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 Mamaroneck, NY - The Mamaroneck Avenue School (MAS) 2008 Science Fair, held on Thursday, June 5th, explored many marvels of science. Eighty-five projects were on display, ranging from “The Life Cycle of a Butterfly’ to “The Mysteries of Penguins” to “How Much Can Recycling Lower Trash?”.
The Science Fair involved students in grades kindergarten through fifth and over 140 children participated either individually or in a group.
“It’s a great science fair,” said Carrie Amon, Principal of MAS, “because it’s non-competitive and truly about teaching the children how to do scientific research, not about winning blue ribbons.” And the kids’ research covered a variety of topics. There were the requisite volcanoes, but also a demonstration of a solar eclipse and a in-depth look into black holes.
The kids’ scientific journeys started with a question or problem. Then, they were asked to make a guess as to what the answer was to their question – the hypothesis. Next they made a list of the materials needed and the procedure necessary to test their hypothesis. Then they recorded the observations they made, some keeping elaborate notes and putting drawings in their journals. Then, they were asked to explain their observations. And each step of their research was included on their displays, many including pictures, drawings, and three dimensional exhibits.
Of course, there were even a few exhibits that visitors to the fair are probably still debating. For instance, first grader Jack Rosenfeld and second grader Alexis Pisco tried to answer the question “Is there life on Mars?” First grader Sam Goodman asked “Who can lose more weight: Mommy or the kitty cat?”, while fourth grader Lyndsey Will asked “How many more dogs are right pawed or left pawed?”
“We hope everyone had a good time. And we hope the students that participate gain a different perspective of the world through science and develop the skills necessary to succeed in today’s society,” said Debbie Trepanier, PTA president. “We appreciate the involvement of the students, parents and teachers who participated in the fair. We really had great support and a great turnout this year.”
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