Lawrence

Science & Engineering Fair

Student Resource Packet
Table of Contents

Welcome

Timeline and Checklist

The Scientific Method: Step-by-Step

EXAMPLES: Photos science project posters

Science & Engineering Fair Project Categories

For Parents
How Do You Develop a Great Science Fair Project? A Stepwise Guide

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Judging Guidelines

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Science & Engineering Fair Resources

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Guidelines on the Use of Vertebrate Animals, Potentially Hazardous Biological

Agents, and Hazardous Chemicals, Activities or Devices

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Welcome to the Lawrence Science & Engineering Fair!

THANK YOU for participating in the Lawrence Science & Engineering Fair an event
starring LIS and LMS students! This is a fun way for YOU to explore things that interest YOU, to
use your own hands, brain and other body parts to discover more about your world, and to
share your experiences with your friends, family, and teachers. Along the way, you will learn
some great stuff and have fun. As a scientist you can design, run and make a conclusion from
your o w n e x p e r i m e n t s . As an inventor you can identify
a problem, design and build a solution.
This Student Resource Packet has lots of helpful hints
and ideas to help you with your science project, from how to
develop cool ideas for your project, all the way through to how
to present your project results at the Fair. Theres even a
timeline and checklist to help you keep track of your
progress leading up to the day of the Science & Engineering
Fair.
Theres also plenty of help available beyond this guide.
Your parents and teachers can be a great resource; weve
included a separate guide in this packet to help them help you. Also, tons of resources (books,
articles, how-to guides) are available in your school and local libraries, and through the Internet.
Details on how to get these resources are included here, as well.

The Lawrence Science & Engineering Fair organizers have

enlisted the help of Lawrence High School students from the
Academy of Science and Technology to act as mentors and help you
through the process. Mentors will only be assigned by request.
Please contact Mrs. Heller if you want one at jheller@ltps.org. There
is also a network of parent and community volunteers to be at
your service. Were available to help answer your questions, find
materials, discuss your ideas, or any other help you might need for your
project. Community volunteers can be reached by phone, e-mail, or
through your teachers; their contact info is included in the end of this
packet.

How the Science & Engineering Fair works
So youve signed up for the Fair. Now its time to come up with a topic for your project.
When it comes to choosing a topic, the sky is the limit! What have you wondered about? The
best topics come from your own genuine curiosity about how something works, or why
something is the way that it is. But if you need help, just go to the library or use the Internet
links listed here for some helpful hints. For some help with ideas, Mrs. Heller and Ms. Taylor
have loads of books to look through, and of course your teachers are always available for help
and support. Once you pick a topic, the next step is to figure out what materials you need, then
run your experiment or build your invention, and collect and analyze the data from your
experiment or test-flight. All the information about your experiment (your question, materials,
process and results) will be displayed on a poster at the Fair.
The Lawrence Science & Engineering Fair will take place at Lawrence Intermediate
School. Projects will be dropped off at LIS on the Friday evening before the event (well get back
to you with the specific time). At the Fair, your project will be displayed for everyone to see,
including our panel of judges. You will discuss your project with a pair of judges. You will also
have time to visit the posters of the other students, to check out what they have done and share
your experiences with them. Awards will be given by grade. But dont forget -- the important
part of being in the Fair is having fun investigating your questions and finding answers.

From time to time, well send out updates and announcements through email and on the LIS
and LMS websites, www.ltps.org (under Schools choose Lawrence Intermediate or Middle
School). But if you have questions, definitely talk to your teacher, Mrs. Heller, Ms. Taylor or call
or email the people on the contact list!

Checklist

Step 1

Done?

Select and research your topic

State the purpose of your project and your question (hypothesis)

Design your experiments - how will you test your hypothesis

Done?
Done?

Step 2

Get all necessary equipment and materials

Done?

Conduct your experiment and collect the results (data)

Done?

Analyze the data and draw your conclusions

Done?

