Science Fair Project

Development Guide
Peter Dang
Amanda Joblinski
2009
Revised September, 2012
Revised September, 2014
Revised October, 2015
 Table of Contents

Sections
I ……………………………….. Science Fair Project Development
A- Topic Research
B- Steps to Developing a Science Fair Project
1. Experimental Projects
2. Study projects
C-For All Projects
D- Judging Information
E- Human/Animal Test Subjects or Dangerous Materials Projects
F- Human Experiments Instructions
G- Human and Animal Test Subjects Consent Forms

II ……………………………….. Science Lab Report Outline

III ……………………………….. References Page Outline

IV .……………………………….Aurora Charter School Science Fair Project

Schedule

V ………………………………... School Science Fair Judging Form

VI …………………………………Last Reminders about Science Fair Day

Disclaimer:

The authors of this guide intend for it to be used by students to help develop their science
fair projects, construct the project boards, and prepare for presentation in front of
judges. The authors are not compensated in any way for the production of this guide.
The information contained therein is to be used and distributed freely in the spirit of
science education and the promotion of science fair projects. The only stipulation is that
the authors are credited for the development of this guide whenever this guide is
distributed.

Because this guide was developed in the spirit of science education, some of the materials
contained in it (just some small bits and pieces) have been borrowed from other sources,
books and Internet websites without their written consent but with references. The
authors did not intend to infringe upon any copyrights attached to these sources nor have
they benefited financially in any way from the use of these resources. So please don’t sue
us….

Section I - Science Fair Project Development

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A science fair project at Aurora Academic Charter School can take 2 major forms, a
Study or an Experiment.

A Study is gathering information about a topic and putting that information onto a
project board. It is the easier project to do but has the least scientific value, so judges at
science fairs tend to give lower marks. It shows very little scientific understanding and
research. Therefore, many of the steps below will not apply to a Study. Ex) a study on
the human tooth  very general, not very scientific, does not follow the scientific process
of experimentation.

An Experiment science project is an investigation using the scientific method to discover

the answer to a scientific problem. It is the process of thinking through the possible
solutions to a problem and testing each possibility to find the best solution. The scientific
method involves the following steps: doing research, identifying the problem, stating a
hypothesis, conducting project experimentation, and reaching a conclusion. It is the most
valuable of the science fair projects and is generally worth more marks. Ex) an
experiment on how sugars affect the rate of bacterial growth on human teeth  more
specific, scientific and detailed, a much better project than a study.

Part A - Topic Research

Research is the process of collecting information from your own experiences,
knowledgeable sources, and data from exploratory experiments. Your first research is
used to select a project topic. This is called topic research. Remember that the objective
of a science project is to learn more about science. Your project doesn’t have to be highly
complex to be successful. You can develop an excellent project that answers very basic
and fundamental questions about an event or situation encountered on a daily basis. There
are many ways of selecting a topic.

Choosing a topic is one of the hardest steps. Currently, an Edmonton Public Library
membership is free of charge. You can use their online tools to search, hold materials,
and have them sent to your local library. Here are some suggested sources where you can
look for a topic that might interest you. Of course, there are MANY more sources where
you can look.
Websites:
1. [Link], [Link]
2. [Link], [Link]
3. [Link] (a reviewed search engine)
4. [Link] (Canadian Space Agency), [Link]
5. [Link]/
6. [Link]
7. [Link]/[Link]
8. [Link]/sciencefaircentral/
9. Even simply typing “science fair topics” will produce MANY results. But
remember that duplicating a known experiment will result in lower marks because
it is not original.
Television

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 1. Discovery Channel – Mythbusters, Daily Planet
2. History Channel
3. The Nature of Things
4. The Doctors
Magazines
1. National Geographic 8. Time Magazine
2. Popular Science 9. MacLean’s Magazine
3. Scientific American 10. Nature
4. Sky News 11. Visit the periodicals section in your
5. Astronomy public or school libraries
6. Yes for kids
7. Canadian Geographic
Newspapers:
1. The Edmonton Journal, The Calgary Sun, National Post, The Globe and Mail

Some topic areas you may want to explore:

Astronomy, Zoology, Botany, Anatomy, Behaviorism, Physiology, Ecology,
Microbiology, Earth Science, Geology, Fossils/ Archeology, Mineralogy, Rocks,
Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, Oceanography, Paleontology, Engineering,
Chemistry, Physics, Electricity, Energy, Gravity, Magnetism, Mathematics, Geometry,
Food and Our Bodies, Oceans, Rivers, Streams, Plants and Gardening, Water Quality

Some winning topic areas in the past have included:

genetics, biotechnology, gastroenterology, optometry, organic chemistry, future space
missions, asteroids, futuristic machines and inventions, human behavior, computing
science and fractals, increasing ocean temperature, El Nino, waste management and
technology, energy conservation, teeth science, specific body parts or diseases, a new
way of testing for something, sports physics, light technologies, and new innovations.

Whatever topic you choose, you MUST be specific! For example, “how car engines
work” is not a good topic (too general). “Comparing the new hybrid fuel injection
systems” is MUCH better.

After you have selected a topic, you begin what is called project research. This involves
looking for information on your topic from sources (record these references as you work)
such as:
1. The Internet- you MUST cite the exact website in your project and add the
website address to your References at the end. Ex) “[Link]” is NOT
acceptable as a website reference.
2. Books and magazines (talk to your librarian!)
3. Talking/interview with a professional such as a doctor or researcher from a
university. Your teacher can help you with this.

This research is generally more thorough than topic research. Project research is the
process of collecting information from knowledgeable sources, such as books, magazines,
software, librarians, teachers, parents, scientists, or other professionals. Read widely on
the topic you selected so that you understand it and know about the findings of others.
Be sure to give credit where credit is due and record all information and data in your

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journal. Watch the news, read the newspapers, and be aware of current events in the
science world especially as they relate to your project.

How successful you are with your project will depend largely on how well you
understood your topic. The more you read and question people who know something
about your topic, the broader your understanding will be. As a result, it will be easier for
you to explain your project to other people, especially a science fair judge.

Where can you go to get materials for your model/display? Besides some basic stuff
from your teacher, specialized materials can be bought online or at some hobby stores.
Type in “Hobby stores Edmonton” and get some results and addresses like the below:
-Project boards and decorations for the boards at any Staples and Michaels stores
-Hobby Alley (mostly remote controlled toys but they have other things for models too)
-Hobby Wholesale on Gateway Blvd and Argyll Road (similar to Hobby Alley)
-The Education Station
-Scholar’s Choice

Part B- Steps to Developing a Science Fair Project

1. Experimental Projects
An Experiment project should have all of the following parts (generally in this order) in
your Lab Report, Journal, and on the project board. This is similar to what you have in
the Lab Report Outline your science teacher should have given you in class.

Title:
The title should be short and gives an indication to the topic of the project. It can be
changed up to and including Part 3. By then you should have a firm idea of your title. If
you change your original title, indicate that on the next part that you hand in.

Titles should be short enough to fit on your project board easily so think about it
carefully. Titles can be witty and use puns or other word play.
Ex) “Eye” see it now!  project on eye disease
Fighting Fungus Forever  project on fungicide chemicals

Titles should NEVER be just the topic because it lacks creativity. Also DO NOT use
“versus” in your titles. The following examples show lack of creativity and originality:
Ex) Eye Disease  project on eye disease
Fungus  project on fungus
Bread Mould  project about bread mould
Stars  project about stars

Background:
In 1 to 3 short paragraphs, explain what it is that you are doing, why you are interested in
this topic and some background information on your topic. It should be in your words

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and written by YOU and NOT copied word for word from a source without proper
citation and credit.

