STEAM Project Criteria – Middle School Level
STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics
Your goal is to incorporate as many of the STEAM objectives into your project!
Engineering Project Ideas: Find a solution to a real-world problem!
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To complete this type of project, follow the steps of the “Engineering Design Process”
Design something so that is it new or improved!
Build a bridge that is lightweight and sturdy!
Design an earthquake proof structure!
Use the weight distribution of an arch to keep an egg from breaking!
Understand the buoyant force or water or how to reduce friction!
Recycle items and use them in a new way that helps our planet!
Science Fair Project Ideas: Learn more about physical, earth, life, and/or space science!
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To complete this type of project, see “Steps of Scientific Method” and follow the lab template format for your
final submission (See “Lab Template”)
Electricity: What is a series circuit?
Food science: What are the macromolecules that make up the food you eat?
Have a cold? What foods provide the most Vitamin C to get you feeling better?
Use golf balls to demonstrate acceleration on an inclined plane!
Stressed out! How does stress affect the body?
Additional Project Ideas:
Do you love art? Create something new using computer software (graphic design)
Calling all gamers!! Create animation, a game, or an app using computer coding!
Resource: https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/programming
-Are you still not sure what to do? Go here! https://www.googlesciencefair.com/springboard/en/
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:
Projects should pose a problem or a question. Then you can investigate your question or come up with a design to solve
the problem.
- Incorporate technology in your research or design process – computer software, microscopes, data presentation
tools, laptops, iPads, etc.
- Try to connect it to the real world! Look for patterns, cause and effect, cycles, structure, function, stability and
change.
- Follow display directions and complete a lab template form for the appropriate type of project – SEE ATTACHED
FORMS!
- MOST IMPORTANT: Have a blast taking science and engineering to the next level!
STEPS TO SUCCESS
1. Pick a project idea – Bring your idea to the first club meeting – or see Mrs. Martin for ideas!
2. Conduct Research – Learn about the subject(s) involved with your project; what do people already know?
3. Design Your Project – Follow the steps of the scientific method or engineering process to collect data and
draw conclusions. What did you learn through this process? Did it go the way you planned? Why or why not?
4. Project Presentation – You will be presenting your project! Remember these important communication skills make eye contact, speak clearly and with enthusiasm, use gestures, pace yourself and have fun! Be ready to
have a conversation with others about your project and sell your idea!
*Feel free to use posters, graphs, notes, iPads, laptops, smart phones or other visual aids to help you inform others
about what you learned!
OAK SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR
Thursday, May 28, 2015
In connection with the Science Olympiad team, we are opening up a chance for all
Oak Students to participate in the Science Fair, with everyone given the opportunity
to display their entries at the District STEAM Showcase at LAHS on May 30.
Students may sign up to attend a free science fair club with Mrs. Martin to get help
on a project!
Rules:
1. All entries must be able to be displayed on table top space of
24” x 24” (60 cm x 60 cm). Standard “science fair” display
folding cardboard display units are encouraged for
convenience but not required.
2. Each entry should have a lab write-up attached
- Science projects should follow the steps of the scientific
method (see lab write-up template)
- Engineering projects should follow the steps of the
engineering design process
3. Photos, diagrams, graphs and physical presentations of the
experiment are encouraged
4. Students should prepare a two-minute presentation for the
STEAM Fair and STEAM Showcase!
5. Students may work alone, in pairs, or in a group of 3
6. Try to incorporate as many of the STEAM objectives as
possible into your project! FULL STEAM AHEAD!
Steps of the Scientific Method
1. Ask a Question:
The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you observe: How, What,
When, Who, Which, Why, or Where? And, in order for the scientific method to answer the question it
must be about something that you can measure, preferably with a number.
2. Do Background Research:
Rather than starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question, you want to be
a savvy scientist using library and Internet research to help you find the best way to do things and insure
that you don't repeat mistakes from the past.
3. Construct a Hypothesis:
A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work:
"If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen."
You must state your hypothesis in a way that you can easily measure, and of course, your hypothesis
should be constructed in a way to help you answer your original question.
4. Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment:
Your experiment tests whether your hypothesis is supported or not. It is important for your experiment
to be a fair test. You conduct a fair test by making sure that you change only one factor at a time while
keeping all other conditions the same. You should also repeat your experiments several times to make
sure that the first results weren't just an accident.
5. Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion:
Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to see if they
support your hypothesis or not. Scientists often find that their hypothesis was not supported, and in such
cases they will construct a new hypothesis based on the information they learned during their
experiment. This starts the entire process of the scientific method over again. Even if they find that their
hypothesis was supported, they may want to test it again in a new way.
6. Communicate Your Results:
To complete your science fair project you will communicate your results to others in a final report
and/or a display board. Professional scientists do almost exactly the same thing by publishing their final
report in a scientific journal or by presenting their results on a poster at a scientific meeting. In a science
fair, judges are interested in your findings regardless of whether or not they support your original
hypothesis.
Steps of the Engineering Design Process
1. Define the Problem.
The engineering design process starts when you ask the following questions about problems that you
observe:
What is the problem or need?
Who has the problem or need?
Why is it important to solve?
[Who] need(s) [what] because [why].
2. Do Background Research:
Learn from the experiences of others — this can help you find out about existing solutions to similar
problems, and avoid mistakes that were made in the past. So, for an engineering design project, do
background research in two major areas:
a.) Users or customers
b.) Existing solutions
3. Specify Requirements:
Design requirements state the important characteristics that your solution must meet to succeed. One of
the best ways to identify the design requirements for your solution is to analyze the concrete example of
a similar, existing product, noting each of its key features.
4. Brainstorm Solutions:
There are always many good possibilities for solving design problems. If you focus on just one before
looking at the alternatives, it is almost certain that you are overlooking a better solution. Good designers
try to generate as many possible solutions as they can.
5. Choose the Best Solution:
Look at whether each possible solution meets your design requirements. Some solutions probably meet
more requirements than others. Reject solutions that do not meet the requirements.
6. Develop the Solution:
Development involves the refinement and improvement of a solution, and it continues throughout the
design process, often even after a product ships to customers.
7. Build a Prototype:
A prototype is an operating version of a solution. Often it is made with different materials than the final
version, and generally it is not as polished. Prototypes are a key step in the development of a final
solution, allowing the designer to test how the solution will work.
8. Test and Redesign:
The design process involves multiple iterations and redesigns of your final solution. You will likely test
your solution, find new problems, make changes, and test new solutions before settling on a final design.
9. Communicate Results:
To complete your project, communicate your results to others in a final report and/or a display board.
Professional engineers always do the same, thoroughly documenting their solutions so that they can be
manufactured and supported.
Lab Write-Up Template
Investigative Question
Write out your investigative question here. It should be a question stating/asking what you want to find out in the lab or
experimental investigation.
Hypothesis
Write your hypothesis here. It should be an “If I do this….. then this should happen….” educated guess about the answer to the
Investigative Question.
Procedure
List the materials and equipment first, then the steps and instructions to complete the lab, like this general example:
 Material item one
 Material item two
 Material item three
 Equipment item one
 And so on….
1. Step one
2. step two
3. step three
4. and so on…..
Observations
Just list them in the order you made them. Remember to have both quantitative and qualitative observations. If your lab has
different sections or activities, it’s good to separate the observations for the different parts of the lab. General example:
1. Observation one (Remember, complete sentences!!!)
2. Observation two
3. Observation three
Part II
1. Observation one
2. Observation two
3. and so on……
Inferences
Remember, inferences explain or help you make sense of your observations. If you get stuck writing one, just take one of your
observations and add the word “because” to the end, followed by a logical explanation for the observation. That’s an inference!
Conclusion
The Conclusion must always:
 Answer the Investigative Question, if your data allows,
 Discuss whether the Hypothesis was supported or not, and why,
 Discuss the effect that any Variable had on the experiment, if you had variables.
 Don’t forget to attach any lab notes or data sheets.
 Don’t forget your “full and proper heading” at the top right of your paper, and the lab title on the top line and at the
left side of your paper.