Figure out how to display your results (graph, chart, etc.)

Done?

Submit your project title and description if you havent yet

Done?

!!!!

Create a poster to present your project report

Done?

Prepare for your interview

Done?

Bring your poster to LIS

Done?

Present your project at the Science & Engineering Fair!

Step 3

Step 4

The Scientific Method: Step-by-Step

1. Select a topic keep it simple! 1 , 2 , 3 , A , B , C . . .

Make an observation

Come up with an idea

Example: A tennis ball bounces

differently when dropped from
different heights.

2. Ask a question or find a problem.

State how you think things work

Something that can explain your observation

Example: If we drop a tennis ball

from twice as high, does it bounce
twice as high?

3. State the hypothesis: propose an answer

or solution to the problem (if-then
statement).

4. Test the hypothesis: conduct an

experiment or design an invention.

This is how you obtain

data/facts

This is the basis of your research

Example: If you drop a

ball from greater
height, then the ball
will bounce higher in
proportion to the
increase in drop
height.

Example: Drop a tennis ball from a staircase onto the ground, and measure how high the ball bounces using
a yardstick. Move up and down the staircase and drop the ball from different heights. Record the bounce at
each test. Repeat the experiment to get at least three measurements of the bounce from each height tested.
Test at least three different tennis balls to see if its the same from ball to ball.

5. Analyze the data.

These are your results

It helps to present them in a table or graph.

Figure out a way to clearly present your idea, hypothesis, and results.

Draw a conclusion

Example: Figure out the average bounce height for

each tennis ball drop height. Graph the height the
ball bounces for each drop height on a line or bar
graph, and for each different tennis ball. Compare
the results for each tennis ball, and then compare
the results between different tennis balls.

6. Display the project.

This will be on a table display poster.

Example: Make a poster presenting the

problem, hypothesis, experimental
design/procedure, results, conclusions,
and drawings, as indicated.

EXAMPLES: Photos of science fair project posters

PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON PROJECT

Science & Engineering Fair Project Categories

Behavioral and Social Sciences: study of human and animal behavior, social and
community relationships psychology, sociology, anthropology, archaeology,
learning, perception, etc.

Botany & Zoology: Botany is the study of plants and their life cycle, structure, growth,
processes and classification. Zoology is the study of animals, their life cycles, anatomy
and classification (Note: no animals may be harmed in the experiments, please
discuss your plans with Mrs. Heller or Ms. Taylor before beginning).

Microbiology: study of microorganisms such as algae, fungi, protozoan, virus and

bacteria as related to their life processes.

Chemistry: study of nature and composition of matter and laws governing it.

Earth and Space Science: study of astronomy, planetary science, geology,

mineralogy, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, seismology, geography,
paleontology, tectonics, etc.

Engineering: direct application of scientific principles to manufacturing and practical

uses civil, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, photographic, sound,
automotive, marine, heating and refrigerating, transportation, environmental
engineering, robotics, etc.

Environmental Science and Energy: study of pollution (air, water, and land) sources
and their control, ecology, alternative fuels, bioremediation, recycling, renewable
energies.

Physics: study of cause/effect relationships dealing with principles of physical laws

and electricity, heat, light, sound, etc.

Computer Science and Mathematics: computer science is the use of technology to

create hardware and/or software devises that are useful to people. Mathematics is
the development of formal logical systems or various numerical and algebraic
computations and the application of these principles.

Inventions: creation of original devices or processes that solve problems in everyday

life.

FOR PARENTS
The Science & Engineering Fair should be a FUN experience for your child. The goal is to reinforce the
scientific process taught in school, as well as to open up the world of science and inventions to their
young minds. The Fair will be judged, but winning is not the primary objective. We hope that you will
guide your student and be involved in the process, but please remember this is their work.

Projects should be student driven. Project ideas should come from the students, and they should drive
the project. Parents should use their best judgment in deciding when to get involved, such as when
there is a potential safety issue. For especially young kids, parents may provide some guidance, but it is
important that the kids be able to call the project their own and be prepared to speak and answer
questions about the project to the judges.

