Science fair full of curiosity, variety
March 16, 2009
By Christopher Huber
More than 400 students had projects on display. Photo by Christopher Huber
Fourth-grader Ben Smith’s favorite part of his science project was when he got to open the buckets containing three animal hearts. The Endeavour Elementary student had ordered them from a science supply company to conduct his science project: dissecting the hearts to find any differences in shape or make-up.“I was like, ‘wow, I’m holding a mammal heart,’” Smith said as he showed off his project in the Endeavour gym March 13. “I wanted to do it because I’m interested in body parts and I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”
Smith was one of more than 400 students at Endeavour who participated in this year’s annual science fair, “Scoping Out Science.” Projects ranged from demonstrating the explosive reaction between soda and Mentos to comparing plants grown in soil versus sand.
“He’s really learned a lot and has been really excited to tell people about it,” said Deb Smith, Ben Smith’s mother. “It’s neat to see the kids … and all they learned and how pumped up they are.”
In addition to hundreds of projects on display in the gym and throughout the halls, PTSA organizers brought in the Skyline High School physics and chemistry clubs, the Burke Museum, and the Issaquah Rock Club. Kate Poaster, an elementary science specialist captured the interest of dozens of children and their parents in the microscope room.
The Skyline club exhibits were popular among the elementary students, especially the Newton’s Cradle — metal balls that hit back and forth to demonstrate momentum and energy transfer — complete with lab-coat-clad students.
Endeavour students set a record for the number of participants — 402 — this year, said PTSA event chair Kim Feir. Approximately 60 percent of the school participated and every class, including kindergarten, had at least four entries. Approximately 350 participated in 2008, Feir said.
“The variety of projects we get is just amazing,” she said. “The enthusiasm is just incredible.”
In front of Smith’s tri-fold board describing the project, the three hearts — that of a cow, pig and sheep — sat, wrapped in bags, in trays on the table. The only difference found, he said, was the size. A cow heart is about four times the size of a sheep’s, which is comparable to a human’s.
“I thought it was interesting how small the sheep heart was,” Smith said.
The nighttime event was the cap to a day of project judging and touring. During school, every student had a chance to peruse the aisles of projects and learn about physics, chemistry or basic anatomy, among other things. Twenty-two judges spent the day commenting on each student’s experiment, demonstration, apparatus or research presentation. The fair was non-competitive.
What mattered most was that students used the scientific method to conclude something about their subject matter, Feir said.
“It’s just fun to see what the kids did,” said Joan Colleran, PTSA vice-president of communications.
Throughout the night, hundreds of parents and students flowed through the halls from one exhibit to the next, some taking a break in the commons for pizza and soda or to join the rock club.
“The variety and the imagination of the kids is great,” said Chen Shang as he wandered through the rows with his first grader, Matthew Shang.
As families left, they took down their students’ projects. Eventually the school was empty, but the participants would come back to school Monday filled with new knowledge, fresh curiosity and new ideas for next year.
“We’ve succeeded in our goal,” Feir said.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, Ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com
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Wow, this article must be about how cool one kid is.