Date: Fri 02-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Discovery-Science-Fair

Full Text:

Discovery Science Fair

(with photos)

BY ANN MARIE COHEN

The annual Discovery Science Fair was presented by the Newtown Junior Women's

Club at the Newtown High School Cafeteria on Saturday, March 27. The fair was

non-competitive and open to all students in kindergarten through grade five

who live in Newtown, including those attending private schools and

home-schooled children.

Each entrant received a certificate and ribbon for the completion of a

scientifically based project that fulfilled set criteria.

Barbara Bingham, third grade teacher at Sandy Hook School, was on hand to

explain the science unit her students had just worked on. Her students grew

plants and studied the plants' 35-day sequential growth pattern. They then

used their math skills to graph the resulting growth on horizontal and

vertical bar graphs.

Vincent Brophy, a student in Mrs Bushka's kindergarten class at Hawley School

was among a group of young scientists ready to share his project. Vincent

displayed a reproduction of the digestive system. Complete with mouth, throat,

a bright red funnel and some tubular hoses for the small and large intestines,

Vincent was able to explain the route food takes through the digestive system.

"I didn't get much help from dad at all, only a little for the nailing."

Vincent was proudly referring to the wooden chamber that surrounded his

project.

Parents make up an integral part of the science fair due to the desire of the

Newtown Junior Women's Club to see parents' active involvement in their

child's science education. The aim of the fair is to show students that

science is fun.