How Do You Develop a Great Science Fair Project? A Stepwise Guide

Helpful hints for parents
Here are some step-by-step recommendations to help students create a great science fair project. This
information is presented from the perspective of a judge and provides information on what a judge
would expect from a great science project.
Obtain a bound notebook. This will become your Science Fair Journal to document all of your
ideas, keep important information and document the processes you used to conduct your
experiments. Whenever you do something associated with your science fair project, document it in
the Journal. All of the recorded information will help in preparing the visual display.
Select a Topic for Your Project. Keep it simple! What will you investigate? What are you
interested in? Good ideas can come from many places observations, hobbies, curiosities, and
problems that need solutions. You can also get great ideas from books, Internet web sites, as well as
family and friends. Remember to record your ideas in your Journal. You can also print out the web
pages you visit and paste them into the journal. You should record the titles and authors of any
books you look at and record your conversations with teachers, friends and family as you select your
science project. This is all part of the process of doing scientific research.

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Note: Do you plan to conduct research on:

Animals?
Hazardous Materials?
Human or Animal Tissue?
Human subjects?
You will not be able to bring these items into the room the day of the fair and presentation. Instead,
you will need to document your experiments and results through pictures, videos, and graphs on
your poster. Also, if you plan to go on to the Mercer County Fair, you must complete additional forms
to be in compliance. These forms must be completed before you start your research. More
information can be found at www.mercersec.org
Research Your Topic. Try to find out everything you can about your project. There are many ways
to do this: Go to the library. Visit appropriate Internet sites. Talk to professionals in that field of
research (you can send them an email - some will respond - some won't - but try). Colleges and
Universities are a good source to find the "experts and we are very close to severalRutgers, Rider,
Princeton, and The College of New Jersey. The Science & Engineering Fair organizers have put
together a list of possible science mentors, individuals that have agreed to give advice and help
guide you with projects. Remember to record your activities in your Journal. Print out any
responses you get from the experts and paste them into your journal.
State the Purpose of Your Project. After researching your topic, define your science idea. Keep it
simple and focused! You have limited time to get all of the work done. Now might be a good time to
review your activities with your teacher or parent. They might help in making sure you have a
defined purpose for your science project. Remember to record your activities in your Journal.
State Your Hypothesis. Based on your research write a statement that defines what you think the
outcome of your experiment will be or how you think something works. I hypothesize that The
hypothesis must be stated so that conducting an experiment can test it. Remember to record your
activities in your Journal.
Develop an Experiment to Test Your Hypothesis. Make a step-by-step procedure for an
experiment, which will answer your hypothesis. This procedure should define the conditions of your
experiment, such as what conditions will be the control (stay the same the whole time) and which
part (i.e., variable) you will change to test your hypothesis. The procedure should define what
information (data) you will collect and how you would collect it. Each experiment needs a control
so you can compare it to the one you changed and determine its effect. For example, if your
hypothesis is that cool temperatures stunt plant growth, then you would want to keep all
conditions (other than temperature)-- light, water, pot size, seedling size, etc.---constant. Your
procedure should also identify all of the equipment and materials you need to carryout the
experiment. All of this information should be recorded in your Journal.
Note: Once you have your procedure defined, it is a very good idea, to have an adult (teacher, parent)
review your procedure for safety. Some experiments will require adult supervision. Many experiments
require the use of safety goggles or other protective equipment. Safety is an important part of any
scientific experiment. This safety review should be documented in your Journal.

