p
SCIENCE
FAIR FUN
DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE PROJECTS FOR STUDENTS
GRADES 6-8
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
Note for Teachers:
This booklet provides students in grades 6-8 with ideas and resources for
developing environmental science fair projects about reducing, reusing, and
recycling waste materials. Terms and topics in this booklet are addressed without
in-depth definition or discussion, under the assumption that students have been
exposed to these topics already through a classroom environmental science unit.
However, this document does include a glossary (page 16) and a list of resources
that provide more information (page 18). Words contained in the glossary appear
in bold text throughout this document. Some experiments take more time to
complete than others. Be sure to discuss your intended time frame when helping
students decide on a project.
Note for Students:
This booklet contains ideas and suggestions for projects on reducing, reusing,
and recycling waste materials. You should discuss your project with your
teacher and ask for help, if needed, in constructing a hypothesis, defining
variables, and determining what kind of equipment is available to you.
Definitions for important waste terms used in this booklet can be found in
the glossary on page 16. Also, you should note that some experiments take
longer than others to yield results, so be sure that you will have enough time to
complete the experiment. In addition, your science fair may have specific rules
about how to conduct your experiment or how you should display your results.
Be sure you understand and follow those rules.
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting Started 1
Think Like A Scientist: The Scientific Method 2
Step By Step 3
What Makes a Good Science Fair Project? 8
What the Judges Look For 9
Sample Projects 10
Wrapping Up 15
Gl ossa ry 16
Resources . .18
K V
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
FAIR
'.-
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
GETTING STARTED
WHAT IS EPA?
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
protects human health and
the environment. Over
18,000 people work at EPA,
and more than half of them
are engineers, scientists and
policy analysts. Many of
them were first introduced
to science through science
fair projects!
Science is fun—especially when you create
a science fair project focusing on the
environment! Science fair projects help you
learn about the world around you, and they
can also teach you and others how to improve
the environment.
This booklet is a step-by-step guide to help
you design an exciting science fair project that
focuses on the 3Rs of waste management—
reduce, reuse, and recycle. Use your science
fair project to show how the 3Rs lead to
resource conservation.
Check out the sample projects in this booklet,
which also contains a list of useful resources
to help make your project a winner!
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
THINK LIKE A SCIENTIST:
The Scientific Method
A good scientist learns about the world by
using the scientific method. The scientific
method tests a hypothesis, which is an
educated guess based on observations.
The six steps of the scientific method are
outlined in the diagram to the right. All
fields of science use the scientific
method as a framework for making
observations, gathering data, and
drawing conclusions.
You should use the scientific
method to help design your project.
The step-by-step instructions on
the following pages incorporate the
elements of the scientific method.
The sample projects on pages 10
through 14 provide ideas that will
help you use the scientific method.
Be sure to find out whether
your science fair is looking
for true "experiments," or
whether other types of
research (such as observation
or interviewing) are also
acceptable.
a*
vV*
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
STEP BY STEP
Did you ever notice something and wonder
why it happens? Have you ever wanted to
know how or why something works? Do
you ask questions about what you observe in
the world? If so, you may already have the
foundation for a great science fair project!
Below are step-by-step instructions that will
help you turn your curiosity into a first-rate
environmentally-themed science fair project.
CHOOSE A TOPIC
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
GIVE YOUR PROJECT A TITLE
Choose a title that describes what you are
investigating. Make it catchy, yet descriptive.
STATE THE PURPOSE OF YOUR
PROJECT
Ask yourself: "What do I want to find out?
Why am I designing this project?"Write a
statement that answers these questions.
DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS
Make a list of answers to the questions
you have. This can be a list of statements
describing how or why you think the subject of
your experiment works. The hypothesis must
be stated in a way that will allow it to be tested
by an experiment.
DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT TO
TEST YOUR HYPOTHESIS
Make a step-by-step list of what you will do
to test the hypothesis. Define your variables,
the conditions that you control or in which
you can observe changes. The list is called an
experimental method or procedure.
OBTAIN MATERIALS AND
EQUIPMENT
Make a list of items you need to perform the
experiment. Try to use everyday, household
items. If you need special equipment, ask
your teacher for assistance. Local colleges or
businesses might be able to loan materials to you.
