The STEM Fair at Edgemont

February 20th, 2019 /
Melissa Calvillo /
Edgemont, Elementary School, News, Provo STEM, Schools

The STEM fair, a required core standard for the sixth graders and an optional endeavor for grades K-5, occurred a few weeks ago for all grades at Edgemont Elementary.

The science fair encourages students to participate in experimenting with scientific methodologies at an early age, as well as prepares them for their sixth-grade debut. Fifth and sixth graders have consistently worked hard on their experiments since November, preparing their final evaluations and posters for the fair. They have the option to choose between different topics such as chemistry, engineering, lifestyle, etc.

Students had a variety of experiments, including ones regarding the environment, aspects of light, the chemistry of cooking, tele-robotic music, etc.

The tele-robotic music experiment was inspired by a person making motion and a robot repeating that motion. This kind of technology is generally used for medical reasons such as for surgery, but never before for music. The robot was constructed with a combination of hardware and software that allowed the robot motion and sensory to play a xylophone remotely. It resulted in playing songs with three notes, like “Hot Cross Buns” and “Mary had a Little Lamb”, making the system capable of swinging the hammer 18 times in 10 seconds.

The students were judged three times before averaging their grouped scores, based on the research question, design and methodology, execution, creativity, poster and interview. The eight highest scores will then move on to the district competition on February 15, 2019. The top two winners from the district competition will move on to the regional competition, the Central Utah STEM Fair, on March 25-26. This regional fair includes finalists from multiple districts and goes up to grade 12.