Problem:
The problem is the scientific questions to be solved. It is best expressed as an “open-
ended” question, which is a question that is answered with a statement, not just a yes or a
no. For example, “How does light affect the reproduction of bread mold on white
bread?”. Note that the previous question is about one life process of molds
(reproduction); one type of mold (bread mold); one type of bread (white bread); and one
factor that affects its growth (light). To find the answer to a question such as: “How does
light affect molds?” would require that you test different life processes and an extensive
variety of molds which can take years of research. Choose a problem that can be done
experimentally. For example, the question “What is a mold?” can be answered by finding
the definition of the word mold in the dictionary but, “At room temperature, what is the
growth rate of bread mold on white bread?” is a question that can be answered by
experimentation. So phrase your problem carefully and focus your project on an idea that
can be researched experimentally.

Hypothesis:
A hypothesis is an idea about the solution to a problem, based on knowledge and
research. While the hypothesis is a single statement, it is the key to a successful project.
All of your project research is done with the goal of expressing a problem, proposing an
answer to it (the hypothesis), and designing project experimentation. Then all of your
project experimenting will be performed to test the hypothesis.

Do state facts from past experiences or observations on which you base your hypothesis.
Do write down your hypothesis before beginning the project experimentation. Don’t
change your hypothesis even if experimentation does not support it. If time permits,
repeat or redesign the experiment to confirm your results.

For example, you can state your hypothesis in this form: “I think….. because ………..”

Variables:
The things that have an effect on the experiment are called variables. There are three
kinds of variables that you need to identify in your experiments:
a) Independent (manipulated) variable: is the variable you purposely manipulate
(change). There should be ONLY ONE.
b) Dependent (responding) variable: is the variable that is being observed, which
changes in response to the independent variable. Again, there should be only one.
But sometimes, two can be possible.
c) Controlled (constant) variables: are not changed and are crucial to the outcome
of the experiment. Think about what must be kept constant or else the experiment
will not work out. There should be at least 6 but you can write more if you wish.
Do not use single words when you list the variables but use short complete
sentences instead to describe them so that they make sense.

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The problem in this section concerns the effect of light on the reproduction of bread
mould. The independent variable for the experiment is the amount of light and the
dependent variable is the rate of bread mould reproduction. The controlled variables
(there are almost always many of them) could be the intensity of light must be regulated,
the room temperature, the amount of moisture available, the amount of time given to the
experiment, the brand of bread being tested, etc.

The things being tested on are called test subjects. In this example, they would be the
bread slices since we are testing on them.

A Controlled Test Subject (often just called the Control or the Control Group) is a
special test subject in which the independent variable is kept constant in order to measure
changes in the dependent variable. It is the test subject that does not change so we can
compare it to the tested subjects. DO NOT confuse this with the Controlled Variables.
They are two separate things. In a Control, all variables are identical to the experimental
setup- your original setup- except for the independent variable. Factors that are identical
in both the experimental setup and the control setup are the controlled variables. For
example, prepare the experiment by placing four slices of white bread in cardboard
boxes, one slice per box. Close the boxes so that they receive no light. If, at the end of a
set time period, the mold grows, you might decide that no light was needed for mold
reproduction. But, before making this decision, you must determine experimentally if the
mold would grow with light. Thus, control groups must be set up for bread that receives
light throughout the existing period. Do this by placing an equal number of slices in
comparable-size boxes, but leave them open.

Also, as it is best to perform the experiment more than once, it is also good to have more
than one control. You might have one control for every experimental setup.

Do have only one independent variable during an experiment.

Do repeat the experiment more than once (as many times as possible) to verify
your results.
Do have at least one controlled test subject (more if better).
Do organize data.

Materials:
A list of all materials that you will be using for your experiment. Try to list the precise
amounts of materials. (Ex) “40 mL of tap water” is much more accurate than just “tap
water”

Procedures:
Project experimentation is the process of testing a hypothesis. It is a series of steps that
are carried out to test your hypothesis. Make sure that you list and number them all in a
neat, orderly sequence. Include any special steps or cautions in carrying out your
experiment.

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Observations:
Record any and all observations you have. There are two types:
a) Quantitative- observations where you can measure data like density, temperature,
mass, volume, pH, dates and time.
b) Qualitative- observations where you describe what is observed using descriptive
words and your senses such as what color it is, any bubbles seen, strong acidic
smell, etc. Pictures and videos are excellent records for your observations so
make sure you take them as part of documenting your work.

It is always a good idea to put your data into charts or tables for easier viewing. If it
applies, put the data into graphs. Remember two label and caption ALL pictures, data
tables, charts, and graphs!

Analysis:
This is where answers are given to any questions assigned to you or laid out at the
beginning of your experiment. These answers show your understanding of what
happened and what you have observed and indicate higher level understanding of your
experiment. For your Science Fair project, you’ll have to come up with your own
questions and answers but you can get help from other people.

Conclusions:
The project conclusion is a summary of the results of the project experimentation. It is a
statement of how the results relate to the hypothesis. Reasons for experimental results
that are contrary to the hypothesis are included. This is where you discuss your
Hypothesis and compare your results to see if you were right or wrong and provide
explanations either way.

If your results do not support your hypothesis:

DON’T change your hypothesis.
DON’T leave out experimental results that do not support your hypothesis.
DO give possible reasons for the difference between your hypothesis and the
experimental results.
DO give ways that you can experiment further to find a solution.

If your results support your hypothesis:

You might say, for example, “As stated in my hypothesis, I believe that light is not
necessary during the germination of bean seeds. My experimentation supports the idea
that bean seeds will germinate without light. After seven days, the seeds were seen
growing in full light and in no light. It is possible that some light got into the ‘no light’
containers that were placed in a dark closet. If I were to improve on this experiment, I
would place the ‘no light’ containers in a light-proof box and/or wrap them in light-proof
material, such as aluminum foil.”

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Include any sources of errors in your experiment that did or could have happened. Note:
There are ALWAYS human errors, so be specific about which ones. Ex) improper
measurement of volume, uncertain about the exact density, etc.

Future Ideas:
Give some ideas for further testing. If you were to do this again, what would you have
done differently? What else can you do to take this experiment one-step further and
advance your knowledge? For the example of the bread mold experiment, perhaps we
can test the mold using UV light next time and see if that makes a difference in growth.

Acknowledgements:
In a short paragraph, you should thank and acknowledge anyone who has helped you in
some significant way to develop your project. If it is a professional (a researcher,
professor, doctor, engineer, etc.), then use their professional designation and where they
work. Ex) Doctor Joe Simpson, Dental Hygiene Department Head, Faculty of Dentistry,
University of Alberta

References:
You must include this in your Journal as well as post it on your project board. See the
guide to writing a references page. Add this at the end of your Journal, Lab Report, and
on the project board. Keep track of your resources throughout your project. It is very
difficult at the end of your project to go back and try to find the resources that you used to
reference.

Other items to consider:

Journal
Keep a Journal. This notebook should contain all parts of your Science Fair project and
all your research. It should contain not only your original ideas but also ideas you got
from printed sources or from people. It should also include descriptions of your
exploratory and project experiments as well as diagrams, graphs, and written observations
of all your results. Every entry should be as neat as possible and dated. A neat, orderly
journal provides a complete and accurate record of your project from start to finish, and it
can be used to write your project report. It is also proof of the time you spent searching
out the answers to the scientific mystery you undertook to solve. You will display the
Journal with your completed project.

Regulations for Projects:

We will be following most of the regulations set out by the Canada Wide Science Fair.
They can be found at:
[Link]

Please read these if your projects use:

1. Any explosive, flammable, or potentially dangerous materials.
2. High-energy devices
3. Human test subjects
4. Animal test subjects or animal parts

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 5. Microorganisms
Some projects may require you to fill out Consent Forms and must be properly
supervised. Talk to your teacher about this if they fit any of the above examples or if you
are unsure.

2. Study Projects:
Background:
In a short paragraph or two or three, explain what it is that you are doing, why you are
interested in this topic and some background information on your topic.

Problem: be specific about what you are researching and state what you are presenting.
You are basically just telling the audience what you have learned from all the information
you have gathered on the topic.