Obtain Materials and Equipment. Time to get the equipment needed for your experiment. Using
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household materials will minimize cost and might increase success. Also, check with friends, family
and the PTO to see who might have supplies you need. Set up all of your equipment and supplies in
an area designated for your experiment. Next its a good idea to document the hardware and setup
by taking a photograph. This should be included in your Journal and extra copies should be included
on your display.
Conduct the Experiment and Record Data. Do your experiment and collect your data. If you are
not making measurements, you are probably not conducting an experimental project. All
experiments generate data by taking measurements!! Data can be the amount of chemicals, voltage,
current, time, distance, height, etc. Your measurements will be determined by your experimental
procedure, which you should follow in detail. All of your data should be recorded in your Journal.
Also record any observations you make during the experiment. These can include when you had
problems conducting the experiment or if something was not done per your plan. These
observations are valuable when drawing conclusions and also useful for locating experimental errors.
Whenever possible, photograph results that are visual (broken parts, deformed samples, etc.).
Judges are also looking for repeatability of an experiment. It is better if you repeat the experiment
several times to prove that you can consistently come up with the same results (otherwise, you don't
know the extent of any experimental errors).
Analyze the Data and Draw Conclusions. Evaluate the data of your experiment. Create graphs or
do calculations, which allow you to draw conclusions about your experimental data. Once you have
analyzed your data, decide whether or not your hypothesis has been satisfied. If it hasn't, try to
figure out why it wasn't satisfied (experimental error, other error, etc.) Do not change your
hypothesis. Some of the greatest discoveries were originally experiments that didn't work (Thomas
Edison used thousands of samples before he got a satisfactory material for the light bulb).
Create a Visual Poster Display. Your poster display should show the minimum subjects:
Title
Hypothesis
Experimental procedure
Materials used
Test results and data
Conclusions
Whenever possible, present data in tables and graphs. Visual formats are easier for others to view
and interpret your results. Pictures of your experimental setup and results help to show your science
project. On the table in front of your display, you should present your Journal and any samples or
results of your experiment (for example, if you were comparing fertilizers on plants, it would be
appropriate to have the plants on the table to show the differences). The more information you can
provide to the judge, the easier it will be to explain your science project. You should have someone
else look at your display to check for grammar and spelling errors. You should know that content is
always more important than a "showcase display"!

Prepare for your Interview. During the presentation, the judges will ask you questions. If you
have done the work described above, you will be able to describe your project and its results.
Usually the judges have a very limited time. So you should be prepared to answer questions with
short quick answers. You can practice answering questions with friends, parents, etc. (try to
complete an answer within 30 seconds). Some typical questions are:
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

What did you do for your project?

What variables did you consider? What variables did you control, and which did you change?
Who helped you with this project?
How did you come up with your project idea?
Was your hypothesis satisfied? If not, why not?
What would you do differently next time?
What did you discover as a result of conducting this experiment?
Did you have any experimental errors?
Have other researchers conducted this experiment? Are your results consistent with the
published reports?
10. Does your data really support your conclusions?

Good luck! Have fun!

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General Science &

Engineering Fair Judging
Guidelines

Student(s)
Project Title

Project #

I. Creativity (Approx. 15 points)

1) Does the project show creative ability and/or originality in:

-The approach to solving the problem?
-The analysis and interpretation of the data?
-The use of equipment or materials?
-The construction or design of new equipment? (Applies for inventions only)

II a. Scientific Thought Research Project

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

II b. Scientific Thought Invention Project

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

(Approx. 50 points)

Is the hypothesis clear?

Was the hypothesis sufficiently focused to allow reasonable success?
Was there a well-defined plan for obtaining a solution?
Are the variables clearly recognized and defined?
If controls were necessary, did the student recognize their need and use them correctly?
Are the conclusions based on a single experiment or trial?
Are there adequate data to support the conclusions?
Is the data analyzed correctly?
Did the student cite scientific literature, or only popular literature (e.g., local newspapers,
Readers Digest, magazines)?

(Approx. 50 points)

Does the project have a clear objective?

Is the objective relevant to the potential users needs?
Is there evidence of background research?
Is the solution practical and/or economically feasible?
Could the solution be utilized successfully in design or construction of an end product?
Is the solution a significant improvement over previous alternatives or applications?
Has the solution been tested for performance under the conditions of use?

