3 Topic Generation (primary interest, backup, second backup)

1) List ALL topics of PERSONAL interest, regardless of "subject" or "type" & shareout on WhiteBoards - record modified list in journal from shareout.

3) Must deal with "thick", or complex meaning, through development of "thinner" questions - see "How to create a testable questions about something they know littel or nothing about" on the intro web page . . .

2) Pick top 3, and apply scientific question or engineering proposal:

2a) Scientific Question MUST be:

- based on previous scientific findings (research) , and

- contribute meaningfully to scientific knowledge (deep question, as approved by Mr.J.)

- "What's Your Question?" Seeking an answer to some unknown bit of nature.

2b) Engineering Proposal MUST:

- involve a build using your own, not kit, materials

- be approved by Mr. J. for safety, appropriate work for 8th grade.

- asks "What's Your Problem?" Deals with constraints on materials, costs, time, and other limited resources, and seeks to meet criteria for success / performance.

3) Make a timeline of planned acrtivities to get you to completetion by the last Friday in March:>!

All work goes in the classroom Lab Journal:

A Lab Journal consists of any bound paper booklet written in indellible ink (theme book, spiral notebook, or just notebook filler paper stapled together) with clearly identified page numbers, & each day's entry beginning on a new page. It contains a description of each day's activities, observations, insights, questions, feelings, & error analyses. Any hard copies or web printouts get attached & described herein on the journal page of the day it was acquired.

It also compares the progress of the investigation against the predicted timeline sequence,& is the place for developing & elaborating ideas regarding followup activities or corrective directions the investigation might profit from. There are 3 classwork points for each lab day of productive effort observed & recorded in class by Mr.J., and 3 journal points for the quality of each journal entry.

The Lab Journal is your primary source of the evidence of your work. You NEVER erase or delete an entry of any kind. Only single strike-throughs are allowed. The journal is attached to the front of the final poster, to be easily browsed by anyone wanting greater detail on anything summarized in your display.

Take your top 3 potential topics from your favorite generated from the whiteboard shareout sessions above, copy the Investigative Proposal Components (IPCs) listed below (in red), & elaborate your explainations along the lines indicated below:

Experiment Proposal = MUST cite a scholarly research study and relate results back to it when your investigation has run it's course.

1)Purpose/Question: State clearly what you want to investigate in this topic, and specifically why you think it will be of use & interest to others. MUST be based on modification or follow-on proposal of previous cited experiment.

2)Prediction/Hypothesis:What precisely do you think will be the outcome of your investigation, & why.

3)Materials Required:List EVERYTHING you will need to have in hand, BY WHAT DATES, to successfully complete your proposed investigation. Include people, research materials, experimental constructions / mechanisms needing to be created, work / storage space requirements . . . information, things, time, & space needs.

4)Proposed Proceedure:

• Manipulated/Changed Variable-what SINGLE factor will you be CHANGING between different trials, to test the effect of?
• Responding/Dependent Variable-what will you be MEASURING to test the effect of the manipulated/changed variable on?
• Controlled Variables/Constants-what things will be KEPT THE SAME across all your trials or tests, so you can be certain any changes in the responding/dependent variable are due entirely to the change in the manipulated/changed variable?
• #Trials/Data Sets-how many samples / groups / subjects will you be testing in your different trials?
• Step by step detailed description of what you did to set up & run your experiment, and how you collected your data.

5)Intended Outcomes:State what type data you hope to collect, & how you hope to apply it towards assessing your hypothesis.

Engineering Proposal = need not be scholarly research based, but it must be a product or technology precident, with your improvement / repourpose related back to the original technology or product. (think product change / improvement)

1)Purpose/Question: State clearly what you want to investigate in this topic, and specifically why you think it will be of use & interest to others. MUST be based on modification or follow-on proposal of previous cited technology.

2)Prediction/Hypothesis:What precisely do you think will be the outcome of your investigation, & why.

3)Materials Required:List EVERYTHING you will need to have in hand, BY WHAT DATES, to successfully complete your proposed investigation. Include people, research materials, experimental constructions / mechanisms needing to be created, work / storage space requirements . . . information, things, time, & space needs.

4)Proposed Proceedure:

• Manipulated/Changed Variable-what SINGLE factor will you be CHANGING between different trials, to test the effect of (what will you repurpose, rebuild, or improve)?
• Responding/Dependent Variable-what will you be MEASURING to test the effect of the manipulated/changed variable on (what will be your criterion for success) ?
• Controlled Variables/Constants-what things will be KEPT THE SAME across all your trials or tests, so you can be certain any changes in the responding/dependent variable are due entirely to the change in the manipulated/changed variable (what remains unmodified from the original technology / model)?
• #Trials/Data Sets-how many redesign iterations will you attempt?
• Step by step detailed description of what you did to set up & run your experiment, and how you collected your data.

