For more information contact:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Science Section:
1. Does Temperature Affect Chemical Reactions?
2. How Jet Engines Work
3. The Effect of Temperature on Air Pressure
4. Do All Rocks Have Carbonates?
Math Section:
1. Euler's Formula
2. The Pythagorean Theorem: A Proof
Consumerism Section:
1. A National Comparison of Food Prices
Social Studies Section:
1. The Conflict In Yugoslavia
2. The Most Important Environmental Issue
3. Somalia - A Dying Country
4. Do We Know Enough About the Holocaust?
SCIENCE SECTION
TITLE: Does Temperature Affect Chemical Reactions
STUDENT AUTHOR: Jessica Warden
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I wanted to see how the temperature of water would affect
the chemical reaction of dissolving a tablet. My hypothesis
stated that hot water will increase the speed of a chemical
reaction and decrease the time it takes for a seltzer tablet
to dissolve.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I wrote my Statement of Purpose and Review of
Literature. I then formed my Hypothesis. Next, I took 3
Alka-Seltzer tablets and 3 glasses. I filled the first
glass with cold water, the second with hot water, and the
third with tap water. Then I checked the temperature of the
water of each glass and recorded it. I dropped a tablet in
each glass and recorded how long it took to dissolve. I did
this 3 times. I analyzed my data and displayed it on a
chart. I wrote my Summary and Conclusion and then applied
my findings to the real world.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
My results show that the average time for the Alka-Seltzer
tablet to dissolve in hot water was 29 sec.. The average
time for it to dissolve in cold water was 89 sec. The
average time for it to dissolve in tap water was 49 sec..
The seltzer tablet dissolved in the hot water the fastest.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
The hot water speeded up the chemical reaction the fastest.
Therefore, I accept my hypothesis which stated hot water
will increase the speed of a chemical reaction and decrease
the time it takes for a seltzer tablet to dissolve.
V. APPLICATION:
If people need to know what temperature of water to use
when dissolving something the fastest, I would tell them to
use hot water.
TITLE: How Jet Engines Work
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Justin Heffner
SCHOOL: Locust Grove Mennonite School
Smoketown, PA
GRADE: 4
TEACHER: Miss Weaver
I. Statement of Purpose and Hypothesis:
I want to know if balloons can illustrate the way a jet
engine works. I want to know how the force goes through the
engine/ balloon to make the airplane go up. I want to know
what shape and size of engine/balloon produces the most
force? My first hypothesis states that a big sausage shaped
balloon will travel farther than a big round balloon because
its shape is more streamlined. My second hypothesis states
that big balloons will travel farther than small balloons
because they have more fuel or air in them.
II. Methodology:
I took two chairs and got a long piece of string and put the
string through the middle of the straw and tied both ends of
the string to the chairs. Next, I blew up the balloons and
taped the balloon to the straw and let it go. I measured
the distance the balloon went and recorded the distance. We
did the experiments 4 times for each balloon.
III. Analysis of Data:
I found out that a big sausage balloon goes the farthest. A
small sausage balloon goes the fastest, but the least
farthest. A small round balloon went the second farthest. A
big round balloon went third farthest. The big sausage
balloon went an average of 50 feet. The small sausage
balloon went an average of 32 feet. The big balloons went
an average of 41 feet. The small balloons went an average
of 30 feet.
Balloons Average Distance
Travelled
Big Sausage Shaped Balloon 50 feet
Big Round Shaped Balloon 32 feet
Big Balloons 41 feet
Small Balloons 30 feet
IV. Summary and Conclusion:
The big sausage balloon went farther than the big round
shaped balloon. Therefore, I accepted my first hypothesis
which stated that a big sausage shaped balloon will travel
farther than a big round balloon because its shape is more
streamlined. The big balloons went farther than the small
balloons. Therefore, I accepted my second hypothesis which
stated that big balloons will travel farther small balloons
because they have more fuel or air in them.
TITLE: The Effect of Temperature on Air Pressure
STUDENT AUTHOR: Matthew Kuzio
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I wanted to find out if temperature affects air pressure. My
first hypothesis stated that when I put a balloon on the top
of a bottle in hot water, the balloon will inflate because
hot air expands. My second hypothesis stated that when I
put a balloon on top of a bottle in ice water, the balloon
will be sucked in the bottle because cold air contracts.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I wrote my statement of purpose, my review of
literature, and developed my hypothesis. Next, I stretched
a balloon on the top of each bottle. Then I placed one
bottle in a pan of hot water and the other in pan of ice
water. I observed the balloons and recorded what happened.