There is no Hypothesis, Materials, Procedures, Observations, Analysis, Conclusions,

Variables, or Controls because you’re not testing anything. However, you can do a
demonstration or a model of the topic. It does not mean that this turns into an experiment
project.

References: You must have a reference section with all your resources that were cited. It
is the same format as for the Experiment projects.

C - For All Projects

1. Develop a suitable title. Make sure it is short but tells us what it is about. Be
creative! For example, if you are testing golf balls for accuracy, don’t call it
“Golf Balls”. Come up with some creative name, use puns, or words that sound
like something else. For example, for the golf ball experiment, call it “Fore!” or
“Golf Balls of Fire!”.
2. Have a model built to show what you are doing. It can be made of any materials.
Having something in front of the board makes it look better.
3. If you can get the judge or audience to try the experiment right there, even better.
4. You must cite where you got the quotation, picture, graph, or chart from in the
caption under each of them.
5. If there are pictures, graphs, or charts, ALWAYS label them “Figure 1, Figure 2,
etc.” and then add a short caption under or above it.
6. When putting together the board, make sure EVERYTHING is typed, even your
names. Align everything in a neat order to your satisfaction on the board
BEFORE you glue it on. Do not use sticky tack or staples. Use double-sided
tape.
7. Do not cut out your info, pictures, graphs, etc. without drawing lines using a ruler
first! If you just “eyeball it”, it will look very uneven on the board once you glue
it on. Using a paper cutter is your best option. Ask your teacher and borrow the
school’s! The best idea is not to cut anything at all! Print up your materials
and then glue them as is onto your project board!

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 8. When printing up your materials to put on the board, consider the font, font size
(it should be easy to read it from at least 1 meter away), the amount of text on the
board, and the size of the paper you are planning to put on the board.
9. Consider the use of mounting on colored paper or other creative ways of
displaying materials on the board.
10. Carefully choose the best color combinations. Do not use too many colors
because it will distract from the information and makes it hard to read. Use
colored fonts only when necessary, otherwise, use black.
11. Creative decorations around/on the board might be a good idea as long as they
have to do with the topic.
12. Make it look as professional, neat, straight, and eye-catching as possible. Check
out the sample past project boards from your teacher.

Image 1- Example of a good project display

Source: [Link]

The Display
The title and other headings should be neat and large enough to be read at a distance of at
least 1 meter. A short or witty title is often the best. You can purchase, at office supply
stores, self-sticking letters of various sizes and colors for the title and headings and stick
them to the backboard. You can also use a word processor to print the title and other
headings.

Consider putting your project onto a poster instead of having it in multiple pieces to glue
on the board. It is more costly - approximately $50 to $150 depending on a variety of

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factors like which printing shop (Staples is usually cheaper but call around for prices),
type of paper, finish (glossy or matte), the amount of color, etc. However, the final
product is much more polished, professional-looking, easier to transport, and it is easier
to glue the one (or three) pieces of the poster onto a project board. See the picture below
of a project printed on a poster and glued onto a project board. The most common
method to do this is to place everything on to a single PowerPoint slide and have it
printed at a printing shop. Another option is to use Microsoft Publisher to do the same
thing.

Image 2 - Aurora Charter Academic School student Qasim Ali with his project. He won at the school fair,
the regional fair, and a bronze medal at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Charlottetown, P.E.I. in May of
2012. Note the project is neatly printed on a single poster sheet (then fitted carefully onto the project
board) and the headboard with the title.

Some teachers have set rules about the position of the information on the backboard. The
following headings are examples: Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment (materials and
procedure), Data, Results, Conclusion, and Next Time. The project title should go at the
top of the center panel, and the remaining material needs to be placed neatly in some
order. The heading “Next Time,” though not always required, may be included if desired.
It would follow the Conclusion and contain a brief description of plans for future
development of the project. You could include this information in the Conclusion rather
than under a separate heading.

Helpful Hints

1. Place all typed material on a colored backing, such as construction paper. This
is called mounting. Leave a border of ¼ to ½ inch (0.63 to 1.25 cm) around
the edges of each piece of typed material. Use a paper cutter so that the edges

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 will be straight or use a ruler and pencil and carefully measure and mark off
points where you wish the material to be glued on should go.

2. Make the project title stand out by using larger letters for the title and smaller
letters for the headings.

3. To arrange the letters on the backboard, first lay the letters out on the board
without attaching them. Then, use a meter stick and pencil to draw a straight,
light guideline where the bottom of each letter should line up. This will help
you keep the lettering straight. Before gluing everything, ask the opinion of
other students, teachers, or family.

4. If you need electricity for your project, be sure the wiring meets all safety
standards. You are responsible for bringing your own long extension cord to
the Science Fair.

5. Bring an emergency kit with extra letters, glue, tape, construction paper the
color of the backboard, stapler, scissors, pencils, pens, touch-up paint,
markers, and so forth. This kit should contain anything that you think you
might need to make last-minute repairs to the display.

Do’s & Don’ts

Do use computer-generated graphs, charts, data tables and they should ALWAYS be
properly labeled and captioned.

Do display photos representing the procedure and the results. Every photo, image, graph,
and chart MUST be labelled and have a short caption. See the label and caption of the
picture of Qasim Ali’s project board in the previous page.

Do use contrasting colors but limit the number of colors used.

Do display models (make your own or buy one) whenever possible.

Do attach all pieces of your project neatly onto the project board. That means you should
ALIGN the pieces first and use a ruler to measure and keep things straight on the board.
This also means you MUST cut neatly in a straight line. Use a ruler or a paper cutter.
Again, it is best NOT to cut anything at all in the first place.

Do balance the arrangement of materials on the backboard. This means evenly

distributing the materials on the board so that they cover about the same amount of space
on each panel.
Do use double-sided tape to attach papers. Do NOT use white school glue (it causes the
paper to wrinkle) or staples.

Don’t leave large empty spaces on the backboard.

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Don’t leave the table in front of the backboard empty. Display your models and your
Journal here.

Don’t hang electrical equipment on the backboard so that the electric cord runs down the
front of the project board. It should be hidden and safely tucked under the table.

Don’t make the title or headings hard to read by using uneven lettering, words with
letters of different colors, or disorganized placement of materials.

Don’t hand-print the letters on the backboard. Use computer-generated letters or buy
pre-cut letters.

Don’t attach folders that fall open on the backboard.

Don’t make mistakes in spelling words or writing formulas.

Safety
Anything that is or could be hazardous to other students or the public is prohibited and
cannot be displayed. See Section E of this guide. The following is a list of things
unacceptable for displayed. Your project topic should be approved by your teacher before
you begin. This prevents you from working on an unsafe project and from wasting time
on a project that would be disqualified. Models or photographs can be used instead of
things that are restricted from display.

Unacceptable for display

 Live animals of any kind
 Live fungi, protists, bacteria (mold specimens are acceptable only if in an airtight
container)
Live plants with soil (contains micro-organisms) Photos are best.
 Animals or human parts, except for teeth, hair, nails, and pre-approved dried
animal bones.
 Non-preserved tissue in from any organism
 Chemicals and/or their empty containers, including caustics, acids, and household
cleaners. Instead, display “fake” chemicals in sealed and labeled containers. It’ll
look like the real thing. Ex) a sealed bottle of water can be labelled “Acetic Acid”
to model the acid
 Open or concealed flames
 Batteries with open-top cells
 Combustible materials like alcohol, gasoline, gases, and other fuel sources
 Aerosol cans of household solvents and other compressed gas canisters
 Controlled substances, poisons, drugs, and prescription medications
 Any equipment or device that would be hazardous to the public like lasers
 Sharp items such as syringes, knives, and needles

D - Judging Information

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Most fairs have similar point systems for judging a science fair project, but you may be
better prepared by understanding that judges generally start by thinking that each
student’s project is average. Then, he or she adds or subtracts points from that. A student
should receive more points for accomplishing the following:

1. Project Objectives
 Presenting original ideas
 Stating the problem clearly
 Defining the variables and using controls
 Relating background reading to the problem

2. Project Skills
 Being knowledgeable about equipment used
 Performing the experiments with little or no assistance except as
required for safety
 Demonstrating the skills required to do all the work necessary to
obtain the data reported

3. Data Collection
 Using a journal to collect data and research
 Repeating the experiment to verify the results
 Spending an appropriate amount of time to complete the project
 Having the measurable results

4. Data Interpretation
 Using tables, graphs, and illustrations in interpreting data
 Answering good insightful questions in the Analysis section
 Using research to interpret data collected
 Collecting enough data to make a conclusion
 Using only data collected to make a conclusion.

