Event filled with Hands-on Learning Experiences
Students at Auburn Elementary in the Avondale School District had opportunity to try their hand at science fun that included everything from making ice cream to operating VEX robotics during the school’s annual Science Fair. In addition, the Kindergarten through 5th grade students displayed their science mastery through their own entries into the fair presenting on a variety of topics through either a science demonstration; a collection display; an invention; or through an experiment which required the student to utilize the scientific method of observation, research, hypothesis, experiment, data collection and conclusion.
Though the focus of a science fair is perceived as science, in reality, students must call on skills developed in other disciplines as they create their projects and presentations. “What I love about science fairs is that they go beyond just science,” said Auburn Elementary parent Bonnie Kakuda. “As the students move from concept to reality with their projects, they bring in language arts, mathematics, communication skills and team work.”
During the early part of the evening – the Science Discovery segment – students presented their projects and explained their experiments to guests traveling from table to table. The second half of the evening – the Up Close Science segment – included activities like ice cream making, driving VEX robots, a rainbow density experiment, a cola sugar content experiment, an exhibit about solar energy, using microscopes to study sand crystals from around the world, and using a toothbrush to create an Art-Bot that doodled by itself. In addition, Auburn Hills Hawk Woods Nature Center was on hand with reptiles and rabbits for the students to observe, touch and learn about.
The Auburn Elementary PTO sponsored the evening in partnership with Avondale Middle School science teachers, the Avondale High School RoboJackets robotics team, the Auburn Hills, Hawk Woods Nature Center and students from Oakland University.
Kakuda saw many well researched and well executed presentations by the students but one display in particular caught her eye. “A second-grader who did her project on how exercise impacts her dog’s heart rate was able to walk me through her display – form beginning to end – with poise and confidence. She may have had some help from her parents with the research but her presentation of the information demonstrated that she thoroughly understood her topic – that’s impressive for a second-grader.”