Science Fair -- Held February 2, 2012. Incoming head of school ElizaBeth McCay looks forward to one in 2013!
This year, Free Union held its first science fair for second, third, fourth, and fifth graders. Participation was entirely voluntary.
Science, from the Latin word scientia meaning knowledge, is a systematic way of knowing, answering questions, and making predictions. It all begins with an observation: A mighty oak tree fell down in a storm, followed by a question: Why did that one fall and not the others around it? How we answer the question, step by step, making guesses and testing them to see if they make sense and coming to the best reason we can find at the moment is the domain of science.
Then there's technology: Using science to solve practical problems. Don't get me started on this subject. It's too exciting and takes us into fun areas of applied science, like: how airplanes stay up, how computers work so fast, how radio-controlled toys follow our instructions, and why some substances make us sick while others help us be well.
November 2011 application form and letter to students inviting them to participate in the science fair.
November 2011 email that went to parents regarding the science fair.
January 2012 email with final fair instructions.
Resources for Science Fair Projects
Students and parents may wish to peruse the following links for science fair ideas and projects:
Kids -- Math and Science -- Experiments and Science Fair Projects
List of science project questions from the Chicago Academy of Sciences
PBS Kids list of links to science projects
Special Suggestions for Our Second Graders
Second graders may wish to write about their favorite animal or perhaps an unusual animal that interests them. In learning about their animal, students may wish draw several colorful pictures of the animal, and list on a poster:
- the animal's common and scientific names
- the animal's habitat (where it lives)
- the names of other animals and plants that live in your animal's community
- whether the animal is more active during the day (diurnal) or the night (nocturnal)
- the food that your animal eats
- predators that may eat your animal
- an interesting fact that most people do not know about the animal
- the reasons you chose to study this particular animal
Pictures of students and their science fair projects
Several third and fourth grade projects from another school
