Science Fair/ Final Project
8th Grade
Science
McGowan
Description
The
class will be divided into 3 groups. Each group will create a six page (page
being 1 side) newspaper using Microsoft Publisher or Word. Certain guidelines
will be followed to receive credit. At the conclusion of the project, each
group will present their newspaper to the class.
Your
Newspaper will also be used as the basis for your Science Fair Project. You
will present the paper as a group along with some “props” to
support it.
Grading
Each
person will receive a grade every day. The grade will be
determined upon positive participation, cooperation, and work. At the end of
the project, the cumulative daily grade will be recorded as a test grade.
Each
group will receive an overall grade. This grade will be determined by the
group’s ability to work together and solve problems.
Each
person will grade everyone else in the group on their cooperation, work, and
product. These will be averaged to get a separate grade for each person.
Each
group will receive a grade based on your presentation to the class.
Each
group will receive a grade for the Science Fair based on the presentation made
for that day and the group behavior at the Science Fair.
Each
group will also receive a grade for the experiment that you came up with,
carried out, and how it is represented at the Science fair.
As
a bonus, the Editor-in-Chief will receive extra credit for the assignment
because they are responsible for the overall running of the group and do have
extra work.
Group Organization
There
will be four to five people in each group. The first task of each group is to
vote in an “editor-in-chief.”
This person will be responsible for the major organization and smooth
running of the newspaper. The “editor-in-chief” will be the person
to make the final decisions on article assignments, placements of materials,
etc. Having this job will also come with the privilege of having your name
printed in prestige upon the front page of the paper. Due to the added responsibilities
of the position, the person chosen will receive extra credit on the assignment.
Aside
from the editor-in-chief, each group will have a weather person, an editorial
writer, a human interest journalist, and basic reporters. These positions must
be chosen before further work on the newspaper can continue. The
editor-in-chief must also fill one of these positions.
In
addition, each person in the group will be a basic editor. It is the
responsibility of each member of your staff to reread and check at least one
other reporter’s work.
Content of Newspaper
Each
paper must contain the following items relating to REAL, CURRENT news!
1)
Cover
Story- This story must cover a major
theme. It will begin on page one and be continued to another page. This story
may be covered by one to two journalists.
2)
Basic
News- These stories are smaller than
the cover story. They should be based upon smaller, more specific information.
These can include interviews.
3)
Editorial
(s) – This must be an opinion article
on some topic covered in the review book. You may choose to present a pro or
con view, or both.
4)
Human
Interest Article- This should be an
article that shows how the topic is related to you and society in general.
5)
Weather
Report- Each paper should include a
fictional weather report.
6)
Fillers- Each paper should contain small bits of information
in the form of a comic, small pictures, mini-news stories, etc.
7)
Experiment- One of your stories must contain information about an
experiment that was performed by the group. You will report what was tested and
what your results were, complete with a graph. This is what you will use for
“props” at the Science Fair. You will also type out your experiment
information for this grade.
General Guidelines
1)
The newspaper must contain vocabulary in
at least one 4 spots in the cover story. You should also include vocabulary in
each other article if possible.
2)
Each group will present their newspaper
to the class. Everyone must participate. You will need to work out a plan!!!!
3)
Be original with your ideas and the title
for your newspaper!
4)
Print your editor-in-chief’s name
on the front page with your title. Each article, picture, comic, etc must have
a by-line that credits the author,
and another that credits the editor on that particular piece.
Topics that MUST be
Included in your Newspaper:
Chemistry Ecology
Physiology Astronomy
Meteorology Geology
***
You may choose how you want to include each topic. You can choose what you want
for your cover and other articles in the paper. You can find ideas as to what
types of articles to write from the chapters of your Review Book. ***
Presentation
You must input your stories and information into
Microsoft Publisher or Word to make your newspaper. You can use colors and
pictures. We will print out 1 color copy for the Science Fair. You will also
use the projector to present your newspaper to our class.