-------
s
PERFORM THE EXPERIMENT
AND RECORD DATA
Conduct the experiment and record all
measurements made, such as quantity, length,
or time.
RECORD OBSERVATIONS
Record all your observations while
conducting your experiment. Observations
can be written descriptions of what you
noticed during an experiment or the problems
encountered. You can also photograph or
make a video of your experiment to create
a visual record of what you observe. Keep
careful notes of everything you do and
everything that happens. Observations are
valuable when drawing conclusions and are
useful for identifying experimental errors.
PERFORM CALCULATIONS
Perform any calculations that are necessary
to turn the data from your experiment into
numbers you can use to draw conclusions.
These numbers may also help you make tables
or graphs summarizing your data.
SUMMARIZE RESULTS
Look at your experimental data and
observations to summarize what happened.
This summary could be a table of numerical
data, graphs, or a written statement of what
occurred during your experiment.
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
DRAW CONCLUSIONS
Use your results to determine whether your hypothesis
is correct. Now is the time to review your experiment
and determine what you learned.
DOCUMENT YOUR FINDINGS
IN A REPORT, DISPLAY, AND
PRESENTATION
Record your experiment and the results in a report, a
display, and, if required, a presentation. Your report
should thoroughly document your project from start
to finish. If you can choose the report format, it
should include a title; background or introduction and
purpose; hypothesis; materials and methods; data and
results; conclusions; acknowledgement of people who
helped; and bibliography.
You might want to prepare a poster or 3-sided display
to give your audience an overview of your project. You
can use charts, diagrams or illustrations to explain the
information. Bring a computer with a slide show or
video of your experiment and the results. Your display
should include a descriptive title; photos, charts, or other
visual aids to describe the project and the results; the
hypothesis; and a project report near the display.
Some science fairs require oral presentations. In
preparing your presentation, ask yourself, "What is
most interesting about my project, what will people
want to know about, and how can I best communicate
this information?" Use an outline or note cards to help
you in your presentation. Be sure to check the rules for
the presentation. You will probably need to introduce
yourself and your topic, state what your investigation
attempted to discover or prove, describe your
procedure, results and conclusions, and acknowledge
anyone who helped you. Practice your presentation
before delivering it.
• t *
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
my hypothesis
NCE R
«*L
my data
my conclusions
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
What Makes a Good Science Fair Project?
Use this checklist to help you walk through the steps to a good science fair project.
Select a topic.
Conduct background research and prepare a
bibliography.
Formulate a testable hypothesis.
Write a step-by-step experimental procedure.
Develop a list of items and equipment for the
experiment.
Prepare a project schedule.
Conduct the experiment, make observations,
collect data, and document everything.
Prepare visual aids (such as charts and graphs).
Develop a report outline.
Design a clear display.
Ensure that there are no typographical errors on the
report or display.
Prepare for the judges.
Practice your presentation.
8
FI8ST
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
What the Judges Look For
Good science fair judges do more than simply select winners; they also encourage
students to enjoy science. Judges are not trying to stump you; they want to reward
students who worked hard, learned a lot, and did a great job. Below is a list of criteria
that judges often use. If your project meets these criteria, you're likely to do well!
Does the idea for the project show originality?
Is the idea clearly expressed?
Did the student do enough background research?
Are the variables clearly defined?
Did the student complete the experiment?
Did the student repeat the experiment to confirm the results?
Are the data accurate and correctly interpreted?
Are there enough data to support the conclusions?
Is the experiment clearly documented?
Is the report complete?
Does the display effectively describe the experiment and the
results?
Is the display attractive and interesting?
Was the student able to explain the experiment and results?
Did the student complete the project with little or no
assistance?
Have confidence in your work and yourself. Answer questions thoroughly and
don't be afraid to say you don't know an answer.
Remember—being a winner isn't simply about getting an award. It's about being
proud of the time, work, and energy you put into your project.
9
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
SAMPLE
PROJECTS
These sample projects focus on the 3Rs of
waste management: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Use or modify these projects to create your
own environmental science fair experiment.
