Get Ready for Science Fair Season: Tips, Trends, and Exciting Projects to Inspire Young Innovators – The Tribune

Science Fair Season is Here

It’s that exciting time of year again—science fair season! Students in Lawrence County are gearing up to showcase their creative projects. Individual schools are hosting their own fairs to select participants for the big county fair happening on February 6.

At South Point Elementary, fifth graders displayed their projects in the gym. Teachers and local judges evaluated the work while families gathered to support their young scientists. Tabatha Gordillo, the fifth-grade teacher, noted that students presented a variety of projects spanning six different categories.

Some students opted for individual projects, while others teamed up. Myles Joy and Garrett Hutchinson decided to work together on “Boy vs. Bots.” Their project featured a miniature robot racing around a track. They aimed to find out if the robot could beat a 10-year-old boy in a race. As Myles noted, “We’re both very competitive!”

Throughout their experiment, the boys discovered that the robot would hesitate when encountering small bumps on the track. Their results showed that the robot ran six laps in the same time it took the boy to complete four to six laps. They learned a lot about how the robot functioned in comparison to human speed.

Another standout at the fair was Nahla Robinson, who studied the effect of light on Venus flytraps. She grew three plants under different lighting conditions: direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, and total darkness. Initially, she thought the plants would thrive best in direct light. However, her findings surprised her; the plant in indirect light grew the strongest. She suspected that the abrupt exposure to direct light might have overwhelmed the plants, as they were used to lower light conditions like the ones at the store where she bought them.

Students also tackled imaginative topics. Lyndlee Edwards presented her project “Things That Go Bump in the Night.” She wanted to explore the noises that often frighten children. “I wanted to show that these sounds can be explained scientifically,” she explained. In her project, she and her father built a device using wood and nails, heating it over a fire and cooling it in the freezer to mimic the sounds heard at home. Lyndlee shared that she became comfortable explaining her project without needing any notes.

The winners from these school fairs will have the chance to compete in the county science fair, hosted by the Lawrence County Educational Services Center. It’s a wonderful opportunity for young scientists to share their creativity and discoveries with a larger audience!