2017-2018Science Fair Pacing Timeline

And Process Grading

First Trimester:

  • Students will earn up to 100 points for a process grade. It is important that you meet each of the dates below. Points will be awarded for quality work turned in on time. Points will be deducted for missing, incomplete or late work. Please see the timeline below.
  • Students will earn separate grades of 10 points for preparedness and focus for each designated class research days in the first trimester as well.

September 21, 2017 (15 pts.)

Topic Proposal form is due. You must list 3 different science fair project ideas on this form. Your parent must approve each of the ideas and sign the form.

****Keep in mind each of your project choices must involve several experimental trials and have measurable results that can be graphed. Projects that do not meet these criteria will not be approved. You must have an idea of how you will quantify/measure your results.

September 29, 2017

  1. Science Fair topics will be approved by this date.
  1. Print your Science Fair Forms today. All students regardless of topic will need forms 1, 1A, 1B, 3, Abstract and Research Plan. Depending upon your topic you may need additional forms. * If you are using human subjects, you must copy as many forms as necessary and get permission prior to beginning your experiment. We will discuss abstracts and research plans in class. Some class time will be devoted to writing both, but they will be finished at home. Forms will be due on November 2, 2017 four weeks from now.
  1. Begin researching your topic at home. PRINT OUT your research / articles and keep track of your URLs as you go. We will have designated class time for research, but the bulk of your research and note taking will happen at home. Students are required to research at least 6-8 articles / compilations of information pertaining to their topic.

Tentative dates set aside for research during class. Students must come prepared with at least 2 articles/ printed text to work on. Students will be expected to use their time to independently read, take notes, and summarize their research.

Tentative Dates for research—These dates may change, but students will be given ample notice.

Gr. 7 Tuesdays- 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 11/14

Gr. 8- Fridays- 10/13, 10/20, 11/3, 11/10

Preparedness and quality of independent work will be worth 10 points on each class research day. If a student comes to a class research day unprepared—for example without their pre-printed research material or without their science fair copybook-- they will lose points. If they do not focus on their work or prevent others from doing their work they will lose points.

October 5, 2017 (10pts. )

  1. Lab Copybooks(Blank) due today. Your name should be on the inside back cover.
  1. You will receive your rubric for how to keep your Lab Copybook today in class. We’ll go over the rubric together and begin setting up our copybooks.

November 2, 2017

Science fair forms are due today. (25 pts.)

All students must have Forms 1, 1A, 1B, 3. Depending on your chosen topic, you may be required to have other forms such as human consent or animal forms.

November 16, 2017

Research is due today. (25 pts.)

You must turn in your printed information and the notes that you’ve taken on your information. Prior to class, it must be organized and stapled into your lab copybooks. If you are writing directly in your lab copybook, your handwriting must be neat and readable.

November 21, 2017

  1. Hypothesis is due. Either stapled or written in to your lab copybook.(5 pts.)
  1. Materials Listis due either written in or stapled into your lab copybook. Thisshould be a numbered list. Make sure your list is thorough. You may add materials later if you need to or delete them if you have to modify your experiment. (5 pts.)
  1. Procedures are due. Stapled or written into your lab copybook. Must be a numbered list that goes step by step. You should be careful not to leave any important steps out. You will be able to go back and edit your procedures if you need to. (15 pts.)
  1. Begin your experiment at home. It must be completed by December 12, 2017—3 weeks from today. Please remember as you experiment you must record your data. You can take pictures that you can use in your lab copybooks or display boards.

Second Trimester:

  • Students will earn up to 100 points for a process grade. It is important that you meet each of the dates below. Points will be awarded for quality work turned in on time. Points will be deducted for missing, incomplete or late work. Please see the timeline below.
  • Students will also earn a final grade for their completed science fair project.

December 19, 2017 – BIG DUE DATE!

  1. Observations are due. They should be stapled or written neatly in your lab copybooks.(15 pts.)
  2. Qualitative Data: Verbal descriptions of your data may include photos, sketches or labeled diagrams of your experiment that will be displayed on your display board.
  1. Quantitative Data: Measureable data must be recorded on charts/data tables. Copies of these data tables will be used on your display board.
  1. Analysis is due. You must have at least one graph and one explanation paragraph. (20 pts.)
  2. Data is further explained and relationships among data are illustrated by graphing your quantitative data. (Bar, line, pie chart etc.)
  1. A written paragraph discusses what your graph(s) illustrate.

January 4, 2018

Conclusions are due. (15 pts.)

Your conclusion is in paragraph form—at least but not limited to10-15 sentences.May be stapled or written neatly in your lab copybook. Merely meeting the required number of sentences will not earn full credit. Your conclusion must be thorough and complete. It must be well written with no errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation or capitalization.

Remember a conclusion does the following:

  • Briefly summarizes your experiment (1-2 sentences)
  • Answers the initial question (1 sentence)
  • Cites / uses / explains how data supports or rejects your hypothesis (several sentences)
  • Discusses points of error. (1-3 sentences)
  • Tells what you have learned. (several sentences)

January 11, 2018

  • Abstracts are due. (5 pts.)

Print 3 copies. One is turned in to Mrs. Cardone. The other must be stapled into your lab copybook. The other is for your tri-fold display board.

  • Research Plan due. (5 pts.)

We have been working on this since the beginning. Remember—its in your regular science copybook in the back. This must be word processed. Print 2 copies. One is turned in with your research plan form to Mrs. Cardone and one is stapled neatly into your science fair copybook.

January 18, 2018

  • Completed Tri-fold display boards are due. Your name must be on the back on both the left and right sides. All work must be shown on your display board at this time. Any glue must be dried. (20 pts.)
  • Completed Lab Copybooks are due. Over all copybook must be neat and well organized according to the copybook rubric. (20 pts.)

January 28, 2018 –St. Dorothy’s Science Fair

Winners will have the opportunity to move on to the Delaware County science fair.