Science Fair 2014

This year we took 4 girls from the Elementary school to Winnipeg for the MFNERC Science Fair. The trip was pretty similar to what we did last year but I felt it ran a bit more smoothly. Their projects asked “How does animation work?” and “What is water made of?” 

Off to the airport!

Starr playing with animation.

Once we arrived in Winnipeg we went straight to the Manitoba Museum. We had enough time to play around in the Science Center before checking out the main collection.

Kyra

Flight lesson

Mirror Room

The whole group.

Science!

Jaylin

Starr

 

Métis embroidery and beadwork

The main collection of the museum has a whole bunch of displays and artifacts from the fur trade up till the completion of the railway. Because grade 6 Social Studies covers from Confederation to the present day, it's really unfortunate that I can't take my whole class to this museum. The girls were especially interested in the clothing worn by the First Nations and Inuit people around the time of the fur trade. We were able to talk a bit about how designs and fashions changed with access to glass beads and exposure to European designs from the nuns. I don't have any photos because that section of the museum has very low lighting in order to help preserve the collection.

Coat check

After the museum we headed over to the University if Manitoba to set up for the Science Fair. The next day the girls presented their project to three separate judges. They were scored mainly based on their ability to present their projects to the judges.

Gwen and Jaylin

Starr and Kyra

After being judged, the girls were able to play with some of the robotics labs set up by Manitoba Robot Games.

Starr programming commands for a robot.

Before the medals were awarded guest speaker Senator Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck spoke to the audience about the importance of an education in science.

Gwen and Jaylin realizing they had won gold.

We were so proud of Gwen and Jaylin for winning a gold medal for their project using electrolysis to demonstrate what water is made of. 

Gold!

After the medals were awarded we celebrated our wins with dinner and a movie. If you haven't already seen it, The Wind Rises is absolutely beautiful and one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen this year.

Before returning to Winnipeg we had breakfast at Stella's and a quick visit to the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG). There was a really great exhibit featuring the work of contemporary Winnipeg artists influenced by the gallery's Inuit collection. And we all enjoyed Ragnar Kjartansson's The End-Rocky Mountains video installation. 

Our trip was unexpectedly extended because of poor weather conditions in Garden Hill. We flew all the way there only to turn back once the pilot realized he would be unable to land. The girls didn't really mind; it meant they were able to go swimming one last time!