I repeated this procedure twice. I analyzed my data, and
wrote my summary and conclusion. Finally, I applied my
observations to real life.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
In both trials, the balloons in hot water expanded and the
balloons in cold water contracted. In trial two the balloon
in hot water popped off and the balloon in cold water was
totally sucked into the bottle.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
Temperature does affect air pressure. The balloon in hot
water expanded and the balloon in cold water contracted.
Therefore, I accepted my hypothesis which stated that the
balloon in hot water would expand and the balloon in cold
water would contract.
V. APPLICATION:
One application of this is not to over inflate car or bike
tires. The rubbing of the tires on the pavement or street
makes tires hot. With the increase of heat, the air
pressure increases and the tires might burst.
TITLE: Do All Rocks Have Carbonates?
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Eric Oldfield
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
For my research report, I wanted to find out which of
certain rocks and minerals contain carbonates. My
hypothesis stated that most rocks and minerals would not
contain carbonates.
II. METHODOLOGY:
For my experiment, I first developed a statement of purpose.
After I reviewed the literature, I wrote a hypothesis. I
gathered my materials and began my experiment. To find out
if all rocks and minerals had carbonates, I chipped off a
piece of each sample with the hammer and placed them in a
bowl one at a time. Using the eyedropper, I dropped some
hydrochloric acid on each one. The samples that bubbled
contained carbonates. I recorded and analyzed my data.
Next, I accepted or rejected my hypothesis and wrote a
summary and conclusion.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
Out of the 27 rocks and minerals that I tested, 20 of them
did not contain carbonates. The 7 that proved to be
carbonates included limestone, coquina, calcite, dolomite,
concrete, the fossil, and the seashell.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
I found out that only 7 of the 27 rocks and minerals
contained carbonates. Therefore, I accept my hypothesis
which stated that most rocks would not contain carbonates.
V. APPLICATION:
With the information that I gathered from this report, I
could help a paleontologist looking for the fossils of a
certain sea animal find what he wants. He could just test
the rocks in one area the way I did. If they contained
carbonates, then there was probably an ocean there at one
time, because carbonates come from the remains of small sea
life. If he knew that there was an ocean there long ago,
he'd be in the right place. If not he'd know to look
somewhere else.
MATH SECTION:
TITLE: Euler's Formula
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Janet Colley
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Ellen Marino, M.Ed.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
In this project, I wanted to find out if Euler's Formula
really works. The formula states that for any polyhedron
the number of vertices plus the number of faces always
equals two plus the number of edges or (V + F = 2 + E). My
hypothesis stated that Euler's Formula would be correct.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I did my review of literature, stated my problem, and
developed my hypothesis. Then I gathered 10 polyhedrons to
test Euler's Formula. All of the polyhedrons that I
collected had to have faces, vertices, and edges. Then I
tested the formula on all of the 10 polyhedrons that I had
gathered. Next, I recorded my data. Then I analyzed my
data. I then wrote my summary and conclusion and finally
accepted or rejected my hypothesis.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
I collected 10 polyhedrons to test Euler's Formula on
(V+F=2+E). All of the polyhedrons that I tested the formula
on proved it to be correct. For example, one of the
polyhedron I used was a cube. It's formula was:
6F + 8V = 2 + 12E.
14 = 14
As you can see, this proves Euler's Formula correct. This
polyhedron along with the other 9 polyhedrons I measured
proved that Euler's formula was valid.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
All of the polyhedrons I tested Euler's Formula on proved
the formula correct. I therefore accepted my hypothesis
which stated that Euler's Formula is correct.
V. APPLICATION:
I can use Euler's Formula when I am building a 3-D figure.
For example, I am building a pyramid in my homeroom art
class. I could use Euler's Formula to create such an
object.
TITLE: The Pythagorean Theorem
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Liz Bayne
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESIS:
IUd like to know if the Pythagorean Theorem is true for
right triangles of any size. The Pythagorean Theorem states
that square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle equals the
sum of the squares of the other two sides. My hypothesis
states that the Pythagorean Theorem will work on any size of
right triangle.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I gathered all of my materials; paper, ruler,
calculator, pencil, and pen. Next, I drew four right
triangles of different sizes. Then, I measured all three
sides, and squared them. I added the square of side a to
the square of side b in order to find the hypotenuse of
each triangle as predicted by the Pythagorean Theorem. I
also measured the hypotenuse of each triangle. I then
compared the value predicted by the theorem to the value I
actually measured to see if there was any difference.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
For my first triangle, the difference between the value of
the hypotenuse predicted by the Pythagorean Theorem and the
value which I measured was .25 squared cm. My second
triangle's difference was 0 squared cm., the third one was
13 squared cm., and the last one's difference was 1 squared
cm. The average difference was 3.5625 squared cm.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS:
There was an average difference of only four squared cm.
between my measurements and the Pythagorean Theorem's
prediction. My measurements were not the same as predicted
by the Pythagorean Theorem, due to the fact that my
instrument of measurement was not accurate enough.