5. Project Presentation (Written materials, interviews, displays)

 Having a complete and comprehensive report
 Answering questions accurately
 Using the display during the oral presentation
 Justifying conclusions on the basis of experimental data
 Summarizing what was learned
 Presenting a display that shows creative ability and originality
 Presenting an attractive and interesting display

E - Projects Involving Human or Animal Test Subjects or

Dangerous Materials
Science fair projects involving humans or animals are highly valuable but they must
follow strict guidelines for the safety and ethical concerns of the test subjects. To
develop your project, follow these steps:

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1. Organize what you plan on testing and how you are going to do it. See your
science teacher for help in developing your idea. Get approval for your project
idea first.
2. If you are doing a project involving any dangerous materials (hazardous or
flammable chemicals and compressed gasses), you must read and follow the
guidelines at [Link]
equipment.
3. Go to [Link] and read the rules concerning
your interest (human or animal) and make sure you understand them. It is a good
idea to print them out and have them in your Science fair binder.
4. If involving humans in a project with low risk, go to step 5. If testing on animals,
go to step 9.
5. For testing human test subjects with low risks, go see your teacher and get a
“Human Test Subjects Consent Form” that has been modified for Aurora Charter
Academic School (sample page is included in this guide in Section G). Do not
use the form on the Youth Science Canada website because it is meant for the
Regional Science Fair and projects going to the Canada-Wide Science Fair. Fill it
out and give to your teacher for photocopying enough copies for each of your
human test subjects (they are called “participants”). You will get each participant
and their parents to sign it and return it to you before they can participate. Keep
all the forms in a binder and be prepared to show it if asked.
6. Fill out the Signup Sheet and give it to your teacher to post it up on the wall for
students to sign up in order to participate.
7. Follow the Human Experiments Instructions (to follow in Section F).
8. Conduct your experiment with your participants. Remember to keep all data and
personal information confidential. Individual results are not to be released until
your project is finished. Give each participant a code number that makes sense to
you so you can keep track of results. Ex) for a grade 6 female student, call her
“6F” for grade “6 Female”. When conducting your experiment, remember to
have controlled variables and control test subjects! See your teacher for help
if you do not understand what these are!
9. For testing animals, it is very important to follow all the rules governing the
testing to animals to prevent the harm, suffering or death of animals. Failure to do
so will result in the rejection of the project from all science fairs. Be sure to read
the rules at [Link]
10. Fill out the Animal Test Subjects Consent Form (a sample is in Section G) from
your teacher and wait for approval before testing. Do not use the form on the
Youth Science Canada website because it is meant for the Regional Science Fair
and projects going to the Canada-Wide Science Fair.
11. For all experiments, keep all your data organized in tables or charts. They can be
graphed, charted, or put into a data table later and put onto the display board.

15
 F – Human Experiments Instructions
Organizing your experiment
1. Ensure that your experiment is approved by your teacher first to make sure that
your experiment is well thought out with all variables considered, materials listed,
and the procedures planned.
2. Gather all the necessary materials and be prepared to conduct your experiment
3. Make sure you have an adult supervisor scheduled to be in the room during your
experiment.

Check your room schedule

4. Check the Participant Signup Sheets for your experiment to see who signed up. It
is YOUR responsibility to contact these participants and tell them where they
need to be and when to do the experiment. Plan your participants according to
age, gender, or grade levels (depending on your experiment). Plan to have about
5-10 participants doing your experiment per AM Recess, 15-25 participants per
Lunch Recess, and 5 participants per PM Recess.
5. For those needing younger grades, work with your teacher to organize it so that
you have a room to do your experiment down in the Elementary wing of the
school. Check the schedule and plan to have your elementary participants do your
experiment when you are down there. One good idea is to ask them one at a time
to come down to your room during the lunch period. That might save you time.
Save your older participants for when you are scheduled to be down at the junior
high wing of the school
6. In the end, as long as you have all your participants conduct your experiment
accurately, that’s all that matters.
7. Each room will have chairs and tables for you. You have that room the entire day
that you are scheduled. Make sure you clean up that room you used at the end of
the day and thank the staff supervisor.
8. **You must give them the green Consent Form to take home, get signed and
returned to you BEFORE you conduct your experiment with them. Keep those
green forms in your Science Fair binder.**
9. If the participant shows up to your experiment without the green Consent Form,
do not allow him/her to do the experiment. Reschedule him/her for another time.
10. One participant at a time UNLESS the testing can be/needs to be done with
multiple people at once. The others can wait outside the room until called for.
11. Instruct your test subjects to get to the testing site as soon as the recess bell rings
or else a teacher may tell them to go outside. Tell them to hurry to the testing
site or else they could get in trouble for being in the hallway.

Conduct your experiment

12. Make sure that your experiment follows the procedures that you outlined. It
should be generally like this:
a) collect green Consent Form from the participant,
b) explain the instructions to the participant,

16
 c) conduct the experiment and be sure to try to maintain controlled variables like
testing conditions! Then record data.
d) thank the participant,
e) instruct him/her NOT to say ANYTHING about the experiment to anyone since
this might bias the results. This means that students doing this experiment later
on may know what is going to happen in the experiment and this will bias the
experiment. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT parts of the experiment.
f) once done, student participants are to go outside for recess at lunch recess only.
The AM and PM recesses are too short so they are to stay at the testing site until
the bell rings. They are your responsibility to supervise along with your staff
supervisor until then. That means absolutely NO goofing around in the testing
room or else it will result in loss of room use and other possible consequences.
13. Make sure that you have controlled variables. Be efficient with your time so do
not take too long to experiment on each student.
14. Testing each student should be as fair and equal as possible as you follow your
control variables.
15. If a participant does not show up, it is your responsibility to find out why and
reschedule another time for him/her.
16. If you need more time to finish conducting your experiment, go see your teacher
to schedule you another room at another time.
17. As in all good experiments, have LOTS of test subjects. The more you have (and
can reasonably manage and test in the time frame given to you), the more valid
you results will be.

Wrap-up
18. Analyze the results of your experiment. Ask yourself questions like: Was it what
you expected? What went right, what went wrong? What could you have done
better to improve your experiment? What are the results indicating about students
or people in general? Was it because you only tested on certain age groups, grade
groups, or genders, or because it was Aurora Students? If you tested it on
students from another school, would it have been different? What if they were
adults?
19. Neatly graph/chart the data on computer and have it in your lab report as well as
your display board.
20. Keep ALL personal results CONFIDENTIAL!! Give each participant a code
number if you wish but no names to go with the results. Print the results on to
your display board and lab report.
21. Put all of your work and results in your Science Fair binder to show the judges.

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 G- Human and Animal Test Subjects Forms

Human Test Subjects Consent Form

You are invited to take part in an experiment involving very low to no risk to you.
Before you decide to be a part of this experiment, you need to understand the
risks and benefits. If you agree to take part in the experiment, you will be asked
to sign this Consent Form.
Student name (1): Student name (2):

Phone: Phone:
School: School:

City: City:

Project Title:

Purpose of this experiment:

Your risks from participating:

Your time commitment:

The confidentiality of your data is guaranteed by the experimenter(s). No

participant names will be displayed. The results of this experiment will be
displayed at the Science Fair. Your participation is voluntary with no
remuneration and you have the right to withdraw at any time for any reason.

