Experiment Captivates Washington School Second Graders
This is the year of the science fair in the Huntington School District as elementary school level students completed projects individually, in small groups or even as a class. The youngsters loved it and learned a lot, too.
Second graders in Washington Primary School teacher Patricia Maltempo’s class were much like their counterparts across the district. They settled on an area of investigation, determined what materials would be needed for research, developed a question, hypothesis and procedures, collected and graphed data, made observations and reached conclusions.
“It was a very worthwhile exercise,” said Mrs. Maltempo, who holds degrees from St. John’s University and SUNY Stony Brook and who began teaching at Washington School in September 2000. “The students learned many new concepts and different facets of scientific inquiry.”
The second graders looked at whether heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones. They chose drop-off points, utilized objects of varying weights, performed measurements, jotted down findings and came to a conclusion that was different than their hypothesis.
The youngsters found that the heavier objects fell at the same rate of speed as the lighter ones. When they finished with their experiment, which was conducted while the students wore protective goggles, the class created a poster board display filled with details of their project, complete with photos of the testing process.
“The experience certainly stimulated the students’ interest in science,” Mrs. Maltempo said.
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