The scientific method is the basis of all modern science. Even though it has been around for almost 400 years – being first proposed in the 1600's by philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes – the scientific method is still relied on today. It consists of several steps:

1.      Question or problem statement  - What are you trying to answer?

2.      Hypothesis – What do you think is going to happen?

3.      Procedure – What steps did you follow to gather evidence and what measurements did you make? If you gave your procedure to someone in another school, could they repeat your experiment and get the same results?

4.      Analysis / Interpretation – What do your results mean?

5.      Conclusion – What did you find? Was your hypothesis right or wrong? Did you discover anything you weren’t expecting? Did you get any ideas on something new to investigate?

Acknowledgments - Science often relies on the work of others. Make sure you recognize any help you receive to set up or perform your experiment.

Finding a good project topic is sometimes a challenge. The best source of ideas is your own imagination and personal experience. Do you have any hobbies or favorite sports? Have you ever wondered whether different brands of golf balls really go farther like the manufacturers claim? Ever wonder if you could chase away moths from your house with the right color of light? If so, you can do an experiment to find out. 

Questions like “How can I make plants grow faster?” are broad questions and difficult to answer with a single experiment. The best topics are narrower with one variable changing while the rest are controlled. “Does the color of light affect how quickly bean plants grow?” would be a good question. Only the color of light would change while everything else about growing the plants (amount of water, size of the pots, type of plants, temperature, etc.) would stay the same.

Excluding molds and bacteria, your experiment can be on just about anything you can think of. Remember! If you’re using chemicals or tools, always work with adult supervision and focus on safety. Complete rules and guidelines are available in the overview packet.

Doing the experiments and recording the results are only part of the job. Like any scientist, after you turn in your project you’ll discuss your experiment and results with your class. Above all, remember to have fun!

Science fair boards are on sale by the PTA.  For more information about the science fair, see this letter, timeline and interest form, and packet.

Important Dates:

Nov 16 (Monday) – Projects are turned in and class presentations start

Nov 18 (Wednesday) – Projects are moved to the gym and cafeteria for judging and public viewing

Nov 19 (Thursday) – Projects are open to the public all day (10am-7 pm)! Parents and friends are welcome to visit! Awards are presented at 6:30pm.

Nov 20 (Friday) – Projects are returned to classes.

Feb 26-27, 2010 - The top 20 projects advance to the Austin Energy Regional Science Fair. Email updates to come!