Environmental Science Fair

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Environmental Science Fair

Our school held an Environmental Science Fair on April 13, 2011.  We began planning the activity in the fall.  Each grade level chose an environmental education topic and planned an investigation around that topic.  

Our kindergartners learned about the importance of recycling, and each student made new paper from old paper.  First graders learned about biomes and created terrariums representing different biomes.  Plants and animals suited for each habitat were added to the terrariums.  Second graders learned about the life cycle of Monarch butterflies by raising Monarchs from eggs.  The Monarchs were released into our school garden where the students planted milkweed for the next generation of caterpillars.  

Third graders made individual solar apple bakers. At the endof the day the students feasted on the baked apples which were sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.  Fourth graders studied how the physical factors in an ecosystem affect the living conditions for the plants and animals that live there.  Through several experiments, they learned how the concentration of salt in Mono Lake can affect the hatching rates of brine shrimp, which in turn affects the populations of birds that use the lake during migration.

Fifth graders completed experiments to learn about the Greenhouse Effect.  They placed open and closed bottles in the sun and monitored the temperature.  The temperature in the closed containers rose much higher than in the open container, simulating the greenhouse effect.  Sixth graders completed independent opinion poll projects on environmental issues.  

As the projects were completed throughout the school year, teachers took pictures and saved student work.  In early April, each grade level completed a science backboard for display on Earth Day.  The backboards were set on tables in the school courtyard.  Classes rotated through the displays, stopping at each one to learn about the topics that were covered.  Other than a few issues with the wind, a good time was had by all.