Vermilion Elementary School Holds Science Fair

On February 7, students from Grades 1 to 6 at Vermilion Elementary School had the opportunity to demonstrate their scientific knowledge and creativity at the school’s 26th annual Science Fair. The event, held in the school gymnasium from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., featured a diverse array of research-based and experimental projects presented to judges, teachers, fellow students, and family members.

The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as 49 students proudly showcased 26 unique projects. Research-based presentations covered topics such as fossils, rocks, Earth’s layers, the solar system, and animal species, etc. Meanwhile, experiment-based projects explored scientific phenomena, including the creation of invisible ink using fruit juices, DIY lava lamps, buoyancy tests on different cookies, and determining which substances accelerate ice melting.

Grade 3 teacher Mr. Greg Haslehurst who co-organizes the event with fellow Grade 2/3 teacher Mrs. Raelene Tupper explained the structure of the Science Fair: “Students in Grades 1, 2, and 3 could choose between research or performing an experiment, while students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 completed an experiment-based project. The children had approximately three weeks to develop their projects, select a topic, and ensure their experiments could follow scientific methodology. Those conducting experiments needed to have a testable question, make observations, and draw conclusions based on their findings. Research projects required students to demonstrate an understanding of their chosen topic, whether it be planets, animals, or rocks and earth, etc.”

Haslehurst emphasized that the Science Fair not only fosters scientific curiosity but also encourages students to explore subjects that genuinely interest them. “This event has been a tradition for 26 years, promoting hands-on learning and the application of the scientific method,” he noted. “The judges were highly impressed by the students’ ability to present their findings clearly and confidently. Each experiment included a research question, hypothesis, materials list, procedure, observations, and a conclusion, while research projects incorporated detailed explanations supported by images, drawings, or models.”

Students who met the excellence criteria received black and red ribbons, signifying their ability to thoroughly explain their projects and apply scientific principles effectively.

One standout experiment was conducted by Grade 1 student Jaxon Baldwin, who demonstrated how to create a lava lamp using water, food coloring, oil, and Alka-Seltzer tablets. “You add water, food coloring, and oil to a bottle, then drop in a small piece of Alka-Seltzer. It makes bubbles that look like a lava lamp,” Baldwin explained. He warned that using a piece of Alka-Seltzer too large would cause excessive foaming, making it difficult to see the bubbles. “You can’t put in too big a piece, it will make too much foam and overflow like a volcano!” he exclaimed. When asked what he enjoys about science, Baldwin responded enthusiastically, “It’s cool, it’s fun, and you get to learn new things!”

Another engaging experiment, titled The Great Cookie Dunk, was conducted by Grade 2 students Kennedy Walker, Hensley Stolz, and Leighton Flaata. Their project aimed to determine which types of cookies (Oreo, Breaktime Chocolate Chip, Breaktime Oatmeal and Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip) would float or sink in milk within a controlled time frame of 30 seconds. When asked about their favourite aspect of science, Walker stated, “I like doing experiments because you get to learn about different things.” Flaata added, “If you don’t know something, you can learn about it by doing research or experiments.” Stolz echoed their sentiments, saying, “I like science because you learn something new every time.”

Grade 3 student Andrew Craig presented a research project on the solar system, highlighting key facts about planetary lifecycles. “Planets evolve over billions of years. The Sun has a life cycle too. Our Sun is in its yellow dwarf stage, which it has been in for approximately 4.6 billion years. It will remain in this stage for another 5 billion years,” Craig explained.

Grade 4 students Emery Woywitka and Lauren Wight explored the effects of various substances on ice melting in their experiment, It’s the Final Meltdown. “We tested baking soda, salt, vinegar, and fertilizer to see which would melt ice the fastest,” Woywitka stated. “We discovered that salt melted the ice the fastest.” When asked about the effects of baking soda, she added, “It just made the ice foamy; it didn’t really melt it much.”

The Science Fair continues to be a highlight at Vermilion Elementary School, providing students with an engaging platform to develop critical thinking skills, explore scientific concepts, and communicate their discoveries with confidence. With another successful event completed, students and organizers look forward to fostering the next generation of young scientists in the years to come. This year’s event saw 17 projects receiving a mark of excellence and awarded merit ribbons.