Sixth Graders Take the STEM Fair on the Road!
MPH Science Department Chair Sue Foster partnered with Marva Cook at The Nottingham to offer a unique opportunity for our sixth grade students. The Nottingham, just a few miles from MPH, is a senior living community offering both independent and enriched living accommodations.
On March 23, prior to the STEM Fair, sixth graders will pack up their display boards and bring the STEM Fair to the residents of The Nottingham. Students will be able to have individual conversations about their work in this showcase event. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to present to a new audience, gain confidence in their public speaking skills, and demonstrate their knowledge of their topics.
Mrs. Foster states, “It is important we let science teach students all an experiment offers. Rather than feel distraught that one’s hypothesis is ‘wrong,’ experimentation should allow contemplation over why natural events unfolded as observed. This perspective creates a disposition such that students will openly share their work; there is no indignity in being ‘wrong.’ The sixth grade trip to The Nottingham grew from my knowledge that students would celebrate this by presenting their STEM work to a non-judgmental audience. Additionally, an inter-generational setting, available just down the road, seemed an appropriate partner for our Pre-k through grade 12 environment.
That evening, students will join their peers back at MPH for the official STEM Fair, which begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Dining Hall. All families are welcome and encouraged to attend. The STEM Fair is not a judged competition; rather, it is a celebration of students’ work, effort, and dedication.