This project has been reviewed by the teacher and has his/her permission to
proceed. This project will be supervised at all times by an Adult Supervisor.

Supervising Teacher: School:

Phone: Email:
Adult Supervisor:

Phone: Email:
By signing below, you are agreeing to participate in this experiment.

Participant name: Date:

Parent name:

Parent signature: Date:

18
 Animal Test Subjects Consent Form
This form certifies that a project involving the use of vertebrate animals,
invertebrate animals, cephalopods, animal tissues, is in compliance with Policy 4.1.2
Use of Animals in Research.
Student name (1): Student name (2):

Phone: Phone:

School: School:

City: City:

Project Title:

Purpose of this experiment:

This project involves:

Vertebrates Invertebrates Cephalopods Animal Tissues

This project has been reviewed by the teacher and has his/her permission to proceed.
This project will be supervised at all times by a Scientific Supervisor familiar with
the protocols and ethics of animal research as outlined in Policy 4.1.2 Use of Animals
in Research at [Link]
Supervising Teacher: School:

Phone: Email:

Scientific Supervisor:

Phone: Email:

I have visited and understood the website of the National Ethics Committee and I
have read and understood Policy 4.1.2 Use of Animals in Research.

Student 1 signature: Student 2 Signature:

Parent signature: Parent signature:

Date: Date:

19
 Section II - Science Lab Report Outline for Science Fair
Experiments Only
Science is about inquiry and investigation. One of the best ways to investigate is to
organize, carry out, and observe a set of experiments, and then analyzing the results to
make a conclusion. A lab report organizes your ideas and observations to help you make
a better investigation.

Use this as a check list to make sure that you have all the necessary parts of a complete
lab report before you hand it in.

Background:
In half a page to 1 or 2 pages in length, explain in paragraph form what you are trying
to experiment. What is your purpose? What do you hope to discover? Why are you
doing this? How do you plan on finding the answers? Be sure to include definitions
and/or pictures and images. Give lots of background information about this topic that
you are experimenting. What are some information related to this topic? Any historical
people or events related to this topic? You must include your source of information for
this section in the References section at the end of the lab report.

Problem:
What are you trying to find out? What is your question? It is usually phrased in the form
of a complete question.

(ex) What happens to ice when heat is added?

Hypothesis:
Based on your knowledge, what do you expect the outcome(s) to be? Why do you say
that? It should be a complete sentence or a short paragraph. It should directly answer
the problem. There is no right or wrong to a hypothesis. It is just what you think.

(ex) The ice should melt into water. This is because the addition of heat energy causes
the molecules in the ice to increase kinetic motion. This results in a change of state of
matter from solid to liquid.

Variables:
Variables are factors in the experiment that changes (or not) through the course of the
experiment. Some people put this section in different places in the lab report. We’ll put
ours here. Variables should be written in complete sentences and is clear and specific

Manipulative Variable (The main factor that you changed in order to test something in
your experiment. This should be the main variable in the whole experiment. It is also
called the Independent Variable)
(ex) The manipulated variable is the amount of heat added to the ice. (Notice how
this sounds clearer and more specific than just saying “the ice”)

20
Responding Variable(s) (The factor(s) that changed as a result of changing the
manipulated variable. Usually, there is only one but sometimes there could be more
than one. This depends on the manipulated variable. It is also called the Dependent
Variable)
(ex) The responding variable is how fast the ice melts after we added heat to it.
(Notice how this sounds better than “how fast the ice melts”.

Control Variables (The factor(s) that you deliberately kept the same so that you have
something to which the results can be compared. By keeping them the same, you can
be assured that other factors did not affect the outcome). List as many as you can but
you should have at least 6.
(ex) One controlled variable was the amount of ice we used which was 50 grams. We
also kept the amount of heat used constant throughout the experiment and did not
change it during the process. We kept the same type of instruments/equipment used
during the process. We ensured that the atmospheric conditions and surrounding
testing environment was kept constant. We ensured that the amount of stirring of the
ice was kept constant.

(Notice how each control variable was written in complete sentences and clearly state
what was kept constant. It sounds better than “the ice” or “the type of equipment” or “the
heat”. Use the terms “kept constant” and “kept the same” in your sentences and it will
help them be clearer!)

Test Subjects:
Test Subject(s) is/are the various things, people, or objects you are doing the
experiment on. For example, if you’re testing which plants grow best in a
greenhouse with special UV light, the plants are the test subjects.

Control Test Subject During an experiment, the control test subject (often just called
the Control) is the one test subject that does NOT change. It is used to
compare to the ones that did change. For example, for the plants that were
grown in the greenhouse, the control test subject is the plant that is NOT grown
in the greenhouse with the other plants but grown outside. This way, you can
compare the ones in the greenhouse with the special UV light (the test subjects)
to the one grown normally outside using normal sunlight (the control test
subject).

DO NOT confuse the control test subject(s) with the controlled variables.
They are 2 very different things!!
Note that some experiments may not have Control test Subjects due to the type
of experiment it is although a good valid experiment should have a control.

Materials:
Which materials did you use in your experiment? List everything in point form or
numbered form, not a paragraph!! List everything from equipment to chemicals. Be sure
to include specific amounts if possible.

21
ex) -about 80 mL of ice (rather than saying just “ice”)
-100 mL glass beaker
-glass stirring rod
-alcohol laboratory thermometer
-electric burner
-timer (clock)

Procedure:
What the specific steps you are taking to answer your hypothesis? Include any
measurements and safety warnings. List them by numbers, not in a large paragraph!.

(ex) [Link] measure out 80 mL of ice into glass beaker.

[Link] temperature reading of ice before the addition of heat.
3. Put beaker onto the burner and set it to medium heat.
[Link] stir ice periodically with stirring rod. Take temperature reading every 1
minute until water boils. Be careful not to allow thermometer to touch the
warm glass sides of the beaker. CAUTION: The beaker and burner can get
very hot and cause serious burns.
5. After ice all melts and water begins to boil, turn off burner and allow to cool.
Record all data and observations.
6. Answer all assigned questions.

Observations:
Record ALL collected data and observations here. They may include colour change,
odour, amount of product produced, change in state, or anything you observe with your
senses. This is NOT where you write WHY you think it happened. Collected data can
often be placed in charts to make it very neat and orderly.
(ex)
Time (mins.) Temperature (ºC) Other Observations

1 0 Beaker feels cool and some

frost on sides of beaker
2 1.5 -Water seen all over the
bottom of the beaker
-some on the sides
3 5.8 -all the ice is melted
-beaker is very warm

4 20.5 -bubbles forming on the

sides of beaker
5 50.9 -small trails of steam
forming, more bubbles now
6 91.3 Lots of steam, strong
boiling, lots of bubbles and
heat

22
Analysis:
Answer any assigned questions here. You may wish to write the questions down also,but
it is not required. Answers should in complete sentences. You can even make up your
own questions and provide the answers

Conclusion:
Based on your observations and results, answer the problem in a complete sentence or
short paragraph. Was your hypothesis correct? Why? Were there any mistakes or
possible mistakes you can think of? (hint: there are ALWAYS human errors)
(ex) After my experiment and using the data collected, I have concluded that the
addition of heat does indeed cause solid matter (like ice) to change state into a liquid state
(water).
My hypothesis is correct in that heat energy increases the kinetic energy of the ice
causing it to melt. The most obvious error is using the thermometer to take
measurements. It could have been not working right or I read it wrong. I also could have
allowed the thermometer to touch the glass, causing additional heating.

Though I was careful to measure out 80 mL of ice, it was not possible to get it exactly 80
mL. However, it was not crucial to the experiment because we were experimenting with
how heat affects ice and exact quantity of ice did not matter. Heat from the surrounding
air in the room also could have been a factor in helping change the ice into water.

