​8th Grade Exit Project Proposal________________________________Due:__________
Mr Keefe
 
Students name_______________________________Class_______________  Date:____________
 
Directions:  Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
                                Topic approval must be granted prior to the start of your project.
 
 
1.  What is your topic:  (Be specific)____________________________________________________
      ______________________________________________________________________________
      ______________________________________________________________________________
      ______________________________________________________________________________
      ______________________________________________________________________________
 
2.  What is your thesis statement that your research paper will be proving?______________________
      _______________________________________________________________________________
      _______________________________________________________________________________
     ________________________________________________________________________________
     ________________________________________________________________________________
 
3.  What resources will you use to help you in your investigation? (Be specific)___________________
      _______________________________________________________________________________
     ________________________________________________________________________________
     ________________________________________________________________________________
     ________________________________________________________________________________
 
4.  Requirements – Fill in the answers
    How long does the written piece have to be?____________________________________________
    How long does the oral presentation have to be?__________________________________________
    What are the Bibliography requirements?_______________________________________________
    Do you have a one subject spiral notebook to keep all  your research in and hand in for notebook   
    checks?_______________________________
 
 
Parent/legal Guardian’s signature__________________________________________Date:_________
 
Do not write below
 
                        Approved_______________________   Not approved___________________Date:_________
 
Comments:
 
 
Science 8th Grade Exit Project
 
                        The following project addresses many of the ideas found in the New York City edition of the New Standards Science Performance Standards.  Depending on the content chosen for the project, other science standards are addressed as well.  The project also addresses the English Language Arts standard.
 
                        This project assesses an eighth grade student’s skill and understanding of Science and English Language Arts acquired over a period of several years.  Addressed, are the student’s understanding of science concepts, ability to perform science inquiry skills and the student’s ability to communicate the methods used and the results of an investigation.
 
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
 
This project may include work that was initiated at any time during the current school year.
Students must work individually to plan and execute the project.
Each student must plan and implement his or her own investigation.  Investigations that are planned by the entire class, teacher or others are not acceptable.
In reporting the procedure and conclusions of their projects, students are expected to show their best work.  The work may be the final product produced after one or more drafts.
Students must have invested a considerable amount of time, effort and thought in designing and implementing this project.  The project must utilize key concepts from life, physical and/or each science.
This project must be an investigation.  Students must determine the answer to a question through the gathering and /or recording and analysis of data.
If a student chooses the controlled experiment project, then that student must use his/her own data.  That is, students may not copy the data obtained exactly from another person’s experiment or project.  The student must gather his or her own data from his/her own investigation  As previously mentioned, a student may not copy data from an outside source, or from any existing investigation and present it as his or her own.  However, the student may repeat an investigation as long as the data, re sults and analysis is his or her own work.
 
 
DESCRIPTION OF TASK
 
                        Students will complete a project drawn from one of the following kinds of projects:
                                                I.                      a controlled experiment
                                                II.                    fieldwork
                                                III.                   secondary research
 
                        Students are expected to produce a report in three parts:
a written piece (3-5 pages)
an oral presentation (3-5 minutes)
a graphic representation of information (i.e. map, timeline, chart, graph, etc.).
Bibliography – 5 sources  (3 books)
 
I- Controlled experiment
                        In a controlled experiment, students answer a question that can be investigated through
                        experimentation.  Students should:
identify a problem
make a hypothesis
design an experimental procedure that identifies and controls variables
carry out the procedure
collect data
form and communicate a conclusion based on analysis of the data collected
 
The following are some examples of controlled experiments that might be performed by students:
 
Plan and implement an experiment to compare the effects of sodium chloride and calcium chloride salts on plants.
Plan and implement an experiment to determine the effect of various coatings on the corrosion of a metal.
Plan and implement an experiment to determine the effect of energy, such as light or heat, on the growth of aquatic or land plants.
 
II- Fieldwork
                In a fieldwork project, students answer a question by making and recording field observations.            Students should:
identify a problem
make a hypothesis
design an experimental procedure that:
●  identifies the observations that will be made
●  identifies the data that will be collected
●  identifies the method for the collection of data
●  carry out the procedure
●  collect the data
●  form and communicate a conclusion based on the data.
 
Following are some examples of field work that might be performed by the students:
 
Study the effects of weathering on the integrity of the school building and grounds.
Identify variables that effect tree growth in the neighborhood around the school and correlate the variables with observable tree characteristics.
Study air pollution at varying distances from a main street or nearby highway.
Track day length and measure the length of the sun’s shadow, followed by a correlation analysis and explanation.
Measure the length and direction of the sun’s shadow over a two month period.
Relate this data to the length of the day and the location of sun at the same time each day ( such as at sunrise or sunset), etc.
 
 
 
III – Secondary Research
 
In a secondary research project, students use data obtained by others to answer a question.
Students will:
identify a problem
make a hypothesis
design a research plan which identifies the data that is to be collected and the source of that data
carry out the procedure and obtain the data
form and communicate a conclusion based on the data collected
 
Following are some examples of secondary research that might be performed by students.
 
Determine long term trends and patterns from weather data.
Determine trends in hurricane occurrences from records of hurricanes
Determine trends in the prevalence of a specific disease such as influenza, a common cold, or Ly me disease.
Record the food consumed during the period of a week.
Analyze the nutritional value of the food eaten using nutritional data obtained from various sources.
 
 
 
REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF A PROJECT
 
 
A complete project must include all of the following:
 
A question(s) to be addressed by an investigation (using available resources).
Data that has been collected, recorded and analyzed and which can be verified.
Data and results that have been appropriately represented and explained.
Recommendations, decisions, and conclusions which are based on evidence.
Results that have been communicated appropriately.
Reflections on and defense of the student’s conclusions,, and appropriate responses to recommendations obtained from teacher review, peer review and/or other sources.
Procedures that are safe, humane, and ethical; and, that respect the privacy and
property rights of others
 
 
 
 
 
COMMUNICATING THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT
 
     Students will produce written work and an oral presentation explaining the project.  Their work should be supported by accompanying graphics such as charts, illustrations, photographs, models, etc.
The must:
 
state the problem/question that was investigated
state a hypothesis (a statement of a hypothesis should utilize conceptual understanding from relevant science topics.
explain procedures that make clear exactly what was done
record and organize data in a clear and concise manner.
represent the data in multiple ways, such as numbers, tables, graphs, drawings, diagrams and artwork, etc.
state a conclusion that utilizes relevant concepts in science to explain observations and inferences.
explain how data was used to reach a conclusion
recognize sources of errors and biases
 
ASSESSMENT
 
Assessment should be based on the attached rubric.