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RANKIN INLET
Science teacher Jordan Simms doesn't mince words when describing student performance at his school's science fair.

Grade 7 students Shantea Bruce, left, and Inuujaq Ignerdjuk display their Strong Bridges project at the Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik Science Fair in Rankin Inlet this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

There were more than 100 projects submitted from Grade 7 to Grade 12 at the Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI) Science Fair this past week in Rankin Inlet.

The top finishers at MUI this year, who will compete at the regional fair, are Maria Kasaluak for Climate Change in the North, Kaelan Collier and Jaden Sigurdson for Snuff and Smokes in Plants, and Chelsea Sammurtok for Throat Singing.

Simms said the overall quality of the projects was disappointing.

He said there were not too many projects capable of advancing to the 2013 Kivalliq Regional Science Fair at Sakku School in Coral Harbour and seriously competing with the best in the region.

"I have to be honest and say I was a little bit disappointed with many of the projects," said Simms.

"I thought our students were capable of a lot more, and would produce more higher-level projects than what I saw.

"We've had a lot of stuff happen this year, but I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.

"Maybe some classes just didn't put enough time in on their projects, but, whatever the reason, I was a little saddened to see the quality of the turnout."

While Simms helped with the science fair as a regular teacher in 2011, this was his first time taking the lead, filling in for Katharine O'Connell, who is on sabbatical from MUI this year.

He said other than his disappointment in the quality of many of the projects, the fair did come together well.

"We were pretty lucky in a number of ways.

"There were some tables left over from the Kivalliq Trade Show, which the hamlet was kind enough to let us use.

"The other science teachers and I have been a team, and we've been planning this for the past few months.

"Everyone, kind of, had their own responsibilities and they looked after them, for the most part."

Simms said a number of students seemed to start working on their projects more as the deadline for the science fair drew closer.

He said for whatever the reason, many students just didn't seem that focused on the science fair this year.

"I found it was hard to keep motivating the students every day, day in and day out, for a long period of time on one project.

"Maybe it's time to discuss trying a different approach with the science fair and breaking it up into smaller modules or chunks.

"It could be time to discuss offering it as its own course.

"You wouldn't really attend class in the traditional way, but you would have a block of time every day to work on your project and get done what you need to do."

Simms said the science fair is the type of project where the onus falls on the students to put in the proper amount of effort.

He said teachers expect that effort from their students, especially considering the amount of teaching time that goes into the fair.

"A lot of these kids had lots and lots of class time for this.

"But, it's up to them to really go that extra mile to produce better work than a lot of what we saw this year."

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