By Chris Hendrickson, contributing writer
If you’ve ever wondered what type of dish detergent most effectively cuts through grease, which brand of diaper holds the most liquid without leaking or what material placed over a cup of coffee keeps the liquid the hottest for the longest period of time, Gold Bar Elementary was the place to be last week.
The school’s 18th annual student science fair, held on Thursday, Feb. 6, featured a broad array of different scientific investigations. Science fair participation is a requirement for all 5th grade students, and younger students are welcome to join in, as well. Students set up individual display stations which include both visual aids and data; often recreating their experiments when feasible. They then stand by to take questions from parents and other members of the community who are given the opportunity to browse the exhibits.
It was Gold Bar Elementary School Principal Jake Rodgers’ first time experiencing the school’s science fair. Rodgers, who is new to the area, came to Gold Bar last fall from the Mukilteo School District. He stated that he greatly enjoyed the event and felt that the students did a fantastic job.
“Not only does it benefit the students by recognizing their hard work and learning; but it also helps build excitement around science for the rest of the students at our school,” said Rodgers. “Our achievement in science is something that our school is very proud of.”
Students were asked to use the scientific method when conducting their research, including asking a question, developing a hypothesis, designating the variables, collecting data and summarizing their findings. They provided material lists, procedural outlines and documented whether or not their findings matched their original theories.
Fifth-grade student Carmen Valencia decided to analyze which dish detergent was the most effective at breaking down fat. She utilized three different brands of soap in her investigation; Gain, Sun and Palmolive. Valencia chose her project after conducting internet research and locating a similar soap-analysis methodology.
“What I did is I just took that science investigation to a whole other level,” said Valencia.
After performing her experiment, Valencia discovered that her findings didn’t match her initial theory; she predicted that Gain would be the most effective dish soap but her results indicated that Palmolive was actually better at breaking down fat. Valencia didn’t mind having to revise her perspective.
“This whole process is about learning,” said Valencia.
Some projects included physical activity as a part of the research; two students evaluated particular movements to determine which exercises raised their heart rates the most. Millie Carpenter focused on gymnastics maneuvers while Ella Owens studied different volleyball moves.
One student decided to take a closer look at human blood sugar levels. In addition to applying the scientific method, fifth-grade student Jack Ramsey also practiced the art of delegating in his experiment. Ramsey recruited his brother to participate in his blood sugar analysis which required a pinprick to the tip of his brother’s finger.
“I didn’t do it because I don’t like getting shots,” said Ramsey.
Ramsey supervised, using a blood glucose meter to check his brother’s blood sugar level. He then re-checked the level after his brother had eaten a particular type of candy. He conducted the experiment over five days, utilizing a different type of sugary treat on each day. Ramsey’s test materials included pixie sticks, sour patch kids, milk chocolate, hard candy and gum.
What type of candy raised his brother’s blood glucose levels the most? A pixie stick.
“It doubled,” said Ramsey. He pointed to a graph that showed his brother’s starting blood glucose level of 107, compared to 218, which is what it was after eating the pixie stick.
Other projects included what breed of chicken eggs hatch the soonest, whether scented candles burn quicker than unscented candles, what substance “tricks your taste buds” the most, what sugar makes the best rock candy, and what type of soda, when combined with four Mentos, creates the highest explosion of fizz. Students also looked at crater formation, power sources and what substances freeze the quickest.
In his coffee temperature experiment, fourth-grade student Jack Frisbie poured coffee into three cups, covering each cup with a different material. He utilized tin foil, plastic and cloth, and his quest was to determine which material kept the liquid the hottest for the longest period of time. The results of his research showed that the cloth covering kept the coffee the hottest.
One student took a scholastic approach and performed a memorization study to determine whether words are more easily memorized when read from paper or a computer screen. Good old-fashioned paper won out in this study, which was conducted by Annika Evenson.
The science fair started at 2 p.m. and continued for a little over an hour.