February 20, 2020
Twenty years ago, I taught 8th grade Physical Science at an independent school in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, I had mixed emotions about the annual Science Fair. Students certainly learned about the scientific method, and many grew more independent as they tackled projects over the course of a marking period. On the flip side, preparation ate up a sizable chunk of class time, and more importantly, judging the students was a stressful, imperfect process. I still remember a father formally challenging his son’s scores, at least in part because he had a bit too much ownership of the project.
At least one parent agrees with me about the stress that science fair can cause.
I wish that, those many years ago, someone had introduced me to the TDS Science Expo. With more than eighty experiments, demonstrations, and research projects on display, and just as many budding scientists proudly displaying their hypotheses, results and conclusions, last night’s Science Expo was a stunning success. During the first hour, students took turns standing by their projects and visiting those created by their peers. As I made my way around the gym, I learned that ice melts faster in water than in Coke or milk; what plants need to grow; how to make ice cream without a freezer; the ideal amount of yeast to put in bread; the science behind lip balm; and all about the absorbency of various fabrics. I also saw a density tower, lots of homemade slime, dry erase marker “ink” floating in water, as well as collections of rocks, minerals, and even shark teeth.
During the second hour, students and parents migrated to the Hardin Academic Center, where physics and chemistry students from Duke University led a wide variety of engaging, hands-on activities. Remnants from the “glitter smoothies” might be in the Commons for the rest of the year! Finally, Trinity School seniors were on hand to show off their robot, and our students (and Mr. Forringer!) had the chance to drive it through a complicated maze.
It was wonderful to see so many of you supporting your children last night. In particular, I’d like to thank Dan Forringer, Karen Fisher, Erin Nelson, and Lori Khan for their hours of planning, organizing, and working with our young scientists. Our students chose a topic of personal interest, performed research, designed and carried out experiments, and displayed and explained their results. February is Career Month at TDS, and many of our students are well on their way to prolific careers in the sciences.
Looking ahead, our Lower and Middle School Science Olympiad teams enter their competitions in the next month. I look forward to sharing about that in future letters. Finally, while Pi Day takes place over Spring Break, our annual Pi Recitation Contest – the signature event during a fun-filled Math Week – is exactly one month away. Click here to begin memorizing your digits!
Doug Norry
Head of School
