Marcy Elementary School welcomed students, families and community members to the inaugural Marcy Learning Fair the evening of March 10. This student-centered event invites third and fourth graders to engage in independent research at home and share their discoveries using informational display boards in a creative gallery style fair setting.
“The Marcy Learning Fair allows students to explore their curiosities and passions,” explains Hamilton School District Instructional Coach Amy Yellin who organized the event. “It supports students as they dive deeper into topics they already know something about. Or it gives them the opportunity to learn about something they know very little about!”
Marcy third graders Aarav Hardi and Cole Fabian worked together to research which battery brand lasts the longest. “Our project name is Battery Wars,” shares Hardi. “We wanted to learn more about batteries and how they work. Since we’re on the bus together, we talked to each other and agreed on one idea.”
Marcy fourth graders Yasha Chithic and Hannah Cohen chose to conduct research on why gummy bears expand or shrink in different liquids. “Our hypothesis was that when the gummy bears are placed into normal water, it will get bigger because the solute concentration in the gummy bears is higher than the concentration in the water. So the water will move to the gummy bears,” explains Chithic. “Since the solute concentration in the salt and sugar water is higher, the gummy bears won’t get as big,” she adds.
Approximately 100 Marcy Elementary School students chose to participate in this optional activity. Many began conducting research in January. The projects aimed to answer a wide variety of questions such as ‘which brand of popsicle melts the fastest?’ or ‘how is heart rate affected by playing video games?’
During the event, families strolled through the fair and spoke to students about their work. There were no formal presentations or competitive judging. The goal of the Marcy Learning Fair was to celebrate curiosity, creativity and learning.
Marcy fourth graders Abbey Ristow and Lida Lopez researched unique sea creatures such as the axolotl and blobfish and were eager to share their findings during the Marcy Learning Fair. “I want people to learn about all these amazing creatures,” exclaims Ristow.
“We are grateful to have another way to connect with families,” adds Yellin. “We have been looking forward to celebrating our students’ accomplishments and sharing in their joy.”