Although they didn’t compete for ribbons or trophies, students at Wells elementary school hoped to win praise for a job well done at the extended project and science fair this past week.

Monday, April 5, 1999

Although they didn’t compete for ribbons or trophies, students at Wells elementary school hoped to win praise for a job well done at the extended project and science fair this past week.

Second-grade students worked on an extended research project, while fourth-graders completed science projects.

&uot;They really enjoy showing their work,&uot; said second-grade teacher Lynne Doble. &uot;They’re very proud of their projects.&uot;

The children in the second-grade classes chose topics they wanted to research. Students developed a plan to show what they learned.

&uot;It gives each child a chance to show their strengths and talent,&uot; said another second-grade teacher, Nancy Halvorson. &uot;There were so many different ways to show what they learned.&uot;

While some children drew pictures, others wrote reports, made sculptures or created charts and graphs.

Brittany Ann Pitcher drew pictures and made a collage to demonstrate what she had learned about parrots. The youngster, who owns a parrot, said the project taught her even more about her favorite pet.

Getting the chance to show off her colorful bird and the tricks she taught him was just one reason she enjoyed the fair. She liked the entire process.

&uot;I had to do a lot of stuff, like reading books, coloring pictures, making a fact book. I learned a lot of new stuff,&uot; Pitcher said.

The students weren’t the only ones who learned.

&uot;It really is a learning experience for us, too,&uot; Doble said. &uot;Every year I learn something new right along with them.&uot;

There is a valuable lesson Doble and Halvorson hope to instill in all the children.

&uot;The last thing we ask them is what they learned. Most of the children said it was harder than they thought. Now they realize that they can’t start this the night before and hope to finish everything,&uot; Doble said.

Such knowledge prepares students for the fourth-grade science fair.

&uot;The goal is to introduce them to the scientific method,&uot; said Colene Dalton, the fourth-grade teacher. &uot;We don’t give them ribbons because we just want them to become comfortable with designing a project and completing the work. At this point we’re just giving them a learning tool.&uot;

Armed with the memories of their second-grade project, fourth-graders realize it takes time to complete the work. Unlike the second-grade project, science fair participants work in groups.

&uot;They have to work cooperatively and they learn that it’s sometimes a challenge,&uot; Dalton said. However, she enjoys seeing the children learn to work together and overcome obstacles that occur.

Learning to work in groups is a lesson the children can use throughout their life, while learning to complete the scientific method will help them in their scholastic careers.

In fifth and sixth grades, students are given the option of designing a science project for a competitive fair. The winners of that fair go on to regional competition in Mankato.