SCIENCE FAIR CONTRACT

Parent:
Please look over the attached sheets. You should have:
    A Science Fair contract (white for you to keep, yellow to return signed)
    A Science Fair requirements sheet
    A grading rubric
    A Science Fair plan completed by your child

When your son/daughter completes the Science Fair plan and brings it home, please look it over. If you believe that this topic is appropriate for your child, then please sign the yellow copy of the contract and return it. If you believe the topic or content of the plan is not appropriate, then you and your child may revise it. Then sign and return the contract. Please note that the student may adjust the content of the plan as the project proceeds.

PCA Responsibilities
The rough draft of the research paper will be researched and written in English class at school. The final edition will be copied / revised from the rough draft as a homework assignment.

Time will be allotted during Science class for students to work on some of the written portion of the experiment and to do some work on their backboard. However, because each student is working on a different experiment, much of the actual experimenting and collecting data in a logbook may need to be done at home. The teacher will check progress regularly.

Home Responsibilities
Please have your son/daughter get books or photocopies of research information from the library and have them at PCA on last Wednesday in October.

The final draft of the research paper will be copied / revised from the rough draft as a homework assignment. Plan to do typing at home.

Because each student is working on a different experiment, much of the actual experimenting and collecting data in a logbook may need to be done at home.

Some of the presentation / backboard portion of the project will be a homework assignment. Inexpensive cardboard or foam backboards in various colors can be obtained through Mr. Eksaa. Information will be sent home in January.

Contract
I understand that:
Portions of this project are due and will be graded as shown below.
ACSI rules require that 90% of the project is to be my own work.
The project is to be completed according to the attached requirements and the plan I completed.

Signature of student:______________________________________ Date:______________
Signature of parent:_______________________________________ Date:______________

SCIENCE FAIR REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Science Fair Goals:
To learn more about the Creator's creation.
To effectively use the scientific method.
To construct a research paper.
To think something through and produce something of value.
Click here for science project ideas.

Research Paper
Purpose: Write about evidence from research to support your hypothesis.
Paper must be typed, double-spaced, black text on white paper, neat font (size 11-14), and one-inch margins.
    Cover Page- contains title, your name, and grade.
    Outline.
    Body- contains an introduction, main body and a conclusion. In-text source citation required.

    Bibliography- at most one encyclopedia, at least two published sources (books, periodicals).

Biblical Application
Choose a portion of Scripture that is relevant to the project or that describes an attribute of the Creator that is relevant to the project. The idea is to relate all areas of science to the Creator of the Universe. Write the Scripture with its reference and then explain its relevance to the project.

Experiment
Each section must be typed for display on the backboard. Neat font size and colors are up to you.
    Log Book- a chronological record of your project.
        It should include who, what, when, where, how and why of each day's work.
        Everything you do on your project goes in your logbook with dates.
        Your logbook will be displayed in front of your project.
        Keep it neat and clean.
    Problem- a statement of what you are trying to solve. Must be in question form.
    Hypothesis- an educated guess as to the solution of the problem.
        State your reasons why you believe your hypothesis will be true.
    Method of Testing the Hypothesis-
        A detailed procedure.
        List of materials and equipment used.
        Control group and experimental group (variables) identified.
    Results- including tables and graphs of data, metric units of measure only.
    Conclusion- a statement of whether your hypothesis was true or not true.
        Also state what further experimentation could be done to better understand the problem.
        If the results were inconclusive, discuss what procedures ought to be changed and why.
    Abstract- a summary or description of what was done and what happened in your experiment.
        It is a paragraph summarizing your problem, hypothesis, procedure, results and conclusion.

Backboard Display (student name must not appear anywhere on the front of the backboard)
    Maximum dimensions: 122 cm wide x 76 cm deep x 183 cm tall (4 ft. x 2.5 ft. x 6 ft.)
    Contains title, problem, hypothesis, method of testing, results (tables / graphs), conclusion,
        abstract, Biblical application, acknowledgements, pictures / photographs.
    Research paper, log book, test equipment and material samples accompany the backboard.

Oral Presentation- up to three-minute summary of your project (research, experiment, results).

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