How big do gummy bears grow in different liquids? Which brand of marker will last the longest? Does color affect taste? How does the brand of sports drink affect electrolyte concentration?  Students at Santa Rita Elementary spent the month of November researching and answering these questions and more for the school’s science fair. 

Almost 300 students, from kindergarten through fifth grade, participated in the annual science fair, presenting a wide variety of projects that sparked curiosity and creativity. Kindergarten through second-grade homeroom classes worked together on class projects, while third through fifth-grade students collaborated in small groups to research topics, conduct experiments and create presentations that followed the scientific method. “The overall success of the science fair seems to grow each year,” said Santa Rita Assistant Principal Misty Gallimore.

A total of 83 projects were displayed at the fair. Students presented their findings to a panel of judges composed of Angelo State University students and professors and SAISD employees. The judges asked thought-provoking questions like, “Were you surprised by the results?” and “What did you learn from this experiment?”

Projects for third through fifth grades were evaluated based on several criteria: How well the project followed the scientific method; Enthusiasm and interest in the project; Knowledge of the project; Organization and visual appeal of the presentation of scientific data/information; and Conclusion. Kindergarten through second-grade projects weren’t formally judged but received valuable feedback and encouragement from the panel.

 Judge feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as:

• “The Gummy Bear experiment was a joy to listen to and [I] learned a lot from it. I love how they described their experience and how creative it was. You guys did AWESOME!”
• “All of the presenters had a great speaking voice. I loved how much detail was put into collecting the data and conducting the experiment. Great job!”
• “Good job! It’s interesting to see what happens when we try different things. Sometimes our guesses are right and sometimes, not.”
• “Did great!!! Very clear and well spoken. You can tell they practiced and were prepared! They were also very knowledgeable. Overall, did an awesome job and will be great public speakers!!!”
• “Good job understanding the experiment and relating the project to your teeth! Science is fun!”
• “Answered all of our questions with expertise. Their hypothesis was correct. Very colorful presentation with lots of good pictures.”
• “Very passionate, curious. Neat experiment with great pictures and examples, Overall, I love the way they were showing us their findings.”

“The most interesting aspect involving the younger grades is sparking creativity and curiosity early on,” said Ms. Gallimore. “We allow them to engage in hands-on activities that empower them to think critically.”

The following awards were presented to the top projects in each grade level:

Third Grade

• 1st Place: “Stained Teeth”
• 2nd Place: “Marvelous Walking Colors”
• 3rd Place: “Candy Stick”

Fourth Grade

• 1st Place: “What Makes an Electromagnet Stronger?”
• 2nd Place: “Groovy Growth”
• 3rd Place: “What Shoe was Fastest?”

Fifth Grade

• 1st Place: “Which Fruit Can Power the Most Light?”
• 2nd Place: “Germy Chairs”
• 3rd Place: “Sweet ‘N Sour Circuit”

Grand Prize Winner

• “Lightening“ – 4th grade student

Later in the evening, the projects were displayed for parents at Santa Rita’s STEM Night. Ms. Gallimore shared that the Santa Rita community greatly enjoys attending this event to see the projects and interact with students. She said the feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive, with many complimenting the students and the partnership with Angelo State University.

We would like to commend all the science fair participants for the hard work they put into their projects and for a job well done. We hope they enjoyed working on their projects as much as we enjoyed learning about them. San Angelo ISD celebrates all the ways our students are smart and the methods our educators use to cultivate their individual smartness. To stay up-to-date on San Angelo ISD, please visit the SAISD website at www.saisd.org and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X.