Don't forget to develop your hypothesis
(see page 4). Remember, the hypothesis
must be stated so that you can test it in your
project. Some of the sample projects are true
"experiments."We've marked these projects
with a*j»- Others allow you to formulate and
test a hypothesis, but are not experiments.
Some kinds of experiments take more time
than others to complete. Make sure you allow
enough time to research the topic, plan and
perform the experiment, and prepare the
presentation for the science fair.
10
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
GOOD THINGS IN SMALL
PACKAGES
Did you ever notice that many of the
products you buy are packaged in boxes
much bigger than the product itself? Other
"re wrapped in plastic, placed inside
then sealed with cellophane.
:kaging just means more waste to
d. Design a project that determines
ackaging waste can be reduced by
ig people to change their buying
;ate a hypothesis that asks whether
io of a product's size to the size of
roduct's packaging increases as the
f the product increases. Look at
•oducts that come in several sizes,
ich as laundry detergent or cereal.
leasure the area of the packaging
or example, in square inches) and
lart that against the weight or
)lume of the contents. Do small
roducts have the same product-
ze to packaging-size ratio as large
iducts? You may also want to ask
nail products have the same cost-
ratio as large products.
NEW VERSUS RECYCLED
Some people question whether products made
from recycled materials can perform their jobs
as well as products made from entirely new
("virgin") materials. Plastics, paper products,
aluminum cans, and some clothing are all
commonly available with both new and recycled
content. Choose a product, such as writing
paper, and compare the performance of the
virgin product to products made with recycled
content. You may want to measure performance
using criteria such as strength or durability.
11
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT
RECYCLING
With the approval and cooperation of your
school administrators, set up recycling
bins and trash cans near the cafeteria
doors or in other safe, convenient
locations. For a period of time—
perhaps a week— weigh the amount
of recyclables and trash collected.
Follow this with an outreach campaign
for a waste-free lunch. Put up posters
and hand out flyers with information on
how students can contribute to improving
the environment by reducing, reusing, and
recycling materials typically thrown away after
lunch. After the conclusion of the outreach
campaign, set up the trash and recycling bins again.
Weigh the contents of both bins to see whether the
outreach campaign had any effect on the amount of
trash and recyclables. Did the amounts increase or
decrease? Do a survey to see what element of the
outreach campaign affected the students' habits.
TAKING CHARGE
Lots of everyday items require batteries: cell
phones; portable CD, DVD, and music players;
watches; cameras; and computers. Some
batteries contain heavy metals that can harm
the environment if not recycled or disposed of
properly. Are there better alternatives to these
batteries? Develop a hypothesis about the
effectiveness versus environmental risk of different
types of batteries, such as rechargeable alkaline,
nickel cadmium (NiCd), and rechargeable nickel
metal hydride (NiMH). How long do they last?
How do their costs compare? What environmental
risks do they pose?
12
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
EFFECT OF CONVENIENCE ON
RECYCLING RATES
Although people may want to recycle, sometimes it
is difficult. Conduct an experiment to see whether
convenience affects recycling rates. Learn about
the factors that increase or decrease recycling
participation and design a way to test one of
those factors. For example, with the approval
and cooperation of your school administrators,
place a recycling bin that accepts multiple types
of materials (This type of recycling is often called
co-mingled recycling.) next to a trash can. In
another part of the school, set up the trash can
next to separate bins for paper, aluminum, steel and
other metals, and glass. See whether this affects
how much is recycled. Conduct a survey to see
whether students think separating recyclables into
different bins is less convenient than co-mingling
recyclable materials, and ask them whether it
affects how much they recycle.
^CREATING THE PERFECT
COMPOST
Composting can be a good way for gardeners
to reuse food scraps and yard trimmings while
making their gardens healthier. In order to work
properly, a compost pile needs the right balance of
air, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen. Build several
different compost piles containing different
amounts of air, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen. For
example, a carbon-rich pile would mostly contain
dried leaves and wood chips. A nitrogen-rich
pile would contain grass clippings and fruit and
vegetable peels. Make sure that your compost pile
has good air circulation and a balance of ingredients
to control the experiment. Note that indoor
composting takes two to five weeks to be ready,
and outdoor composting takes at least two months.
