Science in Naujaat
Tuugaalik High School gearing up for regional fare in Chester
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
NAUJAAT
Students at Tuugaalik High School took part in the school's annual science fair in Naujaat this past week, as they set their eyes on the Kivalliq regional crown in the upcoming new year.
Judge Calinda Nimiqtaqtuq talks to Grade 11 students Cathy Katokra, left, and Tiff Siusangnark about their project on condom use, which took second overall in the Tuugaalik High School Science fair last week. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson |
Science teacher Jenni Chicarella said every grade at the school, from 7 to 12, took part in the fair.
She said the roughly 150 students produced 53 completed projects.
"Most of the teachers have the projects for the science fair done in the classroom as one of their science units, working through scientific method and hands-on science, that type of thing, for two or three weeks," said Chicarella.
"The projects were really well done this year, and we were especially impressed with the number and quality of the junior high projects.
"We haven't seen that very often in the past at our school.
"The senior high projects were very well done, just as they've been at our school for the past three years now."
The tandem of Grade 12 students Kyler Kabvitok and Shelly Iguptak took top spot overall at the Tuugaalik fair, with their work on the fast and furious Nunavut drift of qamutiik speed.
Grade 11 students Cathy Katokra and Tiff Siusangnark took second spot for their project on condom use.
The top two projects will now advance to the 2017 Kivalliq Regional Science fair at Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet from March 24 to 27.
Chicarella said the two winning projects were at a higher level because of the amount of scientific thought that went into them.
She said the winning project had numerous trials conducted to see what material the sled runners could be lined with to make it go faster, while the second place project saw the students come up with their own questions for a survey, then having a large number of people complete the survey and analyzing their data.
"So, with both of our winning efforts, they weren't just copying an existing project.
"They came up with an idea on their own, and then tested and analyzed it."
Chicarella said there are a fair number of students at the school who genuinely get excited over the science fair.
She said others get more invested in their projects as they go along, because they really enjoy hands-on science.
"Our winners are very excited about attending the regional fair.
"They're all ready starting to think about improvements they can make to their projects to make them look nicer.
"It's one step away from going to the national fair, and that's pretty exciting stuff.
"Our third place winner, Grade 10 student Jan Kopak, also deserves mention for doing a very good solo project on the impact smoking has on one's health."
