CHMS science fair reflects ‘scientific’ interests

Forty-six Charles Henderson Middle School eighth graders showed their interests Monday.

And, their schoolmates had a good time watching them do it.

CHMS hosted its seventh annual Science Fair and the eighth grade science students stood front and center to explain their projects to the sixth- and seventh-grade students.

“The students take ownership of their projects,” said Amanda Challancin, eighth-grade science teacher. “They choose a project based on their interests. Most of the projects are chemistry or physic projects but we do have a couple of life science projects this year.

“The students have to do research and put their projects together. That gets them thinking – problem solving.”

Challancin said the students have the option to work in pairs or independently.

“At the CHMS Science Fair, they have to demonstrate and explain their projects to the other students,” she said.

Not only do the students have to understand their projects and how they work, they have to verbalize that understanding to those who visit the Science Fair. And, that can be a challenge.

Tre Harris and Carson Tucker demonstrated their Lemon Floaties and said the other students found the project interesting and understandable.

“We have a lemon slice and a whole lemon,” Tucker said. “We ask them which on they think will skink in the tub of water. The lemon looks the heaviest so it looks like it will sink but the slice sinks because it has holes and absorbs the water real fast.”

Harris said the lemon has air inside its thick skin.

“It’s solid and water doesn’t get in it so it floats,” he said.

The projects included everything the five-second rule for germs to coronary heart disease to recording sounds with a tin can and a plastic funnel.

“The students who visit the Science Fair get a better idea of what the Science Fair is all about,” Challancin said. “It generates curiosity and encourages them to find out more about what is going on in the world around us. It’s a learning experience all the way around.”

Challancin said the Science Fair is an event that the eighth-graders look forward to each year.

“They all worked hard and did a good job,” she said. “I’m proud of their efforts.”