SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT

Middle Years Programme

Grade: 8 Subject: Science

Task Specific Clarifications

In this assessment you will apply your knowledge of
experimental design and conducting an experiment to construct
a science fair presentation using a tri-fold poster and other
visual display elements.
Standard and criteria for success: Task descriptors of criteria B
and C.

B: C:

Name: ______________

Class: ______________
 Assessment criteria
The following assessment criteria will be used to grade this project. Please
take a moment to read them through to ensure you reach the level of your
expectations.
Table of Contents
Phase 1: Experimental Plan................................................................................................5
Problem...........................................................................................................................5
Hypothesis.......................................................................................................................5
Variables..........................................................................................................................5
Theory.............................................................................................................................5
Equations.........................................................................................................................5
Apparatus and Materials List...........................................................................................5
Safety considerations and equipment.............................................................................5
Method............................................................................................................................5
Procedure.....................................................................................................................5
How will the variables be manipulated.........................................................................6
How will data be collected............................................................................................6
Phase 2: Conduct the Experiment......................................................................................7
Experimental Prediction...................................................................................................7
Picture of the experiment................................................................................................7
Raw Data.........................................................................................................................7
Calculations.....................................................................................................................7
Results.............................................................................................................................7
Discussion........................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................7
Phase 1: Experimental Plan
Design your experiment

Problem
Describe the problem you will be testing. (B.i)

Hypothesis
Your if…then… statement that you will be using to design your experiment. This should
include the independent and dependent variables. ([Link])

Variables
Identify the independent, dependent, and control variables associated with your
experiment. ([Link])

Theory
This is where you will put your research that relates to your experiment. All background
information, formulae, and concepts that will help the reader understand the subject
matter related to the experiment. This is your “scientific reasoning”, or your “…
because”, underlying your hypothesis. ([Link])

Equations
If you have any equations, please use this section to list them and write a sentence or
two explaining what they are used for. ([Link])

Apparatus and Materials List

 Bullet point list of all apparatus and material used for the experiment ([Link])
 Include pictures and sketches of all the instruments and materials

Safety considerations and equipment

List any safety issues that may arise during the experiment AND how you will prevent or
minimize the risk in the situation. ([Link])

Method
This section describes all parts of the test method including the procedure, how variables
will be manipulated and how data will be collected.
Procedure
The procedure details every step of your experiment. This should any actions you take
from the start to the end of your experiment including ([Link])

How will the variables be manipulated

Describe how you will be changing the independent variable (i.e. why did you choose the
values you chose? How will you change it?). Describe how you expect the dependent
variable to change as a result of your independent variable changes. Describe how the
control variables will be controlled (kept the same). ([Link])

How will data be collected

What instruments will you be using to collect the data related to your dependent
variable? How will you use them? Are there any special processes you need to follow to
ensure your data is high quality (i.e. methods to avoid parallax). ([Link])
Phase 2: Conduct the Experiment

Experimental Prediction
Provide a short prediction for what you expect to see in your experiment.

Picture of the experiment

Show one or more pictures of the experimental set up.

Raw Data
Provide all raw data collected in this section. Make sure that it is well organized. (C.i)

Calculations
Provide one example of each calculation you carry out through your experiment. This is
evidence of you transforming your raw data into usable and interesting results. (C.i)

Results
Provide your final results table clearly relating the independent variable and dependent
variable from your hypothesis. ([Link])

Include any graphs or charts here. (C.i)

Discussion
Discuss the results. Comment on what you notice about how the dependent variable is
changing relative to the independent variable. ([Link])

Reference exact results values from your tables or graph when talking about them. If you
had trouble or ended up with anomalous or useless data you should comment on what
happened and how you can avoid it in the future, as well as what kind of impact it might
have on your conclusion. ([Link])

If you are comparing against known constants or values, comment on how “close” or
“far” your value is from the real one. Why was it different? How could you have gotten a
closer value? ([Link])

Conclusion
Discuss the validity of the hypothesis (how easy it was to test, does experimental data
support it). ([Link])

Discuss the validity of the method (potential sources of error, does it accurately measure
what it
claims to measure, are the conclusions reliable). Discuss solutions for any identified
sources of error. ([Link])

Describe improvements or extensions to the method that would benefit the

investigation. (C.v)