Science Fair 3/12/08

Everywhere else we've lived, Science Fair participation has always been optional. Here, it is NOT! It is a large portion of the Science grade in 5th and 6th grades. Much to my great pleasure, we had just missed it when we moved here last year. So this year began 2 of 9 Science Fair entries for Elementary School in our family. (We are told that in Middle School, it depends on which Science teacher you get, so the number may increase.)

Ethan did his project on how different dried fruit respond when dropped into Sprite. He had fun doing the experiments, but did not enjoy talking to the judges. He said he didn't even look at them. He said the best part was that he drank the Sprite when it was all over! He received an orange ribbon for his participation in the School Science Fair, and was a little bummed that he didn't place.

Caitlin's was on potato regeneration. She tested to see which potato will grow the same number of shoots: a whole potato, 2 halves, 3 thirds,...and so on, up to 8 eighths. She won a 2nd place ribbon in the School Science Fair, along with the orange participation ribbon, and advanced to the Regional Science Fair, which was held yesterday at MT Tech.

At Tech yesterday, she won a 1st place ribbon, and was asked to stay for the awards ceremony, where she was awarded a gold medal in the 6th Grade Life Science category and nominated to the Society for Science and the Public. (They also gave her a fun T-shirt.) She will advance to the State Science Fair held in April at University of Montana in Missoula. She will be entered into a contest for the National Discovery Channel Science Fair in Washington DC where only 300 students from the entire U.S. will be selected.

Now even though this was not a win for Ethan, he agrees that it's pretty cool that he doesn't have to visit with any more judges, but gets to enjoy all the perks! He wasn't feeling well yesterday so he missed school & went up to MT Tech & out to lunch with me & Caitlin. He will also get to miss school to go to Missoula with the family for a few days. They are already talking about swimming at the C'mon Inn.

Ethan's Vanna pose!