Richard Woonacott, a judge, looks for the W.O.W. in a science
project -- something that will allow him to say "what outstanding
work."
He was definitely
impressed by the effort shown by students at the Sacramento Regional Science
and Engineering Fair held Saturday at Cal Expo. The fair showcased projects
from about 250 students from eight counties in the
"It's nice to
converse with the students and hear what they say about the project, whether
they followed a scientific method," Woonacott
said.
He can also tell if the
project is the student's own work or if they had help.
The sixth annual event
featured entries from volcanoes to more elaborate intellectual displays, such
as a project on monitoring heart rates.
Prizes were awarded in 14
areas of study including chemistry, math and computer science, behavioral and
social science.
Cohen's project created a
greater understanding of the ecosystems and feeding patterns of fish and other
species inhabiting
Palley's project is an original computer
program that allows people to learn languages, math and spelling by using
virtual computer flashcards.
The team project focused
on cancer and genes.
All four received a
trophy, a scientific calculator and an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the
International Science and Engineering Fair in
Saturday's event was
sponsored by the Intel Foundation, the California Association of Professional
Scientists, the Professional Engineers in California
Government, Hewlett-Packard, SMUD, Agilent
Technologies and Cal Expo.
"A science project
is about asking a question and coming up with an answer," Toppin said.
For example, Jasmeet Bhullar, a seventh-grader
at
He used five different
brands of batteries, placing them one at a time inside a travel clock. Then he
wired a light bulb to the clock to help drain the battery. He was able to
determine when the battery ran out by the time on the clock.
Bhullar chose to focus on batteries
because so many items in the home depend on them, and he learned that just
because a battery cost more, it doesn't mean that it will last longer.
"Now, I know which
batteries to buy," said Bhullar, 12.
Discovery was part of the
fun for the students.
Kinnaly Bouttavong
and Apryl Galanta, both
juniors at
They had 16 people drink
either sage, green tea, or a combination of both, before playing a game of
memory in which participants tried to find the matches for a group of cards.
Although some people were
able to find the cards faster over time, the girls were not sure whether it was
because the people in the test group were getting more practice with the game
or if their memory was actually increasing because of the sage tea.
"You learn from your
mistakes," Galanta said.
The girls determined that
they should have used a larger sampling of people, and a control group that
should have been given water.
Many students tackled
behavioral and social issues.
A group of students from
Folsom High School focused on how surroundings affect eating disorders.
Natasha LaBeaud, a freshman, learned from her research that extreme
temperatures make people stay inside more and they tend to become overweight.
She also said stress affects weight.
One of her teammates, Kavita Khandekar, said she was
surprised to learn that some people perceived themselves to be too thin or too
fat.
Toppin said he was amazed by the hard
work and creativity of the students.
"They were able to
complete these projects in addition to homework, soccer practice and piano recitals,"
he said. "It's another way to show colleges that students are
competitive."
About
the Writer
---------------------------
The Bee's Gwendolyn Crump can be reached at (916) 321-1137.