IP-list

Independent Project List
Note: Prior to school year 2003-2004, students were required to complete an independent project each marking period. With the creation of the "Projects Class", that requirement has been suspended until further notice. The grades and any other information imbedded in the project descriptions regarding grades should be disregarded. The maximum "grade" will now be the bonus points listed for each project. Maximum bonus points can be achieved only if the project guidelines are followed diligently and completely.: 3-D MODEL; OBJECTIVE -The objective of this exercise is to make an attractive 3-dimensional model of some scientific object or collection of objects and present it to your class with an explanation of each part of the model.; Target Grade (B-) Bonus Points 0 (40 if grade = 100 pt. See Grading Criteria); BALLOON POWERED CAR; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to construct a balloon powered car that will travel at least 5 m (16 ft) without stopping or hitting anything.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; BALLOON POWERED ROCKET PLANE; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to construct a balloon powered rocket plane that will travel at least 5 m along a monofilament fishing line in the science room.; BOOK COVER; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to make a durable cover for your science book that has a physical science theme for the design (a chemistry or physics topic).; Target Grade (B-) Bonus Points 0 (40 if grade = 100 pt. See Grading Criteria); BOOK REPORTS - See SCIENCE FICTION BOOK REPORTS below.; BUBBLE MACHINE; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to design and manufacture a machine that blows a continuous stream of bubbles for at least 5 minutes without any human intervention.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; BULLETIN BOARD; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to create a bulletin board that teaches a short PHYSICAL science lesson to observers.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 40; CATAPULT; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to build the lightest gravity powered (no springs, rubber bands, CO2) catapult that will launch a #2 rubber stopper at least 5 m (16 ft., 8 in.) without hitting anything but air along the flight path.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; CEILING PANEL COVER; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to make a ceiling panel cover with a physical science theme and present a 100+ word report on your topic to your class.; Target Grade (B-) Bonus Points 0 (40 if grade = 100 pt. See Grading Criteria); CHAPTER STUDY; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to learn as much as you can about the material in a chapter of your science text that has not been addressed in class prior to the project due date.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; CHEMICAL FORMULA BALANCING; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to learn how to balance chemical formulas and chemical equations.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 40; CODE MESSAGE TEST; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to learn to recognize the International Morse Code sounds well enough to carry on meaningful communications using only the Morse Code.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 60; CODE STUDY; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to learn to recognize the International Morse Code sounds for the alphabet, numbers and punctuation.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; COMPOUND MACHINES,; OBJECTIVE - The objectives of this project are to make a working model consisting of at least ONE compound machine, explain the mechanical advantage of each simple machine in the compound machine, and demonstrate the operation of each simple machine and the compound machine as a total working unit to your class.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 60; COMPUTER PROGRAM; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to develop a computer program that will help students learn facts and/or concepts associated with physical science.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; CONCRETE BOAT; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to design and manufacture a boat made primarily of concrete that will float for a period of three minutes.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; CONTRAPTION; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to design, build and demonstrate to a class a "contraption" that has at least 10 moving parts and accomplishes a predetermined task (to be contracted with your science teacher).; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; CONVECTION CAROUSEL; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to make a convection powered carousel that runs for at least three minutes without any human intervention.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; CURRENT SCIENCE REPORTS; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is learn about things that are currently happening in the various fields of physical science by making a written report on a science article every day for THREE WEEKS (21 reports).; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 40; DEMONSTRATION; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to learn as much as you can about some scientific principle or device and then give a demonstration (10 minutes or more) and explanation to a class.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 20; ELECTROMAGNETIC MOTOR; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to build a battery powered electromagnetic motor (no permanent magnets) that will spin continuously under battery power only for a minimum of 60 seconds.; Target Grade (A)+ Bonus Points 40; ELECTRIC QUIZ BOARD; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to make a battery powered electric quiz board which indicates correct selections for at least 10 questions and answers by lighting up a light.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; ELECTROMAGNETIC BUZZER; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to build a battery powered buzzer that can be heard easily from a distance of 10 m or more.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 30; ELECTROMAGNETIC LAUNCHER; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to make a battery powered electromagnetic launcher which will launch a 1g projectile a distance of at least 100 cm.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCK; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to build a battery powered electromagnetic device that locks and unlocks a door or drawer by means of a switch.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 20; FIRE BOW; OBJECTIVE - The objectives of this project are to make and demonstrate to your class a "fire bow" of the type used by ancient people to start fires using friction and tinder.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 40; MATH STUDY; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to learn the formulas associated with a variety of scientific calculations (see the list below) and score at least 50% on a 25 question test that requires the use of the formulas.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; MOBILES; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be make a multi-armed, counter balanced mobile that presents a topic in physical science (models of various molecules, elements of a chemical family, parts of the metric system, classification of matter, electronics symbols, etc.).; Target Grade (B-) Bonus Points 0 (40 if grade = 100 pt. See Grading Criteria); MOUSE TRAP CAR; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to design and manufacture a mouse trap powered car that will travel, under its own power, at least 5 m (16 ft., 8 in.) within a rectangular space of 1 m by 5 m.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; PHYSICAL SCIENCE GAME; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to develop a game that will help students learn the facts and principals associated with physical science.; Target Grade (B-) Bonus Points 0 (40 if grade = 100 pt. See Grading Criteria); PHYSICAL SCIENCE VIDEO LESSON; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to make video tape presentation that teaches a physical science lesson that lasts at least 10 minutes.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 40; PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to build and take pictures with a pinhole camera.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; RUBBER BAND POWERED AIRPLANE; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to construct a rubber band powered plane that will fly, under its own power, a distance of 5 m (16 ft., 8 in.) or stay aloft 4 seconds without hitting anything.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; RUBBER BAND POWERED CAR; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to design and construct a rubber band powered car that will travel, under its own power, at least 5 m (16 ft., 8 in.) within a rectangular space of 1 m by 5 m.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; SCIENCE FICTION BOOK REPORTS; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to read three science fiction books and produce a written report on each.; Target Grade (A) Bonus Points 20; SIMPLE MACHINES; OBJECTIVE - The objectives of this project are to make working models of at least 4 simple machines and demonstrate the operation of each machine to your class.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 30; SOLAR PROJECT; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to build a device that is powered by solar energy. This device may be any device that obtains its power from solar energy (e.g., solar water heater, solar air heater, devices that use thermal expansion for power). Commercial photovoltaic cells may not be used.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 30; SPAGHETTI BRIDGE; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to build a spaghetti noodle bridge that will support at least 15 times its own mass.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; SPAGHETTI TOWER; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise is to build a spaghetti noodle tower that will support at least 35 times its own mass.; Target Grade (A)+ Bonus Points 40; TOOTHPICK BRIDGE; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to build a toothpick bridge that will support a minimum of 25 times its own mass.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; TOOTHPICK BRIDGE - Phase II; TOOTHPICK TOWER; TOOTHPICK TOWER - Phase II; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; WATER DIVER; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this exercise will be to make a pressure operated “diver” that will operate according to the guidelines specified on the guidelines sheet.; Target Grade (B-) Bonus Points 0; WEATHER PROJECT; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to build and use three or more weather instruments to collect at least two weeks of daily weather data and compile the data into an attractive, easy to understand report.; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 40; WORKING MODEL; OBJECTIVE - The objective of this project is to design, build and demonstrate to a class a working model (other than a simple machine) of some device that will demonstrate a scientific principle (solar heating system, hydro power plant, wind power plant, lighting circuit, etc.).; Target Grade (A+) Bonus Points 20