Science Fair

How does science fair start?

All science fair projects start out with a question. What is
something you are wondering about? What is a problem or
inconvenience you experience in your every day life? This
question will become the outline for your project!
What type of projects are there?
Every question you ask will turn into one of three project types:
1. Study: research into something that is already determined.
Bringing together a bunch of facts about something. Ex) How
does the space station work?
2. Experiment: creating an experiment to test something. Trying
to find an answer to your question through experimentation. Ex)
What is the best kind of teeth whitener?
3. Innovation: creating something to solve a problem. Building
an apparatus that makes life easier. Ex) How can you keep your
hockey equipment warm while traveling to hockey games?
What will I need to have at the end?
A completed science fair project contains the following:
1. Log book: a science fair journal used to keep track of all
research, ideas, questions, and action taken during your project.
The log book is a binder where documents can be easily added.
2. Project Summary: A report that is approximately 5 pages long
that describes the scientific method that you went through to
complete your project. It contains a number of things outlined
later in the page.

3. Backboard and Display: A backboard made of coroplast or

wood must be constructed to display a shortened version of your
project summary. A backboard must be eye catching but not
distracting! Other important aspects of your project can be
brought to display at your table.
4. Presentation: When being judged or viewed by members of
the public, you must have a presentation ready. A presentation is
a verbal explanation of your project. Do not read directly off of
your backboard, but use it as a guide. Some people use cue
cards!
What is in the project summary?
A project summary will outline the scientific method:
1) Title Page: It is a good idea to have a catchy title that will
attract someone to your project. Underneath your catchy title
should be a scientific title of your project. The title page should
also display your name, grade, and school.
2) Introduction: A section that outlines how or why you decided
to do the project. The introduction usually contains basic
information about the topic or some common beliefs about the
topic.
3) Purpose: This is the initial question you thought of. A purpose
is always worded in the form of a question. The rest of your
project is based on trying to answer this question!
4) Hypothesis: Before any experimentation is done you must
hypothesize (or guess) what the answer to your question might
be. Make this guess based on what you already know or what you
think.
5) Background Information: This is also known as research. You
must research all the different aspects of your project in order to

make sure you are familiar with the topic. For a study, this will
make up the majority of your project.
6) Materials: A list of everything you may need to use during your
experiment or innovation. A list of materials is not needed for a
study.
7) Procedure: A step-by-step process of all the steps you go
through during your experiment or the building, use, and testing
of your innovation. A procedure is not usually needed for a study.
8) Data and Observations: During your project you must record
all the results. If you do an experiment, you are going to have to
record all the data for all the different variables you test. Data is
usually recorded in a chart and best displayed in charts, pictures,
graphs, etc.
9) Conclusion: After all the tests are done, you must decide on
what the answer to your question is based on all the evidence you
collected. A conclusion will contain your answer and how that
answer compared with your hypothesis.
10) Sources of Error: During a science project, there is a
possibility that something might contribute to inaccurate results.
This is a list of any of those things.
11) Significance: Every project you do will have some significance
to society and the world we live in. You project will probably have
a direct significance to you. This section is a discussion on how
your project is significant or how the findings could be significant.
12) Future Directions: No project is ever complete. There is
always a way that you could keep your project going by doing
more or further testing or changing it slightly to involve other
variables. This section describes those possibilities.

13) Acknowledgments: During a project you may have to talk to

professionals or get help from someone. This section is a list of all
the people that made your project possible.
14) Bibliography: It is very important that you source all the
places where you got information. This includes books,
magazines, the internet, people, and others. The bibliography
must be done in APA style.
How does the backboard have to be set up?
Your backboard must display the important parts of your project
summary. This information cannot be handwritten! All
information must be typed out in a font and size that is easy for
people to read. A good backboard will contain pictures and
graphs that help explain the project, be neat, nicely spaced out,
and appealing to look at.
The backboard regulations for the Canada Wide Science fair are
as follows:

0.8 meters deep

1.2 meters wide

3.5
meters from the floor

How much is science fair going to cost me?

This is up to you. Science fair can be as cheap or expensive as
you want it to be. It is important to keep in mind the cost when
you are choosing a project. If your purpose is: Can I build a
rocket ship that will effectively get to the moon? you will
probably have to spend a lot of money. Do not pick something
that requires you to purchase a lot of material. Make use of
materials and facilities available in the school. The backboard
should be nice to look at but it does not have to be elaborate and
expensive. The backboard is a very small percentage of your
mark.
How am I going to be marked?
Every student who competes in the Canada Wide Science Fair is
judged according to a National judging form. You will be marked
using the same form. This mark will contribute to your final grade

in Science. A copy of the judging form is attached in this

package.
How am I going to be judged, and where do I go if I win?
Dalmeny High School will be hosting a local science fair. All grade
7 and 8 science students will be competing in the science fair and
will be judged according to the same judges form used to mark
the projects. At the local fair, a collection of students will be
chosen to move on to the regional fair (location to be
determined). During the time between the local and regional fair,
students will have a chance to improve their projects. Those who
move on to the regional fair will not continue to be marked for
their science class. If a student is selected at the regional
competition, they will have the opportunity to compete in the all
expenses paid Canada Wide Science fair which is being held in
Toronto this spring.
When are we going to work on our projects?
We are going to take class time to work on our projects. It is very
important that class time is used effectively, because that will cut
down on the time spent at home. Always have the things you
need with you for class. Keep your log book up to date and record
everything you do. Save several copies of your information just to
be sure. You will have to work on your projects at home as well.