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A Few Clouds Seaford students explore the world
Middle school hosts annual science fair
Seaford Middle School students spent the last several weeks studying the world around them, and on Feb. 12 they showed off what they learned at the annual science fair.
About 60 students participated in the fair, which was open to anyone in the school.
Some students worked by themselves, while others paired up. As guests walked around the cafeteria at the after-school fair, they were able to see potato light, learn how crystals are formed and discover which gender has the best memory.
“No two are alike,” science teacher Roseann Zeblisky said of the more than 30 projects on display. “The kids’ interest are diverse.”
Taking part in the science fair was completely voluntary. It had no bearing on their grades, but the projects were judged. Zeblisky said this is the sixth year the school has hosted the fair, and student interest has continued to grow.
“It gets kids to have fun with science,” she said. “I find out what they want to learn. It’s all about them. They pick the projects and they do the work.”
Of course, Zeblisky said, the science teachers are always willing to offer their guidance, but most of the work is done at home. Students had to follow the scientific process, in which they had to pick a topic, make a hypothesis, and conduct an experiment.
Seventh-grader Jason Linzer tested the efficiency of antibacterial agents. After preparing a bacteria, he watched it in three Petri dishes and observed how it did using different agents. “Turns out,” he said, “soap and water is best for keeping your hands clean.”
Sarah Keane and Julianne Crawford teamed up to study the impact of oil spills on ocean life. The sixth-graders put a toy duck in a jar of water, and added cooking oil. They noticed that the oil made a ring on the duck, and even started to seep into it.
“I feel bad for the animals,” Crawford said, referring to those impacted by real oil spills. “They shouldn’t be going through this.”
Sixth-grader Vincent Timiani put different types of food bars in his hamster’s cage. He predicted that his pet, Joey, would like the one with honey the most and it did.
