On Saturday, April 14, Lower School teams (grades 3 through 6) from fifteen area schools competed in nineteen different events, showcasing their science knowledge and abilities, collaborating well with teammates, and having fun while doing science!

The TDS team worked diligently with Coach Lori Khan, Middle School Science Teacher, to prepare. Congratulations to Harrison(3), Henry(3), Anna (3), Ellie(3), Nureen (3), Jenna (3), Kai (3), Wills(3), Jas Fisher (3), Imani (4), Ben (4), Anisha  4), Cora(4), Conlan(4), Oliver (5), Logan (5), Kate (6) and Lulu (6) for representing TDS so well.

Below are descriptions of the challenges that these brave students faced on Saturday:

3,2,1 Blast Off! – Harrison and Henry constructed rockets from soda bottles designed to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time.

Backyard Biologist – Anisha and Cora identified organisms – plants, trees, and birds – and were tested on their habitats and living conditions.

Bridge-a-roni – Anna and Ellie designed a bridge using pasta and glue to hold a maximum weight. Congratulations on a third place finish!

Chew the Fat – Nureen and Jenna identified parts of the digestive system and their functions.

Data Crunchers – Anisha and Cora dug into the data, interpreting graphs, measuring, estimating, and performing all sorts of calculations.

Describe It, Build It – After being handed a device, Lulu wrote detailed instructions on how to build it, and then Kate used the directions to build the exact device. Congratulations on a second place finish!

Duct Tape Challenge – Kai and Ben built a tall, structurally sound tower using mainly duct tape. Congratulations on a fourth place finish!

Ecology Experts – Anna and Cora demonstrated their knowledge of forests, deserts, and grasslands.

Fossil Frenzy – Wills and Jas learned all about geologic time, dinosaurs, fossils, and the fossilization process.

Movers & Shakers – Nureen and Jenna were tested on their knowledge of plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes and related land formations.

Science Password – Anisha, Kate and Lulu took turns giving clues for a variety of scientific terms or concepts for their teammates to guess.

Sky Quest – Imani and Ben learned all about the solar system in preparation for this.

STEM Design Challenge – Harrison, Henry and Conlan built a structure using only K’nex pieces.

Super Sleuths – Kate and Lulu identified mystery powders, distinguished among hair fibers, and examined footprints to decipher a given scenario. Congratulations on a third place finish!

The Heat is On – Oliver and Logan were assessed on their knowledge of energy, physical changes, and changes in states of matter due to heating and cooling. Congratulations on a third place finish!

Trajeggtory – Kai and Conlan built a device to protect a raw egg from breaking when tossed over a bar or barrier.

Weather Permitting – Ben and Wills learned about weather, climate, and severe storms.

What’s the Matter? – Oliver and Logan delved into the physical properties of matter and the behavior of solids, liquids, and gases. Congratulations on a third placefinish!

Work it Out – Anna, Ellie, Imani and Kai competed in a relay race involving all things science.

All in all, it was an exciting day of science fun. This young team is poised to build on their inaugural performance. Ms. Khan hopes to work with even more budding scientists next year.

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