[Grady Clay]

Some more thoughts.

Can you get the video camera to fix the focus on the scale in the background?

Discuss what would happen if the ball lands on the fill valve. What would happen if you put the fill valve at the vacuum?

How about weighing each ball?

Data recording:
Use a real bound scientific notebook with numbered pages. As an alternative, use a bound “composition” book and number the pages. Use permanent ink. If you make a mistake, strike-out the error but leave it readable. If you want to strike out a page, put horizontal lines at the top and bottom and a diagonal in between.

When you use computer files, digital images, etc. glue paper copies in your notebook. Keep everything organized. Maintain computer file back-up.

This is a good opportunity to point out that the language of science is mathematics. Every measurement has a number and a unit. Fifth grade might be a good time to talk about unit conversion.

With science fair projects it is desirable to use standard metric units and notation.


For Pelicans with older students, these kinds of elementary school level science fair experiments are very appropriate in high school. A typical problem in middle and high school is the student wants to do a too complicated experiment. You want a very simple experiment that is very easy to do many times. You then apply more advanced research, planning, process, analysis and presentation.

You will find the “finish” of science fair projects are very good in the early grades and decrease through the grades until middle school. The high school presentations tend to get much better.



Off & on for the past 18 years I have supervised projects. Mostly with a high end 9th grade Science Research class.

The general sequence I use is:
Decide on a project
Research the field and write a Review Paper
Devise a plan (& hypothesis)
Write an experimental procedure
Do the experiment
Analyze the data and come to a conclusion
Combine Review Paper and results into final paper
Write an Abstract
Prepare presentation
Present results

At each step there us usually a lot of review and revising. It isn’t unusual to go back several steps or even start over. At elementary level many steps are invisible. By high school each (and more) are graded milestones. With the 9th grade program, the student’s Abstract is published by part of the IEEE.

One of my former 9th grade students is VP of Google.

Best,
Grady