Therefore, I accept my hypothesis which states that the
Pythagorean Theorem will work on any size of right triangle.
V. APPLICATION:
I have proved that the Pythagorean Theorem is correct.
Therefore, math teachers around the world can keep teaching
it until it is proven wrong.
CONSUMERISIM SECTION:
TITLE: A National Comparison of Food Prices
STUDENT RESEARCHERS: Class
SCHOOL: North Stratford School
Fairfield, Connecticut
GRADE: 4
TEACHER: Vinny Carbone
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
We want to see which area of the United States has the least
expensive food prices. Our hypothesis states that most of
the least expensive food items will be found in the South.
II. METHODOLOGY:
We will go to the area supermarkets with a list of food
items. We chose food items that are generally found
throughout the country. We will find the price of each
item. We will compare the prices found at the area
supermarkets and choose the least expensive price for that
item. We want other classrooms in the country to do the
same. We will then compare our prices and those found in
other areas of the United States. The stores we visited in
Connecticut were A&P, Grand Union, Grand Central, Finest,
Super Stop & Shop, and Path Mark. The list of food items we
will compare include: 1) Welch's Grape Jelly 18 oz., 2)
Gulden's Mustard 8oz., 3) Jif Peanut Butter 18 oz., 4)
Cheerios Cereal 15 oz., 5) Heinz Ketchup 40 oz., 6) 1
package of Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs, 7) 1 lb. of Granny Smith
Apples, 8) Ragu Tomato Sauce (Old World Style) 30 oz., 9)
Hellmann's Mayonnaise 16 oz., 10) 12 pack of Eggo's Waffles,
11) Tropicana Orange Juice 64 fl. oz., 12) Keebler Chip
Deluxe 18 oz., 13) Quaker Oats 18 oz., 14) 1 lb. of Bananas,
and 15) Campbell's Chicken Soup 10 oz..
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
Four schools participated in the project. We compared food
prices from stores in Connecticut, Louisiana, and
Pennsylvania. On some items, the prices were the same in
all three states. Seven of the items were cheapest in
Louisiana. Six of the food items were cheapest in
Pennsylvania. Five of the food items were cheapest in
Connecticut.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
We found that the least expensive items were mostly found in
Louisiana. Our hypothesis is correct. Therefore, we accept
our hypothesis which stated that most of the least expensive
food items would be found in the South.
V. APPLICATION:
Knowing what we know about food prices around the country we
will consider moving to the south when we grow up. We could
also send information to the stores in our area and see if
they could lower their prices. And we could find out why
our stores in the north have higher prices on their foods.
SOCIAL STUDIES SECTION:
TITLE: Conflict in Yugoslavia
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Justin Fehr
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I want to know more about the conflict in Yugoslavia. I'm
interested in who the fighting parties are and why are they
fighting. My hypothesis stated that at 30% of the sixth
grade students at MMS would get 80% of the questions on my
questionnaire correct.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I wrote a statement of problem and hypothesis. Then
I reviewed the literature on Yugoslavia. Next, I developed
a questionnaire and randomly chose 20 students from the
sixth grade at MMS. Afterwards, I handed the questionnaires
out, scored them when they were returned, and recorded the
data. Then, I conducted the analysis of data. Finally, I
wrote a summary and conclusion
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
The data collected produced the following results: The
majority of 14 students correctly knew that Croatia and
Slovenia were republics in Yugoslavia. Thirteen students
correctly knew that the civil war started in Yugoslavia
because Croatia and Slovenia declared independence. Only 6
students correctly knew that the leaders feared that the war
would spill into neighboring countries. Thirteen of
eighteen did not think Yugoslavia would become a whole
country again. Half of the students thought that the war
would go into surrounding countries. A majority of 10
students knew that concentration camps were set up in
Yugoslavia. The majority of 8 students agreed and 4
students strongly agreed that there is no good reason for
war. Only 7 students thought that the USA was doing as much
as they could to stop this war. The majority of 10 students
thought the U.N. was doing as much as they could to stop
this war.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
Fifty percent of the students got at least eighty percent of
the questions on my questionnaire correct. Therefore, I
accepted my hypothesis which stated that thirty percent of
the sixth grade students at M.M.S. would get eighty percent
of the questions on my questionnaire correct.
V. APPLICATION:
I could use this information to let students know what could
happen in the USA if our States started fighting against
each other. It would be the Civil War all over again.
