Scientifc Method

Your Project should follow the Scientific Method. You should use this Method when your are doing your experiments. Please include these steps in your Written Report and your Visual Presentation.

Problem: Question you want to answer

Hypothesis: What you think the answer to problems

Materials: What you use to answer problems

Procedure: Steps you take to answer the problem
(Variables, controls)

Results: Answer the problem, reported in an organized manner, charts, graphs, diagrams

Conclusion:
WHY you got the results you did
NOT if your hypothesis was correct, it may support NOT prove
NOT your results in sentence form (explain)

Independent makes the change, dependent is what gets changed

Exit Project Guidelines

Your 8th Grade Science Exit Project will be the culminating project of the year. You will be responsible for:
- Doing the research
- Formulating a Hypothesis
- Engaging in real Scientific Inquiry by conducting practical investigations
- Making and recording relevant observations (use your 5 senses)
- Analyzing the data
- Making a conclusion based on observations and research

You will have 3 major parts of the project that you will be graded on:
1. Written Report
2. Visual Presentation (PowerPoint, Digital Documentary, Blog, Website)
3. Oral Presentation

Please look at the Rubrics that will be used to grade your project so you are clear on what is expected of you. The links to the Rubrics are in the Resources section below.

You should include the use of Technology in your project. Some ways you can use technology in your project are:
- Internet research
- Excel to create graphs of your data
- Inspiration to create a diagram or outline
- PowerPoint, Movie Maker to create your visual presentation
- Creating a Blog or a website for your visual presentation
- Digital cameras to take pictures or videos of observations
- Creating podcasts to record your observations

Project Deadlines
Friday, April 4th - Choose a Topic
Friday, April 11th - Come up with your Key Questions (at least 5) for the Note Taking Grid
Friday, May 2nd - Note Taking Grid completed
Friday, May 16th - Inspiration Outline
Friday, May 23rd - Multimedia Project Outline
Friday, June 6th - Multimedia Project completed
Friday, June 6th - Written Report Completed
Friday, June 13th - Oral presentations complete

Exit Project Topics

1. Does jet lag affect the performance of professional athletes?

2. Is our heartbeat affected by music?

3. Does caffeine raise a person's blood pressure?

4. Can quarters and feathers fall at the same speed?

5. How do increased CO2 levels affect plant growth?

6. How can we make metal float? Why does a steel nail sink and a steel ship float?

7. Predicting earthquakes based on previous statistics. How can we use past statistics to predict future earthquakes?

8. Which parent affects fingerprint patterns?

9. Which method is most effective for treating out drinking water for chemical, heavy metals and bacteria?

Exit Project Resources

Here are some resources that you can use. These are just suggestions and you should use additional resources during your project. You also must cite your sources, keep a record of what websites or other materials you used during your research and include them in your final paper. Remember that Google IS NOT a resource, you must give the exact website address where you got your information.

Note Taking Grid - Use this Grid to collect and paraphrase your research
Exit Project Rubrics - These Rubrics will be used by the teacher to grade you on your Visual Presentation and your Oral Presentation
Student Exit Project Rubric - Students should use this Rubric to see how they are progressing with their project
Google Docs - We will use this tool to collaborate with our group members. This will also allow you to work from any location with an Internet connection.
Freewebs.com - Use this website to CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE!!
freewebs.com/jhutton2 - Here is a sample Exit Project website
Escienceclass.org - Use this website to get more information on your Exit Project, links to additional websites, help on how to create a bibliography and other good resources
Urban Advantage - Use this website to learn more about Science Exit Projects, what makes a good Exit Project, get exit project resources, and much more. There is also some good information for parents here to help their child with their Exit Project.



Click on the links below to learn about your topic:
Does Jet Lag affect the performance of professional athletes?
Is our heartbeat affected by music?
Does caffeine raise a person's blood pressure?
Can quarters and feathers fall at the same speed?
How do increased CO2 levels affect plant growth?
How can we make metal float?
Predicting Earthquakes
Can parents affect fingerprint patterns?
Treating Drinking Water

Google Docs Tutorial

Click on this video to learn more about how to use Google Docs or to just get a refresher.

Windows Movie Maker Tutorial

Use this tutorial to learn how to capture video from a digital camera and then import it into Windows Movie Maker.