You will also need to allow time to grow plants
13
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
in the compost piles in order to determine which type of
compost is most effective. Once you've created your compost
and measured the plant growth it produced, ask whether the
composition of the compost affected plant growth. How?
ECONOMICS OF RECYCLING
More than 4,000 communities across the
country have adopted "pay-as-you-throw"
(PAYT) programs where residents pay fees
based on the amount of trash they throw away.
This encourages residents to recycle more and
throw away less. Conduct a PAYT experiment at
your school. Measure the amount of waste thrown
away in your cafeteria over a period of time (perhaps
a week). Then, with the approval and cooperation of your
school administrators, hand out the same amount of fake
money to each student and charge them based on the amount
of trash they throw away from their lunch. For example,
throwing away a paper bag might cost a student $10, throwing
away a plastic bag might cost $20, and throwing away an
aluminum can might cost $50. Keep this up for a few days
and see if the students begin to bring in lunches that are less
wasteful (and therefore less costly). Keep track of the amount
of waste discarded to see if the "fee"reduces the amount of
waste thrown away each day. Vary the fee to see whether
higher fees change the amount of waste discarded.
DECOMPOSITION OF EVERYDAY
GARBAGE
Find out how waste decomposes and the
factors that affect decomposition. Read
about landfills and composting and how
their properties affect the decomposition
process. Plan an experiment to see if
biodegradable objects kept in the dark
(as in a landfill or in compost) will decompose
faster when exposed to air (composting) or when not
exposed to air (landfilling). Form a hypothesis using an if/then
statement, such as: if air affects how fast biodegradable objects
14
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
decompose, then I will see a difference between
objects exposed to air and objects not exposed to
air. Test to see if your hypothesis is correct. First,
gather two pieces of bread, two apple slices, two
pieces of cardboard, and other pairs of biodegradable
items. Record all the features of each item. Then get
two shoeboxes and fill one with dirt. Place one of
each pair of items in the dirt-filled box. Place the
remaining items in individual scalable plastic bags
so that no air can enter; put some dirt in each bag;
and place the bags in the second box. Then place
the boxes in a dark space where there is no light.
Observe the rate of decomposition every two days
for a month. Prove or disprove your hypothesis
by noting which items decomposed faster. Think
about how or why exposure to air might affect
decomposition, and identify properties that affect
decomposition of biodegradable materials.
REDUCE WRAPPING UP
REUSE
RECYCLE
A science project can be a great way to learn
about your environment and teach others the
benefits of the 3Rs of waste management—
reduce, reuse, and recycle. At the end of your
science fair, think back over your experience.
What did you learn? How could you improve
your project? Start planning for an even better
science fair project next year!
15
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
GLOSSARY
Bibliography. A list of books and articles used by someone when writing or
researching a written work.
Biodegradable. Materials that are decomposed by bacteria into their original
organic components within a reasonably short period of time. Most organic
materials (such as paper, grass clippings, food scraps), are biodegradable under the
right conditions.
Conclusion. A reasoned deduction or inference.
Conservation. Preserving and renewing, when possible, human and natural
resources. The use, protection, and improvement of natural resources according
to principles that will ensure their highest economic or social benefits.
Co-mingled materials. Recyclables (e.g., paper, aluminum, glass) that are
collected mixed together, rather than separate from one another.
Compost. A crumbly, earthy, sweet-smelling mixture of decomposing organic
matter (such as grass clippings, leaves, food scraps) that is often used to improve
the texture, water-retain ing capacity, and aeration of soil.
Data. Information, often in the form of facts or figures obtained from
experiments or surveys, used to make calculations or draw conclusions.
Decompose. To biologically break down into basic components, given the right
conditions of air and moisture. Refers to organic materials such as food and other
plant and animal matter.
Environment. All the external factors influencing the life and activities of people,
plants, and animals.
Hypothesis. A statement that proposes an explanation to a phenomenon or
event and that can be tested by an experiment.
Landfill. Disposal sites for non-hazardous wastes spread in layers, compacted to
the smallest practical volume, and covered by soil or similar material at the end of
each operating day.
