Woodstock Elementary School Science Fair showcases students’ projects

Jul 19, 2023

Woodstock Elementary School (WES) was bustling with activity the evening of Thursday, May 4, as families, teachers, and staff enjoyed an interactive, museum-style science fair put on by students in kindergarten through third grade.

Woodstock Elementary School first-grader Jude Habernig poses in front of the project he completed on the life cycle of a spider at the school's Science Fair. (Photo Provided by Ulster BOCES)Kindergarten students displayed impressive collections they gathered, including such items as bird nests, snake skins, seashells, and more. First-graders explored life cycles and treated guests to their research on wolves, bears, and octopi; butterflies and spiders; sunflowers, mushrooms, and more.

The cafeteria was the place where fairgoers could check out the variety of second-grade detailed habitat explorations and third-grade experiments and engineering projects, where students tested out their hypotheses, as scientists do.

Second-grade student Lucas Hochman decided to do his research on volcanoes. What he found most fascinating was that he could make a representation of an erupting volcano using everyday products. "I learned that I could use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and citric acid to produce a chemical reaction that looks like lava," he said.

Third-grader Fayette Jared conducted an experiment based on the question "Which butter tastes better: homemade or store-bought?" The young scientist and baking enthusiast first tried to make butter from plant-based milk, but discovered that getting the right consistency was very difficult. She then changed to a regular creamer, created butter, and then used it to make cookies!

After running a taste test between cookies made with homemade butter and cookies made with store-bought butter, she was able to confirm what she had suspected all along. "I thought people would prefer something baked with homemade butter, and they did!" she said.

First-grader Jude Habernig researched the spider's life cycle and created a three-dimensional representation of the female arachnid's egg sac, elaborate webs, and offspring. When asked what was the "coolest thing" he learned, he said, "They use silk from inside their body to produce webs!"

Woodstock Elementary School Principal Scott Richards was pleased with how the event turned out. "The science fair was a huge success," he said. "It was well-attended and the feedback from the community was very positive."

"I am super proud of all of the hard work and effort our students put into their projects!" he added.

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