PHOTO PROVIDED Students are seen testing out different types of ramps.

PHOTO PROVIDED
Tucker Williams and Natalia Dorman demonstrate what objects a magnet will and will not stick to around the classroom.

Students in Mrs. Heggenstaller’s science class at CMMS learned about the scientific method in October and held a Science Fair in class. Students worked collaboratively in groups to conduct a science experiment of choice, create a presentation and share their findings with their peers. Some of the experiments included Growing Seeds — Will a corn or bean seed sprout first, Ramp it! — Will a taller or shorter ramp cause a car to travel faster, Mixture or Solution — Students followed two recipes to see whether the ingredients became a mixture or solution, Magnets — What will a magnet stick to in the classroom, and Grow a Gummy Bear — What will happen to a gummy bear in water, salt water, and sugar water.

The students were given a variety of experiments from the program and were given the opportunity to choose the one that interested them the most. Teachers decided to do the science fair because in the program they used called Unique Learning Systems, the theme for October was “Middle School Science Fair.” They thought a classroom science fair would provide their students with a learning opportunity that they may not have otherwise experienced.

Megan Heggenstaller, classroom teacher said, “The students were excited to share what they learned with their classmates. Some were nervous about presenting but felt important.”

The students were excited and wanted to explore each experiment. Some students wanted to test additional hypotheses, such as what would happen to the car if we built the ramp even higher or what would happen to the gummy bear in soda?

The Science Fair was a great learning experience for all Mrs. Heggenstaller’s students.