All about science

You haven’t been to a science fair until you’ve been to a Seabury science fair! On science fair day, the entire school buzzes with excitement as every student, from pre-k to eighth great gets the chance to put their scientific explorations on display for the whole student body, teachers, staff, and families.

Students worked on their projects almost entirely at home so many drew heavily on readily available materials, such as kitchen items, food, and pets. As in most independent projects at Seabury, students are encouraged to use their interests as inspiration. There was a project on the reactions between chemical components, one on the DNA of fruit, another on a mouse’s favorite food, and more than one project on rainbows. Some students had a burning question they needed answered and used their experiments as methods to answer those questions. From pre-k to eighth grade, the students’ passions and personalities came shining through in their projects.

While the experiments themselves are learning experiences, being able to stand next to your project and explain your thoughts and processes is a whole other experience. On the morning of the science fair, our students had the opportunity to wander through classrooms to see what their peers had created. In the afternoon, they stood with their projects to share what they wondered, learned, and discovered with families – theirs and those of other students. For some of our students this came easily, for others it might have been more of a challenge. Research suggests that introversion occurs in a higher rate in the gifted population, and we know that the presentation aspect of the Science Fair might be a source of anxiety for some of our kids. Nevertheless, they did a fine job talking about projects they were proud of.   

It is always a special day when our school community gathers. Our younger students love to hang out with the middle schoolers, and they were clearly in awe of their big kids’ science experiments. And we love occasions when families can come to school. It is a wonderful thing to be at a small school where the community is strong and sharing in achievements can be a whole school affair.