Middle school kids show off science knowledge

SARAH MANIAPIK

IQALUIT — Students at Aqsarniit Middle School in Iqaluit held their first science fair last week.

Students and teachers put a lot of hard work into their presentations, and created 77 entries from students working either alone or in pairs.

Students were eager to have people come to their displays and do demostrations on anyone willing to participate.

One popular display was a demonstration intended to show how the blubber on whales keeps them warm.

In it, particpants would put plastic bags over each hand. One hand would be slathered in lard, while the other hand would stay bare.

After that, each hand would be immersed in cold water. Of course, the hand with no lard on it would get cold first.

First prize for the Grade 6 students went to Alexia Cousins and partner Karen Flaherty for a project on fetal alcohol syndrome.

Second prize was given to two different participants, Katie Sammon, for her project “Effects of Cola,” and Nick Dunphy for his project “Leftie and Rightie.”

Third prize went to Ina Tikivik and Samantha Mackinder for “Refraction.”

First prize for the seventh grade went to Geret Horlick for his project “The effect of cold temperture on motor oil.”

Second prize went to Haiga Jeffrey and Connie Mark for their project “Is smoking a problem for middle school students?”

Third prize went to Lindsay Lloyd and to Lauren Teiman for their project “Perfect glove.”

Mary Parks, a Grade 7 teacher at the middle schoo was the coordinator for the science fair.

From the first development stages, “it took about two months of planning and conversing back and forth with the staff and the community, and finding judges,” says Parks.

“We started by coming up with a date and location so the students and the public would have access to the science fair,” says Parks.

She says the overall participation was great, and the students were excited and nervous, says Parks.