MLES students do well at 2016 South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair
Mountain Lake Public Elementary School (MLES) entries into the 2016 South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair – Elementary Division (Grades 3-6) achieved scientific success. Two Two entries received the regional science fair’s highest honor – purple ribbons – at the competition, held Saturday, April 30, at Myers Field House and Taylor Center on the campus of Minnesota State University-Mankato. Seven other entries were awarded blue ribbons.
This annual regional fair attracts more than 1,200 projects from southern Minnesota. Nearly 600 volunteer judges and staff personnel take part in the fair.
The science fair project is the culmination of hard work, persistent investigation and in-depth experimentation by the participating student scientists. Taking part in a science fair project gives the student the opportunity to share his or her interests with parents, guardians, relatives, neighbors, teachers and fellow students – as well as the chance to be interviewed by judges.
Participation contributes to the education of students in the thinking process – from formulating the projects to actually doing the experiments and reporting the data. Being a part of this process may mean the beginning of a life-long fascination with science for the student.
To present a science fair project, the student scientists develop a hypothesis, plan a process to test that hypothesis, put that process into motion using various hands-on materials, see the process to it completion and then explain the results.
Participating Mountain Lake students, their grade level, project titles and ribbon award (blue ribbon winners have the opportunity to advance to the Regional Science Fair) were as follows:
Local Science Fair coordinators are Pam Osland, elementary library media center paraprofessional and fourth-grade teacher Matt Anderson.
Below is a photo gallery of the purple and blue ribbon winners at the 2016 South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair, taken during the 2016 MLES Science Fair:
THE TWO-PERSON team of third-grade students Thaila Sengchan, left, and Carsen Hopper, center, explain the results of their “Fizzy Explosion” project to Signey Stoesz, from the Mountain Lake Public High School physics class of Jayme Fast during judging at the 2016 Mountain Lake Public Elementary School (MLES) Science Fair. The local competition was held in the elementary library on Friday, March 18. The duo earned blue ribbons to advance to the 2016 South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair, where they were awarded purple ribbons.MATT ANDERSON, LEFT, a fourth-grade teacher at MLES, and co-coordinator of the MLES Science Fair, learns which melts ice the fastest from fifth-grader Brooke Naas, right, as she explains her project, “Melt the Ice!” at the school’s 2016 Science Fair. Brooke was presented a blue ribbon at that time, allowing her to advance to the regional science fair, where her project earned a purple ribbon.SIXTH-GRADE STUDENT Olivia Christians, right, is judged by physics student Bailey Leaman, left, at the 2016 MLES Science Fair. Olivia’s research was on “Investigating Soil Erosion.” She moved on to the regional science fair with a blue ribbon. At the regional event, Olivia also received a blue ribbon.
PHYSICS CLASS MEMBER Sam Xayanourom, left, interviews the duo of sixth-grade students Wyatt Wall, center and Ian Penner, right, on their “Electric Garden.” The two young men earned a blue ribbon at the school science fair, as well as at the regional science fair.
HARLAN MUNNING’S SCIENCE Fair Project, “Glucose Number Rules,” takes a look at sugar levels in the bloodstream. Above, Harlan, a sixth-grader, left, is judged by physics student, Adam Watkins, right, at the school science fair. For his project, Harlan earned two blue ribbons – one from the local science fair and one at the regional science fair.
“POTATO POWER” was researched for this project by this duo of third-grade students, Tanner Schultz, left and Braxton Tollefson, right. Their project received a blue ribbon at the 2016 MLES Science Fair, as well as at the regional science fair.
THE BACTERIA IN this petri dish is central to sixth-grade student Madison Hartle’s Science Fair Project, “Clean?” What Madison is displaying is what what is found on a person’s fingertips after petting a dog. She received a blue ribbon at the school science fair and also at the regional science fair.
CHECK OUT THE plastic die in fifth-grade student Brice Anacker’s hand – formed from the breakdown of a plastic milk jug. The cube was one of the things he created in completing his Science Fair Project, “Milk to Plastic.” For his research, Brice earned a blue ribbon at the 2016 MLES Science Fair, as well as at the 2016 South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair.
FOURTH-GRADER KODY Wassman’s research on water vs. water in “Going . . . Going . . . Gone . . .” did actually evaporate – but then, that was the whole point of curiosity and experimentation. For his scientific research, Kody earned a blue ribbon at the school science fair, and teamed it up with a blue ribbon at the regional science fair.