5)Intended Outcomes:State what type data you hope to collect, & how you hope to apply it towards assessing your hypothesis.

Presentations are to be designed to be free standing on a table, and offer all information & explanation for the entire project (100*test*pts.). The PTSA sells good display tri-fold boards for a couple of bucks, which I suggest you acquire from the office. You can also cover scrap cardboard scrounged from home or recycle out back with butcher paper available in class for free for no grade deductions - wood displays gain no extra credit either. . .
Only legible, clearly presented material will be considered - neatness & spelling COUNT!!
FULL NAMES W/CLASS PERIODS FOR EACH GROUP MEMBER MUST BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED - SAME SIZE AS THE TOPIC!!. These two parts of the display MUST be the BIGGEST LETTERING on the poster - no hiding!(or no credit)
Presentations are due with all materials, documentation, & lab journal attached by 3:05PM PST in Mr. J.'s hands Fr30Mar12. (SatSci 9am-noon Sa31Mar12 available for procrastinators / perfectionists;>)
Check it in w/ Mr.J. IN PERSON to assure full credit.

30 max Project XC's available:
1) 5pts. for setup 2:45 - 3:15PM Tr19Apr12 (based on effort),
2) 15pts. (3pts./hr., 1=present, 2=moderately helpful effort, 3 = great help:>!) participation explaining your project Sa21Apr12 from 10-3PM, &
3) 10pts. for cleanup Sat21Apr12 from 3-5PM (based on effort, as described above).

Partials @ my discretion. Check IN & OUT with me to get any of these extra credits. Find me, & let me know where I can find you if you want these credits!!

10% early (MAX), for posters still applies - plus journal work requirements are given at full credit for all days the poster is complete & handed in early.
No late penalties, but no credit (90% of grade) until project is handed in completed to all criteria.

Presentations will be graded as follows: REMEMBER -YOUR NAME(S) MUST BE THE LARGEST TYPE ON THE DISPLAY!!! (pride through prominence:>)

Use the SAME COMPONENTS IN THE PROPOSAL CONSTRUCTIONS ABOVE, AND ADD THE FOLLOWING:

5)Results (Data): Display your collected data clearly & explain the methods used to collect it, & present it on the poster. INFORMATION / FACT ONLY - NO OPINIONS!

• Tables (required) - be sure to clearly lable rows & coulumns, and explain why you chose to show your data in this format.
• Graphs (required) - again, be sure all graph components are clearly labled, & you explain why you are showing us data in this format / comparison of features.
• Images & Illustrations - clearly labled & explained - not always needed, but sometimes very helpful if in making data easily interpreted, if well documented.

6)Conclusions: Analyse your results - describe their meaning. Back up your ideas with specific reference to your Results Section ("as shown in graph B . . . ") RELATE YOUR OPINIONS BACK TO YOUR DATA< AND THE ORIGINAL CITED STUDIES ? ENGINEERING PRODUCTS.

• Why you think your results turned out the way they did.
• What you might try in a followup investigation to address any unanswered questions uncovered in the course of this investigation.
• Error analysis - what you think might have compromised your findings.

7)Documentation: These are the notes that I'm looking for in your journal - I'll grade them when you put them with your display when we set up the SciFest - keep your journal until then:>!

• Name, period, date & time frame (from/to) on every page, in the upper right corner
• Plan for the day
• New page for every new entry (work period)
• Indellible ink only - line through errors (no whiteout, no page removal)
• All original data collection goes in (surveys are attached on the day collected
• Observations, insights, new ideas, "gorillas", and any modifications for tomorrow
• Resource URLs specific and intact (no credit for "I found it using Google")
• Resource Books need Title, Author, Page#(s) - no biblio, just informal list
• Search Terms and results (I searched Google using "Crumpets", and found . . . "
• Include site summaries and quotes for misses as well as hits for credit . . .
  

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BE IT CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD that a grade of 10 in ANY of the above categories implies in MY judgment that NO IMPROVEMENT WAS POSSIBLE!!!
Here's how Mr.J. will award the test points for each category on the poster:

EXPOSITION =3PTS.
Tabulations
Graphics
Illustrations
Explanations
Summaries
DOCUMENTATION = 3PTS.
Lab Journal
Informational Resources / Bibliography (PAGE/URL DETAILS)
Accounting of Human Resources Utilized
Accounting of Physical Resources Utilized
APPEARANCE = 3PTS.
Overall Accessibility of Material in Presentation
Esthetics & Design of Presentation
Finish & Workpersonship Evidenced