Kira Hunt, fifth year, wanted to know if the color of the paper had an effect on the performance of her classmates on mathematics problems. She hypothesized that students would occur with more speed and precision when they have given mathematical problems on bright colors paper. Thus, she conducted an experience to find answers.
During the last month, Kira and many other students from the Dewey primary school undertaken to investigate their own scientific interests.
They presented their conclusions to a complete gymnasium of parents, peers and even students graduates from the North West for their fifth annual science fair on Wednesday evening.
Indeed, Kira’s hypothesis was correct. Students worked most quickly on yellow paper compared to others.
“I really like mathematics, and I noticed that I do better on certain paper colors,” said Kira. “I just wanted to see if it was true.”
She considered the potential applications of her results, saying that she thought that students could use her results to improve the accuracy and speed of their work.
Other students were delighted to see the scientific method in action in their projects.
With two other students, Benjamin, fourth year, compared the effects of different types of water on plant growth.
But more importantly, said Benjamin, they “also used complicated words like the hypothesis”.
The parents of students Dewey were able to remove new knowledge, not only by seeing the students’ projects, but also by looking at their children making new discoveries, said Peter Isaac, the parent of a fourth year student.
“I learned more about science in the past four days than I have probably done in the past 20 years,” said Isaac.
New this year in the scientific fair was the participation of the North of Northwestern Society for the progress of chicanos / Hispanic and Amerindians in science chapter.
Sable is an organization made up of graduate students who work to promote the involvement of Hispanic, Amerindian groups and other under-represented groups in the field of science.
“The goal is to give experience to these students, because it could arouse this interest and help them understand what they want to do,” said the president of the Sacnas section, Melissa Fajardo.
Sable The president of awareness, Alex Maldonado, was able to link the group to the Dewey Science Fair Committee, thanks to a post-doctoral researcher in his laboratory whose children frequent primary school.
The members of the group have set up tables along the rear wall of the gymnasium, giving elementary schoolchildren the possibility of designing marshmallow towers, examining petri boxes under digital microscopes and tinkering with cup robots.
Maldonado, who is Puerto Rican, hopes to show children of an environment similar to his that there is a place for them in the field of science. He said that he hoped that students will be able to see the members of the Les Sacnas and think: “They look like me, they can do that, it’s cool.
Troy Foster is the head of the Scientific Fair Committee, a group of parents who began to meet in January to organize the event sponsored by the PTA. He noted the importance of allowing students to know more about their own interests.
“What is done is to give them a great chance to explore the science they like, instead of something that was already organized in class and chosen by the teacher,” said Foster. “Most of these projects are things that interest children, such as basketball or robots.”
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