Science Project,ScientificMethod &

Science Fair

2

Science Project, Scientific Method & Science Fair

fair

What is a Science Project?A Science Project is an activity based on science that normally involves a science experiment. The way a science experiment is carried out is according to the Scienti�c Method.

What is the Scientific Method?The Scienti�c Method is a step-by-step process used in science and by scientists to carry out a science experiment.

What is a Science Fair?A science Fair is basically a collection of many di�erent science Projects that are shown to the public. The Science Projects themselves are normally conducted and demonstrated by school children.

fair

How to carry out a Science Project for a Science Fair?1. Firstly, form a team/ group among your friends. All the

members of the team should be hard working and willing to learn. Then choose a name for your team. One idea is to use the name of a famous scientist.

For example, you may name your team

“ Einstein Team” (after Albert Einstein)

(after Sir Issac Newton) “ Newton Team”

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest scientist who ever lived. He is famous for his equation E=mc2 which relates energy and matter. Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. Einstein was also a good violin player and a friend of the Indian poet Robindranath Tagore (who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913)

Thomas Edison was a very hardworking scientist, without him we would not have the light bulb and many other useful gadgets.

Sir Issac Newton, was famous for his theory of universal Gravitation.

“ Edison team” (after Thomas Edison)

or

or

or

fair

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was a brilliant scientist from India who won the Nobel Prizenin Physics in 1930 for his discovery of the “Raman Effect”.

Madam Marie Curie is one of only four people to have won the Nobel Prize two times, once in Physics in 1903 and once in Chemistry in 1911.

Srinivasa Aaiyangar Ramanujan was a brilliant Indian Mathematician.

or

or

or

“Curie Team” (after Marie Curie)

“ Raman Team”(after Sir C.V. Raman)

Satyendra Nath Bose worked with Albert Einstein to develop “Bose Einstein Statistics”. The particle “Boson” is named after him.

(after S.A. Ramanujan) “Ramanujan Team”

(after Satvendra Nath Bose)“Bose Team”

fair

2. Then pick a team leader. The team leader’s job is to plan the activities of the team and make sure that the Science Project is completed in time. Your team also have an advisor. The advisor may be your science teacher.

3. Obtain a log book to record all the activities of the group. During each group meeting, a member of the team should record the date of the meeting, the venue(place) of the meeting, the time the meeting starts, the team members who are present for the meeting, the discussion during the meeting, and the time the meeting ends.

4. Pick an appropriate title for your Science Project. The title should preferably be short and refer directly to the science experiment of the Science Project. For example, if your Science Project involves making a compass and investigating how it works, you may just give it the title “Compass”. If it involves building a model volcano and investigating how a volcano erupts, you may just give it the title “ Volcanic Eruption”.

5. Discuss the basic idea behind your Science Project. For example, if your project involves building a compass, you may wish to discuss about what a compass is, what are the uses of a compass, how big your campass should be, how much money needs to be spent and how long would it take.

6. With the help of your advisor, plan out what apparatus you will need for your Science Project. The apparatus should be as simple as possible and not expensive. Once you have your apparatus, understand how to safely use each apparatus. Keep the apparatus clean and store them safely when not in use. Should any apparatus break or become

damaged, inform your advisor immediately.

7. Before starting the Science Project each member must fully understand the steps involved in carrying out the project. The team leader should make a work schedule that should involve each member of the team. For example, the job of one member may be to obtain books from the library that teach about the experiment, the job of another member may be to look up the experiment on the internet and gather as much information as

possible, and the job of another member may be to gather all the available information on the project in a small booklet for the whole group’s reference.

fair

8. Discuss with your advisor about the place to carry out your Science Project. Your team leader should also make a schedule for preparing and building the experiment and for observing and collecting the data/results from the experiment.

9. Under the observation of your advisor, and with reference to the schedule prepared by your team leader, carry our your experiment and have fun!