Preparing a Science Fair Project
created by Gerald Robillard
Our Lady of Peace School

Introduction

Looking for a topic that you can use in this year's Science Fair? Don't quite know how to get started? In this WebQuest, you will learn how to prepare and carry out a project that will be fun and interesting. Incidently, you might even be able to teach your friends, parents, or even teachers a thing or two about science by the end of this quest!

To develop a project which can be presented at this year's Science Fair. Your project doesn't have to be complicated to be good.

Here are some places where you can find interesting ideas for Science Fair projects:

To accomplish your task, you must complete the following steps:

1. Select a topic.
   Go to the various Internet sites listed in the Resources section and find a topic that you are interested in and would like to learn more about.
2. Gather information about your topic.
   You can find information about your topic on the Internet by checking out the various sites listed above. You can do an Internet keyword search using a Search Engine such as Alta Vista, or you could also browse through an index of science fair sites by going to Yahoo. Books available in your class or school libraries are also good sources of information.
3. Use the Scientific Method:
   Hypothesis
   Make an educated guess (what you think will happen based on your research and knowledge) about the problem that you are exploring.Your hypothesis should be very clear so that you can test it.
   Procedure
   Describe how you plan to conduct your experiment. Describe in detail what you have to do and what you need to do it.
   Determine the Results
   What happened when you carried out your experiment? Write down your results honestly.
   Conclusion
   Look carefully at the results of your experiment. Did your experiment support your hypothesis or do you need to revise your hypothesis?
4. Construct an Exhibit or Display to showcase your project.
   In addition to demonstrating your experiment, you should draw up some charts or graphs and write up a report explaining what happens, and why it happens, in your experiment.

Remember to pick a topic that you are interested in. You will not have a good time doing the project if it is not something that interests you. You can ask your parents for help but remember that it is your Science Fair project so you should be doing most of the work. A good Science Fair project takes time to complete properly so don't wait till the last minute to start your project and research. It might be a good idea to practice your presentation at home before Science Fair day so that you can impress the judges.

In completing this WebQuest, you will have learned how to present a well developed Science Fair project. Remember that a good scientist is always ready to learn about the world around him or her. Even when a science experiment does not turn out the way you thought it would, you will have learned something important. Don't end your experiment there! What could you change or do differently? This question might lead to a whole new experiment and a new Science Fair project.