Future Ideas:
This section is a short paragraph to explain what you would do if you were to take this
experiment another step or do a part 2 on this topic. Though you may not do this in real
life, it indicates that you are thinking ahead, still thinking of the topic, and have some
thoughts of extending the topic further. Teachers and science fair judges love it when
students think ahead!

References:
This is where you include all sources of information you used in your lab report and
experiment, including the textbook if it was used. DO NOT use numbers or bullets for
listing your references, but do put them ALL in alphabetical order by the first letter in
the reference entry AFTER you have properly referenced ALL the information sources.
See the handout on Reference Page Guidelines.

It is a very serious academic offense to plagiarize and anyone caught copying from the
Internet, other students’ work, or other sources of information will receive a grade of
zero. Anyone assisting the offender will also receive a grade of zero. Lab partners and
classmates are allowed to share and discuss the experiment and the questions together to
answer them, but each student is responsible for completing his/her own lab report. It is
very tempting to copy and paste from the Internet because it is so easy to do, but you
must resist!

23
To ensure that you are not plagiarizing, you must paraphrase (rephrase the
sentence/paragraph in your own words) the piece of information (it is called an entry). If
you wish to use the entry verbatim (word for word) somewhere in your paragraph, this is
called citation, then you must include the last name of the author(s) and year that it was
published in parentheses. Then include the full information of the source in the
References at the end.

Examples on how to cite a source in the body of your report (this is called in-text
citation):

Ice has such low melting point that anyone with a thermometer can measure the point at
which it changes state (Asimov, 1997).
Note the author’s last name, year of
publishing together in parentheses if at the
end of a sentence

When testing using a thermometer, Johnston and Darwin (2008) recommend that it is not
used as a stirring rod or else it may shatter the thermometer.
In the beginning or middle of a
sentence, list author(s) last name(s) as
part of the sentence. Only the year of
publishing is in parentheses.

Fielding (2003) suggests that heat resistant gloves be worn at all times for safety reasons.
 ALL images, charts, and graphs in the body of your lab report (not the title page)
must have a caption under it (or above it) to explain what that is. Also add the
source of the image, chart, or graph. DO NOT put the entire URL. Just the name
of the website or the name of the organization who owns the rights to that image.

Ex) Ex) Fig. 2. Parts of a thermometer

Courtesy: University of Washington Chemistry Department

Fig. 1 Types of ice crystals Courtesy of: [Link]

24
 Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling are mandatory. Consistent errors
results in mark deductions.
(ex) could of  could’ve versus could have
effect versus affect
it’s versus its
to  two  too
there versus their

 Use charts, graphs and other organizers available to you on Microsoft Word to
neatly display your information.

 Number your pages. It’s a VERY good idea to have a title page.

 Ensure that subtitles stay with its text. That is, do not have the subtitle on one
page and then the text on the next page. This often happens during editing and
students do not check carefully BEFORE printing.

 Spell check, proofread and grammar check BEFORE printing.

25
 Section III - References Page Outline
We will be using the APA style of referencing sources for all our work. Look at the
examples carefully and use them as a guide to write your own References. After you
type out each source’s entry carefully, THEN alphabetize them in order from top to
bottom without any bullets or numbering. For more info on proper referencing,

 [Link]
 [Link]

In general:
 Number the reference page consecutively with the rest of your paper.
 References must have their own separate page (not put at the bottom of the last
page of your report).
 Use the single word “References” centered as the heading at the top of the page
without quotations marks, italics, underlining or bold font.
 Leave one space after all punctuation marks, including periods.

Arrange entries alphabetically:

 Use authors’ surnames, then first names and/or initials
 Place the earliest works first when you have several works by the same author.
 Arrange the entries of different authors with the same surname, alphabetizing by
their first initials.
 Sources with no specific author, such as those by an agency, association or
institution, use the first letter of the full name of that agency, association, or
institution that published that work.

Capitalization and Italicization of Titles

 Capitalize the first letter of every important word in the title.
 Titles of complete works are italicized (for example: books, magazines and
periodicals, videos and plays).
 For journals and periodicals, italicize both the name of the journal/periodical and
the volume number (if there is one).

26
 Examples of References
Books:
Last name(s), initials of author(s). ( date ). book title: subtitle of
book
Stewart, K. L., Bullock, C. J., & Allen, M. E. (1997). Essay writing for Canadian
edition place of publishing publisher
students: With readings (4th Ed.). Scarborough, ON: Allyn and Bacon.

Note the periods that Colon separates place

Indent second line follow each section of of publish from
this entry then ONE publisher
space
Textbook:

Gue, David et al. (2001). ScienceFocus 7. Whitby, Ontario: McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Limited.
Note that textbook titles are italicized

Edwards, Lois et al. (2001). ScienceFocus 8. Whitby, Ontario: McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Limited.

Jasper, Gord et al. (2002). ScienceFocus 9. Whitby, Ontario: McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Limited.

et al is Latin (and therefore should be italicized) meaning “and all the rest”.
This is used when there are more than 3 authors.

Reference Books:
Encyclopedia Entry with the Author Identified
Wexler, B. (2002). Myocardial infraction. In The Gale encyclopaedia of nursing and
allied health (Vol.3 pp. 1646-1652). Detroit, MI: Gale.

Encyclopedia Entry with Author not Identified (place the entry title in the author
position)
Duckbilled platypus. (2000). In B. Singh (ED.), Collier’s encyclopaedia (Vol.8, pp. 408-409).
New York, NY: Collier.

Dictionary:
Temperature. (1999). Rooney, K. et al (Editors). Encarta: Word English dictionary (p. 535).
New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

27
 Do not capitalize or italicize
Periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers, etc.): titles of articles in periodicals
Journal Article in Print
last name(s), initial(s) date article title: subtitle of article
Barnett, R. W. (1997). Redefining our existence: An argument for short- and long-term
Journal name volume (issue), page numbers of article
goals and objectives. The Writing Center Journal, 17 (2), 123-131.

Magazine Article
Proust, T. (2002, November 25). The princess of political polls. Brazil Today, 118, 29.

Newspaper Article with Author not Identified

Death role earns doctor criticism but not discipline. (2000, November 27). The
Vancouver Sun, p. F1.

Newspaper Article with Author Identified

Enching, H. (2001, December 2). Business schools marking up profit. The Globe and
Mail, p. B1.

Brochures:
Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation. (1983). Alcohol and pregnancy: A
deadly combination [Brochure]. Ottawa: Health Promotion Directorate, Health and
Welfare Canada. n.d. means no date if you cannot find one
Canadian Diabetic Association. (n.d.). Managing insulin: New technologies [Brochure].
Edmonton, AB: Canadian Diabetic Association.

Internet Sources:
Statistics Canada. (2003, October 1). Homicides: Drop in gang-related killings. In The Daily.
Retrieved from [Link]

Wikipedia. (November 23, 2010). Airfoil. Retrieved from [Link]

Most websites (like

Wikipedia) have a date found
near the bottom of the page. Change the font color of the website address
Put (n.d.) if no date is found. to black to match the rest of the entry.
DON’T leave it in blue! To do this,
carefully highlight the URL, click on Home
tab at top and select the font color to black.
While the URL is still highlighted, click on
the Underline icon to remove the
underlining.

28
Example of a completed References page. Note how every entry is now in
alphabetical order. No bullets or numbering.

References

Bauman, T. (Speaker). (2001). Learning, living and memory [Cassette recording]. New York,
NY: Psychology Today.

Death role earns doctor criticism but not discipline. (2002, November 27). The Vancouver Sun, p.
F1.

Gibson, C. (2004, April 29). Cheaters amok: A crisis in American’s schools – How it’s done and
why it’s happening. Primetime [Television broadcast]. New York: ABC News.

Hampton, S. (2004, February 28). The Bluenose sails again. Halifax Herald. Retrieved from
[Link]

Johnston, D. J., & Black, J. W. (Eds.). (2000). Adults with ADD: Clinical studies. New York:
Grune & Stratton.

