Budding scientists took centre stage at Crossroads School in Devlin last week as students in grades four-eight took part in the second-annual science fair there.
Projects ranged from “Do bones need calcium” and “What floor cleaners work best?” to “Who can balance better on one foot–boys or girls.”
Seventh-grader Mackenzie Caul used her project to prove the point that fish grow differently depending on the size of their environment. She bought two identical fish, placed them in two different-sized aquariums, and feed them the same amount of food.
The fish that was in the large aquarium grew to nearly triple the size of the other one.
“I thought for sure the fish would get bigger if it had a large tank,” she noted. “I had a good time, and I wanted to do a project I would have fun doing and I thought a project on an animal would be fun.”
Grade six student Riley Kellar did his project on volcanos–and even had a volcanic eruption for the judges. He said he liked doing the project and finding out new things.
“[The best part was] trying to make the volcano and doing the research. It took about three days to finish,” he noted. “I learned if volcanos weren’t ever here, we wouldn’t be here.”
Other competitors were equally as enthusiastic to show off their displays. Desirae Smith, also in grade six, compared Crest and Colgate Total in her project on “How toothpaste affects your breath.”
She said she enjoyed doing the project, stressing the best part was working on it with her friends.
In his project, “Up, Up and Away–the science behind paper airplanes,” fifth-grader Jonathan Rogowsky compared flight patterns between five different-shaped airplanes to see which one would fly the best.
“I thought number two would float [better] but number five went longer because it had more float and less drag from the wings,” he explained.
Another project–on “Which material will keep drinks and treats the coolest for summer?”–was done by grade five student Ryan Witherspoon. He said the best part was doing the graphs and colouring, and also experiementing with the different materials.
“I thought it would be styrefoam [that would keep things the coolest] but it wasn’t.”
Crossroads principal Brian Love, who also was a judge, said the students are required to do a project–it is not optional. And he added he was very pleased with how they turned out.
“It is only the second year [for the science fair] and it has really taken off,” he enthused.
He added Crossroads will be hosting the district science fair March 22, with about 125 students expected to attend. From there, about 16-18 will advance to the regional competition in Kenora.
Here are the top three winners in each grade at Crossroads:
< *c>Grade Four
1. Lindsey Richardson (“Mold Growth”)
2. Kurtis Hill (“Static Electricity”)
3. Destinee Black (“Exercise and Heart Rate”)
Honourable mention–Adam Esselink (“Potato Power)
< *c>Grade five
1. Jake McTavish (“Battery Power”)
2. Christina Jewell (“Which Stain Remover Works the Best”)
3. Kyle Kellar (“Get Down and Dirty”)
Honourable mention–Cassie Caul (“The Lava Light”)
< *c>Grade six
1. Scott Williams (“Peanut Power”)
2. Kristina Caul (“Buoyancy and Density”)
3. Jeremy Caul (“Hydraulics”)
Honourable mention–Megan Johnson (“Browning of Apples”)
< *c>Grade seven
1. Kevin Empey (“Tar and Nicotine”) and Wyatt Hughes (“Arrow Penetration”)
2. Alyssa Harrison (“Hardwood Flooring”)
3. Rebecca Witherspoon (“Which Solution will Keep Flowers Looking Fresh”)
< *c>Grade eight
1. Rebecca Cornell (“Growth Spurts”)
2. Logan Donaldson (“Electromagnets”)
3. Courtney Beadle (“Musical plants”)
Honourable mention–Carly Zub (“Acid Rain and the Growth of Plants”) and Ashley Richardson (“Effects that Pollution and Osmosis have on Plants”).
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