16
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
Observation. Viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for scientific or other
purpose.
Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT). Systems under which residents pay for municipal
waste management and disposal services by weight or volume collected, rather
than general taxes or a fixed fee.
Policy analyst. A person who analyzes alternative courses of action or
procedure, using quantitative or qualitative methods, to determine which will
achieve a given set of goals.
Recyclable. Material that still has useful physical or chemical properties after
serving its original purpose and can be reused or remanufactured to make new
products. Plastic, paper, glass, steel and aluminum cans, and used oil are examples
of recyclable materials.
Trash (Solid waste). Items that are discarded because they no longer work and
are uneconomical or impossible to reuse, repair, or recycle.
Resource. Natural substances that are a source of wealth and support life, such
as minerals, fossil fuels, timber, or water.
Variables. The things that affect an experiment. The independent variable is
the variable you purposely change. The dependent variable changes in response
to the independent variable. The controlled variable remains constant.
Virgin materials. Previously unprocessed materials. A tree that is cut down and
shredded to make paper is an example of virgin material.
Waste materials. See Trash.
17
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
RESOURCES
The following resources are available free of charge from EPA. You can download
the files at the URLs listed below or order hard copies or a CD with camera-ready
files of these materials using the contact information on the opposite page.
The Quest for Less: A Teacher's Guide to Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling EPA530-R-05-005
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/quest/index.htm
Activities and resources for teaching reduce, reuse and recycle to students in grades I -8.
The Make a Difference Middle School Kit EPA530-E-03-001
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/mad.htm
A resource kit that inspires youth to reduce, reuse, and recycle to "make a difference" at home, at
school, and in their communities. In the interest of waste prevention, only one Make a Difference kit
per classroom is available. Some pieces in the kit are available for distribution to your students. Order
the kit and those pieces at http://epa.gov/wastes/education/ordermad-ms.htm. The kit includes:
Be Waste Aware - Waste Reduction Resources and Tools for Students EPA530-F-03-056
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/resource.pdf
A Collection of Solid Waste Resources on CD-ROM EPA530-C-05-001
http://epa.gov/wastes/inforesources/pubs/cdoswpub.htm
"Greenscaping" Your Lawn and Garden EPA530-03-002
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/home-gs.pdf
Let's Go Green Shopping EPA530-K-04-003
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/shopping.pdf
The Life Cycle of a CD or DVD EPA530-H-03-002
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/finalposter.pdf
The Life Cycle of a Cell Phone EPA530-H-04-002
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/life-cell.pdf
The Life Cycle of a Soccer Ball EPA530-H-05-001
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/life-soccer.pdf
Make a Difference in Your School: A How-to Guide for Engaging EPA530-K-06-003
Students in Resource Conservation and Waste Reduction
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/mad-guide.pdf
The New Wave in Electronics: eCycling EPA530-F-04-020
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/consumer.pdf
Pack a Waste Free Lunch EPA530-H-05-002
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/lunch.pdf
Science Fair Fun EPA530-K-10-002
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/sciencefair.pdf
Service Learning: Education Beyond the Classroom EPA530-K-02-OOI
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/svclearn.pdf
Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools EPA530-K-07-002
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/toolkit/tools.pdf
You Can Make a Difference: Learn About Careers in Waste Management EPA530-F-02-01 I
http://epa.gov/wastes/education/pdfs/career02.pdf
18
-------
SCIENCE FAIR FUN
To Order Hard Copy Publications or the CD
By Mail: U.S. EPA/NSCEP
RO. Box 42419
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242-0419
By Fax: Send your order by fax, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, (301) 604-3408
By E-Mail: Send an email to nscep@bps-lmit.com.
By Phone: Call 1-800-490-9198. (Speak to an operator Monday through
Friday, 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM, ET.) Leave an order 24 hours a day.
19
-------
www.epa.gov
September 20
o
EPA530-K-10-
8
NJ
Penalty for Pri
$300
tu
c
CD
Official Busine
tn
tn
Washington, C
O
NJ
2
O3
O
Ol
CO
o
Ol
Tl
Environmental
Tl
3
CD
a
0
CQ
United States
------- |