm. All |
| Hypothesis Development | | | | other factors of the test environment need to mirror |
| In order to develop a science fair project a hypothesis | | | | the control experiment test environment. |
| needs to be developed that isolates a single cause | | | | The third experiment will mirror both the first and |
| and effect relationship. In this sample project the cause | | | | second experiments, however, instead of a fast |
| will be music and the effect will be the mice's | | | | paced piece of music the student will introduce a slow |
| behavioral reactions. This means that the dependent | | | | paced rhythmic selection. |
| variable, or the variable that will be measured will be | | | | Collecting Data |
| the behaviors of the mice and the independent | | | | Before the student starts to collect data for this |
| variable, or the variable that will be manipulated with be | | | | science fair project they will need to define what data |
| the type of music used. | | | | they are looking for. In this case the students will be |
| For the purposes of this science fair project the | | | | recording how active the mice are. This can be |
| hypothesis will be that music with fast rhythms will | | | | measured by timing the mice's rest periods and active |
| make the mice more active. A second hypothesis can | | | | periods. All of this data needs to be recorded in a |
| also be tested which predicts that slow rhythms will | | | | table. |
| make the mice less active. | | | | Each table will be labeled for the experiment and time |
| The Experiments | | | | period being run. The tables will then have a column for |
| The first time that students work on a science fair | | | | test subject number, rest period duration and active |
| project they often only develop one experiment. This is | | | | period duration. |
| a problem because it fails to create a baseline of data. | | | | Analyzing the Data |
| For this sample project on mice and music three | | | | To analyze this information the student will need to |
| experiments need to be set up. | | | | determine the average rest period for each test group |
| The first experiment is the baseline or control | | | | and the average active period for each test group. |
| experiment. It will involve observing the activity level of | | | | They will then compare the active to inactive ratios of |
| mice during specific time frames, such as 9:00 a.m. until | | | | the two experiments to the control results. This will |
| 10:00 a.m and between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. This will | | | | allow the student to determine if fast rhythms make |
| allow the student to collect data during times when the | | | | mice more active and if slow rhythms make mice less |
| mice are normally active, the p.m. time period, and | | | | active. |
| when they are more likely to be resting, the a.m. time | | | | |