RAE-EDZO - From traditional beading to buoyancy, students in Behchoko took an in depth look at topics spanning science, history and culture this month.

Elizabeth Mackenzie Elementary school held its second annual Historica Fair March 15.

The students were encouraged to dig into their family history for a topic related to Tlicho culture, said Susan Hopkins, the Grade 5 and 6 teacher who organized the event.

"It was really uplifting for the whole school," said Hopkins.

Although the students had access to the Internet and books as resources, they often had to go to firsthand sources to get the information.

"Some of the research isn't always in books, they had to go to the elders," said Hopkins.

Rhonda Apples, 9, did her project on beading and sewing. She used her mother as a primary research source. Her teacher Laura Robertson said that her mother is well known for her beading work in town.

Apples had her mother show her how to do beading work, and taught her on traditional techniques including using quills.

Shane Campbell chose to do a project on Tli Cho food. In addition to book and Internet research, his group took a survey to see what kinds of foods his classmates were eating in these modern times.

"We were really trying to encourage the students to have pride in who they are, and be proud of their culture," said Robertson, a Grade 4 teacher.

More than one hundred students participated in the Historica Fair from Grades 1 to 6.

Grade 1 and 2 students did class level projects, while other grades completed the work either individually or in small groups.

In addition to cultural projects, students also studied science subjects, on everyone from animal senses to the moon.

Faith Sanspariel, 7, looked at what floats in water and what doesn't.

"I learned that if you squeeze those big pop bottles in water than they will sink," said Sanspariel about her young discovery.

Three finalists from the school will compete alongside other youths at the territorial fair in Fort Simpson in June.