Ms. Paleologo's 7th Grade Science Class

Science Fair Project Resources

Validate Topic

As students select their topic and form their questions, they will need further guidance.

Have them think about their project in terms of:

Time:	will the investigation or building the design take more than the time allotted between now and the science fair?
Materials:	can you obtain the materials that will be required? Will the cost be too much?
Safety:	are the tools and other materials safe for you to use? Will an adult be available to help with anything that might not be safe for you to do alone? Are any of the materials ones that someone could be allergic to?
Appropriateness:	is the topic something that you can understand? Will the research require you to read things that are too hard?
Animal care:	if you are going to do anything with animals, will they be kept safe? Will you be putting anyone in danger who is allergic to the animals?

Investigation

Students who want to find out things as a scientist, will want to conduct a hands-on investigative experiment. While scientists study a whole area of science, each experiment is focused on learning just one thing at a time. This is essential if the results are to be trusted by the entire science community.

In an investigation, students:

Ask a testable question
Research the topic
Make a hypothesis about the outcome based on the research or their own knowledge
Design the investigation
Conduct the investigation
Collect Data
Make sense of the data and draw a conclusion
Present their findings for peer review

What is a Testable Question?

The key to a good and manageable investigation is to choose a topic of interest, then ask what is called a “testable question.” Testable questions are those that can be answered through hands-on investigation by the student. The key difference between a general interest science question and a testable question is that testable questions are always about changing one thing to see what the effect is on another thing.

Here are some examples of broader science questions and testable questions:

More Complex Testable Questions
Broad Questions (lead to reports)	Testable questions (lead to investigations)

What can affect animal behaviors?	What is the effect of a low-level electrical field on the movement of fruit flies?
What happens when water expands as it freezes?	How much force is needed to keep water from expanding as it freezes?
What is soap?	Which detergent removes stains the best?

What do birds eat?	What type of food and feeder will attract the most cardinals?
How do rockets work?	How does changing the shape of a rocket’s fins change its flight?
How do lubricants work?	Which combination of lubricants will work best on a bicycle wheel?
How do plants grow?	What amount of water is best to grow tomatoes? or What type of soil is best to grow petunias? or What amount of sunlight is best to grow daffodils?