Students in Múinteoir Derry’s 5th Class are currently working on a project for the RDS Primary Science Fair which takes place alongside the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. The RDS Primary Science Fair encourages primary school teachers to focus on developing students’ scientific skills by investigating a question or problem. Through working together to question, observe, record and then make sense of what they find, students develop core life skills which provide them with a strong foundation for their future path in life. The Fair is not a competition and emphasises the development of children’s core scientific skills.
The students of Múinteoir Derry’s class are investigating the question “Why do we slip so easily on ice?” As part of their research, the children are examining many different materials to identify the characteristics that make the materials slippy or not slippy. They are studying various items of footwear to find which would be the safest to wear in icy conditions and they are designing an attachment to make an item of footwear safer when walking on ice.
This is the second year that students from Scoil Bhríde are participating in the Science Fair. Last year’s entry investigated how water is cleaned for drinking. Having heard how wonderful an experience it was for everyone in 2013, the children in this year’s 5th Class are really looking forward to presenting their findings at the RDS Science Fair on January 11th 2014. The school is very proud of the children for the work they have done on the project to date and wish them and Múinteoir Derry every success with it.
You are all welcome to go to the RDS on 11th January where the children will be delighted to explain their project to you.