Mom's make many sacrifices as they raise their children.
Why do they do it?
For the good of their children;
because their sacrifice makes for greater things to come.
In my opinion, science fairs fall into this category.
Asking a kid to commit to a science fair is asking his mother to make a sacrifice.
Asking a mother who has more than one kid in elementary school is asking that mother to make a monumental sacrifice!
Show me a mom who loves helping her kids choose, research, gather materials, hypothesize, test, build, test again, take pictures, chart results, write reports, design displays, and transport experiments to school without catastrophe, and I'll show you my webbed feet.
But, (sigh!) we do it because the faces of our children, when they show the world what they've learned and accomplished, are unforgettable.
They stand a little taller, smile a little wider, and the twinkle in their eye shines a little brighter.
And so, here are this year's Science Sacrifices:
Grant's Science Fair Project = Fruit & Vegetable Derby Car
Project: Make a car using only fruits, vegetables, toothpicks, and skewers
Goal: Car must make it down an 8-foot ramp without falling apart
Result: Success!
Kyle's Science Fair Project = Stable Structures
Project: Test stability of structures made from spaghetti noodles and marshmallows
Goal: Find which shapes were the most stable
Result: Triangle structures were the most stable and held the most weight
Dallin's Science Fair Project = Potato Power!
Project: Power a small light bulb using potatoes as an energy source
Result: Success! And, a 2nd place medal for his class!
Karina's Science Fair Project = Solids, Liquids, and Gasses
Project: Discover the many different forms of solids, liquids, and gasses
Result: Success! And a mom who was grateful she didn't have to handle this project since she did the project with her teacher and the entire class. Yay, Ms. Taylor!