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III. Display (Approx. 15 points)

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Does the written material reflect the students understanding of the research?
Are the important phases of the project presented in an orderly manner?
How clearly are the data presented?
How clearly are the results presented?
Are headings, descriptions, and clearly labeled graphics used to accurately and succinctly
summarize the project?
6) How well does the project display explain the project?

IV. Presentation and Interview (Approx. 20 points)

1) How clearly does the student discuss the project and explain the purpose, procedure, and
conclusions? (Memorized speeches that reflect little understanding of principles are
discouraged.)
2) Can the student give adequate, precise, and complete answers to questions?
3) Does the student recognize the datas limitations?
4) Does the student understand the projects ties to related research?
5) Is the student aware of other approaches or theories?
6) Does the student have an idea of what further research is warranted?

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Science & Engineering Fair Resources

Science Fair books at the Mercer County Library/Lawrence Branch

LIS and LMS Librarians

On-Line Resources

Lawrence Science & Inventions Fair Coordinators

Mercer County Library- Lawrence Branch has many books you may use as resource materials for
your science fair project. Please ask the Librarian how to find their location. Below is a partial
list of books that may help in your project.
Y The Complete Handbook of Science Fair Projects (Julianne Blair Bochinski)
Y Shocking Science (Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone)
Y Sure-To-Win Science Fair Projects (Joe Rhatigan with Heather Smith)
Y How To Do A Science Project and Report (Martin J. Gutnik)
Y 100 Amazing Make it yourself Science Fair Projects (Glen Vecchione)
Y Scientific American- More Simple Science Fair Projects, Grades 3-5 (Salvatore Tocci)
Y Janice VanCleaves 204 Sticky, Gloppy, Wacky & Wonderful Experiments
Y Janice VanCleaves HELP! My Science Project is Due TomorrowEasy Experiments You
Can Do Overnight
Y Six-Minute Nature Experiments (Faith Hickman Bryne)

LIS and LMS Librarians

The Librarians at Lawrence Intermediate School and Lawrence Middle School are ready to help
you find information on science fair projects either through books or on-line resources. Just ask
them for help when your class visits the library.

The Lawrence Intermediate School and Lawrence Middle Schools Lawrence Science &
Engineering Fair websites
The Lawrence Intermediate School and Lawrence Middle School websites are kindly providing
us with space for posting documents relating to the Science & Engineering Fair, including
detailed rules and regulations, instructions, and Parent/Teacher Guides which are too large to
include in the Student Package. These resources can be found by navigating to the LTPS web
site at: http://www.ltps.org/. Choose Schools at the top, then choose Lawrence Intermediate or
Middle School.

On-Line Resources
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Here are just a few of many web sites designed to help with your science & engineering fair
project, from choosing a project through presenting and judging of your results. While each of
these sites provides free information on science fairs and projects, they may sell some science
project materials, or contain links to for-profit sites.

http://www.mercersec.org (Mercer Science and Engineering Fair)

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/
http://www.science-ideas.com/projects-home.htm
http://www.super-science-fair-projects.com/
http://www.sciencefair-projects.org/

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/
http://www.societyforscience.org/isef
These URLs can also be found as active hyperlinks on the LIS and LMS web sites
(www.ltps.org.)

Guidelines on the Use of Vertebrate Animals, Potentially Hazardous Biological

Agents, and Hazardous Chemicals, Activities or Devices
The following guidelines relating to the use of vertebrate animals and potentially hazardous
materials are taken from the International Rules for Pre-College Science Research:
Guidelines for Science and Inventions Fairs 2009-2011, published by the Society for Science
and the Public. The entire Guidelines for 2012 can be found at:
http://www.societyforscience.org/Page.aspx?pid=282

This document is also available on the Lawrence Science & Engineering Fair website, by
going to www.ltps.org, or by contacting any Lawrence Science & Engineering Fair
coordinators listed in the Resources section.

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