Stenson R. J., & Laustensen, J. L. (2001). Racial and ethnic disparities in crime and criminal
justice in China. In M. Sanchez (Ed.), Ethnicity and enforcement: Comparative and cross-
national perspectives (pp.311-374). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Temperature. (1999). Rooney, K. et al (Editors). Encarta: World English dictionary (p.535). New
York: St. Martin’s Press.

Wikipedia. (2012, August 3). Temperature. Retrieved from

[Link]

World Wildlife Fund. (2002, January 21). Learn about polar bears. In Polar Bear Central.
Retrieved from [Link]

-Note that ALL entries are in alphabetical order with no numbering or bullets.
-“References” is centered at the top of the page and it is on its own separate page from
the rest of the work.
-Indent the second line if there is one.
-Do the best you can to follow this guideline as well as the extra resources given to you.
In the end, the main purpose of references is to allow a reader to easily find the
information that you used to write your work.

29
 Section IV - Project Schedule
PART ONE – 10%

Part One of your Science Fair project is to submit (ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF
PAPER) the form at the bottom of this page. It is also important at this point that you
begin to gather research that refers to your project and the background information you
will need to thoroughly complete your project. It is not enough to simply print
information from the Internet. Research for your project MUST come from a variety of
sources such as books, encyclopedias, videos, interviews, the Internet etc. During the
research phase, it is important to keep a References page so that you are able to track all
of the information that you have obtained. Remember, you can come and ask questions
or seek help at any time!

*This is an easy 10% thus; no forms will be accepted late. Hand this in TYPED
with a divider labelled “Part 1”

Student(s) Name(s):

Project Title: _________________________________________________________

(can be changed up to Part 3)

Project Synopsis (a paragraph that explains your project idea and what you intend to do):

My Project Is: Study Experiment

Special Requirements I Will Need (example: plug-in):

Submit Part 1 in your Science Fair binder/duotang with a divider labelled “Part 1”.

30
 PART TWO – 20%

Part Two of your Science Fair project is to show that you have begun the different
aspects of your project and are on your way! It is important to ask questions if you are
unsure of what to do. Some of you are doing a study project and some of you are doing
an experiment based project. During the completion of the various parts of the science
fair project that you are expected to hand in, there will be different expectations
depending on the type of project you are doing, so read carefully. They are to be done
on the computer so everything must be TYPED but diagrams can be in pencil.

Part Two Requirements For An Experiment Based Project:

On paper, you must answer or address each of the following issues. This is only
a draft so they can be changed later on up to Part 3.

1. Background – What this project is about with lots of background information on the
topic and what you are looking to find. A background is explaining what you are
doing and information related to the topic noting what previous research has been
done by other scientists. This should be 2 or 3 paragraphs and possibly up to
approximately a page.

2. Problem – State what your experiment is addressing. It should be in question form.

3. Hypothesis – From the research you have done, what you think will happen and
why based on what you already know. It should be a paragraph or two that
provides evidence to support your hypothesis.

4. Variables – Determine what the variables are in COMPLETE sentences.

5. Materials – List the materials you will need for your experiment and where you will
get them from.

6. Procedure – Write the procedure of your experiment step by step in a numbered list.

7. Resources –List at least three resources from a variety of sources that have
information on your topic (use the guide given to you for proper format).

8. Facts – List five facts or pieces of information you have found on your topic (make
sure you note which resource they came from, especially if you are copying the
words exactly in which case include quotation marks, the author’s name and the
page number).

*Start on your experiment if you have not already done so.*

31
Part Two Requirements For A Study Based Project:
On paper, you must answer or address each of the following issues. Please write
the number and heading as follows on your sheet so that it is easy to follow what you
have done.

1. Background - What this project is about with lots of background information on the
topic and what you are looking to find. A background is explaining what you are
doing and information related to the topic noting what previous research has been
done by other scientists. This should be 2 or 3 paragraphs and possibly up to
approximately a page.

2. Facts – List ten facts or pieces of information you have found on your topic. Make
sure you note which resource they came from, especially if you are copying the
words exactly in which case include quotation marks, the author’s last name, date,
and page number if it is a book. This follows the APA style of citation as taught to
you.

3. Model/Display – Write a paragraph outlining what will be constructed or used as

your model or display, tell how you will build it or find it and where the materials
will come from.

4. Resources –List six resources you have found from a variety of sources that have
information on your topic (use the guide given to you for proper format).

*Don’t forget your name, group names and homeroom. Only one of these is to be handed
in per project and partners will each receive the same mark. Remember to keep track of
all of your resources and to track where your quotes and information come from.

Submit Part 2 in your Science Fair binder/duotang with a divider labelled “Part 2”

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 PART THREE – 30%

Part Three of your Science Fair project is to mark parts of your science fair project that
should now be complete or close to finished. It is important to ask questions if you are
unsure of what to do. Part Three is still in draft stage so you can still make changes in
Part Four but your title should now be finalized. If your experiment is still ongoing,
indicate that and hand in what you have so far.

Part Three Requirements For An Experiment Based Project:

1. Lab Report: Please hand in an up-to-date typed copy of your experiment up to and
including ALL of your observations so far. Your experiment may still be ongoing
but hand in what you have so far. They include: Background, Problem, Hypothesis,
Variables, Materials, Procedure, Observations (written and chart or graph form),
Analysis (make up several of your own questions and answers), Conclusions,
Acknowledgements, and References. The Lab Report Outline given to you will
help with this. Your References should be close to your final copy and should
include all of the resources you have used. You must have a minimum of six
resources from a variety of sources. Be sure to use the References sample sheet and
checklist that was provided so that the format meets the expectations laid out in the
guide.

2. Presentation: Please hand in a typed or handwritten rough copy of your

presentation. This is what you will be saying to the audience. You will use the
same presentation for the class and the judges although you can still make changes.
It should make use of your board and models/displays. It should be five to ten
minutes long.

3. Model/Display: Write a paragraph outlining what will be constructed or used as

your model or display, tell how you will build it or find it and where the materials
will come from. Draw a labelled diagram of your model.

4. Images: Provide small samples of any images you plan on using. Remember that
every image must have a label, caption, and the source cited so that it is not
plagiarized. See the section on resources and plagiarism in this guide.

Part Three Requirements For A Study Based Project:

1. Presentation: Please hand in a typed or handwritten rough copy of your
presentation. This is what you will saying to the audience. You will use the same
presentation for the class and the judges although you can still make changes. It
should make use of your board and models/displays. It should be five to ten
minutes long.

2. References: Please hand in a typed copy of your References. This References is

close to your final copy and should include all of the resources you have used. You
must have a minimum of ten resources from a variety of sources. Be sure to use the

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 References sample sheet and checklist that was provided so that the format meets
the expectations laid out in the guide.

3. Model/Display: Write a paragraph outlining what will be constructed or used as

your model or display, tell how you will build it or find it and where the materials
will come from. Draw a labelled diagram of your model.

4. Images: Provide small samples of any images you plan on using. Remember that
every image must have a label, caption, and the source cited so that it is not
plagiarized. See the section on resources and plagiarism in this guide.

Submit Part 3 in your binder/duotang with a divider labelled “Part 3”

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 PART FOUR – 40%

Part Four of your science fair project is what we have all been waiting for! You will
present to the class and to your teacher. You will need to bring all of the parts of your
science fair project. There is no time for rescheduling so you MUST be prepared for
your scheduled time. It is important to ask questions if you are unsure of what to do.

Part Four Requirements For An Experiment Based Project:

You will be required to have all aspects of your project ready for your presentation. You
will be expected to have your project board, presentation, any experiment set-up or
photos, your Lab Report, your completed References list and any other necessary parts of
your project with you on that day. You will only be marked on what you have with you
during your presentation. Marks will be assigned for your verbal presentation as well as
your project board and the fact that all parts of your project are present. Nothing needs to
be turned in that day as you will use your work to present to the class. Your project may
be safely stored at the school after your presentation or returned to your home to bring
back for set-up the day before the science fair.

