General Guidelines for Independent Projects
  • If a project is late* or fails to comply with all construction criteria, no bonus points or extra credit will be earned and the maximum grade for the project will be at least 5% less than the target grade. 
* Absences shown as "excused" on the CHIS computerized attendance program will not count as days late if they occur on or within 5 days after the due date.
  • Some projects are more complex than others.  Each project is assigned a "TARGET GRADE".  This is the maximum grade for the project.  Projects earning 96 % will rate a grade of "A".  Projects earning 101 % or more will rate a grade of "A+".  A maximum of 100 extra % may be applied to a marking period grade.  Points earned in excess of 200% of points available for the project will be awarded as science "credits" at the rate of 2 credits per extra point. 
  • Projects submitted for a grade will be photographed with the student before being returned to the student.   Some parts of a project may be retained by the school until the last week of the school year.  Due to the destructive nature of the tests on each structure and the possibility of reuse of portions of the structures, toothpick and spaghetti structures will not be returned.  Projects not being used for display in the school will be destroyed if not claimed by the student within three (3) weeks from the due date.
  • YOU MAY NOT USE ALTERNATING CURRENT ELECTRICITY (house current) FOR SCIENCE PROJECTS! 

  • USE ONLY DIRECT CURRENT OF LESS THAN 15 VOLTS AND LESS THAN 5 AMPERES.  ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS MUST BE DIAGRAMMED AND PRE-APPROVED BY YOUR SCIENCE TEACHER.
     
  • All construction projects must be completed by the student submitting the project.  Technical assistance may be provided by another student or a supervising adult, but the actual construction of the project must be accomplished primarily by the student. 
  • Unless otherwise announced, all projects are due no later than the Friday before the end of the current marking period and must be presented to a class in order to receive full credit. Late projects lose 10 % each dayLost approval forms or project changes within 5 days of the due date will result in a 5 % penalty.
  • All approved projects that meet these criteria and those specified in the individual Independent Project Guidelines will earn at least the "target grade" (specified in the Independent Project Guidelines for each project)  if completed and submitted by the due date.
  • Some projects are more complex than others.  These projects are worth more than the standard "target grade"  if done well. (Click here to see the Independent Project List  and Bonus Points.)
  • Materials needed for many of the projects cannot be provided by the school.  The school will provide some of the basic materials for the following projects: CHEMICAL FORMULA BALANCING, TOOTHPICK TOWER, TOOTHPICK BRIDGE, MORSE CODE, CODE COMMUNICATIONS, SCIENTIFIC MATH STUDY, SCIENCE DEMONSTRATION (Depends on the type of demo), CHAPTER STUDY, WATER DIVER, SCIENCE BOOK COVER, ELECTRIC QUIZ BOARD, SCIENCE FICTION  BOOK REPORTS and CURRENT SCIENCE REPORTS.
  • School funding of an independent project may place further limits on the design and implementation of the project beyond those specified here or in the project guidelines.