Makayla Williams, a student at MPS’ Golda Meir School, with her project
Sometimes science projects are built around answering a question. That’s what inspired Congress School sixth grader Jayden Anderson, who wanted to know which Double-A battery brand lasted the longest.
Find out what he learned and explore more than 250 other unique project entries at the 9th annual Milwaukee Public Schools STEM Fair on Thursday, April 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Peck Welcome Center. Members of the public and the media are welcome and members of the media should contact Tony Tagliavia, MPS media manager, to indicate interest.
This year’s STEM Fair, formerly the science fair, is the largest to date, said Lisa Martin, MPS Science Teacher Leader and event organizer. Participation is up 17 percent from last year with more than 350 students, representing 38 schools, taking part.
Martin said the STEM Fair is an opportunity for students to become a scientist or engineer and discuss what they’ve learned while working on their projects.
Makayla Williams, a sophomore at Golda Meir School, enjoys growing plants through aquaponics, which is sparking her interest in science. She created a small-scale aquaponics system, which could be replicated at home for minimal cost.
In an aquaponics system, fish and plants grow together. The systems convert waste produced by the fish into fertilizer for plants, which in turn filter water that enters the fish habitat.
Williams tested her idea using a two-liter plastic bottle filled with water, long-rooted plants and fish. She monitored her prototype system for a few months and found the long-rooted plants filtered out waste without the need for circulating pump, which is required in a traditional aquaponics system.
Students are exploring a variety of subjects covering biology, chemistry, engineering, physics and environmental issues including extreme weather. Angelica Barajas and Justin Delgado, both fifth graders at Albert E. Kagel School, are examining how bad weather occurs, while a K4 class project from Franklin Pierce School explores properties of metals and uses magnets to determine iron content in breakfast cereals.
Martin said as students work on their STEM Fair projects, it often inspires them to want to learn more, which grows their interest in their schoolwork. It also is an opportunity for students to use the skills they are learning in the classroom in a practical way.
“Students have to be good speakers to present their projects to the judges and they must write well,” Martin said. “Students also are using math when they’re collecting data.”
Photo: Makayla Williams, a student at MPS’ Golda Meir School, with her project