Enriching Science     A student with her Display Board

Question, predict, experiment, record, and conclude these were the essential elements required for the fourth/fifth Science Fair at Nine Mile Falls Elementary School. Students in Mrs. Janet Lake’s and Mrs. Barb McCray’s classes were given a notebook outlining in detail the guidelines for their experiments, which were brought further into alignment with the fifth grade science Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) set by the State of Washington.

Following the Scientific Method, the students had to develop a question to answer on a topic of interest. The emphasis was placed on conducting an experiment, not a demonstration or a collection of data. As part of their planning sheet, they were to list the variables: what was controlled, what was manipulated, and what was the response. They were to run their experiment three times and to list results on a data table or graph. Also to be included were when they would observe and how they would measure and record the data. In their conclusion, the students were to specify the data that either supported their prediction or that proved it false. During conference week, Science Fair experiments were displayed in the cafeteria.

“How does the amount of salt affect the time it takes water to freeze?” One student researched this question with her experiment. She used one cup of sea salt per cup of water and charted the progress in 30 minute increments. In just two and a half hours, the unsalted water froze; the salted water only became slushy, even when she kept it in the freezer overnight!

Another scientist researched the effect of different light sources on solar cells. To do this he tested four light bulbs of varying wattage, 100, 23, 30, and 13. He found that they all produced a meter reading immediately, but that the 100 watt light bulb produced the most volts. He concluded that “the more watts you have, the more voltage you get.”

Another student asked, “How do different flavors of gum affect the temperature of your mouth?” Her hypothesis was, “I think the spicier the gum, the temperature in the mouth will be higher.” To test this, she selected three flavors of Trident gum: Tropical Juices, Spearmint, and Mint. She conducted three trials, chewing each flavor for one minute. In between chews, she gargled. A chart was completed to display her findings. She discovered that while the temperature in her mouth went up, there was no pattern; though the Mint had the spicier taste, no one flavor consistently raised the temperature in her mouth. “If you want to heat your mouth, don’t use gum!” she stated.

Science Fairs have long been a part of fifth grade science. Through conducting experiments like true scientists, the students apply what they learn in the classroom to a research topic of their own interest. This results in a Science Fair full of creative experiments that enrich student learning.