(This page is for the schools involved in the piloting project only)
What Are The Teachers and Judges Expecting?
The teachers will be observing and evaluating the student's process through the Scientific Method. They will be grading the students along the way through the Log Book and assigned work as listed on the Science Project Time Line. The Formal Report will also be compared to the Log Book for authenticity of student work and evidence of a completed project The teachers are responsible for the grades. This is separate from the judging of the project in the science fair. The teachers will use a rubric (success indicators) similar to the judging sheet
There are 3 parts to a science project: log book, modified formal report, and the display board.
Log Book: (Process) The log book shows and indicates the progress of the science project This is a work book that contains notes on the daily work and process. The log book should include all steps of the science experiment including thoughts, ideas, research and background, data and graphs. This is the notes and rough draft of the formal report. It is a vital and very important part of the project.
Modified Formal Report: (Product) The modified formal report organizes the
information from the Log Book (process) into a neat uniform account of the project
The Modified Formal Report contains: Abstract, Background research, and
Bibliography.
Abstract (Step 9): A three-paragraph paper describing the experiment in summary form
• Paragraph 1 includes the title, purpose, and hypothesis.
• Paragraph 2 contains the materials and procedures.
•
Paragraph
3 contains the results and conclusion.
Background research should contain:
• K-3: a half-page minimum of background information
o Bibliography minimum of I source with title, author, and pages, or website.
• Grades 4-5: one page minimum of background information
o Bibliography minimum of3 to 4 sources with title, author, and pages, or
website. There should be no spelling or grammatical errors.
Display Board: (Product) Illustrates and Celebrates the Process documented in the Log Book and Formal Report
The judges will be scoring the finished product of the science experiment The judges are volunteers who are in a science and / or education field. They will be looking for a display board, a log book, and a modified formal report for grades K-5, and full formal report for grades 6-8. Next they use the scoring sheet provided in this packet
Hint: Be sure to include some handwritten and drawn work by your child on the display board. The judges need to see evidence of student participation and work, not work done by the parent on the student's behalf.