TITLE: The Most Important Environmental Issue
RESEARCHER: Kelli Anderson
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I would like to know what the sixth graders at Mandeville
Middle School think the most important environmental issue
is. My hypothesis states that the majority of the sixth
graders at Mandeville Middle School will be most concerned
about pollution in lakes and rivers.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I will write a questionnaire to administer to
eighteen randomly chosen students. Next, I will administer
the questionnaires. Then I will score the questionnaires,
record the data, and analyze my data with graphs and charts.
I will write a summary and conclusion based upon what I've
learned. Then, I will accept or reject my hypothesis.
Finally, I will apply what I've learned to the real world.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
Out of the eighteen students I administered the
questionnaire to sixteen students returned it. A majority
of fourteen students thought that land, air, and water
pollution are the most important environmental problems. A
majority of sixteen students said that we could help the
environment by recycling. The majority of students thought
that industrial waste, sewage, trash, and nuclear waste were
the most destructive kinds of pollution. A majority of
fifteen students thought that factories should use filters
to reduce air pollution. Finally, the majority of sixteen
students knew that animal life is harmed by oil spills.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
The sixth grade students at Mandeville Middle School were
most concerned about water pollution. Therefore, I accept
my hypothesis which stated that the students would be the
most concerned with pollution in lakes and rivers. Students
were also concerned about air and land pollution.
V. APPLICATION:
I can apply my research to the real world by using my report
to help people understand the many kinds of pollution in the
environment.
TITLE: Somalia - A Dying Country
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Justin Tilford
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHERS: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
Gina Stone, M.Ed.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I want to know why 4.5 million people in a small country
called Somalia are facing starvation? My hypothesis states
that the 6th grade students at MMS will not be able to
correctly answer more than 50% of the questions asked on my
questionnaire regarding the civil war and famine in
Somalia.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First I went to the library to get some information about
the situation in Somalia. Then I read the information on
Somalia and wrote a Review of the Literature. Then I wrote
a statement of purpose and hypothesis. Next, I typed up a
questionnaire and distributed it to 20 randomly chosen
students at MMS. I then scored my questionnaires when
completed and analyzed my data.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
After I scored the 14 questionnaires, I found out that
only four people knew that Somalia was on the east coast of
Africa. A minority of the students knew that the estimated
number of people facing starvation was 4.5 million. Six out
of fourteen people correctly answered that when the spring
rains come cholera will be an epidemic disease. Everybody
except one person thought that the world should have
responded sooner to the crisis in Somalia. Ten people
correctly knew that 30,000 weapons were looted during the
Somalian civil war.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
Only two of the six questions were answered correctly by a
majority of the students. Therefore I accept my hypothesis
because fewer than 50% of the questions on my questionnaire
were answered correctly.
V. APPLICATION:
The way I would use this information is I could tell Mrs.
Sloan that the Social Studies teachers need to learn more
about the horrible things that are happening in Somalia so
that they can tell this to their students because when I did
a survey they did not know very much about Somalia.
TITLE: Do We Know Enough About the Holocaust?
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Jessica Warden
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana 70448
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: John I. Swang, Ph.D.
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I wanted to find out what the 6th grade knows about the
Holocaust. Do the majority even know what it was, if so,
how much do they know? My hypothesis stated that the 6th
grade will not know much about the Holocaust.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I wrote my Statement of Purpose. I then wrote my
Review of Literature, and formed my Hypothesis. Next, I
created a questionnaire and passed them out to 18 6th grade
students. After they were returned to me, I tallied my
results on a chart. I then wrote my Summary and Conclusion,
typed my abstract, and applied my findings.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
Out of the 18 questionnaires I sent out, all of them were
returned. Fifteen students knew that Adolf Hitler was the
leader of Nazi Germany, while 14 students knew that the
Holocaust was the killing of Jews and foreigners. Exactly
15 students correctly answered that concentration camps were
death camps for victims of Hitler and the Nazis. A majority
of students knew that Hitler wanted to rule the world, and
only 9 knew that Judaism is the religion of Jews. A
majority also knew that Adolf Hitler was a dictator. The
majority of students answered that Hitler was prejudiced,
because he thought that Germans were the superior race and
he didn 't like the Jewish religion. Only 5 students knew
that Jews lived in the ghettos before concentration camps.
Students thought mostly of WWII, Jews, and Hitler, when
asked, "What do you think of when you hear the word
Holocaust"?
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
The majority of students knew about WWII, but not about the
Holocaust. Therefore, I accept my Hypothesis which states
that the students would not know much about the Holocaust.
V. APPLICATION:
I will tell the teachers at M.M.S. that the students should
be taught about the Holocaust. If students do not want
something like the Holocaust to happen again, they must
learn about it.
© 1992 John I. Swang, Ph.D.