Reminder: other than the recommendation section,
there are to be NO YOUs/ Mes/ we etc written!!

Experimental Log

KEEP A SCIENTIFIC LOG OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITH YOUR EXPERIMENT!! This will be a composition book that will be placed in the back pocket of your science notebook.

First, get a composition book
o Before you begin, you need to get a journal or notebook to record everything.
o This will be your log or diary
o Include the date in the top corner, and record everything you did that day, as it relates to your SF experiment.
o This may be retroactive, meaning, what things you have already done (ie, purchased equipment….)
o Example: 10/30 Today I received permission from my teacher to survey every student in her class.
This includes 75 boy and 80 girls, which should provide me with roughly 155 students.

Second, make a to-do list
o Make yourself a check off list of everything you need to do BEFORE starting the experiment
o Maybe you need permission from an adult/coach/teacher
o This includes obtaining all of your supplies and materials!

Third, Collect Materials
o This could be tricky!
o Obtain ALL of your materials
o Make sure you have EVERYTHING you need before starting the experiment.
o Perhaps you need a video camera, ball machine, digital camera, etc.
o For each day in your “diary”, be clear about what materials you got.
o Example: 11/4 Today I borrowed 100 50ml beakers from school.
I will use these for my samples, but I still need to get 50 more.

Fourth, prepare to collect data
There are two types of data to record:
o Quantitative Data - using numbers! this is data you can count and measure.
example: the growth of the plant in cm
o Qualitative Data - using adjectives! this is description of your observations such as the color and shape of things, what they look like, what changes you saw. example: the color of the flower petal

..............Quantitative: Create Data Tables
o Based on your variables, prepare charts and/or data tables to use during the experiment.
o Create one for each variable you are changing, paired with the variable you are measuring.
o This will help you stay organized during the experiment, when things may get hectic and you don't have time to make a cool little chart.

..............Qualitative: Take Pictures
o Use a camera and take pictures of everything
o Paste copies into your composition book
o Make extra copies to use in your results section and to put onto your backboard
o Also, describe EVERYTHING that occurs during your experiment - conditions, observations,
problems, solutions, back up plans, etc.

Fifth, obtain permission
o This is VERY important
o If you are doing an experiment involving people (surveys or testing) YOU MUST have signed permission slips
o Create a permission slip form where you get their name, age, signature, and parent signatures to participate in your experiment
o Keep these - you will need them in your SF notebook appendix
o If you are doing an experiment involving bacteria/hazardous materials/chemicals, animals, etc, there are special forms you must complete and have signed BEFORE you being!
Ask Mrs Gillum for these forms.

Ok, are you finally ready?
o You have all of your materials
o You've received permission from all necessary participants/adults
o Your procedures have been approved
o You made data tables and put them in your notebook…
o Sounds good to me! Begin the experiment!