Part Four Requirements For A Study Based Project:

You will be required to have all aspects of your project ready for your presentation. You
will be expected to have your project board, presentation, any models, displays or photos,
your Study information, your completed References list and any other necessary parts of
your project with you on that day. You will only be marked on what you have with you
during your presentation. Marks will be assigned for your verbal presentation as well as
your project board and the fact that all parts of your project are present. Nothing needs to
be turned in that day as you will use your work to present to the class. Your project may
be safely stored at the school after your presentation or returned to your home to bring
back for set-up the day before the science fair.

*Don’t forget your name, group names and homeroom. Partners will each receive the
same mark.
*The entire science fair project should now be complete.

Remember the proper way of speaking: avoiding umms and ahhs, “like”, and speaking in
question marks. Also make sure you try to give good eye contact to the audience, good
posture, sound enthusiastic and have a clear and loud voice. Be animated and point out
parts of your board to reinforce a point you are making. The presentation should be 5 to
10 minutes long.

It is always a good idea to practice your presentation at home.

IT WILL BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE IT READY TO GO AT THE

START OF CLASS WITH ALL REQUIRED ELEMENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

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 Part Four Marking Sheet

Title: ___________________________________

Name(s): ________________________________

Study or Experiment TOTAL: /40

1. Oral Presentation /20

a. speaks clearly and confidently
b. looks at audience/teacher while speaking
c. uses props and display board to reinforce presentation
d. presentation displays good knowledge of subject and uses proper terminology
e. if with partners – all parties participate equally
f. seems prepared to demonstrate knowledge of project
g. answers questions well and shows knowledge of topic

2. Display Board/Model/Presented Items /20

a. information is well organized
b. looks creative, colorful and visually appealing
c. is neatly done
d. good use of pictures and diagrams and captions
e. good use of model/apparatus
f. indicates that time and effort was put into the project
g. typed and presented in an appropriate format, easy to read and comprehend
h. has all the necessary headings, titles and background information
i. no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors
j. References presented in proper format

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Section V - Aurora Charter School Science Fair Judging Form
Judge:______________________________ Total Score: _____________

Project Number:__________ Project Title:______________________________________

Part A: Scientific Thought (Maximum 45 points)

Judge as only one of the two types: Experiment or Study. Circle only one number.
This part evaluates the project material only.

Experiment
An investigation undertaken to test a specific hypothesis using experiments. Experimental variables are
identified and controlled. Problem, hypothesis, materials, procedures, observations, analysis, conclusions
are necessary parts of the experiment.
Ex) testing the absorption rates of different types of papers

Level 3 Devise and carry out original experimental research which attempts to control or investigate most
significant variables. Problem, materials, variables, hypothesis, procedures, observations, analysis,
conclusions and bibliography are all identified. Project shows high level of scientific thought.

37 39 41 43 45

Level 2 Devise and carry out an original experiment with controls. Variables are identified. Most of the
problem, materials, variables, hypothesis, procedures, observations, analysis, and conclusions are correctly
identified. Project shows some scientific thought.

25 27 29 31 33 35

Level 1 Extend a known experiment through modification of procedures, data gathering, and application.
In other words, this experiment has been done often before and not very original. Some of the problem,
materials, hypothesis, procedures, observations, analysis, and conclusions are correctly identified. This
project could use more scientific thought and planning.

09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

Study
A collection and analysis of data to reveal evidence of a fact or scientific interest. It often explains how
something is or how it works. There are no experiments, only researched information. Should consist of
the guiding question or problem and the data. May have built or grew a model to reinforce the data.
Ex) How car engines work, Alternative fuels, How plants grow, What is BSE?

Level 3 Study has lots of information on the topic. The student shows a strong understanding of the
researched data. The study indicates much time and effort were put into it. Very few (if any) improvement
needed.
37 39 41 43 45

Level 2 Study has some information on the topic. The student shows a mediocre understanding of the
researched data. The study indicates some time and effort were put into it, but there could have been more.
Some improvements needed.
25 27 29 31 33 35

Level 1 Study has only a little information on the topic. The student shows a weak understanding of the
researched data. The study indicates some time and effort were put into it, but it could have been much
more. Much improvement can be made to this project.

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 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

Part B: Creativity (Maximum 10 points)

1. Topic originality 0 1 2 3 4 5
2. Creative in the use of resources, equipment, information services 0 1 2 3 4 5

Part C: Presentation Board (Maximum 25 points)

1. Exhibit is colorful and attractive 0 1 2 3 4 5

2. Information, data, pictures, diagrams, charts are all neatly
pasted onto the board and straight 0 1 2 3 4 5
3. Everything on the board is typed up neatly 0 1 2 3 4 5
4. Proper grammar and spelling 0 1 2 3 4 5
5. The layout of the information is logical and flows neatly together 0 1 2 3 4 5

Part D: Oral Presentation (Maximum 20 points)

1. Student(s) sound enthusiastic, clear, confidant, and logical 0 1 2 3 4 5

2. Student(s) maintain reasonably good eye contact 0 1 2 3 4 5
3. Student(s) indicate a strong understanding of the topic,
answers questions well 0 1 2 3 4 5
4. Show obvious time and effort put into oral presentation 0 1 2 3 4 5

Total Score : Parts A + B + C + D = _________________

(please write this total at the top of the front side too)

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 Section VI - Last Reminders about Science Fair Day
1. Make sure you dress IN FORMAL SCHOOL UNIFORM. Shirts must be tucked
in. Absolutely NO HOODIES! Make sure that your clothing is clean and
presentable. That is, it is not ripped or stained. You must also be in uniform at
the awards.

2. Food is not allowed into the gym. No juice or pop. Water bottles only.

3. Students MUST stay by their projects at all times. Judges come around randomly,
so you must be there to present. There will be several judges assigned to evaluate
your project. You must be there for the entire judging period assigned to you. If
you need to go to the bathroom, you must ask for permission first from one of the
supervisors and you must make it fast. Take a break only when appropriate.

4. Noise is to be kept at a minimum. No horseplay or loudness is tolerated.

Remember that you are representing Aurora in front of many guests. Bring
homework, games, books, music players with headphones to occupy your time
QUIETLY while you wait.

5. If you need electricity, remember to bring your own LONG extension cord.
If you are using school technology – make sure this is requested ahead of time
and not the day of the fair.

6. Remember the proper way to speak and present your projects, the introduction
and thanking the judges.

7. Please remind parents that ONCE JUDGING BEGINS, ONLY STAFF,

SUPERVISORS, STUDENTS, AND JUDGES ARE TO BE IN THE GYM.

8. Public viewing for all parents and guests start after ALL projects have been
judged. Doors will open to admit everyone when appropriate. Awards will be
given out soon after all projects have been judges and scores tabulated during the
public viewing.

9. After the awards are given out, please make arrangements to take home all
projects right away so we may clean up the gym for classes. Students are
responsible for the removal of their own projects.

Schedule: Will be provided by your teacher closer to the fair.

Before Presenting to the Judges

1. Make sure that your clothes are nice and straight and tucked in.
2. Say good morning or afternoon and ask if the judge would like a seat. Usually
they will say yes.
3. Before starting, take a deep breath and focus on your presentation.

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4. Remember to introduce yourself as part of your introduction.
5. Smile!! Make sure you maintain good eye contact. So that means just don’t stand
there and read from your project board. Try to avoid that if you can.
6. Sound enthusiastic!! Remember to avoid speaking in question marks.
7. Be sure to thank them for listening and ask if they have any questions that you can
answer for them.
8. Remember to come back with your family for the public viewing in full DRESS
UNIFORM!
9. In some cases, a judge is very interested in your project and would like to talk to
you some more about it via email or by telephone. You ARE NOT to provide
your own personal information to judges. You may take a business card if they
offer it, but you must let me and your parents know before contacting judges.
This is for your safety.

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