Transcript mvsciencealliance.org

Science Fair in 5 months!
Mentor Training #2
November 20, 2014
Forming an Experiment
Forming Testable Questions
❏ A question should be testable or have the
ability to be answered by an experiment.
❏ The experiment should be formed to answer
the testable question.
❏ What can you discover by performing your
experiment?
❏ Example: What is the effect of exercise on
heart rate?
Forming Testable Questions cont.
❏ Once you find a general topic that interests
you, write down the question.
❏ A scientific question begins with: How, What,
When, Who, Which, Why, or Where
❏ Ex: If you are interested in robots, your
question might be “How much current does a
robot’s arm use to lift a weight?”
Forming Testable Questions cont.
❏ Use the “fair test” to see if your testable
question will work for your experiment.
❏ A “fair test”: change only one factor
(variable) and keep all other conditions the
same.
❏ If you cannot design a fair test, then change
your testable question.
Forming Testable Questions cont.
❏ Your science fair project question should
include factors or traits that you can
numerically measure or identify.
❏ Ex: count, percentage, length, width, weight,
voltage, velocity, energy, time, etc.
❏ Some easy factors to identify include color
and smell.
Forming Testable Questions cont.
❏ The experiment should measure changes to
the important factors (variables).
❏ One easy change would be the presence
versus the absence of a variable.
❏ Do not choose an experiment where you
can not measure the results!
Questions to Avoid
❏ Any topic that is based on a simple preference
or taste comparison.
❏ Topics that are difficult to perform an
experiment with.
❏ Topics that cannot yield more than one trial.
❏ Topic that involve dangerous, hard to find,
expensive, or illegal materials.
❏ Mentors should ask their buddy what his/her
interests are.
How to Form a Hypothesis
❏ A hypothesis is an educated guess about
how things work.
❏ Basic structure: “If _____ (I do this), then
_____ (this will happen).” Fill in the blanks
with the appropriate information based on
your experiment.
❏ Sometimes hypotheses will include a
“because” statement at the end.
How to Form a Hypothesis cont.
❏ Your hypothesis should be a testable
hypothesis.
❏ In other words, you need to be able to
measure both “what you do” and “what will
happen.”
❏ It uses parts of the testable question when it
is written, but includes what will be tested
and the expected outcome.
How to Form a Hypothesis cont.
❏ Hypothesis: “If a particular independent variable is
changed, then there is also a change in a certain
dependent variable.”
❏ Null Hypothesis: States there is no relationship
between two variables. “If a particular independent
variable is changed, then there will not be a change in
a certain dependent variable.” The IV has no effect on
the outcome of the experiment.
❏ You must be able to measure the variables in your
hypothesis for it to be testable.
Variables
❏ Independent Variable: The variable that is
changed by the scientist.
❏ Dependent Variable: The variable that is
observed by the scientist.
❏ Changes in the dependent variable depend
on changes in the independent variable.
❏ Controlled Variables: Quantities that
remain constant throughout the experiment.
Examples of Variables
❏ Testable Question: Does heating a cup of
water allow it to dissolve more sugar?
❏ Independent Variable:Temperature of the
water (measured in degrees Celsius).
❏ Dependent Variable: Amount of sugar that
dissolves completely (measured in grams).
❏ Controlled Variables: Stirring, type of
sugar.
Experimental Procedure
❏ A procedure is a NUMBERED list of steps
INCLUDING safety equipment steps (goggles,
parental supervision, etc.) you must need to perform
an experiment.
❏ A procedure tells how you will change your
independent variable and how you will measure that
change.
❏ Also informs how you will measure the resulting
change in the dependent variable.
Experimental Procedure cont.
❏ If applicable, explain how the controlled variables will be
maintained at a constant value.
❏ Specify number of trials to verify that your results are
accurate and able to be reproduced.
❏ To be scientifically valid, an experiment should have a
minimum of 3 trials, preferably more.
❏ The trials can all be set up at one time (set up the
experiment 3 times, for instance: effect of watering plants
with cola...set up 3 plants with water (control) set up 3
plants with diet cola, set up 3 plants with 7-up etc...
Background Research
❏ Buddies need to do background research
BEFORE writing the procedure.
❏ After doing research, the buddy should write
a brief 1-2 page summary on what they
learned (format is located in the binders).
❏ This is the HARDEST part of the project so
the mentor should send the buddy
information regarding the experiment.
Background Research cont.
❏ Mentors must google their buddy’s testable
question and email them 5 sites that
contain information regarding their topic.
❏ Mentors should not help write the
background research project, but rather
help guide their buddy on what type of
information to include.
Background Research cont.
❏ A good website reference is informative,
yet easy for the buddy to understand.
❏ It should relate to the buddy’s testable
question.
❏ A good reference can be a link at the
bottom of a Wikipedia page, not the actual
Wikipedia site.
Background Research cont.
❏ If you or your buddy cannot find enough
information, encourage your buddy to look
through magazines, books, etc. (from
libraries/bookstores)
❏ Remember to inform your buddy to put
everything in his/her words! No
plagiarism! No copy/paste!
Research Notebook
❏ The research notebook/journal should read like a
diary from the beginning to the end of the project.
❏ It should include: dates, times, thoughts, and
processes.
❏ It also should include all experimental forms
including those for hazardous material, bacteria,
etc.
❏ The notebook should contain all materials,
procedures, variables, research, and data.
Research Notebook cont.
❏ Your buddy must have their research
notebook at all the buddy meetings
and during all experimentation.
❏ Encourage your buddies to use
complete sentences and data tables
in their research notebook.
Project Idea Sites
❏ http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/scifair/index.html
❏ http://www.tryscience.org/experiments/experiments_ho
me.html
❏ The mentor binder also includes additional
project sites.
❏ Send your buddy at least 5 project idea sites
to help them start looking for a topic they are
interested in.
Project Approval
❏ ALL experiments must be approved by Mrs.
Bandrowski before experimentation. If there are
further questions, contact us at:
[email protected]
❏ And Mrs. Bandrowski at:
[email protected]
❏ Subject line: “SA Project Procedure & Materials” if
seeking approval for project. “SA Project Materials
Request” if seeking to borrow materials.
Reminders: Emails
❏ Make sure you email your buddy at
least once a week!
❏ Don’t forget to CC communications:
your mentor trainer, the buddy’s
parent
❏ If they don’t reply, CALL them