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Students at Suntree Elementary School recently showed off some of what they learned in science this year.
More than 300 science projects created by fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students went on display on Dec. 1 as part of the school’s science fair on campus.
“They were all able to practice the whole scientific process or the robotic or engineering process that we’ve discussed in the very beginning of the year,” said teacher Missy Madl, who was one of the organizers. “We think it’s a great opportunity for them to explore. We wanted them to all have that experience so maybe if they want to go into a career or even explore it more into middle school or high school.”
Among some of the projects were those relating to how the temperature of a pickleball, how high it bounces and which material grew the most barnacles — wood, plastic or metal.
Others dealt with how the location of an obstacle in a channel of water affected the speed of a floating object and whether live bait or lures catch the most fish.
First-place projects in the event were to be displayed at the Brevard Mainland Regional STEM (science, technology, math and engineering) Fair at the Merritt Square Mall on Feb. 20, according to Madl.
“Physics and astronomy was the hot topic,” she said. “We had over 100 projects in the physics and astronomy (category).”
Madl said that students were apprehensive, but ready to participate in the school’s fair.
“They were excited but they were very nervous,” Madl said. “It’s a lot of preparation making sure they’re understanding each of the steps of the whole scientific process because you can go over it in class. We can do a lot of investigations and experiments in class but when they’re doing it in their home, it’s a little different. So, they are constantly coming back with questions. It’s great because they also have the curiosity of ‘well what would happen if I did this instead of this?’ It gets their curiosity, gets their mind going, which is really exciting to see.”
