7th Grade STEM Summer Science Project
DUE at KCMS between August 20 and August 22.
This coming year in science you will be studying all about living things. You will be
investigating how cells function together to perform specific life processes, how we
inherit our traits from our parents, and how living things change over time. All the topics
we study in 7th grade are the result of someone’s hard work and dedication to the study of
science.
For your summer STEM project you will be researching a famous scientist that has made
a mark in the field of science.
With your research you need to:
A. Write a two-page (double spaced) biography of your famous scientist. The
following are 5 research questions that must be addressed in the report. (Please
see the attached rubric for ALL report guidelines).
1. When and where were they born? (Describe their
early life).
2. Describe their schooling- where/how did they get
their education?
3. What significant accomplishment did they bring to
the field of science?
4. Discuss any awards or acknowledgements they
received for their discoveries.
5. Reflect on why you think this is important today- to
you, our country, to the world etc. (This should be
included in your conclusion).
** Please include all references (books, websites, etc.) that you used for the report
on a separate page title “Reference Page”. List the title of the book and/or the
website you used in alphabetical order. If quoting directly from your source,
remember to use quotation marks around the quote to avoid plagiarism.
B. Create a poster or PowerPoint* that highlights the key achievements of your
scientists
C. With your report and poster/PowerPoint have a 3-minute presentation ready to
present to the class on the first day of school.
*If you choose to do a PowerPoint, please have it saved on a thumb drive and ready to
present on the first day of school.
5 points for your presentation (format, content, presentation, graphics,
participation) 25 points total for project
Below is a list of some famous scientists that you may choose from. If you would like to
research someone who is not on this list, please get it approved by Mrs. Hughes by
emailing her at [email protected].
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James Watson (Discovered Structure of DNA)
Francis Crick (Discovered the Structure of DNA)
Isaac Newton (Physicist who developed Newton’s Laws of motion)
Rudolf Virchow (Pathologist who helped to develop the cell theory)
Marie Curie (Physicist and Chemist who studied radioactivity)
Alexander Fleming (Discovered Penicillin)
George Washington Carver (Scientists and Botanist)
Robert Koch (Founder of Bacteriology and discovered Anthrax)
Gregor Mendel (Father of Genetics)
Charles Darwin (Developed the theory of Natural Selection)
Rosalind Franklin (Helped to discovered the structure of DNA)
Stephen Hawking (Physicist and cosmologist)
Ben Carson (Famous Surgeon who worked at Johns Hopkins University)
Barbara McClintock (She won a Nobel Prize for her studies on Chromosomes)
Jane Goodall (Considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees)
Louis Pasteur (Bacteriologist who discovered pasteurization)
Albert Einstein (Famous Physicist)
Galileo Galilei (Famous Astronomer)
5 points for your presentation (format, content, presentation, graphics,
participation) 25 points total for project
STEM Summer Research Paper Rubric
DUE: August 20-22,
Topic
Format
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Organization
4
3
2
1
Research paper
follows all
formatting
guidelines: 2 pages
double spaced, 12
point font that is
easily read, with 1
inch margins.
Research paper
follows some of
the formatting
guidelines: 2
pages double
spaced, 12 point
font that is
easily read, with
1 inch margins.
Research paper
follows none of
the formatting
guidelines: 2
pages double
spaced, 12 point
font that is easily
read, with 1 inch
margins.
Introduction clearly
identifies the
scientists who was
researched and
introduces the
major
accomplishments
made.
Introduction
somewhat
identifies the
scientists who
was researched
and introduces
the major
accomplishment
s made.
The body of the
research paper
includes a brief
discussion of the
4 research
questions and is
missing key
points.
Conclusion
recaptures the
main points of
the research
paper as well as
includes a brief
personal
reflection on the
importance of
the discovery.
Research paper
follows almost
none of the
formatting
guidelines: 2
pages double
spaced, 12 point
font that is easily
read, with 1 inch
margins.
Introduction
identifies the
scientists who
was researched
but does not
introduce the
major
accomplishments
made.
The body of the
research includes
a discussion of
most, but not all,
of the research
questions.
The body of the
research paper
includes a detailed
discussion on all 4
of the research
questions
Conclusion
effectively
recaptures the main
points of the
research paper as
well as includes a
well thought-out
personal reflection
on the importance
of the discovery.
Report is organized
and neat
Report is
grammatically
flawed but uses
professional
Introduction
does not identify
the scientist
being researched
and does not
introduce the
major
accomplishments
The body of the
research paper
does not answer
any of the ten
research
questions.
Conclusion
recaptures the
main points of
the research
paper but is
missing personal
reflection.
Conclusion does
not recapture the
main points of
the research and
is missing the
personal
reflection.
Report is
grammatically
flawed, but an
attempt was
Report is riddled
with grammar
errors and
misspelling.
5 points for your presentation (format, content, presentation, graphics,
participation) 25 points total for project
language
made to use
professional
language.
5 points for your presentation (format, content, presentation, graphics,
participation) 25 points total for project