The group 4 project

INI B D P

What is Group 4 Project?

The Group 4 Project is a -student generated, student planned, student produced, interdisciplinary investigation.

The Group 4 Project is a requirement for all diploma and certificate students enrolled in an IB science course.

Student generated

The students choose the topic to be studied.

The topic needs to be :● narrow enough to be planned and studied in

10-15 hours of work and ● broad enough so that all disciplines of

science can be included.

Student planned

The students ● determine the research topic, ● state the problem, ● make a hypothesis, ● determine what specific investigations are

going to be done within the research topic chosen, and

● plan the procedure, including determining materials and selecting variables.

Student produced

Group 4 students do ▪ the research, ▪ investigation, and ▪ the final write-up, ▪ presentation, or ▪ documentation.

INTERDISCIPLINARY investigation

● All of the sciences are involved.● All of the IB students are involved.● All members of a group will be

investigating the same problem from different perspectives.

Timing - Schedule in bookletPlanning stage: 4th - 7th March

Action stage: 7th March - 7th April

Evaluation stage: 7th April

Handover to supervisor: 8th April

Presentation: Monday 19th May

Process for a group 4 Project:

● Step 1: Identify major topics: e.g., body, pollution, water, recycling, air, energy, nutrition, waste, agriculture.

● Step 2: concentrate on a few topics: Pollution, Agriculture, nutrition.

● Step 3: Narrow topic down to one: e.g., Agriculture

Process for a group 4 Project (cont.):

● Step 4: Narrow it down to a focused question, e.g., How can agriculture help reduce pollution?

● Step 5: Students in each subject come up with issues in their own areas.

● and create a hypothesis● Step 6: Students in each subject narrow these

down to what they can collect in terms of data and investigations.

TEAM WORK

● You will be working as part of a team of 5 students. This means that your personal skills will be tested.

i.e. your ability to:● · Work within a team,● · Recognize the contribution of others,● · Encourage the contribution of others.

Teams

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3Saudatu Elias ShehzadWouter Jie Shen SelinBrane Anastasia StephanieNick Lovisa Ayo

Misaki Diego Nene

Group 4 Group 5 Supervisors:Lorenzo Elliot Ms HigginsVarun Samar ChemistryEmily Viktor

Yi Ingrid Ms SheardAbdel Micol Physics

Team members

• Have different roles

• Have a common goal

• Don’t choose each other

• Communication

• Co-operation

• Motivation

• Perseverance

• Adaptability

Team skills

Broad Topic: Sick Building Syndrome

Focused Question: How do the environmental conditions in a given building cause illness?

• Biology issues: Survey of symptoms, research into existing medical data: studies of respiratory illnesses, research on organisms --cause/effect

Broad Topic: Sick Building Syndrome

• Chemistry Issues: Call Health Department to find out tests for sick building e.g. in humidity studies, harmful gases,, etc. CO, CO2, particulates, water analysis, investigations of Brownian motion; Rn detection, condensation patterns

• Physics Issues: measurement of electromagnetic fields, air flow patterns, R factors, temperature of the buildings

Examples of Group 4 Projects

● Natural & Synthetic Fibers● The 400 m Running Race● The School Swimming Pool● Exercise● Paper Recycling● The effect of Caffeine on the Human Body● Petroleum and the Automobile● The Classroom Environment● Transport to School

Group 4 Projects (cont.)

● School Garbage● Agriculture● How healthy is our School?● Pollution in City X● Alternate Energy Sources for the School● Beer / Wine● Driving● Ice Storm● The Weather● The Science of Toys / Thrill Ride

Project stages

● The 10 hours allocated to the group 4 project, can be divided into three stages: ● planning, ● action ● Presentation and evaluation.

Planning (2 – 3 hours)● Mixed-subject sessions:

brainstorm the topic

● Develop a hypothesis

● Suggest data collection

● Sharing of information & ideas

Definition of Activities

● Develop

● subject-specific questions to answer and

● A subject specific hypothesis

● Define specific tasks

Action (6 - 9 hours)

● Separate subject investigations

● As individuals or groups

● During ‘Normal’ lessons and in own time

● 2 science subjects do 2 action phases

Presentation - Monday 19th May

● The emphasis during this stage, is on ● students sharing their findings,

both successes and failures, with other students.

● It will be discussed with ● the teachers, other IB students,

Grade 9 and anyone else in the Marble Hall

Assessment● Everyday you will need to complete the following and

hand them in to your supervisor before you can leave:

-personal log

-self reflection

-self/peer assessment

The supervisor will be interviewing your team and using all the above information to give you a Personal Skills grade for the IB.This is 6 marks out of 48 for your internal assessment; Internal assessment is worth 24% of your final IB grade.

Planning Stage: 1st page in your booklet

Define your research question

Background information- Include a background to your research question (why is it worthy of investigation?

What is the problem you are trying to solve?)- Explain your specific topic and the aspects you are focusing on (ESS, biology,

chemistry or physics)- Outline the roles for your team members- Give any background theory required to understand the premise of your

investigation

Materials and methodA list of apparatusA rough description/diagram of your procedure

Variable identification- Independent, dependent and controlled variables should be listed