Science Fair 2024: a fusion of chemistry, research, and creativity

We are excited to share the highlights from the annual Science Fair at H-FARM International School, which happened on May 30th 2024. This highly anticipated event showcased the remarkable investigative skills of our M1-2 students and has been a staple on our calendar since 2017.

Throughout the first two years of the Middle Years Programme (MYP), our science curriculum focuses on building a strong foundation in investigative skills. The Science Fair is the culmination of this learning process, allowing students to present interactive and engaging experiments they have developed independently. With no set theme, students have the freedom to explore any scientific question that sparks their curiosity, making the event a pure celebration of scientific inquiry.Mr. Paul Iacco, Head of MYP1-3 & ESS & Science, explains:“Every year we have our science fair which allows the students to exhibit the skills they have developed. We try to encourage interactive and engaging investigations where parents and family members can attend and partake in. There is no particular theme and the students have free range to conduct whichever experiment they would like”.

One standout project was “An Explosive Experiment!” conducted by a group consisting of Gregorio, Dante, and Leo. They aimed to reproduce the activity of a volcano to demonstrate the functioning of a chemical reaction. Their goal was to create a fascinating explosion, and their project certainly captivated the audience. They explained:“We wanted to verify the reaction of soda and coca-cola through the model of a volcano to create a fascinating explosion”.

Another intriguing experiment was “Candy, Grow!” by Lara and Ginevra. Their project aimed to investigate how different liquids affect the growth of candy. They found that candies grew more in some liquids compared to others. “Our aim was to make candy grow through different liquids, such as sugar water and vinegar. We noticed that in sugar water, candies grow more, instead in the vinegar they just melt”, they stated. 

“Walking Water” is the name of another experiment conducted by Talisa, Maria Vittoria e Andrea. They explained:“This is our research question: how does the temperature of the water affect the time the coloured water will take to rise on the strip of paper and reach the empty beaker, which is placed 5 centimetres apart from each other?”. Talisa continues:“The density influences the phenomenon of capillarity. The greater the density of the fluid, the less the fluid will rise due to capillary action. For example, honey has a higher density and viscosity than water in a capillary tube”.

Another interesting experiment is “Hydroponics”, by Bella and Elisa. The two girls told us:“What is Hydroponics? It’s the technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil. We adopted this technique and our conclusion is that all the plants grow better in a hydroponics system”.

We were delighted to see parents, family members, and the entire school community come together to support and engage with our young scientists. Their participation made this day of discovery and innovation even more memorable. The Science Fair not only highlights the students’ scientific skills but also underscores the importance of community involvement in educational endeavours.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of this year’s Science Fair. Your support and enthusiasm are what make events like these possible, enriching the educational experiences of our students and inspiring them to continue their journeys in scientific exploration. What we desire the most is looking forward to more groundbreaking projects and discoveries in the years to come.