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Science Book Project

Each Student will research a topic of their choice and gather information to write a child's science book on their chosen topic. The final copy will present a minimum of 10 facts with illustrations that help explain the facts. Each book will contain: Your progress will be monitored. Several due dates for the project are listed below. The project is worth a total of 300 points. It will be due the last week of the grading period so you have 8 weeks to complete it.
  1. Review project with your teacher. Explain your project to the adults at home and get a signature. Due: ____________- worth 15 points

  2. Fill out a Science Book Review Sheet (Evaluation of Science Trade Book handout). Due: ____________- worth 25 points

  3. Survey possible ideas by looking through books at home and in the library and by talking with parents, teachers and other people about possible topics of interest. Make a list of 3 possible topics, then select one topic. Turn in sheet with 3 topics and the chosen one. Due: ____________-worth 15 points.

  4. Start reading and taking notes on your topic. Be sure to keep track of your sources (you will have two weeks for this) Due: ____________- worth 50 points.

  5. List all your information in complete sentences as you will use them in your book. Due: ____________- worth 15 points.

  6. Make a mock up of each page with possible illustrations. I prefer you to do your own illustrations but if you wish you can use an outside contractor to illustrate your book, but the pictures must be your ideas. You must give your illustrator special instructions on what to draw. Give your illustrator credit in the title page. Due: ____________- worth 30 points.

  7. We will bind the books in class. You may write the facts freehand using large letters or you may use Bank Street Writer (primary text) on the Apple IIe, or your choice of wordprocessor on the Macintosh. Due : ____________- worth 150 points.
My child has gone over this long term assignment with me and I understand my child has 8 weeks to do it.

Sign here: _____________________________________________

Score sheet for progress of project:
  1. _____ Student Final Check Sheet
  2. _____ Teacher Final Check Sheet
  3. _____/15 Review and signature
  4. _____/25 Science Book Review Sheet (Eval. of Science Trade Book)
  5. _____/15 Survey and select topic
  6. _____/50 Notes on topic
  7. _____/15 List facts in order
  8. _____/30 Mock up of facts and illustrations
  9. _____/150 Final copy
  10. _____ Extension activities
This page is maintained by Mary O'Haver, Fairland Elementary School, and Prof. Thomas O'Haver , University of Maryland, through the cooperation of the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation and the Computer Science Center of the University of Maryland at College Park.. Comments, suggestions and questions should be directed to Mary O'Haver at mohaver@umd5.umd.edu or Prof. O'Haver at to2@umail.umd.edu.
This Web site was first created on March 5, 1997
Last updated March 5, 1997